Eyewear Icons: Lou Reed

Not many bands wore sunglasses quite as well as the Velvet Underground. John Cale’s black wayfarers… Moe Tucker’s elliptical specs…...
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In a band full of eyewear icons, Lou Reed still managed to stand out—thanks to a strange pair of wraparound shades originally borrowed from his mum after cataract surgery. Worn onstage during strobe-lit Velvet Underground shows, they became a signature part of his stark, no-nonsense look.
Decades later, Jacques Marie Mage reissued the silhouette as the Reed—bold, black-lensed and built for the spotlight. For more angular, offbeat energy in a similar spirit, check out frames from Kuboraum and our JMM collection.
Want the full breakdown? Give our Lou Reed Eyewear Icons post a read and explore his standout styles.