ABOVE: Vuarnet's Legend 04 Originals - Jean Vuarnet Edition sunglasses. Photo: Ben Shanks Kindlon
Some things just seem obvious, like tucking your body while skiing to increase your speed. But simple as it may seem, somebody had to figure that out. In this case that somebody was Jean Vuarnet, a French ski racer whose groundbreaking “tuck” technique caused an upset and helped him win downhill gold at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Tahoe, CA. Following his win, it wasn’t only the tuck that Vuarnet wanted to talk about. He also credited the sunglasses he was wearing. They featured the earliest iterations of Skylinx lenses that had just been invented by his friend and business partner, optician Roger Pouilloux. Following the Games, those two innovators implemented the Skylinx lenses into sunglasses under the fledgling Vuarnet brand. Sixty-five years later, they still hold up in terms of fashion and function.
The reviewer testing out Vuarnet's Legend 04 Originals - Jean Vuarnet Special Edition sunglasses at Mount Snow, VT. Photo: Lakshman Reddy
Well, maybe not the original, 65-year-old pairs—I wouldn’t know, I’m not that old. But I can attest to the top-notch fit and feel of Vuarnet’s recent limited-run series run of sunglasses that pay homage to such a time. This series features three different pairs that are all tied directly to its cofounder’s signature style at and around the time of the 1960 Games. I received a pair of the Legend 04 Originals – Jean Vuarnet Special Edition sunglasses that have since become a staple of my attire for bright days on and off the mountain.
Vuarnet Special-Edition Olympic Frames. Image courtesy of Vuarnet.
I say “bright” rather than sunny because these are my go-to sunglasses for when it seems cloudy, but I’m still hardcore squinting. Those days in which it isn’t “sunny,” per se, but my eyes feel like they’re burning without sunglasses. Up until this point in my life, I’ve generally opted for sunglasses with black frames and black lenses. But branching out to the Legend 04 Originals – Jean Vuarnet Special Edition sunglasses with their “Crystal” clear frames and, more importantly, “Grey / Blue Mirror” lenses has opened my eyes to the reality that I’ve been missing out on clarity during days like these. The mineral glass lenses provide 100 percent UV protection and up to 90 percent of visible light absorption, all without leaving me feeling like “now it’s too dark.” So, rather than choosing between squinting my way into a headache or going overboard with high-light lenses, I’ve got a pair of boujee yet durable nylon sunglasses that are truly ideal eye protection for those overcast, ultraviolet days.
Each pair of Vuarnet sunglasses comes with a leather case that has a lanyard and carabiner attached. Photo: Ben Shanks Kindlon
The Legend 04 Originals – Jean Vuarnet Special Edition sunglasses also perform well on bluebird days, though they aren’t optimized for super sunny or snowy conditions. Vuarnet's grey / blue lenses are meant to be a jacks of all trades, master of none. But it's because of their versatility that I’d argue they're better than a master of one. Granted, I spend a lot of my time in snowy mountains and with sunny spring and summer laps fast approaching, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a pair of sunglasses specifically designed for sunny days surrounded by highly reflective snow. Having already grown to love the style of the Legend 04 Originals – Jean Vuarnet Special Edition sunglasses, I did what any rational man would do and got an additional pair of the same sunglasses in a different color. The Spring 2026 lineup features the Legend 04 Originals in Black with Skylinx lenses, so I dropped in on those.
Vuarnet Legend 04 Originals in Black with Skylinx lenses. Skylinx lenses are Vuarnet's most mountain-and-snow savvy lenses. Photo: Ben Shanks Kindlon
Like the grey / blue lenses, the yellow-and-red tinted Skylinx lenses provide 100 percent UV protection and up to 90 percent of visible light absorption. I feel that the yellow tint of the Skylinx lenses is better suited for cloudless days. They help tremendously in reducing glare and provide a lot of contrast on snow, especially when it would otherwise be near-blindingly bright. Pun most certainly intended, I can see why Vuarnet credited the Skylinx lenses with helping him win the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Function-wise, the grey / blue lenses are my go-to for gray-but-bright days and variable conditions, but the Skylinx lenses offer up even greater protection and clarity in the sunniest and slushiest of circumstances. Fashion-wise—well, I guess my preference on that front varies by what outfit I'm wearing. More importantly, I wonder if these sunglasses will help me win my next race. Only time will tell.
Vuarnet Legend 04 Originals – Jean Vuarnet Special Edition retail for $275 and Vuarnet Legend 04 Originals in various colorways retail for $250-$275.