Unity In Disparity

Oakley’s collaboration with Meguru Yamaguchi highlights the beauty of craft and teamwork

- Chia Wei Choong

The original plan was to launch the Oakley x Meguru Yamaguchi collaborative collection in tandem with the Tokyo Olympics, which would have happened in this summer if not for the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled Kokoro, which means ‘’heart”, “mind” and “spirit” in Japanese, it was meant to echo the ethos of sportsmanship. But all is not lost. Brooklyn-based Japanese artist Yamaguchi’s dynamic abstract work for Oakley, created using his signature ‘cut and paste’ method, still shines as a beacon of hope for humanity in these challenging times.

Classic Oakley styles get the Meguru treatment through a completely unique process created specially for the production of the collection. The dynamic swirls of colour you see on the pieces are created by dripping paint on frames, which are mounted on a spinning apparatus. The unpredictable way the paint interacts creates one-of-a-kind designs that speak about how disparate elements can come together to form a collective identity of shared passions, communal support and resilience.

Meguru Yamaguchi tells us about this collaboration with Oakley, and about the inspirations behind Kokoro.

Tell us about your inspiration behind the Kokoro collection?

During this pandemic, the connection between people became more important than ever. The collection is meant to unify everyone in the name of sports. Embodying the brilliance and beauty of humanity, the collection aims to inspire a sense of belonging and community in a time when the need to do so has never been greater.