Oakley launched a new collection, Kokoro, which translates from Japanese as “heart, mind and spirit”. The line was created by Japanese artist Meguru Yamaguchi who received a cooperation offer from this famous brand which stands at the origins of the modern sports optics industry.
The choice of the author of the collaboration is not accidental: on the eve of the Olympic Games, the brand turned to the person who unites North America and Asia with the help of global creativity that is understandable without words.
This collection was planned for the Tokyo Olympics which was postponed till the next summer because of coronavirus. Nevertheless, it was released right on time.
Kokoro collection is inspired by Yamaguchi’s uniquely chaotic, vibrantly intense abstraction.
The dynamic paintings of the celebrated Brooklyn artist look like a dozen cans of different colors exploded and the splashes suddenly turned into masterful artworks.
To achieve this effect, Yamaguchi uses a very peculiar technique, experimenting with acrylic paints and plastic surfaces, combining painting and mosaics. He calls his drawing method “cut and paste.” It consists of laying out paints on plastic sheets to dry, then cutting, peeling and gluing them to other surfaces, as if combining three-dimensional brush strokes.
Yamaguchi worked alongside Oakley designers and engineers to develop each unique sunglasses piece.
The collaboration was resulted in collection which consists of five silhouettes: Flight Radar, Radar EV, Flak 2.0 XL, Jawbreaker, EVZero Blades. All models are complemented with Oakley’s Prizm Lens Technology providing a perfect contrast and correct color reproduction.
The artist selected the bright pink and blue color palette for the sunglasses so the pair could be inclusive of all nationalities. He also chose the red and white color symbolizing the colors of Japan.
