April 26, 2011 |
Whenever we see a pair of sunglasses we particularly admire, like this rather swish pair from Dior Homme, there is an image – one sole image – that always enters our mind’s eye: Al Pacino in Cruising. Or, more specifically, us dressed as Al Pacino in Cruising, in the last scene, when the camera pans to his girlfriend trying on Al’s discarded leathers and you realise that he was the serial killer. And that the glasses on his face are rather fetching. Where did he get them?
Fast-forward 30 years – it’ll be 31 when they hit the shops – and we’re sitting on our usual front-row throne when, suddenly, we spy what, from now on, we shall simply refer to as the Cruise Glasses. They’re walking towards us and we’re mentally scrambling to project our face onto that of the model’s to double-check that they look okay before snatching them off that elfin face and running down that catwalk, out the door, a little hysterical and rather deranged looking.
But you know what – who cares how we behave? We’re the ones with the front-row throne, we can do what we damn well please. Finally, after years of searching, our homage will be complete. Not an homage to the serial killing, obviously – who do you think we are? Some Ted Bundy obsessive? Our homage to the outfit, our devotion to the look. We have all the original black leather, from cap to chaps, all bought at auction and from private collectors.
The glasses, though, there was only ever one pair in the wardrobe department and they were broken, never to replaced after filming, meaning the quest for sartorial flawlessness has taken so long. But that Kris at Dior Homme has, possibly unawares, re-created them almost perfectly. The gently angular shape and dark green frame are more flattering to our features; the originals were rather harsh, giving off a menacing aura, which is one part of the look we hadn’t wanted to imitate.The silver detailing reflects the light of the policeman’s torch back into his eyes, temporarily blinding him and allowing for our quick escape, while the dark lenses mean eye contact is impossible. We have an impenetrable shield over our pupils. Now, finally, we will be worshipped and adored, our ego problems over, all thanks to the restorative powers of Dior Homme Cruise Glasses.
by Natalie Dembinska
