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Oakley's Magic Lives On

As Oakley's former Vice President of Design, Peter Yee is the hidden man responsible for the Oakley logo and many of the brand's most popular designs that marked the aesthetic of the 90s and 00s. To celebrate Yee's inaugural solo phygital exhibition, powered by SPIN.FASHION, at K11 MUSEA during Art Basel Hong Kong, we take a stroll down Oakley's iconic archive. The exhibition translates Oakley's 25-year design legacy into the digital realm. 

 

Dennis Rodman sports Oakley Sub Zero 1992 shades in Double Team (1997)

 

Off the court, the 90s fashion icon was ahead of his time, challenging the established gender norms by confidently donning gold button-ups, metallic nail polish, glitter crop tops, and maximalist jewelry. His avant-garde style, unconventional for the 90s, is now embraced by younger generations as a distinctive mood. Almost always seen with shades, what brand could better complement his pop-star-meets-hip-hop-meets-goth-meets-club-kid aesthetic than Oakley?

Brad Pitt wearing Oakley Mars X Metal Michael Jordan 1998 sunglasses in his role as Tyler Durden in the movie Fight Club (1999)

 

Brad Pitt rocks Oakley Mars X-Metal Michael Jordan 1998 sunglasses in Fight Club (1999) 

 

Fight Club (1999) is a classic, standing as one of the most iconic and celebrated thriller movies of all time. In his role as the narrator's cool, charismatic and powerful alpha alter-ego, Tyler Durden, Brad Pitt wears the Oakley Mars X Metal Michael Jordan 1998 sunglasses. Adhering to the first rule of Fight Club, we will not talk about Fight Club further. The Oakley Mars sunglasses, worn by Pitt, are one of the highly coveted pieces from the archive.

Ato Boldon

 

Ato Boldon wears Oakley Over The Top (OTT) Silver/Fire Iridium sunglasses at the 2000s Olympic in Sydney

 

The Overthetop Oakley shades were designed to minimize bounce, specifically focusing on track-and-field athletes. All eyes were on Trinidadian Olympian Ato Boldon when he sported the Silver Over The Top Oakleys during the Men's 100-meter track race at the Sydney 2000. Later, these shades gained popularity among pop-culture stars and even made an appearance in Spy Kids 3 (2003), solidifying their status as a global sensation. In 2020, Oakley revived this iconic design, which remains uniquely distinctive to this day.

 

Glen Plake wears Silver Oakley Minute sunglasses

 

Glen Plake is instantly recognizable on the slippery slopes, thanks to his vibrant mohawk. The American Hall of Fame skier stands as a known Oakley icon, often seen sporting the brand's designs again and again. In 1998, Oakley introduced the Minute sunglasses, evidently one of Plake's preferred choices. The Minute shades boast a classic and timeless design, and their popularity endures — silver sunglasses were ubiquitous in 2022-2023. If you're drawn to the gas station sunglass vibe, Oakley is the blueprint.

 

Kerwin Frost in Oakley Kato Prizm Black Lens sunglasses

 

Entertainer and fashion icon Kerwin Frost is a modern-day example of a true Oakley stan. Kerwin Frost has a significant influence on the street-style and sneakerhead crowd that listens to Tyler The Creator and Lil Uzi Vert (this includes me). Whether sporting the Oakley overheads or the Kato Prizm shades, Frost exemplifies how Oakley still runs deep in the veins of style icons and continues to live on today.

I strived to create designs that connect with people physically, intellectually and emotionally.

RENAISSANCE 2.0 x Peter Yee hosted by SPIN.FASHION will run during Art Basel Hong Kong from March 28 to April 28 2024 at K11 MUSEA.

 

The people love Oakley. 

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