Ray-Ban is a manufacturer of sunglasses , founded in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb , on commission of the United States Air Force . In 1999 , Bausch & Lomb sold the brand to the Italian Luxottica Group. Ray-Ban was responsible for creating two of the most imitated sunglass models on the planet. One is the Ray-Ban Aviator and the other is the Ray-Ban Wayfarer . The Aviator was created in 1936. The glasses were developed specifically for pilots and were used by the military. In 1937, they were available to the general public. The Wayfarer has been available since 1953 and is reported to be the best-selling style in history. The glasses were especially popular in the 1980s thanks to the movies The Blues Brothers and Risky Business and the television show Miami Vice . The popularity of the film Top Gun led to an increase of sales of forty percent of Ray-Ban Aviators. The 1992 Quentin Tarantino film, Reservoir Dogs , features characters wearing Ray-Ban's (most famously in the opening credit sequence which featured the characters in black suits putting on Wayfarer Ray-Ban to George Baker 's "Little Green Bag".) Ray-Ban was also featured in the movie Men in Black. Ray-Ban currently sponsors the Honda Formula 1 team. The world's best-known eyewear brand and global leader in the sector, all models in the Ray-Ban collection are the product of meticulous styling that succeeds in translating the best of the latest fashions into and ever-contemporary range. Ray-Ban denotes a unique lifestyle that has graced the faces of millions of wearers all over the world. All models are identified by the Ray-Ban signature engraved or silkscreen-printed on the arms and stamped on the lenses. The sun collection update is an authentic expression of the Ray-Ban style. Lightweight acetate combines superbly with lustrous metal finishes for a blend of comfort and style that suits every occasion. All the models in the collection flaunt the distinctive Ray-Ban signature on arms and lenses.