Welcome to the 105th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we remember Dennis Rodman’s retro Oakley era, complete with wacky hair and slam dunk fittings.
Basketball has been synonymous with fashion long before any Chuck Taylor or Supreme collaboration. From pick up streetball to the NBA, hoopers have been repping baggy denim and old school Nike since the first dribble in a city park. Emphasized by icons like Michael Jordan, who has retained relevancy over four decades, these players opened the door for creative expression in many.
Among the few standout athletes who chose to pursue an esoteric style, the most infamous is known as Dennis Rodman, or to some, the guy with crazy hair. Frequently experimenting with his appearance throughout the 90’s and 2000’s era, Rodman would quickly become a stylistic idol at the elite level.
Rodman was instantly recognizable for his cheetah print hair and unapologetic femininity, rocking Oakley shades at every game and event he attended. He can be accredited as a posterboy of Oakely’s revival, frequently incorporating the space-age eyewear into tropes of street-culture and unparalleled decadence.
The basketball player made waves sporting the metallic glasses on and off the sidelines, becoming a staple of his boundary pushing aesthetic. Resonating with Oakley’s innovative ethos, he would work alongside Jordan to shoot an advertisement for the sleek “Eye Jacket” model, which was first released in 1994.
Along with Jordan, many of Rodman’s teammates on the Chicago Bulls also supported the Oakley craze. Models like the Romeo, Juliet and M2 Frames were frequently seen on Scottie Pippen and friends alike, bleeding their popularity into the mainstream. Dennis Rodman wore the futuristic shades everywhere, seen in interviews, at the MTV awards, and even on the David Letterman show.
It’s needless to say Oakley’s sunglasses are a staple of the athletics world, but in the wake of our current Y2K overthrow, we can expect to see the signature O a whole lot more in the coming months.
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