Oakley, the luxury eyewear brand, unveiled its athletic Kokoro Collection, which is designed by renowned artist Meguru Yamaguchi. Created with the aim to inspire and unite athletes of all abilities through their shared love of sport during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the collection is colourful, chic and futuristic.
Yamaguchi, a Tokyo-born, Brooklyn-based artist, is known for his unique ‘sculptural paintings’ that push the boundaries of art, gesture and form. His rare, multi-hued work is reflected in the frames of the glasses. Each piece is unique and the artist’s signature brushstrokes were rendered by a custom-made machine which replicated the strokes through a specialised spin technique. “I was very excited when Oakley reached out to collaborate, as I’ve been a fan of the brand since my high school days,” says Meguru. “When I connected with the athletes as part of the discovery phase, I was moved by their united passion for sport. Designing a collection that was emblematic of this shared passion was core to my process and I’m thrilled with the results,” he adds.
Oakley marked the launch with a donation of $200,000 towards supporting the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization (WHO). “I’m grateful to Oakley for this generous and creative contribution to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund,” says Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation, adding, “The Kokoro Collection promotes the spirit of global solidarity that will be necessary to defeat this virus. We are truly at our strongest when we work together, as one team.”
The different styles in the collection include Flak 2.0 XL, Radar EV Path, Sutro, Frogskins, EVZero Blades, Flight Jacket and Jawbreaker. All the glasses are equipped with Oakley’s leading Prizm Lens Technology, which is designed to enhance color and contrast so athletes can see more detail.