Yohji Yamamoto Sunglasses Retro

The avant-garde Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto has said, “dirty is good.” These three words capture the eccentric designer’s love of a dark and disheveled — yet dapper — look. A master tailor with a distinctive style, he creates everything from coats and jackets to day dresses and evening gowns.

Yamamoto was born to a World War II widow in 1943. By the time he was 26, he had a law degree from Keio University and a fashion degree from Bunka Fashion College. In 1969, he won two Japanese fashion awards — the Endo Award and the Soen Award — which included a round-trip ticket to Paris. 

It was in the French capital that Yamamoto realized the fashion world was changing. A casual aesthetic was replacing formal and classical sensibilities. He soon set up his first label — Y’s — and embarked upon designing heavy-duty sportswear.

Yamamoto launched women’s collections in 1977 in Tokyo, in 1981 in Paris and in 1982 in New York. Their pieces loosened the traditional female clothing silhouette in favor of shapes more typical of menswear: simple cuts, minimal details and generous proportions. In 1983, the New York Times wrote, “Yohji Yamamoto may stand barely five feet tall, but his effect on world fashion in the last two years has been enormous.”

In 1984, he made his first foray into men’s fashion under the Yohji Yamamoto label. In 1994, he was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture and, in 2002, he became the creative director of Adidas’s Y-3.

Yamamoto’s fashion has been the subject of exhibitions around the world, including “May I help you” in 2002 at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, “Correspondences” in 2005 at the Gallery of Modern Art in Florence, Italy, and “Painting and Weaving Opportunity” in 2017 at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery. In 2017, he received the DFA Lifetime Achievement Award.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Yohji Yamamoto clothing, accessories, handbags and more.

A pair of vintage designer sunglasses can be a game-changing finishing touch to your ensemble.

No matter your age or general fashion sensibility, wearing sunglasses may already be part of your regular outdoor routine owing to their practicality. Most sunglasses protect the eyes from harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays — and not merely on sunny days. Glasses that utilize color-enhancing lenses, which feature specific coatings or filter tints, can limit the amount of light coming through, while polarized lenses substantially reduce glare.

So while their usefulness is well known, let’s face it, a good pair of sunglasses can be stylish too.

People have been making a statement with iconic eyewear for a while — sunglasses garnered popularity with the Hollywood set in the early 1900s, when it wasn’t uncommon for a hip actress to be photographed in a pair of her sharpest shades.

Today, we’re still talking about the sunglasses that Audrey Hepburn — the original trendsetter — donned in the opening scene of 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She emerges from the flagship store of the legendary luxury house referenced in the film’s title in a pair of glamorous dark tortoiseshell frames designed by London eyewear firm Oliver Goldsmith Sunglasses. The brand was a keeper for Hepburn — in 1967, she famously wore a pair of Goldsmith’s Yuhu wraparound frames in the poster for Stanley Donen’s film Two for the Road.

Indeed, celebrities have long held sway in the sunglasses realm — perhaps you’ve opted for vintage Ray-Ban sunglasses because you’re enamored with Marilyn Monroe’s celebrated Wayfarers or you’ve taken to classic Aviators because actor Jon Hamm wore them in the nostalgic TV smash hit Mad Men. Good frames are a surefire way to take your style to the next level.

When shopping for the right pair of sunglasses, consider the color and shape of the frames (as well as the shape of your face), how dark or light the lenses are — or tint, if you’re leaning toward a chic gradient lens. Take your time, spring for more than one pair because different moods call for different shades and, while you’re at it, make sure you know how to spot a pair of fake Ray-Ban sunglasses before you make that purchase.

On 1stDibs, our collection of vintage designer sunglasses features classics from Gucci, Cartier, Chanel and other brands as well as a wide range that can be sorted by color — find sleek black sunglasses, brown pairs and a whole lot of other eye-catching options, whether it’s sunny outside or not.