You think you can skate? Ray Barbee practically invented it.

By Cator Sparks Published December 21, 2019

Ray Barbee is an American skateboarder from San Jose, California.

Ray was one of the first skateboarders to bring freestyle and flatland tricks to street, technical ollie combinations and numerous no-comply variations.

Recommended Videos

He had memorable video parts in some of the most influential skateboarding videos to come out of the 80s including Powell Peralta’s “Public Domain” and “Ban This.” Barbee also appears in the video games Skate 2 and Skate 3 as a playable character.

Ray currently pursues a career in music, among other things, and has performed on stage with the jazz duo, The Mattson 2 and Tommy Guerrero.

His current sponsors include Vans, Element Skateboards, Spy Eyewear, Independent Trucks, Fender Guitars and Spitfire Wheels. He lives in Long Beach, California with his wife and two sons.

As for his personal style:

Jeans: Not wearing jeans these days.

Shirts: Flannels and regular tees. Mostly from my sponsors: Element skateboards, Vans shoes, Independent Trucks, Spitfire wheels, SPY sunglasses and Fender guitars.

Pants: Usually some kind of chino pants.

Suits: WESC suits. I don’t think they make them anymore, but they’re my favorite. I sometimes wear a suit when I’m performing music on stage.

Shoes: Vans Shoes—Eras, Old Schools and Half Cabs.

Accessories: Spitfire brand hats and Nixon watches.

Outerwear: Derby style hats, coach jackets or wind breakers.

Favorite Cologne: I don’t wear cologne.

Your favorite App: Maps.

Favorite piece of technology: Moog Sub 37 Analog Synth.

Next tech purchase: Thinking about upgrading from iPhone 5 to a 6.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Cator Sparks was the Editor-in-Chief of The Manual from its launch in 2012 until 2018. Previously, Cator was covering…

Fashion & Style

Authentic Roz explores the human experience in New York Fashion Week debut

Finding the balance between fitting in and standing out with Authentic Roz

Authentic Roz look 3

Walking through New York Fashion Week presentations and showrooms, you start to get a feel of what most brands and designers are used to working with. There are hot buzzwords. Inspiration and creativity seem to be center stage in most runway shows and showrooms. However, as I made my way up North from Madison Square Park to The Prince George Ballroom in the Flatiron District, I found myself in a different sort of environment, the kind where the designer of the collection about to walk down the runway also served as the DJ. From the clothes to the tunes to the ideology, Rayan Alami had a hand in every aspect of his New York Fashion Week debut. After seeing designer after designer with the same philosophies throughout New York, Alami embodied the name of his debut collection at Fashion Week, "I am Different."
Using music and culture to blend a unique style

New York Fashion Week is essentially an opportunity to blend art and fashion into one and tell a story through sartorial expression. While designers find inspiration in all walks of life, Alami uses his multicultured heritage and his love of music to blend a style truly unique in the industry. When I sat down with him after his show, I asked how he brought culture to his work.

Fashion & Style

Norqain expands the Freedom GMT collection with a new bronze watch

A new bronze Norqain watch

Norqain LE Freedom 60 GMT Bronze

Norqain emerged onto the watch scene in 2018, and has offered stylish timepieces like the Freedom 60 GMT collection. Every single timepiece that’s featured in the collection has a retro-like aesthetic that will take you back to the ‘60s. Now, though, there's a new offering: the Norqain Freedom 60 GMT 40mm Limited Edition.

The new Freedom GMT watch comes with a bronze dial that stands out thanks to the brown hue. And one of the most striking features is the 100m water-resistant brown casing, which is accentuated by a satin finish that makes the surface look a little bit shiny. Hour markers also have a bronze-like hue that complements the casing.

Fashion & Style

G-Shock’s MRG-B2100R-2A features stunning blue dial and unique Japanese design

This new G-shock watch is the embodiment of Japanese culture

G-shock MRGB2100R-2A

A new G-Shock watch that explores different Japanese concepts, from zen philosophies to ancient woodworking techniques, has been unveiled: the MRG-B2100R-2A, part of the high-end MR-G series.

For starters, it is based on an ancient Zen ideology centered around self-reflection. The good thing about this new watch is that it explores different Japanese notions. The second notion, Kigumi, goes back to the 6th century and has been passed down over the years. It is a beautiful woodworking craft that creates beautiful patterns.