RAY-BAN CLUBMASTER: Tough Business and Sweet Jazz

The 1980s. That’s when Ray-Ban launched its sunglasses model under the pretentious name Clubmaster. But this event was not the beginning of a new shape’s life but only its successful continuation…

The Browline

The pioneer was Jack Rohrbach, vice president of Shuron Ltd. (USA), who in 1947 invented the model under the unassuming name Browline, which literally means "the brow line."



This name accurately reflected the shape of the glasses, with the plastic part mimicking the shape of the eyebrows, drawing attention to this zone, while the lower (metallic) part was more understated. Interestingly, this design allowed the glasses to be adjusted to fit their future owner.

Politicians, Hippies, and Bruce

The originality of the shape and functionality of the design didn’t take long to gain recognition. By the mid-50s, Browline became the height of fashion: they were produced by the largest U.S. companies and worn by leading political figures (African American civil rights leader Malcolm X) and businessmen (Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC) — it was a colossal success!



But then came the 1970s: a new cultural wave of Woodstock music, LSD, and world peace. The hippies took over, and they certainly didn’t like anything associated with political games, luxurious offices, expensive suits, and, surprisingly, glasses. Demand for Browline plummeted.

And if not for a superhero, or rather super-detective played by Bruce Willis, who wore Browline glasses in a scene from the TV series "Moonlighting" (1982-1989), who knows in which annals of history they would have been forgotten. It was Bruce Willis’s performance that sparked the model’s second rise to the fashion summit.

Club Guys

Not even Ray-Ban, the world leader in sunglasses sales, could resist Bruce Willis’s charm. And so, in 1986, the Clubmaster model appeared, named after African American jazz musicians who entertained audiences with virtuoso performances in U.S. clubs.

Dogs, Madmen, and Lucky Gentlemen

Today, when watching any American adventure film with bold, audacious heroes set in the second half of the 20th century, you will undoubtedly notice this tough yet fun Clubmaster shape.



Tim Roth in "Reservoir Dogs," Tom Hanks in "Catch Me If You Can," Michael Douglas in "Falling Down," the characters of "Mad Men," and many more…

The Eclecticism of Modernity

Today, Clubmaster sunglasses are worn not only by politicians, gangsters, and jazzmen.



Thanks to a bright palette, the choice between plastic and aluminum, polarized or classic lenses, and the availability of standard and folding (Folding Clubmaster) versions, this model has become a favorite among everyone, from lovely housewives and stylish girls to creative hipsters and tough bikers. This means that the history of Clubmaster continues…

And if you’re ready to be a part of that history, we have something to offer: all Clubmaster glasses in our store.

Advertising video featuring Clubmaster sunglasses: