Shutter shades, also known as slatted shades, louvered shades, or Venetian blind shades are

sunglasses Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names below) are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can ...

that, instead of having darkened

lenses A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements ...

, have horizontal slats similar to

window shutter A window shutter is a solid and stable window covering usually consisting of a frame of vertical stiles and horizontal rails (top, centre and bottom). Set within this frame can be louvers (both operable or fixed, horizontal or vertical), solid ...

s, which are an integral part of the frame. The shades are marketed as suitable for both men and women and are available in an assortment of styles and colors. Depending on the design, shutter shades may not function as sunglasses; although some models contain UV resistant lenses, many do not. The horizontal plastic "shades" neither provide protection for the eye from UV light nor prevent a substantial amount of light from entering the eye.

History

The first louvered sunglasses date from the 1950s. A modernized version was released in the early 1980s. Sometime referred to as "Venetian blinders", examples were featured in the music videos for "Glittering Prize" by

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for " Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United S ...

in 1982 and "Obsession" by

Animotion Animotion is an American synth-pop band from Los Angeles, California, best known for the songs "Obsession", "Let Him Go", " I Engineer", and " Room to Move". Formed in 1983 from the remnants of a retro science-fiction band called Red Zone, th ...

in 1984. They were also popularized by professional wrestler

Macho Man Randy Savage Randall Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestl ...

, which he wore before many of his matches, as well as in his promos.

Alain Mikli Alain Mikli (born Alain Miklitarian; 1 April 1955) is a French-Armenian designer of high-end handmade eyeglasses and accessories. Mikli's line features unique colors and shapes, and are a favorite among European celebrities and avant-garde America ...

made a contemporary custom design for

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

, again influenced by the fashion of the 1980s. West popularized Mikli's design in the

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...

for " Stronger." In 2007, Shutter Shades, Inc. released a design, which they also patented, and trademarked the term "Shutter Shades" with the

USPTO The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alex ...

. However, in 2015 a court in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

ruled that "shutter shades" had become a

generic term Trademark distinctiveness is an important concept in the law governing trademarks and service marks. A trademark may be eligible for registration, or registrable, if it performs the essential trademark function, and has distinctive character. R ...

at least since 2009.Rebecca Tushnet (2015):
Court throws shade on TM claimant’s naked licensing
. Online article, posted on June 18, 2015. Legal case "Amscan Inc. v. Shutter Shades, Inc., No. 13-CV-1112" Southern District of New York, April 30, 2015. Accessed on 2019-04-15.

References

External links

* {{Glasses , state=expanded Eyewear Sunglasses Eyewear brands 1980s fashion 2000s fashion Hip hop fashion 1980s fads and trends