The Ray-Ban Wayfarer - Photo Courtesy of Mens Vogue

‘Fashion fades and only style remains.’

It’s hard to argue with Coco Chanel- the high priestess of haute couture- especially when she’s right. Few things can outlast the whim of fashion, particularly in this age of accelerated cultural recycling, but those that have and continue to do so, deserve both our praise and attention. There can be no better place to start our worship of style idols than with the ultimate motif of cool: Sunglasses.

To be more specific, Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses.

Whether you call them shades, bins, low-lamps or tints, no hipster of substance could seriously expect to be considered cool without a pair of dark glasses somewhere about their person.

The ultimate multi-purpose style item- along with shielding those precious peepers from solar damage - sunnies mask hangovers, lies and sneak peeks at the opposite sex. Whatever nefarious or naughty behaviour you’re into, shades have got you covered. They protect your cool and imply a certain primal detachment from the scene. Seriously, hiding the eyes adds mystery and a little menace to ones cachet at street level, but it’s a big no-no in the wild. Any serious predator will attack on site if it can’t see your eyes, preferring to rip you to shreds rather take chances your intentions. Just like cops will if you drive around after dark with your locs on, no matter what Corey Hart says.

Sunglasses are a keystone in the iconography of cool and from aviators to wraparounds to the absurd designer windshields pimped by Paris Hilton, Ray-Ban Wayfarers were the trailblazing frames that made shades part of our lives.

Born in 1952 the Wayfarer design was an aggressive new shape that reflected the style of the time - think swooping Cadillac tail fins at the corners - and the angst in years to come. Although designed for primarily for pilots and intended for men, Wayfarer shades found greater popularity among a newer and iconoclastic breed - from street punks to surfers to matinée idols - intent on shaking up the world around them. It might seem a little sensationalist, like we’re reading to much into this, but look at the crew that wore them and made them famous; Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol. These are the glasses Audrey Hepburn rocked in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and were the personal choice of none other than J.F.K.

What makes Wayfarers even more remarkable is longevity; like Chuck Taylors, Red Tags or Coke’s glass bottle, the design has remained largely unchanged for more than half a century and within that time, no matter how often the fashion tide breaks high and rolls back, these shades remain safely on the shore. They were as much a part of motorcycle danger in the 50’s as leather, lived through the 60’s on the faces of presidents and artists and despite lying low in the seventies (although Jack Nicholson was rocking them at Oscars, as he does to this day..) Wayfarers returned resurgent in the eighties.

Starting with the then youthful future Scientologist and Oprah abuser Tom Cruise - who felt that Risky Business just wouldn’t be the same movie without them - and followed by the likes Debbie Harry, Miami Vice and Elvis Costello to name but a few, the eighties proved to be a high-water mark in popularity for this design classic. Through 1986 Wayfarers had sold some 1.6 million pairs and spawned a generation of dedicated followers.

Fast forward to Today and, as we re-live the 80’s one motif at a time, Ray-Ban’s are back on the noses of the great and not-so good once again. Although remixed in acid tones, two-colour sets and clear frames for this generation, Wayfarers maintain the same profile that broke the mold way back in ‘52 and put them on the head of every hep cat or fly girl since then. But not my head. No, my melon is far to wide and oddly angled to support such a dynamically geometric shape. A tragedy in itself but made worse by the news that, in the months to come, Style Heist.Com will be open for business and selling some of the hottest homages to the Wayfarer flavour. Seriously, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then this design classic should be blushing.

Crafty Engineer from Paul Frank - $155 CDN Available soon from Style Heist.com

Modern Amusement 30’s - $200 CDN Available soon from Style Heist.com

Courtesy of Paul Frank and Modern Amusement respectively, come the Crafty Engineer and 30’s frames. These slick shades share high-class construction, real attention to detail and a sharp twist of Californian style. Representing the Wayfarer profile, but slightly softened at the corners for that Big Wednesday surfer feel, you can rock these with confidence and be both classic and contemporary. The bird motif on the Modern Amusement 30’s and the metal diamonds and inlays on the Crafty Engineers are a delicate punch of branding that lifts them above the everyday mimics, of which there are many. Whether they are knocked off by Boss, Marc Jacobs, the night market or anyone else, you will find Wayfarers - or something a lot like them - on the rack in every shade store or dollar emporium in any country from here to wherever.

Like Madame Coco says - style remains.

A selection of Gram Design kicks.

For those that don’t know, ‘ones & twos’ is Cockney rhyming slang for shoes. Shoes, shoes, shoes.

For men the choice of footwear is essential; part fashion, part statement and totally political, ones pick of kick can determine how far you get with a girl or your employer. Indeed, the well known and well worn mothers maxim of judging a man by his shoes is a global truth, even reaching as far as the unheralded fashion center that is Pyongyang, North Korea, where in a four colour wardrobe social status is all about the shoes.

Women, of course, have known about the importance of footwear for years. Anyone who has even dipped a toe into the sea of female fashion and surrounding culture will know the perpetual frenzy and near religious zeal that surrounds a pair of Manolo Blahnik’s, Jimmy Choo’s or - praise be! - Christian Louboutin’s. I can’t claim to understand such excitement, but as I do with many things Woman, I bow to superior knowledge.

