13 Australian Sunglasses Brands Helping You Serve Looks All Summer Long

Sun protection aside, a good pair of sunglasses acts as an exclamation point for your outfit. Whether you’re searching for an investment pair or like to change up your look regularly, these Australian and New Zealand brands have you covered.

As Y2K trends reverberate throughout the latest collections, this summer is the perfect time to push yourself out of your style comfort zone. Don a pair with coloured lenses or wraparound frames to claim your sartorial status. For classicists, oversized cat eyes and timeless rectangular silhouettes are always a hit, whether you’re shielding hungover eyes or people-watching by the pool. And if you’re in the market for brands with an eco-friendly mindset, sustainable designs made from recycled materials don’t miss a beat when it comes to blocking UV rays and looking good.

Szade

The team behind Melbourne-based Szade believes you need two types of sunglasses in your life: rave-ready styles and heavy tints for the morning after. Notable styles this season include Farrow, Brooks and Rush. On a mission to reduce waste and excess, the brand’s sunglasses are made from faulty, broken or unwanted frames, which were destined for landfill.

Our pick

Vieux Eyewear

A father-son collaboration between Paul and Jack Surman, Vieux Eyewear takes inspiration from the one-of-a-kind nature of our oceans. The Turin style brings old-world baroque character to a modern silhouette. 

Our pick

Raie

Raie’s genderless collection is filled with minimalist, classic styles. The brand offers a find your fit feature to help you match your face shape to the perfect pair of sunnies. From cat eye to wrapped and rectangle, the handmade acetate styles are fitted with Category 3 UV400 lenses for high levels of sun protection. We think the Lakota in zodiac brown is ready for a moment in the sun this summer.

Our pick

Velvet Canyon 

Byron Bay label Velvet Canyon’s silhouettes strike that sweet point between nostalgic vintage vibes and modern polish. New season styles include oversized frames like the L’Homme and the La Tourtise. Others like the Musettes and the So Baby, channel Y2K energy with soft lines and metal frames. 

Our pick

Bassike x Local Supply

This collaboration between two Australian sustainability heavyweights is filled with refined classics. The limited-run unisex collection is made using biodegradable acetate and each pair is fitted with Category 3 lenses to provide full protection. The 04 style is a timeless choice.

Our pick

AM

Let AM Eyewear amp up your eyewear collection with its Italian acetate sunglasses. Lean into rectangular silhouettes with the Howie, Ollie and Bridget styles. The brand continues to evolve its sustainability measures, using Zeiss sustainable polyamide lenses in this collection. You can do your part too, giving your pre-loved AM frames a second life through the brand’s buy-back scheme. You’ll get $50 towards your next purchase and AM Eyewear will donate your old pair to the Lions Recycle for Sight program.

Our pick

Le Specs x Alemais

Aussie eyewear label Le Specs effortlessly exudes “it girl” energy. Its sleek frames have been spotted on stars like Sydney Sweeney, Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner. The round Outta Love frames are a long-time favourite, as is the rectangular Unreal style. This season, the sunnies stalwart has teamed up with Sydney-based fashion label Alemais to deliver a sunny eyewear range that channels retro nostalgia. There are sculptural shapes finished in tortoise and deep marble veining.

Our pick

Del Sol Salon 

Part eyewear label, part art project, Del Sol Salon’s sunnies are undeniable cool. Taking cues from poolside glamour and retro sportswear, they feel playful and offbeat. Its signature goggle-like silhouette comes in neutrals like khaki and toast, along with icy blues.  

Our pick

Oroton

Known for its polished leather goods and ready-to-wear staples, Oroton brings the same considered approach to sunglasses. The eyewear offering leans classic and quietly confident, with timeless silhouettes. Think soft cat eyes, refined rectangles and gently oversized proportions. This season brings styles like the Nadja B and the Wilder. 

Our pick

Poppy Lissiman

Stand out from the crowd with Poppy Lissiman’s self-proclaimed left-of-centre styles. Always one step ahead of the curve, the West Australian-born designer has cemented her status as a sunglasses maven with a growing collection of early aughts-inspired styles. The names to know this season are the Monty, the Bertie and the Koenji. From mirrored lenses and metallic finishes to neon brights and more pared-back pastels, expect to see your most fashionable friends sporting a pair of Poppy Lissiman sunglasses this summer.

Our pick

Good Citizens

It took Nik Robinson and his sons (Harry, eight and Archie, six) 752 days and more than 2500 failed attempts to create the perfect pair of sunnies. The result? Good Citizens: an eyewear brand that offers 100 per cent recycled frames. Named after the Sydney suburbs where you can imagine spending the sunniest of days, the three modular styles – Clovelly, Newport and Palm Beach – are made without hinges or screws. This means they’re fully customisable and repairable. With the tagline "Untrash the planet", the brand proves that one single-use 600-millilitre bottle offers enough plastic to make one pair of glasses. So far, the team has recycled 96,032 bottles (and counting) across frames, cases and cleaning cloths. You know what they say: one person’s trash is another person’s new favourite pair of summer shades.

Our pick

Lucy Folk

Fans of Lucy Folk will be familiar with its resort-inspired ready-to-wear, bespoke jewellery and general sun-seeker energy. And the eyewear range lives up to the hype. Handmade in Italy with 100 per cent UV-protected lenses, each piece in the collection has its own personality. There’s the Draa with its broad square frame and the Tanit for a more ladylike cat-eye style – the perfect accompaniment for long lunches and lazy summer days.

Our pick

Isle of Eden

Designed in Auckland and handcrafted from “future-friendly materials”, Isle of Eden aims to counteract the sea of sameness. Both classic and trending silhouettes are made from bio and recycled acetates, and come stored in a recycled leather case. Sleek and chic, Emily is a consistent bestseller, while newly released styles like Blake and Olli are set to make their mark this summer. The New Zealand brand is also committed to going beyond just its manufacturing process to make a difference. From offering a trade-in and repairs service to partnering with the Love Your Coast program and Future Post initiative, the goal is to set a new standard for the industry when it comes to being kind.

Our pick

This story was originally published December 20, 2022 and has since been updated.

Additional reporting by Simone Richardson and Gitika Garg.

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