French President Emmanuel Macron’s blue aviator sunglasses at Davos went viral, inspired memes and caused a surge in traffic that crashed the maker’s site.
DAVOS: French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to wear sunglasses on stage at the World Economic Forum became a global talking point.
His blue aviator shades, worn due to a broken blood vessel in his eye, inspired a wave of viral memes and commentary online.
Headlines ranged from “Top Gun or Terminator?” to images photoshopping laser beams from his eyes or placing him on a “Miami Vice” poster.
The look was seen as a macho counterpoint to US counterpart Donald Trump’s rhetoric at the gathering.
“It gave a Hollywood-style dimension — cool and masculine at once — that answered Trump,” said communications professor Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet.
Trump himself mocked the appearance, asking “What the hell happened?” after watching Macron’s speech.
The French leader had used his address to stand up for European sovereignty and blast Trump’s “unacceptable” tariff threats.
UK newspaper The Telegraph analysed the summit’s divisive, testosterone-fueled tone under the headline “Can Macron’s sunglasses save the West?”.
The hype led to a massive surge in traffic to the website of French eyewear maker Henry Jullien.
Volume was so high it crashed the brand’s e-shop, forcing it to launch a temporary page featuring only the ‘Pacific’ model Macron wore.
A notice on the site cited “exceptional volume” following the “significant visibility” from the president.
