The Davos sunglasses moment shows how modern political imagery travels in the social-media age, where a practical solution to a medical problem becomes a market-moving cultural event.
In January, French President Emmanuel Macron wore sunglasses at the Davos summit to address a medical issue with his right eye, but the eyewear sparked viral memes, an AI-generated spoof video set to “Top Gun” music, and a stock jump for the glasses’ French maker. U.S. President Donald Trump joked about the shades during his Davos address. “Those beautiful sunglasses,” Trump said. “What the hell happened?” The moment illustrates how a single visual choice can become a global phenomenon with real economic consequences—all within days.
The shades
The sunglasses Macron wore are the Pacific S 01 model made by Henry Jullien, a French eyewear manufacturer. The glasses retail for 659 euros—about $775 at current exchange rates. Macron purchased them in 2024, after his office verified the frames were made in France.
The manufacturer’s parent company, iVision Tech SpA, capitalized on the Davos moment. The company launched a dedicated webpage advertising the glasses, noting that “our eShop website is experiencing an exceptional volume of visits and enquiries.” The response moved markets: iVision’s Milan-listed shares jumped from 1.51 euros per share when Macron gave his Davos address on Tuesday to 2.63 euros per share by Friday—a gain of more than 70 percent in three days.
CEO Stefano Fulchir said the company was overwhelmed. “Crazy week,” he told the Associated Press. “Very honored and happy that President Macron has used our eyewear in this important event.” He described the surge in demand as extraordinary. “Today, I received a call from a radio and they put on the ‘Top Gun’ music. So it’s amazing. In the last three days, I slept only four hours a day, because we don’t have time to answer to everybody.”
The politics of image
Yet the moment raised deeper questions about political symbolism. For political leaders, wearing sunglasses indoors carries risk. The eyewear can suggest a leader is hiding something, according to experts in political communication.
Cristina Archetti, author of “Politicians, personal image and the construction of political identity” and a professor of political communication at the University of Oslo, said Macron’s choice succeeded because of the overall visual frame. “He does look hot,” she said. “He looks relatively young and super cool.” She attributed the success partly to the shades’ blue tint matching the blue background of his speech. “Images are so important, particularly good images with great color. I mean he ticks the boxes,” she said.
Archetti noted the memes that followed—images comparing Macron to the Terminator, to James Bond, to a figure sipping champagne at a casino. “You could imagine him sitting at the casino, sipping the champagne,” she said of the overall effect.
But Marco Bohr, co-editor of “The evolution of the image: Political action and the digital self” and a professor of design and digital arts at Nottingham Trent University, cautioned that sunglasses generally backfire for elected leaders. “They signify a sense of detachment. And typically, that’s not what politicians are trying to do. They’re trying to create a sense of connection with the audience or with people,” he said.
Bohr noted that Macron’s choice of an aviator-style frame sent a specific signal. “He went for the aviator-style. They signify something very specific—about pilots, about being in control,” Bohr said.
Historical context
Yet this visual language carries historical weight. Other world leaders have worn sunglasses in official settings. U.S. President Joe Biden wore aviator shades as president. In 2021, before his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin soured, Biden gave Putin a pair. Former President Bill Clinton notably wore blues-club sunglasses when he played saxophone on Arsenio Hall’s talk show in 1992 while campaigning for the presidency.
Autocratic leaders have also favored dark sunglasses. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il wore large dark glasses during a visit to a coal mining complex. Archetti suggested such choices may signal concealment. “Perhaps it’s related to honesty,” she said. “Maybe they’re hiding behind the sunglasses, they know they have something to hide.”