The Tale of RayBan Wayfarer

(The Ray-Ban Wayfarer, since its comeback in 2007, is continuing to flood the sunny scenes of Manila. Considering that fads’ shelf-lives are becoming shorter and shorter through time, I expected the wayfarers to be on its way to the fourth stage of the trend cycle. Made popular by fashion icons of the time, the wayfarer is enjoying its peak in the pop culture for the third time. Its supply certainly caters to what seems to still be a growing demand, the wayfarers has not only gone ‘colorized’ but is also available in various sizes to suit every face-shape of a consumer.)



In 1952, RayBan Wayfarer was a plastic eyewear born in a time of metal sunglasses. Little did it know that its odd, radical form would grace the sun-kissed faces of the golden celebrities of that era. Designed with a hint of dangerousness, it was the toast of the town for more than a decade, but simply lost its grip as the people embraced tea shades, lava lamps and afros. Wayward, rejected and alone it felt lost for thirteen years until it caught a big break in the 1983 cult hit ‘Risky Business’. This movie project with teen idol, Tom Cruise did not only resurrect its fame but propelled it to superstar status … from Anybody who was Somebody to Everybody and even the Nobody was sporting the Wayfarer in the 80’s, thus, becoming the iconic accessory of that decade.
But its fame again was short-lived, as the wraparound sunglasses became the preferred sunnies of the 90’s and by the turn of the century the wayfarer collected dust in the deepest, darkest corners of the closet, finding no comfort in the cold company of the jelly shoes and fishnet gloves. But on a fateful bright summer day, just when the wayfarer thought its trapezoidal frame will not live to see the glaring UV rays of the sun, he is salvaged by the merciful hands of Mary- Kate Olsen and dubbed ‘Vintage’.
Now, revivified and colorized, it is proving to be a staple accessory of today’s fashion scene. And today it continues to brave the streets with conviction and optimism that this time around it will evolve from a ‘Fad’ to a ‘Classic’

posted by
SHEENA GLORIA