What is clear is that shoes are crucial to ones outward appearance and potential well being, but where does that leave the habitual sneaker user or the terminally hip? No use have we for the Hush Puppies, penny-loafers or wingtips of this world. Not with our skinny jeans and lo-fidelity attitudes; explaining the hype-ness of a colourway to any prospective mate who is simply not as finely tuned to the relevance of such things is an exercise in failure and possibly humiliation or ridicule.

Thankfully salvation comes from the heavy weight champs of convenient living; the Swedes. Yes, the nation that gave us low cost furniture and high quality porn have turned that native ingenuity to footwear and saved us from an ugly compromise.

Gram Design have put together a high-end blend of the very best parts of sneakers, skate shoes and straight shoes and come up with a range of footwear which fit with any wardrobe. From lo-top to ankle boot all the Gram designs reference the great moments in pop kicks and mix it with an eye towards modern style. The result is a glorious mash up; think Dogtown meets Marty Mcfly’s Nike’s with a twist of John Bender and your getting close. Made from versatile but durable cotton denim these shoes are created with care, both in shape and colour. The flamboyant should check the slick bowling shoe finishes for thoughtful throwback style. The more sombre should reach for the charcoal or neutral tones. Whatever you pick, you’re bound to make a good impression. The Swedes wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Scout Journey Pack in Heathered Olive

Fatherhood.

It’s a big step and, in all honesty, I never expected that the Style Heist would be setting foot in the world of baby fashion, but in honour of the arrival of our very own Guvnor’s firstborn, it seems appropriate that we feature something for the dads.

Making babies is the easy part but after that comes - quite literally - a lifetimes work. The sleepless nights, constant anxiety, diaper changes and pocket money shakedowns, all so the little blighter can grow up and slag you off at parties because you just don’t understand. However, in the time between your beautiful baby becoming a pimply angst machine there is an awful lot of equipment to lug around and for the mothers there is a whole industry built around this need.

Dad, though, fares worse; big spots, bright colours and butterflies are good for the ladies, but what about the style-conscious father who doesn’t want some day-glo tote bag putting a kink in his mack-daddy image? Look no further than the Scout Journey Pack from the unusually titled Petunia Pickle Bottom.

This is a well tailored and beautifully designed baby hold all. Based around a single strap system in a classic satchel style, The Scout features detachable bottle pockets, a matching embossed wipe case, changing pad and it still has room to fit all of juniors needs, with space left over. There is even a dedicated cell phone pouch and magazine sleeve for Dad. Available in Heathered Gray or Olive and finished to the highest standard with antique brass hardware and magnetic clasps.

Sure it’s a little more than your average bag, but this might just be your last chance to spend a little pocket change before baby gets his hands on it, so treat yourself. You deserve it.

Disposable - By Sean Cliver

Yeah back in the day, everyone at Styleheist skateboarded and it was never a crime. Looking back, the way we treated our boards might have been. Untouched graphics were never cool - the sure sign of a poseur - but damn what the hardcore say: Those graphics were important!

It was a connection. Remember that first board? Not the heavy as lead Toys-R-Us starter, but the first one you picked, bought home and built. Those graphics spoke to you and for you. Remember the time you popped a fat slide, flipped your deck and saw all that smudged paint? You felt bad, we know you did because we felt it too.

But that’s the nature of the beast and Sean Cliver knows it. A long time skate artist, he has put together the definitive paper-bound memorial to all the designs that have been smeared on curbs all over the world- Disposable: 30 years of Skateboard Art.

What makes this book special is that delves into artist mind and what goes in designing art for mass destruction. Featuring contributions from artists and skaters alike - Ed Templeton, Steve Cab, Jeff Grosso and Mark Gonzales to name a few.

Running for 228 full colour pages with over 1000 images this is the ultimate coffee table skateboard museum.

Skate and destroy.

The golden age.Hip-hop hit the sweet spot somewhere between 86-93 and in that time Yo! MTV Raps was the video peep show that broke all the hot joints. The cats at Puma have recognized the significance of Yo! and are paying homage to raps premier news hour in the de-facto currency of Hip-hop: Sneakers.

Headhunting from rap’s hall of fame for inspiration, Puma have produced a philosophically original colab and a 12″ slice of fashion flavour. The history heavy collection centers on the shoes - custom Clydes in Ed Lover& Doctor Dre, Big Daddy Kane, MC Shan, Doug E. Fresh and DJ Cash Money styles - but also features other classic icons of the age including tracktops, hoodies and the superfly fisherman’s hat.

Check the website for the 411 on the goods and the Greats, then check the stores for the fat gold chain Big Daddy T-shirt, a pair of dope kicks and show some love for the rap renaissance.

Word.

To go forward, sometimes you just gotta go back. Sounds crazy, but when you peep Ken Diamonds leather things become a little clearer.

Fighting out of the downtown east side of Raincity, Ken is an old school heavy weight. He puts his faith in the traditional ways of time and effort and the result is the best and most original skin collection around.

There are no machines in Kens world but for muscle and bone. Every piece - from bags to cuffs to belts - is cut, stitched, dyed and punched out by hand. Each item is an individual masterpiece as unique as the person whose lucky enough to own it. Ken’s approach to the leather craft has already bought him a notable clientèle - check out the Crew wallet at W hotels gift shop - and a queue of fashion colabs. His work with Megadestroyers has produced hands down the best hat of the decade and a belt sick enough to hold Jim Morison’s gut in check. And thats just start of it - crazy deconstructed/reconstructed Vans, bike seats and more, Ken D is a name to watch.