$AP Rocky and Ray-Ban unveil a new chapter of their unique collaboration The launch of "Metal" frames celebrates one year of the rapper's creative direction
Exactly one year after his debut as the brand’s first-ever Creative Director, A$AP Rocky unveils his first metal collection for Ray-Ban, also introducing his first optical styles. A project that blends heritage and innovation, standing as a manifesto of cultural evolution and personal affirmation.
To narrate the launch, A$AP Rocky chooses to join forces with rap legend Nas, and together they bring to life an intense visual narrative set in a late-night New York diner. The campaign sparks a dialogue between eras, where ’90s atmospheres are reactivated through Rocky’s contemporary gaze and multifaceted approach.
The shapes reference historic silhouettes, models that have become iconic over the decades, yet their strength lies in the present: they reinterpret classic design by pushing beyond familiar boundaries. Metal frames and glasant versions for sun and optical alternate between oval curves and narrow rectangles, offered in timeless metallic tones. The frames feature a variety of designs with a strong expressive identity, with shapes ranging from slim lines and sharp angles to softer, more enveloping profiles capable of evoking echoes of the past.
The new models alternate between essential, lightweight metal constructions and more defined structures, where metal amplifies character and personality. The glasant variants stand out for their minimal aesthetic and the power of subtraction, privileging lightness and formal clarity, while the other versions introduce thick or ultra-thick lenses that redefine classic codes, transforming simplicity into a distinctive feature.
The sun styles express a marked stage presence, while the optical models focus on balance and contemporary versatility, blending nostalgia and modernity into a coherent and recognizable language. In Rocky’s alternative vision, the homage to the past becomes momentum toward the future. This is how a new story begins.
