Johnny Depp’s legacy is a long history of artistic performances and signature looks. When you imagine him in the fashion world, the recurring aspect is probably his glasses – sometimes they’re tinted, sometimes they aren’t.
However, he often wears them in a particular style: narrow frame, large lenses, and an interesting frame color or lens tint. This pairs well with his bad-boy look and the grunge aesthetic he developed in Hollywood.
In this blog, you’ll discover why Johnny Depp wears eyewear on and off-screen. You’ll also learn all about his iconic film looks and how you can emulate his style with your own pair of 90s sunglasses.
Who Is Johnny Depp?
John Christopher Depp, Kentucky (American) actor, and musician. Born June 9, 1963, he began his career in 1984. He first starred in the horror Nightmare on Elm Street. He would go on to act in cult classics and movies of the decade such as Edward Scissorhands (1990), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Public Enemies (2009), and the claymation Corpse Bride (2005).
His most iconic role is probably as Captain Jack Sparrow in the adventure period film series that ran from 2003 to 2017. Through his roles, he won Golden Globes Awards and the Academy Awards nominated him multiple times. Interestingly, his films have even grossed over $8 billion.
Besides, he owned restaurants and clubs, started production companies, edited books, and is even part of the rock band Hollywood Vampires. However, this star’s renaissance attributes don’t stop there.
Many consider this actor as an aspiration for men. As this actor rose in popularity from his many hit films, he became America’s heart throb. In fact, People’s magazine named him the sexiest man alive.
It’s understandable then, why some would want to emulate his style: Ripped jeans, worn shirts, layered textures, and an assortment of accessories. Most significantly, among the most emblematic of his style signature are his glasses.
The History and Origin of Johnny Depp Glasses
Both in public and in his films, Johnny Depp tends to wear tinted glasses which could be for protection from the sun or perhaps paparazzi flashes. He seems to favor blue and purple tints. Additionally, the accessory has a prescription for his near-sighted right eye.
Furthermore, he typically wears Aviator glasses from Randolph Engineering. These glasses are more in line with the bad-boy look he cultivated from the start of his career. Recently, he started wearing more eccentric styles with a variety of unusual colors.
Though the star or his staff have yet to confirm it, he appears to favor a company – Mascot Lemtosh frames. This company which has produced glasses for the past 109 years proudly claims that the actor wears their glasses. If these are Moscot frames, then the actor might have his lenses custom-tinted.
Whichever the case, these glasses give him a dignified yet curious look with their narrow frame and large lenses. The glasses touch the apple of his cheeks and nearly reach his eyebrows, encompassing fully his field of vision.
Here are a few iconic glasses looks from his film career:
- Rayban Shooters: The actor wore these gold-rim glasses in the 1998 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. What makes these frames iconic is the yellow tint and the gold circle high on the nose bridge.
- Savile Row: In the 1999 film The Ninth Gate, the star wears a pair of non-tinted glasses. The glasses feature a chestnut-colored frame with handcrafted, solid gold wire. This gives the glasses distinct gold accents to their design.
- Fast Back 420: These are a vintage pair from the 1970s meant for the actor’s role in the 2001 Blow. Cool Ray made the frame with aluminum. The large, metallic frame and the dark tint give this accessory a futuristic look.
- 1920s Vintage Frame: Despite the brand not being well-known, the glasses worn by the star in the 2009 movie “Public Enemy” are stunning. The glasses are real and vintage ― from the same time period as the film’s setting: 1920 – 1930. They have a dark tint and a dark brown frame.
- 1960s Renauld: Johnny Depp wore these eccentric gold frames in the 2011 Rum Diaries. These are a classic pair by the company Renauld. They’re identifiable by the way the gold frame at the top is one continuous line from above one eye to the other. There’s also no gold frame at the bottom of the lenses. Though these glasses were originally made in the 60s, the company re-released them over sixty years later.
Johnny Depp Glasses Brand Introduction
Johnny Depp has always publicly worn glasses. After all, he has a medical need for prescription glasses which he’s mentioned in interviews in the past.
However, he hasn’t always worn glasses while on set. He only started wearing glasses in his films in the 1995 Nick of Time. After that film, directors had him styled with glasses in his next 6 roles with two exceptions.
After, He took on another 8 roles that didn’t require any such accessory until the 2001 Blow. He then wore glasses for every other movie until 2005 when he acted in Corpse Bride ― though he actually only voiced the character in that instance.
So, it’s hardly relevant if his clay character wore glasses. After The Rum Diaries of 2011, he went back to wearing glasses on and off until the 2016 Alice Through the Looking Glass. In the 2019 production Waiting for Barbarians, the actor also wears glasses.
He sometimes goes through long periods of wearing glasses or not, but there’s no clear trend indicating when he’ll choose to wear them. For some of these films, it makes sense that he wouldn’t wear glasses. For instance, his character Captain Jack Sparrow doesn’t wear any ― and probably wouldn’t bother with glasses even if he needed them.
Johnny Depp Sunglasses Brand Introduction
Johnny Depp is famous for his collection of glasses with all sorts of tints to them. As mentioned above, he often wears blue or purple-tinted sunglasses which have cemented his peculiar boho grunge aesthetic.
He has previously chosen glasses with brown and greenish tints. His narrow frames often come in various colors. While many consider tortoise frames his signature style, he has also worn metallic and solid-colored frames.
Why Does Johnny Depp Wear Glasses All the Time?
You may think Johnny Depp is only trying to hide from the paparazzi, but there’s actually a more important reason why he wears glasses. This star has myopia in one eye. Therefore, he can’t see far with his right eye and needs prescription glasses.
The glasses likely correct his vision by ensuring proper light refraction. Therefore, he needs to wear glasses to prevent headaches, blurry vision, and eye strain.
As for his left eye, it’s almost blind. However, there’s no public information as to what caused this blindness.
It has also been said that the reason behind his mismatched eyes might be anisometropia. This is a condition whereby you have different seeing abilities in your eyes. For instance, if you’re nearsighted in one eye but can see clearly in the other.
What Glasses Does Johnny Depp Wear in Court?
During Johnny Depp’s recent court appearance for a defamation case against his ex-wife, many people noticed his nude-colored frames throughout the weeks-long litigation.
According to reports, he wore AVA frames in Mellow Yellow though they appear pink in pictures. These frames come from the Australian brand: AM Eyewear. They made 75 pairs at the time and there are no plans to release another batch of these glasses.
The Inspiration Brought by Johnny Depp Glasses to Dollger
If you find this actor’s style enchanting, you should get glasses that match his aesthetic. They need to be eccentric and effortless yet timeless and functional. And with Dollger’s sunglasses, you’re assured a look that pays homage to his bad boy days and current trend-setting sleek grunge look.
In particular, these glasses come in brown, gray, and the actor’s preferred blue tint. The frames are gold like he wore in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), The Ninth Gate (1999), and The Rum Diaries (2011). However, these glasses also come with silver frames. Overall, the square style with a metal band atop the lenses is reminiscent of his off-set aviators.
Conclusion
Johnny Depp’s glasses are a big part of his famous look. He often picks glasses with narrow frames and big lenses as they match his cool and unique style. He needs them not just for style, but because he can’t see well with one eye. The glasses he chooses, like the Aviator from Randolph Engineering or the unique Mascot Lemtosh frames, show his love for different and interesting designs. His way of mixing glasses with his outfits has inspired fashion brands like Dollger – which reminds us of Depp’s look. This shows how Depp’s choice of glasses has a big influence on fashion and helps people copy his cool style.
