Arnette sunglasses - History of the brand

Arnette is the Californian easy-going eyewear brand that aim to talk to young people (and “young at heart”), with an active (yet relaxed) approach to life.

Guided by the principle that doing things your way is the only right way, Arnette was founded in Orange County California in 1992. This principle also guides the community of ambassadors that today inspire the company and allows it to create products with a strong individual imprint, just like the target audience that it is dedicated to.

This new Arnette era involves a genuine connection with its roots and the consolidation of the bond with its reference world: active life and charged-up sports, like skate and surf, that are popular not only in California, where Arnette has its roots, but also in key countries like Brazil and Australia.

Launched end of May, the new “Get on Board” campaign is the celebration of this relaunch strategy: in fact, “get on board” means not only “get on a surf or skate board”, symbols that have always been in the DNA of Arnette and its community, but also “be ready to take part to the new global brand journey”.

In the campaign, the return to origins is represented by a trip down the California coast – from windswept San Francisco Bay to sunny Zuma Beach – enjoying the company of a family of ambassadors: a professional surfer, an artist, a photographer and a music band, united by their passion for surf. Simple and genuine, they personify the real spirit of Arnette. Laidback and authentic, they choose the brand’s eyewear because of its attitude, design and reliability.

The relaunch of Arnette is based, not only by a new communication campaign, but also on 2 different product segments: Casual Urban and Free Spirit – both inspired by a constraint-free contemporary lifestyle peppered with outdoor and urban adventures. The renovated authentic easy-going spirit of Arnette finds its expression on both Sun and Optical products that embody the perfect match between functionality and style.

To understand the spirit of a brand, just take a look at its symbol collection. Speaking for Arnette, a Californian eyewear brand, is the Arnette Creative Exchange System (A.C.E.S.) collection: a range of different sun frames featuring interchangeable arms for creating a customized and individual mix. An invitation to express your creativity and create a style that’s outside the box.

Young, irreverent, creative: these are the members of the Arnette community. Taking part in fulfilling their personality and putting their individuality into what they wear is the rule for them. Creating their vision and adding their point of view are permanent traits of a generation that loves and accepts challenges, as well as of Arnette’s evolution. Even if the brand now has an increasingly global dimension, it is still in tune with the youth counter culture, music, art and board-sport culture  and has become one of their symbols. Communication makes use of artists from different street style environments (musicians, tattoo artists, skaters, photographers) who wear and provide the context for various sun and RX models by experimenting with their unique style while sharing the feeling of belonging to the same family.

The Arnette route can be summarized in four stages of growth. The pioneering experiments with eyewear models for a young public. The creation of iconic niche pieces that reach an increasingly wider public. The transformation of Arnette into a classic counter culture staple, and, lastly, the achievement of international icon status, worn by athletes and celebrities.

The creators of this success have been different models and styles of eyewear, like the original Black Dog, Catfish and Raven, and the most recent Tall Boy, Fire Drill, Dropout and Witch Doctor. Original, iconic frames whose excellence is guaranteed by quality materials and attention to detail: hand-treated acetate for RX models, sun models with polycarbonate lenses for maximum durability – ideal for action sports. Another key element: attention to its chosen public. Since the primary targets are the youth with different size faces, it is impossible to fuse everything into one size so the RX segment has many different sizes.  Another essential feature is the brand’s logo on the arm at temple height.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Check out our news and offers