Look at any photo of Tom Cruise over the past 40-odd years, and you’ll clock the presence of an ageless co-star in close proximity: his aviator sunglasses.
This isn’t exactly breaking news. Aviators have been a part of Cruise’s uniform since at least the ’80s, and they remain inextricably linked to his star-making turn as Maverick, the hotshot naval pilot in Top Gun. “Tom Cruise, famous Hollywood pilot, swears by these famous pilot sunglasses” isn’t all that interesting. What is interesting, though, is the specific pair of aviator shades Cruise prefers—which he spotlighted yet again at the Cannes photocall for Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning earlier this week.
While promoting the eighth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Cruise pulled up to the red carpet in aviators from American Optical, a centuries-old eyewear operation based in Illinois. As far as pedigree goes, it’s a no-brainer combination: two all-American icons, teaming up to put the French in their place. It would be fairly unremarkable stuff—save for the fact that the aviators we typically associate with Cruise are actually from Ray-Ban, the brand behind Maverick’s legendary wingman frames.
Turns out, that association isn’t entirely correct. Cruise has been wearing American Optical off-screen for decades, landing the lesser-known label a megawatt cosign in the process. Sure, plenty of famous dudes are partial to sunglasses from rarified brands like Jacques Marie Mage, but AO’s Original Pilot aviators boast a pedigree a little more authentic. They’ve been worn by the US military, NASA astronauts, and Joe Biden—when he isn’t wearing Ray-Bans instead.
In a world of constantly-evolving trends, Cruise’s squared-off aviator shades nod to simpler times. They’re built like a tank and engineered to be put through the wringer—perfect for a guy who still does his own stunts. In other words, they’re quintessential Tom Cruise. While Hollywood keeps reinventing itself, he remains exactly what he’s always been: the last of a dying breed, chasing glory at Mach speed.
This story originally appeared on British GQ.