As Ray-Ban unveils the Clubround, Adrian Clark salutes the dawn of a new icon
The Holy Grail for any fashion brand is to strike it rich with a zeitgeist design that can stand the test of time and rise through the ranks to achieve iconic status.
Levi’s has its 501, Adidas the ‘Stan Smith’ and Burberry its ubiquitous signature-check lined, belted raincoat. Even fewer brands have had such historic impact on popular culture that they can boast not one but several star-turns making their way at one-point or another into our arsenal of wardrobe staples.
Ray-Ban, founded in 1937 has earned such lauded ranking, thanks to pivotal cameo-roles in films such as Rebel Without A Cause, The Blues Brothers, Men In Black, Reservoir Dogs, Risky Business, Goodfellas and Top Gun, firstly with the ‘Aviator’ (1937), then the ‘Wayfarer’(1952) followed later in that decade with the ‘Clubmaster’. It goes without saying then, when a brand with such pedigree releases a new style of frame – and that isn’t so often – we should it sit-up and take notice.
