Just like in 1986, sales of aviator sunglasses are up because of Top Gun

Some things never go out of style

We all know fashion is cyclical but there is something very alluring about the long-lasting aesthetic of the 80s, as the likes of Stranger Things and so many other IPs this year have proven once again. Another big moment of the 80s was, of course, Top Gun and following the release of its smash-hit sequel, Maverick, it would seem that just as they did back in the day, sales for aviator sunglasses have also sky-rocketed in recent months. [caption id="attachment_350014" align="alignnone" width="2048"]

Credit: Paramount[/caption] While the aviators donned by Tom Cruise and co. in both the original 1986 release and its highly-rated 2022 follow-up are a fairly timeless style, purchases of the iconic shades have reportedly gone up by approximately 4o per cent in the seven months since the release of Top Gun: Maverick. According to Bloomberg, UK sales of the classic Ray-Ban RB3025 aviators - the specific model that Cruise’s Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell wears in the franchise - have shot up significantly in recent weeks and months, with a proper pair setting you back around £184. It's unclear how much bigger the figure in the US and across the globe but all we know is everyone now seems to want a pair of Cruise's shades, as well as the Ray-Ban Caravan RB3136s worn by the likes of fellow cast members Jon Hamm and Miles Teller. [caption id="attachment_350015" align="alignnone" width="1200"]

Credit: Ray-Ban/Paramount[/caption] As for the film itself, it has been dubbed everything from the "best action movie in years" to "the perfect sequel", earning over $1 billion at the box office and counting. It is Cruise's highest-grossing film of all time. JOE recently sat down with the cast of the dynamic dogfighting flick, discussing everything from their intense workout regimes to what it's like to work with Cruise - the same man they consider "one of the last real movie stars". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXseCZnilNY&t=3s