Renauld sunglasses were worn by everyone from Jackie Kennedy to Elvis Presley. Forty years after the brand died, an enthusiast has revived it for the 21st century
The opening credits of the 1969 film The Italian Job are hard to forget. The character Roger Beckerman — played by Rossano Brazzi — drives his tangerine-coloured Lamborghini Miura through the Italian Alps, taking terrifying bends with ease, barely slowing down to put on gold-rimmed wraparound sunglasses and light a cigarette … But the still smouldering cigarette and sunglasses are all that remains of Beckerman following an explosive incident in a tunnel, after which they are crunched beneath the suave leather shoes of his killer.
Thankfully that was not the end of the sunglasses — which are movie stars in their own right. Years later Gareth Llewelyn, an entrepreneur with a background in technology, decided he wanted to own a pair just like Beckerman’s.
“My mother took me to see The Italian Job,” Llewelyn recalls. “I was a bit young to understand the plot, but the opening sequence and the amazing visual impact of this futuristic Lamborghini stayed with me.” As did the sunglasses, which Llewelyn became determined to track down.
They had been made by Renauld, a company that operated between 1961 and 1981 — when it went bankrupt. But during those years its shades were worn by everyone from James Dean to Jackie Kennedy, Elvis Presley to Liz Taylor, from motor racing drivers to socialites.
By the time Llewelyn got the Renauld bug there was an active second-hand market for the glasses (for instance Brad Pitt owns a pair). “I started to collect Renauld sunglasses in the hope of finding The Italian Job pair and the collection soon started to get out of hand. I began purchasing every variation of every type as they became available.”
Llewelyn amassed 120 pairs, filling three drawers in his office. “My wife knew I was buying them, but not to the extent to which I was.” Eventually he looked into buying the company, the patent for which had lapsed in 2016.
Then began the hard work of bringing the brand back to life. Llewelyn tried to get in touch with former Renauld employees who had been involved in the original design process, even turning up at an address in California, hoping to find the 94-year-old Atherton Mitchell. “He was the one who created the first pair of Mustangs [now known as the Rossano sunglasses]. I really wanted to talk to him about what it was like to design these incredible sunglasses in 1962.” The building, though, was empty, but Llewelyn did manage to find a studio in Italy able to recreate the classic designs, merging Sixties silhouettes with current technological advances.
The first glasses Lewellyn chose to remake were the pair Steve McQueen wore during the production of his 1971 film Le Mans.
“McQueen encapsulates many of Renauld’s core values: sophistication, timeless style and a love of motor racing and motorbikes.”
McQueen has provided inspiration for two of the new models: the Le Mans and the Car 20. The Le Mans sunglasses are a classic aviator-style, with lens shades — from deep to light blue, light green and yellow — and are priced at £995.
The Car 20 versions are the same, except they feature a part of Steve McQueen’s Porsche 917 in the Renauld Marque on the side of the frames. Each pair comes in a bright orange, bespoke, hand-stitched leather case, embossed with McQueen’s racing number and signature, and cost £1,495.
Llewellyn worked closely with McQueen’s son, Chad, and grandchildren Chase and Madison to learn more about the actor.
“The McQueen family have put their full weight behind the Steve McQueen by Renauld sunglasses collection. They invited me to their home in Palm Springs to discuss the project and to ensure that the Renauld team was accurate and authentic in all aspects of the story.”
Owners of Steve McQueen collection glasses will be able to learn more about the story behind them by scanning an NFC (near-field communication) chip located in the sunglasses.
Renauld sunglasses are made in a limited edition and every pair has a serial number. It has also created the ValueBond app, whereby you tap your smartphone on to the NFC chip and gauge the collectibility and latest valuation of the product on the app, where you can trade with other Renauld sunglass owners.
Upcoming projects include the release of the Elvis by Renauld collection, which features a piece of one of Presley’s bespoke shirts, and Jim Clark by Renauld, inspired by the all-time great British Formula 1 driver. Renauld also recently secured a piece of James Dean’s racing kit overalls for a future James Dean by Renauld project.
“We have so many legendary stars and racing drivers who wore Renauld and whose families and estates want to remake those versions. We will always look to create an authentic and interesting narrative that surrounds our sunglasses.”
Renauld relaunches at Salon Privé, Blenheim Palace, on August 28; renauld.co.uk
