Persol 714: The Folding Sunglasses of Steve McQueen

From the 649 to the 714: the birth of a legend

To understand the 714, we first need to recall the Persol 649. Designed in 1957 in Turin for tram drivers who needed protection from wind and dust, the 649 had a bold, solid line and a metal arrow on the temples — a signature it retains to this day.

Italian craftsmanship, however, didn't stop there. The idea of a frame that could fold and fit into a small case led to the 714: essentially a 649 with a hinge in the middle of the front and extra joints on the temples. The result was one of the first foldable sunglasses in the world — a piece of mechanical elegance that folded at four points.

Meflecto & arrow: the engineering behind the elegance

The 714 inherited Persol's two trademarks. The first is the Meflecto system: small elastic inserts in the temples that let them "breathe" and adjust, delivering flexibility without losing fit. The second is the silver metal arrow, the curved signature on the hinge.

To these was added the folding mechanism, a small mechanical showpiece that makes opening and closing the glasses almost a ritual. If you're curious about how a frame's components fit together, see how we describe the parts of a pair of sunglasses.

• Hinged front: folds at the centre for compact storage.
• Meflecto temples: flexibility and comfort during prolonged wear.
• Arrow: a discreet yet recognisable brand cue.
• Acetate body: handmade Italian construction with weight and texture.

Steve McQueen and the "Cool" factor

The 714 might have remained a clever technical piece had Steve McQueen not adopted it. The actor — known as "The King of Cool" — wore a blue 714 with blue lenses in the film The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), and the glasses became an inseparable part of his image, on set and off.

The McQueen–Persol connection was so strong that decades later the company released limited editions dedicated to him. And so the 714 moved from the shelves into the museums of pop culture, alongside other cinematic eyewear icons we've covered in our piece on the most iconic sunglasses in cinema.

Why it became collectible

Few models gather so many reasons for devotion: unique engineering, Italian craftsmanship, and a cinematic story that keeps them alive. The reasons the 714 became a collector's item are clear:

1. Innovation: among the first mass-produced foldable sunglasses.
2. Star power: the direct link to McQueen raised its status.
3. Continuity: the model evolves but keeps its DNA, connecting fans across generations.
4. Special editions: limited series fuel demand.

Today, Persol's philosophy continues across its entire range of sunglasses, with acetate and the arrow remaining constants. The 714 isn't just a pair of glasses that folds — it's a miniature of design, engineering and cinema history that fits in a pocket.