Kenya Okuno
GRAVIS" was born in 1998. The brand was born from the snowboard brand Burton and was initially based on the concept of "after-snowboarding," but in the late 2000s, it launched a skate line. In the late 2000s, they started a skate line called "GRAVIS SKATEBOARDING.
Gravis Skateboarding, which has a clean and timeless brand image rather than a so-called "street" feel, has established a solid position in the skateboarding world with team riders such as Art Saari, Jake Johnson, and the late Dylan Reeder, who are all active in the world of skateboarding. Gravis Skateboards has established a solid position in the skateboarding world.
The brand that boasted such cult popularity regrettably came to an end in 2016. Seven years later, in 2023, Gravis Skateboarding will restart under the leadership of Kenya Okuno, aka Okken, who was a member of the Japan team at the time.
In this issue, we interviewed Mr. Okuno, rider and team manager, about the past and future of "Gravis Skateboarding. We also report on the launch party celebrating the re-launch of the brand.
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The thoughts behind the new "Gravis Skateboarding".
Please tell us about the appeal of "Gravis Skateboarding" from your point of view.
Okuno: Looking back, I don't think there is any other shoe brand that is so sophisticated, not only in terms of shoes, but also in terms of riders, video works, and catalogs. Formality is also appealing, but it is a brand that values style as well as skating. In this age where the sport aspect of skating is becoming the focus, I think that kind of sophisticated coolness is in demand.
What made you decide to revive such a brand?
Okuno: I always thought it was a shame to lose a skate team for a brand with such a fascinating history. It wasn't just me who revived the brand, but the timing was perfect. As ABC-MART took over the license from Burton to sell their sneaker line, they decided that they needed to focus on culture. Both ABC-MART and I were in agreement.
You are an original member of Gravis Skateboarding, aren't you? Looking back on those days, is there anything memorable that happened?
Okuno: Dylan Reeder once came to Japan for a promotion, and he was a riot in the park and at the hotel. That was shocking (laughs).
Riding video of Dylan Reeder, filmed in Shibuya, Tokyo.
Also, when Gravis Skateboarding in the U.S. was no longer in existence and I was working with the Japan team, I went to L.A. and had Ryan Allan (former Gravis Skateboarding photographer) take pictures of me. I have great memories of that experience now. I had no preparation at all, but the photos were so cool. I didn't realize how different it was.
What is your title at the relaunched Gravis Skateboarding?
Okuno: It's hard to give you a title. In a manner of speaking, I am a team manager and rider. I also work with the people in charge of product development, sales, and other things I don't understand, listening to what they have to say. Some people call me a director.
What is the composition of your skating team?
Okuno: Mana Sasaki came in first, followed by Shogo Tanaka and Joshua Nishinomiya. I was added to the team, making a total of four members. We are a small elite team. We may add amateurs in the future, but first of all, we want to raise the value of skaters. We decided to start with a small number because we want to pay out money to the riders who sign contracts.
Each team has its own color and is well-balanced.
Okuno: We select people who have style as well as skill. We are not only skilled, but also fashionable, and each of us has a different style. I don't think there is a more skilled and fashionable shoe brand team.
What kind of shoes will be released?
Okuno: First of all, a model called "Filter" will be revived. This is a reissue of a popular standard model. At the time, there were signature models with names like "Art" and "Dylan," but this is the first one. Slip-ons are also under development, but will be released at a later date. This time, we will launch the "Filter" in five colors.
A: You revived a brand that originally started overseas in Japan, how was the response?
Okuno: The response was quite strong. I felt that there were many deep-rooted fans who knew about those days. We also received more contacts from overseas than we had expected. They would ask, "When and where are you going to sell this," or "What model is going to be sold? We also received calls from several countries asking us to be their distributor (laughs). (Laughs.) We asked them to do whatever we could, and they agreed to handle worldwide shipping for the time being.
Do you feel pressure to be involved in the re-launch of such a brand?
Okuno: Gravis Skateboarding, that's quite a lot. There was a time when I announced my retirement from all sponsorships to concentrate on my studies, but I was told that Gravis Skateboarding wanted to continue to support me. I had no intention of returning to skating, and I felt bad about my situation, so I declined. After that, the brand disappeared for various reasons. I remember I was filled with sadness, wondering why such a cool and one-of-a-kind brand that had made such an impact on the global skate industry had to disappear. I feel very rewarding and responsible to be involved in the rebuilding of Gravis Skateboarding.
What kind of brand do you want the new Gravis Skateboarding to be?
Okuno: I would like to take it overseas once I have established a certain level of foundation in Japan, while also placing importance not only on skating but also on high fashion. It's a reverse import. I have been in contact with Mark Oblow, who used to be the team manager. I've told him that I'll try to bring it over there as soon as possible, but he says he doesn't want to see the original "Gravis Skateboarding" disappear. That's another thing that bothers me (laughs).
You shot a new full-length video "BIJYU" for the relaunch.
Okuno: We wanted to create a city-like image, so we mainly worked in Tokyo. However, shooting in Tokyo was tough, so we shot in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. If it looked like we couldn't get a good shot, we would go to the countryside. There is also footage from my solo trips to LA and Taiwan.
By the way, the brand logo is also a little longer than the original design.
Okuno: Yes, that's right. It means "following in the footsteps of" and "beyond. Since we are restarting the project, it would be boring if the design is exactly the same, and if it is completely different, the image will change. The typeface of the logo was originally rounded, but I made it a little sharper, more stylish, and solid.
So you will continue to evolve while following the DNA of "Gravis Skateboarding"? Lastly, please tell us about your future plans.
Okuno: In the future, we will do things that other skate shoe brands are not doing. For example, we will collaborate with high fashion brands and have people who admire skate shoes wear them. We are trying to reach out to places that have been out of reach until now.
I feel that Gravis Skateboarding can make this happen. I would also like to have the riders attend meetings and learn about the behind-the-scenes work, while keeping their feet on the ground and continuing their skating activities. As a behind-the-scenes mission, I hope to be able to connect it to my work as a second career after my active career is over.
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Playback of the frenzied night celebrating the restart.
A launch event to announce the return of Gravis Skateboarding and a preview of the new video "BIJYU" was held on April 21 at Space Odd in Daikanyama, Tokyo.
In addition to the new "FILTER" released on the day of the event, the venue exhibited photographs by Nobuo Izeki, who accompanied the team.
After the preview of "BIJYU," a surprise announcement was made about the promotion of one of the team riders, Mana Sasaki, to pro and his new pro deck, sending the audience into a frenzy. The audience went wild with excitement, and the night ended on a high note for Gravis Skateboarding with the presentation of a deck from the stage.
Photo_Nobuo Iseki (Kenya Okuno), Waguri (Event)
