A$AP Rocky Has Mastered Sneakers. Next up? Ray-Ban Sunglasses
A$AP Rocky is adding a new role to his already stacked résumé: creative director of Ray-Ban.
The move marks a first for the eyewear giant, whose Wayfarer and Aviator frames have remained pop-culture classics since the brand's inception in 1936. According to a press release issued on February 21, A$AP Rocky is the first to hold this title at Ray-Ban.
“I’ve always admired Ray-Ban’s ability to stay true to its roots while constantly evolving,” Rocky said. Ray-Ban President Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio added that his appointment aligns with "the brand's values of innovation, pioneering spirit, and courage."
For Rocky fans, the news ought to feel like a long time coming. The rapper prominently featured Ray-Bans front and center in his June 2024 American Sabotage show. "Could this also signal a collaboration is brewing between the pair?" Ray-Ban quipped in a press release sent out over the summer.
Ray-Ban promoted its new creative director by wiping its Instagram page, presumably signaling the start of a new era.
A$AP Rocky's work at the brand will focus on introducing "disruptive" new frames. He will also direct campaigns, oversee the redesign of Ray-Ban retail stores, and further merge the world of Ray-Ban with "music, fashion, and the arts," according to the release. His debut "Blacked Out Collection" will launch in April 2025 with "a brand-new lens type and gold-plated details."
Rocky's foray into eyewear marks a shift for the rapper, whose bread and butter has, historically, been sneaker and apparel team-ups.
Last October, he joined PUMA as creative director of the brand's Formula 1 collection, a team-up that has helped catapult the German footwear giant to renewed relevancy. (The brand's Speedcat — also featured in his American Sabotage show — was recently anointed hottest sneaker in the world.)
In 2018, he released a skate shoe with Under Armour and in 2021, he kicked off a multi-drop collaboration with Vans and PacSun, where he served as guest artistic director.
And we can't forget Rocky's unofficial role as Matthieu Blazy's Bottega Veneta muse, which recently shifted to a Saint Laurent love affair that blossomed during his much-publicized early 2025 trial (Rocky was found not guilty on February 19).
Rocky's spot at the forefront of fashion is a win for Ray-Ban, a heritage brand that may be looking to adopt a more directional, forward-thinking look.
Notably, Ray-Ban is owned by EssilorLuxottica, the holding company that acquired Supreme in July.
Myriad luxury fashion brands — major examples being Chanel, Prada, and Burberry —also license their eyewear collections to EssilorLuxottica, making Rocky's new involvement with the conglomerate an even bigger coup, in terms of both business and culture.
