Ray-Ban Dylan: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

If you think there are no more “musical” models than the rockin’ wandering Wayfarer or the jazzy stylish Clubmaster, then you are surely mistaken! :)

Ray-Ban Dylan are the true musical sunglasses, even named after a rock and roll legend.

From Wanderer to Rock Musician

This model was named after Bob Dylan, the second most iconic figure (after The Beatles) in rock music of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

The brand's designers had their reasons. In 1952, Ray-Ban introduced Wayfarer, combining the innovative plastic frame of the time with mineral glass lenses.

The first star to fall in love with these glasses was none other than Dylan. He was rarely seen without his black Wayfarers with classic gray-green lenses: there are countless photos of the rock musician riding away from fans, playing the harmonica and piano, or simply smoking a cigarette—all while wearing this model of Ray-Ban.



Glasses have always been part of the image of certain personalities. It's hard to imagine Hunter S. Thompson without Shooter glasses, Clint Eastwood without Balorama, or the Men in Black without Predator. By the same logic, Bob Dylan is the main person associated with wandering Wayfarers. So it’s no surprise that his name was immortalized in these globally popular sunglasses. :)

Bob's Brows

As for the model itself, it's an organic blend of the features of Wayfarer and Clubmaster.

For the Wayfarer, it’s simple: the lens shape is borrowed.

As for Clubmaster, things get more interesting. Like the later Dylan models, they are a bold example of the popular Browline glasses shape, which literally means “eyebrow line.” It was invented in 1947 by Jack Rohrbach, vice president of Shuron Ltd.

The upper, more massive plastic part of the frame mimics the shape of eyebrows, drawing special attention to this area, while the lower, metal part remains less noticeable. This structure made it possible to adjust the glasses to the shape of the face by regulating the metal part.



By the mid-1950s, this shape had reached peak popularity: everyone from businessmen and politicians to black jazz musicians in dance clubs wore them. In the '80s, Ray-Ban introduced the first glasses with this shape under the name Clubmaster. And then came the time for Dylan.

A distinctive feature of the model is the presence of four rivets on the inside of the plastic “brows,” a detail the brand has a particular fondness for.

As for the plastic, it is matte and, in most cases, rubberized (allowing the glasses to sit firmly on the face). The lenses are made of polycarbonate—a strong and lightweight material. Additionally, they feature a gray or gray-purple gradient: the color fades from intense to almost transparent.

This is how Ray-Ban envisions a model worthy of bearing the name of a rock and roll legend. Agree, there’s something about it—just like Bob Dylan—that evokes dusty roads, songs with a guitar, and endless wandering! :)