A$AP Rocky’s latest pair of sunglasses for Ray-Ban, the Wayfarer Puffer, points to a new era of flashy eyewear

Eyewear has generally been untouched by exaggerated frames until now. While sneakers have quite literally bloated with superfluous surface treatment, glasses have stayed within the streamlined and simple. But, if A$AP Rocky has his way, subtlety is tossed out of the window. His latest design for Ray-Ban is another reworking of the Wayfarer silhouette. It is called the Puffer and it’s not hard to see why. The already fairly thick frames and arms of the traditional Wayfarer are now “inflated”, and the result is Bruce Banner when he is very angry.

According to Ray-Ban’s media release, the hulky bulk of the shades is inspired by puffer jackets, which are associated with winter wear, yet the Puffer was released yesterday, the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. This apparent contradiction isn’t a design oversight; it’s a deliberate fashion statement, recalling Kanye West’s love of padded outer wear in punishing heat. His approach to fashion truly set a precedent for this kind of aesthetic-over-practicality design philosophy. In fact, Mr West has publicly stated, writing on Instagram in 2022: “Sometimes I dress like it’s winter when it’s hot ’cause my outfit hot. I’ma sweat before you catch me looking regular.” So, like Mr West, Mr Rocky is championing the defying of seasonal norms.

The Wayfarer Puffer exaggerated silhouette is, therefore, very much rooted in, and speaks to, Black culture, particularly hip-hop and streetwear. A$AP Rocky is a Harlem-born artist whose entire persona and creative output are deeply intertwined with hip-hop culture. He has used the term “ghetto expressionism” to describe his blend of urban style and a darker, more dramatic style, nodding to the historical context of Black creativity emerging from often marginalized communities. This is currently seen at the Metropolitan Museum’s summer exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Mr Rocky even references the historical “wealthy Black people” of Seneca Village (which later became New York’s Central Park) and their influence on Harlem’s ghetto fabulousness.

The oversized, relaxed fits that are common in streetwear, and now eyewear, have strong roots in the many hip-hop looks that tried to move away from more tailored elegance of traditional menswear—a trend the late Virgil Abloh notably reversed for Louis Vuitton. With its exaggerated silhouette, the Wayfarer Puffer’s connection to A$AP Rocky, its inspiration from puffer jackets, and its ridiculous (to some) yet confident (to others) attitude, embodies a look that is profoundly influenced by and resonates with Black culture, hip-hop, and the dynamic evolution of streetwear. However, Mr Rocky’s eyewear puff-up for Wayfarer might have arrived a tad too late, especially now that Demna Gvasalia, taking on new duties at Gucci, has stated he is done with the oversized.

Photos: Luxotica/Ray-Ban