When sunglasses steal the show: Macron’s Davos speech goes unserious

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a major speech warning of a “shift towards a world without rules” and urging Europe to defend multilateralism and strategic autonomy. Yet global attention quickly shifted from his words to the reflective sunglasses covering what many assumed was a black eye - fueling speculation that an incident similar to the viral 2025 Brigitte Macron moment may have happened again .

The Pacific S 01 shades, from French brand Henry Jullien and costing 659 euros (about USD 775), were purchased in 2024 to conceal the eye. The eyewear quickly became a social media sensation, inspiring memes, AI-generated Top Gun spoofs, and even a pointed comment from US President Donald Trump : “Those beautiful sunglasses. What the hell happened?” - widely interpreted as referencing the assumed black eye.

The sunglasses’ viral attention had real-world effects: Henry Jullien’s website was overwhelmed by traffic, several pairs sold out, and shares of parent company iVision Tech SpA surged from 1.51 euros to 2.63 euros on Milan’s stock market in a few days. CEO Stefano Fulchir called it “an amazing week” of unprecedented attention.

The Davos spectacle unfolded against a backdrop of intensifying Trump‑Macron rivalry . Macron had sent a private message to Trump, saying, “My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things in Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.” He also suggested a meeting in Paris after Davos. Trump publicly shared the text on Truth Social, captioning it: “Note from President Emmanuel Macron, of France,” highlighting Macron’s confusion.

The dispute escalated when Macron refused to join Trump’s Board of Peace initiative. Trump threatened 200% tariffs on French wines and champagnes to pressure Macron, framing Greenland and the board as part of broader diplomatic negotiations, and added dismissively that Macron would be out of office soon anyway . Macron, projecting firmness, responded that Europe prefers “respect to bullies” and emphasized that the rule of law, not coercion, must prevail.

While Macron may have delivered his speech seriously, analysts note that the sunglasses - combined with Trump’s public taunts and the Greenland tension - made a serious global warning appear less serious . Marco Bohr, a design and digital arts scholar, said eyewear can signal detachment, while political communication expert Cristina Archetti emphasized that the glasses’ primary purpose was likely medical - covering the black eye .