The Italy-based company also made a public relations splash in 2006 thanks to the deceased American actor, Steve McQueen. McQueen's wife finally decided to let many of his prized possessions be sold at public auction.
Within a relatively short period of time, the Persol Protectors were being adopted for use by the Italian military, the Russian, the Swiss and even, eventually, the American military.
In the 1920s a graphic artist named Eugenio Colmo (who was also known as Golia) created the graphic Cinesino in 1920. This Chinese character in round frame black glasses was the mainstay of Persol's advertising campaigns for the next 50 years. |
The character and his glasses probably contributed to so many caricatures of Chinese in round sunglasses. This artist also created the stylized graphics for the Italian beverage company, Cinzano. |
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Like many sunglass companies, Persol actively has sought out relationships with film stylists and producers. In the early 1960s, they scored another coup when the Italian actor Marcelo Mastrioanni wore their sunglasses in the film, "Divorce Italian Style." The sunglasses were featured prominently in all of the movie's advertisements.
In 1939 the company acquired a patent for their Meflecto system. This advance in technology uses a sequence of stainless steel core and metal cylinders which makes the stems flexible. |
In the 1930s they also introduced the Victor Flex, which is a 3-notch system for the sunglasses nose and continues to be used today in their standard model 649. |
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