Born in Randolph, Massachusetts in 1973, the popular sunglasses brand skyrocketed to fame in the 1980s when it received a grant to become the official aviation eyewear of the U.S. military. The company is still going strong 50 years later, and while it still services the needs of aviators with the thorough engineering behind each pair of Randolph sunglasses, Randolph has also proliferated its direct-to-consumer business- becoming incredibly popular and spotted on some famous faces.
Adrenaline-junkie and actor Tom Cruise is one of the most widely scene celebs wearing Randolph sunglasses. Cruise sported a pair of Randolph sunglasses in the films Oblivion and American Made as a pilot wearing the timeless Randolph Aviators in Bright Chrome.
If you follow celebrity street-style you might have also noticed a consistent accessory making an appearance on Australian actor, Hugh Jackman. Jackman, a fan of the brand, is now in love with the Blue Chrome Aviators with 23K white gold finishing.
And while celebs far and wide, in addition to local Boston natives such as John Krasinski and Mark Wahlberg admire Randolph’s family business model, elegant style, and unmatched quality, you don’t need to be an aviator or Hollywood A-lister to join the fun.
Get styled for the summer with Randolph sunglasses
For the first time in its 50-year history, the brand has a brick-and-mortar shop so you can get styled for the summer! Randolph is now part of The Current, a pop-up incubator in Seaport. Find the Randolph storefront through September and enjoy trying their sunglasses on in person!
Aviator
The classic style done best by Randolph! Randolph has been creating these sunglasses for actual military aviators, so you know they’re the best quality. The popular style is just as chic on the ground as in the air. Aviators come in a variety of lens colors from a tinted evergreen to a mirrored yellow and also a variety of frames all made from jewelry-grade 23 karat gold!
Cecil
Named after Cecil “Teddy” Kenyon, the daredevil fighter pilot who received her license after just 10 hours of instruction. She was a trailblazer in aviation along with Earheart. All Randolph sunglasses are unisex, but these shades have a feminine flair honoring Cecil’s fiery energy.
Amelia
The name needs no introduction. Amelia Earheart was the first female aviator to embark on a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1928. Earheart held many accolades in flying and was one of the first faces of commercial aviation.
She also had a brief stint in Boston working at Denison House and living in Medford. In 1927 Earheart flew the first official flight out of Quincy’s Dennison Airport.
Concorde
This iconic teardrop aviator shape is one of Randolph’s bestsellers! It gets its name after the Concorde Supersonic, a tailless aircraft that could cruise at speeds of 1,354 miles-per-hour. Those speeds took travelers from New York to Paris in just 3.5 hours, compared to the usual 7-hour trip.
In total, Randolph offers 16 unique frame styles all designed and hand-crafted in-house at their family operated studio in Randolph, MA. Each frame comes in a variety of timeless gold finishes with alluring lenses for suave style. Warning: the sheer coolness of these shades may inspire you to engage in some Risky Business!
About Randolph
Named after the Norfolk County town where the brand was founded in 1973, Randolph first began as an engineering company from founders Jan Waszkiewicz and Stanley Zaleski. After winning a United States Department of Defense bid, Randolph’s design became the gloablly recognized brand worn by American pilots and aerobatics worldwide.
The aviator-led takeover in Hollywood skyrocketed the brand into further awareness making Randolph synonymous with best-in class eyewear. Today, this 3rd generation family business partakes in like-minded collaborations with gloablly recognized brands and changemakers like Todd Snyder and Alpha Industries!
Randolph’s manufacturing house is just a 29-minute drive from Boston and you can visit their shop at The Current!
Find Randolph at Seaport Boulevard and Online at randolphusa.com