Designer sunglasses enter a different dimension

Wearing sunglasses inside has traditionally been a dubious look — the preserve of vain rock and R&B stars or those suffering the after-effects of a heavy night out. But in pubs and cinemas across London, legions of style-conscious men and women are wearing flimsy pseudo-sunglasses. While 3D has revitalised Hollywood's flagging box-office figures, it has struck a seemingly fatal blow to the nation's style sense.

Spotting the change, Gucci has decided to do something about it, launching its own version of the polarising 3D glasses used in cinemas, sculpted into their signature aviator style and equipped with a suitably Gucci price tag: $225 (£144).

It's not just Gucci, though. Calvin Klein and Armani have both launched similar offerings in the US (coming soon to Europe) and Oakley has a new range of 3D Gascan, a 3D version of its signature wraparounds (£95, uk.oakley.com). For those on a smaller budget, I Want One of Those has a more austere range of brightly coloured 3D Wayfarer-style shades (£19.99, iwantoneofthose.com).

There's more to it than looking good in dark rooms; the cheap glasses provided in cinemas also reduce image quality. "The polarising filter actually cuts out a fair bit of light," explains Chris Finnamore, test editor for Wired magazine. "And the cheap ones you get are not very accurate — you will get some distortion."

There are drawbacks: while polarised "passive" screens are common in public places, the current crop of 3D TVs mainly use Active Shutter technology, which uses more expensive glasses that block one eye at a time in sync with rapidly alternating images for each eye. "Passive" 3D TVs are rarer at the moment — although LG has recently launched a range — so your designer shades are better kept for public use.

The best news comes for cinema-loving spectacle-wearers: Luxottica, the firm behind Ray-Ban and Oakley, will launch a range of prescription 3D glasses in the new year. The age of 3D has only just begun.