Snow Goggles in the 90s: A Look Back

The 90s, a decade where sunglasses not only protected from the sun, they screamed who you were. Daring frames, impossible colors, wraparound lenses, theatrical temples. Anything was valid if it left a mark amidst the freeride fog or on the refuge terrace.

Skiing experienced its own aesthetic revolution, fueled by brands exploring the boundaries between functional design and visual extravagance. And while many of those glasses ended up forgotten, some are resurfacing today, reissued or reinterpreted, thanks to the revival of 90s style in outdoor culture.

Of bones, visors, and a disdain for rules

Among the gems that starred in those ads were the 1998 Spyder, with bone-shaped temples, a rarity in a market dominated by curved lines. Impossible to find today, but memorable.

The Vuarnet Vortex were quite the opposite, understated with an unmistakable technical flair. Closed side, sharp silhouette. French style, visual speed.

A year earlier, Smith offered the Bazooka, conceptual precursors to today's Wildcat and Bobcat, but with a style that seemed straight out of a Eurodance music video.

And then there's the 1995 Oakley Full Metal, with its "Technology without adult supervision" campaign and a character that seemed more alien dystopia than ski slope.