Oakley releases a capsule collection. Interview with Reki Yamaguchi, who designed the collection!

From Olympic athletes to fashion experts, the brand is loved by people of all ages and genres.OAKLEY〉.

As a new experiment, we collaborated with Reki Yamaguchi, a Japanese artist based in Brooklyn, New York, to launch a new capsule collection, "KOKORO COLLECITON".

Oakley has donated $200,000 to the WHO's New Coronavirus Infections Solidarity Fund, which is working to counter the spread of the virus, on the occasion of the release of this collection. Considering the situation, Oakley is doing everything it can to support this heartwarming initiative.

For this interview, we asked Mr. Reki Yamaguchi, who worked with Oakley for the first time on this collaboration, about the secret story behind the production and the distinctive name of the collection.

-What was the impetus for this collaboration?

It all started when a former Oakley employee contacted me on Instagram. I had been in contact with him for a long time, and he asked me if I could give him my contact information because a designer in the home country of Oakley wanted to get in touch with me. I agreed, and this led to this project.

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION EVZERO BLADES ¥27,200+TAX

-What did Oakley have to say to you?

They thought that the powerful, dynamic, rough, and delicate elements of the work would match the various competitions and situations in which Oakley eyewear would be worn. We were approached to collaborate on a special project. Then, they asked for advice on how to actually incorporate this into eyewear frames, which was impossible with existing machines, so it took some time to develop a machine from scratch.

-How long did it take you to complete this collection?

I received an offer two years ago in July, so it has been about two years. During that time, I visited the Oakley headquarters in California twice, toured the factory, and had many discussions. It was a valuable experience for me to see the actual process and the actual site with the design team.

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION JAWBREAKER ¥33,100+TAX

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION FLAK 2.0 ¥27,200+TAX

-Mr. Yamaguchi, you have collaborated with many world-class brands. Was there anything special about this collaboration?

In this "Kokoro Collection," each design is a different piece. I was surprised because I had never had such an experience before. Rather than creating a product, it was more like working together with Oakley to create a work of art.

-Each one is different from the next.

To express my brush strokes, I had a new machine developed that spins sunglasses frames to paint them. Although it is a machine that does the painting, the way the pigments overlap each other, the way they drip, and the way they mix when spun by the spinning machine are all different from one another. Each brush stroke is handmade, so the colors and shapes change depending on my intuition at the time. In this collaboration, I felt that my work was truly alive on Oakley's products.

-Did Oakley make any requests?

I was asked to use blue, my signature color, and pink, the color of cherry blossoms. Since the logo is to be used by athletes, they wanted it to stand out from a distance. Other than that, we were free to create the logo as we wished.

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION SUTRO ¥25,700+TAX

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION FROGSKINS, FROGSKINS ASIA FIT ¥21,200+TAX, FROGSKINS XS ¥19,400+TAX

-I heard that you have been a fan of Oakley since you were in high school.

Yes, I have always loved the "Frogskin" model. I am happy that one of my dreams that I had when I was in high school has come true. Frogskin" is still my favorite model in this collection. Above all, I am happy to see my art used in a sports model. I am very excited that so many athletes will be wearing them.

-I think that everyday art works and commercial products are two different things, aren't they? What do you find interesting about commercial products?

I think the real appeal of my work is that I can incorporate my work into people's lifestyles without having to visit galleries or museums to see it. I sometimes work on public art, but it is completely different in that it is "wearable. I believe that I can be a part of an individual's life.

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION FLAK 2.0 XL ¥27,200+TAX

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION AIRBRAKE MTB ¥28,600+TAX

-You mentioned that you used to do karate before, do you have any other sports experience?

I am not good at team sports, so the only sport I have played is karate. Perhaps the fact that I draw pictures is also connected to that. But this time, working with Oakley, I feel that I was able to participate in a team sport for the first time, in the sense that we created it together (laughs).

-What are the thoughts that went into the name of this collection, "Kokoro Collection"?

I think there is a lot of heartless behavior in today's slanderous world. Sincerity, courage, gratitude, respect, and respect for others. I think that in this age of the Internet, it has become difficult to see these things. It is precisely because we live in such an era that I believe the heart is important. I feel that we were able to work together on this project, and although it is not a sport, I felt that we were able to create something together with the sense of a team competition, so I included that meaning in this project.

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION FLIGHT JACKET ¥34,600+TAX

Oakley x Yamaguchi Reki KOKORO COLLECTION RADAR EV PATH ¥30,100

-What do you think is the great thing about Oakley?

It is an unwavering stance. Both the models on the high street and those for athletes are thoroughly pursued in terms of functionality. As someone who is also in pursuit of brush strokes, I felt the same way. Also, the headquarters in California looks like a castle with a design team, a marketing team, and a factory. The scale of the company is not comparable, but I also work in a studio with my staff, so I thought it was similar to an artist's studio.

-The good part is the unshakable attitude.

Many of our staff members are athletes, including former Olympic athletes. Even when they were talking about ordinary things, I felt a kind of amazingness that resonated in my heart. Even for such a small thing, I am glad we met. Moreover, it was a great experience for us to be able to work together on the production.

-Finally, please tell us what moved you about the name of this collection, if anything.

It is the accumulation of every day that I am spending now. Casual conversations and time with family and friends, and this current situation where I am creating works in my own studio. I am grateful every day that these days are the ones that remain in my heart and are irreplaceable. It is truly amazing that such an impossible thing is happening.