RENAULD MOTORING HISTORY
THE GOLDEN AGE OF RACING
The long-term affair between Renauld and the world’s most beautiful supercars owes much to the 1969 film The Italian Job. These iconic sunglasses are immortalised in the film’s opening scene as an orange Lamborghini Miura winds its way along the Great St Bernard Pass driven by actor Rossano Brazzi modelling his unforgettable wraparound Renaulds. Matt Monroe’s On Days Like These provides the effortlessly chic soundtrack. It is because of this scene that Renauld captured the heart of all car enthusiasts and has since become regarded as the world’s Ultimate Driving Sunglasses.
Renauld was lucky enough to be invited to photograph the Rossano sunglasses with the original The Italian Job Lamborghini Miura in Lichtenstein. We wanted to recreate a pivotal moment in the story of Renauld and reinterpret it for the present day.
Rossano Brazzi in the Italian Job. Copyright Paramount Studios 1969
SPEED & STYLE
A number of legendary racing drivers chose Renauld sunglasses in the 60’s favouring the wraparound design due to its 180-degree optical perfection and absence of blind spots. These heroes include the Le Mans legend, Sir John Whitmore and arguably, the world’s best Grand Prix driver of all time, Jim Clark.
Renauld have gone to great lengths to research and meet many of the remaining incredible motorcar legends who wore Renauld during the 60s. Peter Darley, the official Team Lotus Photographer at the time, was able to capture some amazing images of the likes of Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Jackie Stewart and, of course, Jim Clark. Peter has many incredible stories from Jim Clark, and we owe him a huge thank you for finding many of the photographs of motorsport icons wearing Renauld.
Jim Clark
Sir John Whitmore
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STEVE MCQUEEN
Our association with Motoring History has continued with collaborative projects with the Steve McQueen and James Dean estates, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Jim Clark Trust. In each case, Renauld has been lucky enough to work closely with an incredible team of people, many of whom are family and friends of McQueen, Dean and Jim Clark. Included in some of our Renauld Keepsake Marques is a piece of authenticated, motor-related history: including part of the original bodywork from Steve McQueen’s 917 Porsche, a segment of James Dean’s Pit Overalls and a piece of ‘brick dust’ from the finish line of the ‘legendary ‘Brickyard’, Indy 500.
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JAMES DEAN
James Dean discovered motor racing at the same time the public discovered him as a rising film star in the early 50s. Dean owned numerous motor cars and motor bikes. During the filming of Rebel Without A Cause, Dean obtained a California Sports Car Club racing licence. Showing great talent and promise as a racing driver, Dean won the F-Production class at the Palm Springs Road Race. During the filming of Giant, Dean competed in the Santa Barbara Road race. Dean purchased a Lotus with the intention of racing it to but was tragically killed on 30th September 1955 in his Porsche 550 en route to a road race.
