At the annual gathering of world leaders in Davos Switzerland it was not only speeches and diplomacy that drew attention but also the reflective sunglasses worn by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The shades quickly dominated news feeds triggered a pointed remark from United States President Donald Trump and inspired a wave of memes including an AI generated spoof portraying Macron as a fighter jet pilot set to the song Danger Zone from the film Top Gun. Trump himself referenced the look during his Davos address saying Those beautiful sunglasses What the hell happened
Macron later explained that the glasses were worn to conceal what he described as a benign medical issue affecting his right eye. Still the visual impact proved far greater than the explanation as the image took on a life of its own online.
According to Macron’s office the sunglasses were made by French eyewear firm Henry Jullien. The model worn was the Pacific S 01 which retails for 659 euros or about 775 dollars. The company said demand surged immediately after Macron appeared wearing them during a hard hitting speech in Davos prompting it to launch a dedicated page on its website to manage the spike in traffic and enquiries.
The publicity also lifted the fortunes of the brand’s Italian parent company iVision Tech SpA. Shares rose sharply on the Milan stock exchange from 1.51 euros on Tuesday when Macron spoke to a high of 2.63 euros by Friday.
Stefano Fulchir the chief executive of iVision told the Associated Press that the company had experienced an extraordinary week. He said Macron bought the glasses in 2024 after ensuring they were French made. Fulchir said he had received calls from media outlets playing the Top Gun theme and described sleeping only a few hours a night due to the volume of interest.
Beyond the commercial impact the look sparked debate about image and political communication. Cristina Archetti a political communication scholar at the University of Oslo said Macron carried off the unconventional choice with confidence. She described him as looking relatively young and super cool noting that the blue tinted lenses matched the blue Davos backdrop well and created striking images.
Archetti added that the memes comparing Macron to characters like James Bond and the Terminator showed how easily political figures can be transformed into pop culture icons in the digital age.
Others warned however that sunglasses can be risky for elected leaders who rely on trust and openness. Marco Bohr a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University said sunglasses often signal detachment which runs counter to the connection politicians usually try to build with voters. Unless there is a clear reason such as bright sunlight or a medical issue wearing them indoors can raise suspicion.
Historically some leaders have successfully made sunglasses part of their public image. Former United States president Joe Biden was known for his aviator shades and Bill Clinton famously wore sunglasses while playing saxophone during his 1992 campaign. Autocratic leaders too have used dark glasses as part of their image with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il once wearing them during a visit to a coal mine.
The Davos meeting itself was dominated by tensions between Trump and European leaders over issues including Greenland and broader transatlantic relations. In that context Fulchir suggested that Macron’s eyewear may be remembered as a symbol of the moment.
Bohr noted that Macron had other options such as an eye patch or different styles of sunglasses each carrying their own symbolism. By choosing an aviator style he said Macron projected associations with pilots and control reinforcing a sense of authority at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.
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