Jurassic World Rebirth may be the most anticipated film of the summer, but it’s not the dinosaurs that are piquing our attention. Images of its star, Jonathan Bailey, in character wearing a pair of tiny metal-frame spectacles are breaking the internet. But is it Dr Henry Loomis or the frames themselves that are causing the hysteria?

Commonly referred to as “slutty little glasses” on X, along with Drew Starkey as Eugene in Queer and Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher, Bailey’s professor specs are suddenly everywhere. From Ace & Tate to Calvin Klein and Gentle Monster, small wire frames are dominating the high street.

What’s their appeal? Will O’Connor, retail merchandising director at EssilorLuxottica (which owns Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Persol) describes them as “barely there” specs, and puts their popularity down to comfort, being unisex “and cultural icons such as John Lennon”, who wore smaller frames. Bestsellers include Ray-Ban’s round wire frames in silver and a rectangular version in polished gold.

Bailey’s glasses – which are titanium, weigh seven grams and are made by Cubitts – are just one of many styles that are selling well, says founder Tom Broughton.

“They’re referencing a style and type of construction that has been around for 300 years,” he says. “But they’re also very much updated to how [those in] the modern world would wear a pair of spectacles.” All glasses used to be wire-frame.