Macron dons aviator sunglasses again for Oman sultan visit, citing eye problem
French President Emmanuel Macron reappeared in his now-famous aviator sunglasses on Monday while welcoming Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, with aides again citing an eye problem.
French President Emmanuel Macron stepped into the Élysée courtyard at midday on Monday wearing the blue-lensed aviator sunglasses that first captivated social media in January. He was greeting Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman, and the eyewear stayed on throughout the day: during the welcoming ceremony, inside the palace for a contract-signing event, and later at a hotel hosting a Franco-Omani business forum.
A recurring eye issue
Macron's entourage told reporters the glasses were needed because of an eye problem, the same explanation given when he wore them at the World Economic Forum in Davos last January. At that time, aides described a harmless eye inflammation that required him to wear sunglasses for two weeks. No further medical details were provided on Monday.
It's an eye problem, as in January.
The Davos moment
In January, Macron's reflective aviators and his repeated, emphatic pronunciation of the English phrase "for sure" during his Davos speech became a global social-media sensation. The moment unfolded against a backdrop of high tension with US President Donald Trump. Macron had declared a preference for "respect" and "the rule of law" over "brutality," in a veiled reference to Trump's regular ambitions to annex Greenland.
I prefer respect and the rule of law to brutality.
Trump's counter-buzz
Paradoxically, Trump amplified the online buzz by mocking the French president. He derided Macron as a "tough guy" with "his beautiful sunglasses," a quip that only cemented the aviators' place in the news cycle.
The tough guy with his beautiful sunglasses.
A boon for French craftsmanship
The publicity was a windfall for Henry Jullien, the French manufacturer of the luxury sunglasses. The company was inundated with inquiries after Macron's Davos appearance and continues to use a photo of the president to promote the model. In February, the brand thanked Macron for the exposure, and Macron replied with a letter praising the "heritage brand" that "combines the best of French and Italian craftsmanship."
A heritage brand that combines the best of French and Italian craftsmanship.
