Steve Lacy Sunglasses

Identifying the Sunglasses style & brands of American Singer-Songwriter Steve Lacy

The would be fair to say that Steve Lacy has worn quite an eclectic mix of eyewear over the years. Favoring the bold and unique Lacy who’s best known for his work as an American singer-songwriter and guitarist of the R&B band The Internet. These sunglasses are so distinctive that there’s been a huge surge in fans online scrambling to discover the whereabouts of how they can get their hands on these shades and replicate the look themselves. In this article, we’re going to take a look at attempting to identify all the different brands of sunglasses worn by Steve Lacy and provide you with all the information on how you can get your hands on this choice of shades. Let’s jump straight in. 

But what exactly is the sunglasses style of Steve Lacy? In a nutshell, his choice of frames can be summed up as odd or unique. The frames he chooses wouldn’t be out of place on a Marvel superhero or Batman and they are often described as wrap-around sunglasses that cover the entire face. The most unique aspect is the inclusion of a nose pad or cover that extends across the entire nose. It really is more like a mask that you might have seen worn at a 17th-century ball. With all that being said, due to the uniqueness of these frames (and the small number of brands producing them), it’s been quite easy to identify the brands these sunglasses come from. Let’s, in turn, go through the sunglasses worn by Steve Lacy.

Steve Lacy Sunglasses: Identifying the Brands

Let’s start with an iconic pair of sunglasses worn by Lacy and a pair in which he has been seen and photographed frequently and featured in his music video for the song Bad Habit (view a photo of Lacy wearing these here). These are very much in the so-called ‘mask’ style and have been featured in a variety of interviews and online media channels including both the Hyperbeast and The New York Times. These sunglasses have been identified as a pair of Lina Farrow Sunglasses simply called ‘The Mask’. Made of Chinese acetate and with a complete wrap-around finish for a secure fit on the face, these are still sold on the official Linda Farrow website and can be yours for a surprisingly low price tag of $195.00. Lacy has been seen wearing both the black and silver versions of these frames.

Sticking to the mask style of sunglasses Steve Lacy has also been seen wearing a pair of sunglasses that I really can’t describe in words. If held at gunpoint, I’d have to say they have an urban with an angular design that uses geometrical angles, and straight edges to create a pair of sunglasses I couldn’t compare to any other on the market. These sunglasses are so unique that it wasn’t difficult to discover these are from the relatively unknown brand Kokon To Zai simply called the Shield Mask Silver Sunglasses (view an image of him wearing these here). Although I can’t find much information about the brand on what I assume is the Kohon To Zai website I can’t seem to find any evidence they sell any sort of sunglasses. Aftermarket sites seem to suggest the sunglasses retailed at a high price and secondhand you can get your hands on a pair for around the $80.00 mark. 

Now onto something a little more fun. Sticking with the bizarre frames that Lacy seems to enjoy, he has been seen wearing a very rare and vintage pair of Oakley Sunglasses (see here). It’s hard to say these are the strangest frames worn by Lacy (because the competition is high), but these sunglasses have become a cult classic among the Oakley community. These are of course the so-called Oakley Over The Top Sunglasses first released by Oakley in 2000 before the takeover by Luxottica. They were propelled into the spotlight by athlete and sprinter Ato Boldon who wore them during the 4×100 Semi-Final Track and Field event. Steve himself was seen wearing these sunglasses for an interview for AnOther Magazine but hasn’t been photographed wearing them since. If you’re looking to purchase a pair of Over the Top sunglasses by Oakley then you might have a hard time. Current prices on second-hand sites sell these for upwards of $3,000 which is frankly staggering. 

Finally onto the most ‘normal’ pair of sunglasses that Lacy has been seen wearing. By normal I’m obviously talking about sunglasses that are more in a classic style or those that might be worn by most people on a daily basis. In another interview and article by Billboard (see image here), Lacy can be seen wearing a pair of half-frame sunglasses with lenses that take what I can only describe as alien eyes in lens shape. These more sporty frames are all-black and have been identified as from the brand Balenciaga, specifically the model BB0232S. These sunglasses can no longer be found and sold by Balenciaga themselves but secondhand prices sell for around the $400 mark.