Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses represent a classic in the world
of eyewear, thanks to a specific feature: the bold upper part of the frame,
which accentuates the eyebrow line.
This
peculiar frame, called Browline, dates back to the 50’s, when it was a favourite
among heads of state and intellectuals.
Due to
their connections to establishment and authority, Browline glasses were
neglected in the 60’s and 70’s, decades of social change and unrest, in favor
of more alternative models such as Ray-Ban Aviators or Wayfarers. They came
back in the 80’s, thanks to various tv series and films, that used Browline
glasses to give depth and credibility to their heroes.
Just in
the 80’s Ray-Ban launched Clubmasters. In ten years they gained such a wide
audience and popularity that they obtained three co-starring roles in three big
films: they were on Kevin Costner in JFK (1991), on Denzel Washington in Malcom
X (1992) and on Michael Douglas in Falling Down (1993). Thanks to these new
roles, Clubmasters lose their conservative look and got a new “out of the box”
feeling: that’s why they became part of the uniform of those who “think
differently”, like the geeks who made the digital revolution.