Dolce & Gabbana and Ray-Ban have teamed up on a new collaboration, offering a refined update to one of fashion’s most iconic eyewear silhouettes: the Aviator.
Launched April 16, the collection brings together two distinct design languages — Ray-Ban’s long-standing authority in eyewear and Dolce & Gabbana’s unmistakable Italian point of view. The result is a series of frames that feel familiar at first glance, but reveal more considered, fashion-led details the longer you look.
A Classic That Keeps Evolving
The Aviator is one of those rare pieces that never really leaves — it just shifts slightly with the moment. As the silhouette approaches its 90th anniversary, this collaboration leans into that longevity, choosing to refine rather than reinvent.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana focus on two variations: the Shooter and the Outdoorsman II. Both are rooted in Ray-Ban’s archive, but updated through material choices, color, and proportion in a way that feels aligned with how we’re wearing accessories now — more intentionally, and often as the focal point of a look.
There’s also a broader context here. Classic eyewear shapes have been steadily returning to the forefront, but with a more expressive edge. Tinted lenses, in particular, have moved beyond trend status and into everyday rotation, offering an easy way to shift the tone of an outfit without overthinking it.
The Shooter
The Shooter is the more directional of the two styles, and the one that leans furthest into statement territory.
It’s defined by a bold shape and a mother-of-pearl brow bar, with subtle references to vintage Ray-Ban designs — including the built-in cigarette holder detail. It’s the kind of feature that feels unexpected today, but adds just enough attitude to set the frame apart.
The lenses do most of the talking. Available in saturated tones — orange, yellow, pink, and blue — they come in both mirrored and transparent finishes. It’s a confident approach to color, but not impractical; these are the kinds of lenses that work just as well with a simple outfit as they do with something more styled.
The Outdoorsman II
The Outdoorsman II takes a more restrained approach, but it doesn’t feel secondary.
With a defined brow bar and a lightweight metal frame, the silhouette is clean and structured, with just enough edge to keep it from feeling too classic. It’s the pair you could wear daily without thinking twice — but still get asked about.
The color palette is softer — beige, brown, green, powder pink, and blue — and lends itself to a more understated look. If the Shooter is about making a statement, the Outdoorsman II is about consistency: a strong, reliable frame that still carries the weight of the collaboration.
The Details That Make It Feel Considered
Beyond the frames themselves, the collection includes a leather case designed to be worn rather than stored. With a strap and gold-tone carabiner, it can be attached to a bag or belt — one of those small details that feels practical, but also very in line with how accessories are being styled right now.
Branding is present but controlled, with both names subtly integrated into the lenses and frames rather than overtly placed.
A Campaign That Keeps It Easy
Photographed by Gray Sorrenti, the campaign reflects that same balance — polished, but not overly styled. The imagery feels natural and direct, focusing on how the sunglasses actually sit within a look, rather than overcomplicating the message.
Why It Works
What makes this collaboration feel relevant is its restraint. Instead of dramatically reworking the Aviator, Dolce & Gabbana and Ray-Ban have focused on small but impactful changes — color, material, proportion — that make the frames feel current without losing what made them iconic in the first place.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the most effective updates aren’t the loudest ones; they’re the ones you can actually see yourself wearing.
The Dolce & Gabbana x Ray-Ban collection is available worldwide, through both brands’ channels and selected retailers.
