The fun sock is experiencing an undeniable - if inexplicable wave - in popularity. Colourful, patterned Happy Socks are ubiquitous in Toronto menswear stores, and multiple sock-oriented startups, including WeSell Socks and YoSox, have launched over the last few months in this city alone.

Now, another Toronto company, Huely, aims to reinvent everyone's favourite insulating foot sleeve with a limited-edition twist that draws on the city's street art scene. The brand-new startup offers limited runs of socks designed by beloved local street artists, blind-boxed like vinyl toys for that added element of surprise.

The first series, created mostly by lead designer Nate Kogan, also features a few top-secret designs (by equally top-secret artists) in the rotation. They've already tapped a half-dozen street artists, including Anser, UBER5000 and SPUD1, to contribute designs for their next collection, which will be out mid-October.

The socks are $20 each, and available through their website; if you really want to be a patron of the arts, grab three for $50 or five for $79.