Back in February, Skepta was sent to Japan on a PR campaign to explore his relationship with PUMA. Sabukaru did a great piece on this titled “24 Hours in Tokyo with Sabukaru, Skepta and PUMA”. It’s definitely worth checking out as it gives you an interesting look behind the scenes. Apart from the trip being a marketing piece for the newly created Velophasis silhouette, the multi-hyphenated artist managed to visit the PUMA archive in Germany, where he no doubt kept an eye open for a silhouette for his next collab.
A few days later, Skepta took to JME’s BadmanOnline Twitch channel during a late-night studio session, proceeding to show off a pair of creps he’d picked up on his trip. “You lot seen these? Mad tings, make sure to take an extra suitcase cause they’ve got some serious stuff out there”, he said while showing off a pair of the Brain Dead x Oakley Factory Team Flesh in the “Iron Brown” colourway to the people on the stream.
Oakley has been trickling back into the functional wear scene as Instagram accounts such as @inside.tag put people on game. As the hype for Nike’s ACG division slowly moved into Arcteryx between 2019-2021, other authentic brands such as 66 Degrees North and Oakley are now the focus for people who are tuned into the scene. While Oakley is far from breaking out onto the mainstream stage, people with an actual interest in outdoor wear are happily gathering up all the early 2000s and ‘90s pieces knowing the brand’s existing reputation as authentic functional wear.
The Oakley Factory Team Flesh is an interesting silhouette to say the least, created in June of 2000 and like other footwear that was released at the time, was way ahead of the curve. The neoprene booty entry foregoes the need for laces, while the upper’s water-wicking abilities and Open-cell Aeroprene ensure your feet don’t get wet or sweaty. The most interesting component is definitely the sole unit, with its wavering midsole and Traction Pod system underfoot that enhanced “tactile awareness”. This was perhaps Oakley’s attempt to dip its toe into the world of minimal footwear, a field that adidas was exploring with its Feet You Wear range from the ‘90s and ACG’s experimental pieces that ex-Nike designer Steve McDonald previews on his Instagram account.
Surprisingly, the Factory Team Flesh doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb among Oakley’s back catalogue of footwear, with the brand often leaning into the theme of unconventional design. It’ll be interesting to find out who was the creative lead for Oakley during that era, especially as we see archival models make a comeback through collaborations with Brain Dead. As Skepta’s track record has proven time and time again, the artist has an eye for good taste, so let’s hope we get more tasty revivals from Oakley.
wear shoes, write poems 