Guess has been an American staple… well, since forever, it feels like.
The quirky, flirty, and sometimes kitschy brand has helped launch the careers of some of the hottest women on earth (more on that later). The smart branding has made the company a favorite for entire generations of Americans.
Now, they’re hard-launching their latest collection with new face Leni Klum, and they’re proving that Guess glasses are an it-girl must-have!
Guess Is a Home-Grown Icon
When you think of American fashion, iconic names like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and DKNY often come to mind. But accessible brands like Guess have also played an important role, shaping the everyday style of generations of Americans.
Over the years, Guess has become a cultural icon. From its sultry campaigns to its unapologetically feminine clothes, the brand has been a staple in malls and magazines for decades.
Guess conjures imagery of classic Americana jeans and glamorous Marilyn Monroe-esque models. And so, you might be surprised to learn that the founders aren’t actually American. Guess was founded by four brothers (the Marcianos) from the South of France.
In the late ’70s, the brothers went to LA on a vacation. They fell in love with the scene and all the Hollywood glamor, and they decided to create their own American dream.
In 1981, the brothers founded Guess, and they began with stone-washed jeans. It was a bold move at the time because jeans were considered a “workers’ wardrobe.” While they were an all-American staple, they weren’t exactly high-end.
But the French brothers managed to get their denim wear into all the major department stores at the time, from Bergdorf Goodman to Bloomingdale’s. They sold like hot cakes.
Very quickly, Guess was the brand that all the it-girls wanted. The branding probably helped as well.
The youngest Marciano brother, Paul, wanted to create campaigns that were va-va-voom. He got the best photographers and beautiful models. And at a time when the ‘skinny-chic’ look was coming into fashion, Guess doubled down on using curvy models like the late Anna Nicole Smith.
Same Guess, New Products
While the brand started with jeans, they quickly diversified into other products, such as fragrances, other clothing, and accessories. They also began selling Guess glasses.
The manufacturer Marcolin has had the license for Guess glasses since 2013, making for a long-standing partnership. The brand makes men’s, women’s, and kids’ glasses in countless styles and colors. As with their clothing, the eyewear is about giving off a premium feel at affordable prices.
Why Guess Glasses Became Popular
Because of their affordable price and premium look and feel, Guess glasses and other product lines continued to rise in popularity, especially among younger people.
It’s been part of Guess’s branding strategy under Paul Marciano’s creative vision. Beautiful people, beautiful products, and beautiful campaigns.
Instead of making the glasses a separate thing, something that was thrown on after, the brand paired the glasses with their denim. They styled their campaigns with big hair and glamorous backgrounds.
It’s worked to attract a strong customer base of those who want the whole package: great denim wear, fun eyewear, and some attractive perfume to top it off.
Compared to eyewear brands that either focus solely on eyewear or treat glasses as an afterthought, Guess sets itself apart by offering customers the whole package from head to toe.
The Famous Faces that Helped ‘Make’ Guess
Another major part of Guess’ appeal that’s kept it going strong for over 30 years is its models. Everyone from Claudia Schiffer to Jennifer Lopez has fronted Guess campaigns over the years.
It’s even helped launch some careers; supermodels Carla Bruni and Gigi Hadid starred in Guess campaigns as teens. It worked as a two-way street. Featuring fresh, stunning faces helped get the brand talked about.
Sometimes, their campaigns have even ended in controversy. Last year, Guess was at the receiving end of heavy backlash because of using AI-edited models in their campaign.
Leni Klum’s New Campaign
The brand seems to have gotten back to its roots with its latest Guess glasses campaign featuring Leni Klum. If her name sounds familiar, it’s because her mom is the TV personality and supermodel Heidi Klum.
The strong genes clearly run in the family! Leni is the quintessential Guess girl with her classic good looks.
In the campaign, she poses with Guess glasses and sunglasses, paired with classic old-Hollywood-inspired glamor. The slicked-back hair and timeless makeup might also be Guess playing it safe after their AI scandal.
Top Guess Glasses Picks
Guess has always made eyewear that’s fun, flirty, and fashion-conscious. Is it luxury eyewear? No. But it gives off that premium feel, which makes it perfect for daily wear and for adding some flair to a repetitive work wardrobe.
These cat-eye glasses are a good example of that fun energy Guess is known for. The color and print combination is a good way to step up a simple outfit.
This EZcontacts customer loved the fit and feel of them:
“I love my new glasses, very stylish and comfortable the price was great“
Something you’ll notice is that their styles are often cat-eye, like this elegant pair of Guess glasses.
Reviewer Dianne shows why Guess is so popular, because they make styles that women actually feel good in:
“I LOVE THESE GLASSES!! They are not frumpy or ugly. They are gorgeous on me. I grew up wearing glasses, and I hated them because I was never bought the right pair….until now. These are straight up and down sexy. I want to get another pair in a different color.”
TL;DR
- Guess glasses are part of the bigger Guess empire, which includes clothing, fragrances, eyewear, and handbags.
- The brand has become an iconic American heritage fashion house, although four French brothers founded it. Their love of LA culture and all things Americana is what led to the creation of Guess.
- The original campaigns featured beautiful up-and-coming models, including Claudia Schiffer, Anna Nicole Smith, and even Gigi Hadid. The branding helped to cement Guess as a household name.
- The latest glasses campaign features model Leni Klum, who is Heidi Klum’s daughter. The styles are as glamorous as ever, playing up to their flirty, young, and fun energy.
- Guess glasses are especially popular with women because of their head-turning color combinations and feminine shapes, such as the classic cat-eye.
