document new contemporary header option - separator in CHANGELOG and user guide

CHANGELOG

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ version next
 - Fix missing Senders Name in Header (#278)
 - Document an additional example in the userguide on how to adjust the skill matrix (#213)
 - Adds contributing guidelines for moderncv (#275)
+- New Contemporary style option - separator under the CV header can be shown or hidden (#280)
 
 
 version 2.5.1 (31 Jan 2026)

manual/moderncv_userguide.tex

@@ -716,7 +716,9 @@ This style allows the following options which \emph{only} affect header and foot
   \textbf{\code{data in head}} & values: \code{details} (default), \code{nodetails}.
   Toggles between the header and footer as the location of personal data on the page. \\
   \textbf{\code{qr}}      & values: \code{qr} (default), \code{noqr}.
-  Enables or disables the inclusion of a QR code of your personal website.
+  Enables or disables the inclusion of a QR code of your personal website. \\
+  \textbf{\code{separator in head}}      & values: \code{separator} (default), \code{noseparator}.
+  Shows or hides the separator line after the colored header.
 \end{tabular}
 \note For the \code{contemporary} style it is recommended to use the \code{\\moderncvcolor\{cerulean\}} color scheme. The \code{contemporary} style is even more appealing with reduced margins. Use this in your preamble:
 \begin{lstlisting}

moderncvheadvii.sty

@@ -29,8 +29,13 @@
 \@initializeif{\if@right}\@rightfalse
 \DeclareOption{right}   {\@leftfalse\@righttrue}
 
+% separator line option: "separator" (default) or "noseparator"
+\@initializeif{\if@separator}\@separatortrue
+\DeclareOption{separator}   {\@separatortrue}
+\DeclareOption{noseparator} {\@separatorfalse}
+
 \DeclareOption*{}% avoid choking on unknown options
-\ExecuteOptions{details,qr,left}
+\ExecuteOptions{details,qr,left,separator}
 \ProcessOptions*\relax% \ProcessOptions* processes the options in the order provided (i.e., with the later ones possibly overriding the former ones), while \ProcessOptions processes them in the order of the package
 
 
@@ -148,10 +153,10 @@
 
     % case with no photo: assure defined \@photoframewidth with 2pt
     \ifthenelse{\isundefined{\@photo}}{\@initializelength{\@photoframewidth}\setlength{\@photoframewidth}{2pt}}{}%
-    \path[draw,line width=\@photoframewidth]
+    \if@separator%
-        (head-bg.south west) edge[color=headhr!85!black] ([xshift=8em]head-bg.south west)
+        \path[draw,line width=\@photoframewidth, color=headhr!85!black]
-        ([xshift=8em]head-bg.south west) edge[color=headhr] ([xshift=-8em]head-bg.south east)
+            (head-bg.south west) -- (head-bg.south east);
-        ([xshift=-8em]head-bg.south east) edge[color=headhr!85!black] (head-bg.south east);
+    \fi%
   \end{tikzpicture}%
   \if@left%
     \usebox{\makecvheadpicturebox}%

moderncvstylecontemporary.sty

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 \DeclareOption{right}{\edef\moderncvstyleheadoptions{\moderncvstyleheadoptions,right}}
 \DeclareOption{qr}  {\edef\moderncvstyleheadoptions{\moderncvstyleheadoptions,qr}}
 \DeclareOption{noqr}{\edef\moderncvstyleheadoptions{\moderncvstyleheadoptions,noqr}}
+\DeclareOption{separator}{\edef\moderncvstyleheadoptions{\moderncvstyleheadoptions,separator}}
+\DeclareOption{noseparator}{\edef\moderncvstyleheadoptions{\moderncvstyleheadoptions,noseparator}}
 
 \DeclareOption*{}% avoid choking on unknown options
 \ExecuteOptions{left,qr}