Shutter Shades are a design of slatted sunglasses commercially available since the 1980s.
Instead of having lenses, the design is characterized by its "shutter" motif, which is part of the frame, and are marketed as suitable for both men and women.[1] The shades are available in an assortment of styles and colors. Depending on the design, Shutter Shades may not function as sunglasses; although some models contain UV resistant lenses, many do not, and only feature a series of horizontal plastic "shades," which neither provide protection for the eye from UV light nor prevent a substantial amount of light from entering the eye.
First available in the 1980s, nicknamed "Venetian Blinders," a then-popular design of louvered eyewear were featured in the music videos for "Glittering Prize" by Simple Minds in 1982 and "Obsession" by Animotion in 1984. Alain Mikli made a contemporary custom design for Kanye West[2], again influenced by the fashion of the 1980s. West popularized the glasses in the music video for "Stronger."[3] In 2007, Shutter Shades Inc emerged, patented the current sleeker plastic design[4] and coined and trademarked the term "Shutter Shades".[5] Over the remainder of the year and the next, several celebrities publicly embraced the style of the shades, quickly establishing this new design of eyewear as a pop culture staple.[6] During the 2010 FIFA World Cup many fans were seen wearing shutter shades with the design of their respective flag pictured on the glasses.
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