A brief history of Clubmaster Sunglasses

Discover the history of Clubmaster-style sunglasses
While aviators or hikers may be the more common sunglasses frame styles among the general public, the browline or "Clubmaster" sunglasses hold a special place in the hearts of classic menswear enthusiasts. The style is bold and recognizable, yet subtle and elegant at the same time. It's the perfect combination of well-read and cool to school.

Browline frames are almost exactly what they sound like. Frames along the top of the lens (along the browline line) are thicker and stronger, usually made of acetate or plastic, with thinner frames wrapped around the bottom of the lens. The upper part is called the "cap" or "browline" and is connected to the lower "chassis" by a system of small screws.

The frames were invented as early as 1947 for ordinary eyeglasses by the optics company Shuron, which still produces them today. Until the mid-1980s, when Bruce Willis wore a pair of tinted frames on the show "Moonlighting," they were almost always clear prescription lenses for everyday use. The subsequent surge in demand for browline line sunglasses led many other optical companies to choose Ray-Ban to lead the way with the launch of the new "Clubmaster" sunglasses range.

In the 1990s, there was a clear backlash against the consumer culture of the 1980s, and the style of club owners was closely associated with that culture. For a time, this style was considered either too bookish and nerdy, or too conservative and right-leaning. The film The Fall, in particular, associated the idea of browline line glasses with angry white people.

However, those stigmata disappeared in the mid-2000s as shows such as Mad Men revived a love of classic retro styles, with tortoiseshell-brow glasses topping the list. With the resurgence of prescription eyeglasses in the shape of the browline, sunglasses styles have also come back into fashion.

These days, almost every eyewear company has an browline frame. Technically, the term "Clubmaster" is unique to Ray-Ban, but has now come to refer to this style in general. Walk into any store and ask the "club manager" and people will know exactly what you're talking about. From high street stores such as Topman to famous eyewear brands such as Oliver Peoples and Moscot, everyone has copied the style with their own products.