Just days after launching Oscar, a vegan American Chinese take-out and eat-in restaurant in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa neighborhood, Sean Wotherspoon has announced a collaboration with artist Shohei Ochiai -- known for his nostalgic and youthful paintings.
Notably, inspiration for the collection stems from Wotherspoon's adidas Gazelle "Hemp" and includes a range of items, all of which feature a 2D example of the shoe in Ochiai's signature style. Items featuring the artwork include an original example by the artist, a limited run of 50 prints, a stack of posters, as well as a tee shirt, tote bag, pillow case and keychain.
Speaking on how he met Ochiai and what he appreciates about his work, Wotherspoon said to Hypebeast "I met Ochiai on IG through DM! I found his work through the Joopiter auctions where he did some work for them. I then slid in his DM as a fan looking to buy originals!" As for the work, he added "I love his focus on 90’s pop culture, this resonates with me. I also love how he creates depth and layers within the work. You really have to see his art in person to appreciate it to the highest level. It’s unreal."
While Wotherspoon and Ochiai had a number of shoes to choose from, both landed on the Gazelle Hemp, largely because of its various details and because the artist wanted something to challenge himself with. "I know he’s very proud of how the cork insole and stitching on the hemp turned out on his piece. I’m just as hyped," shared Wotherspoon.
For those interested in collecting or viewing items from the collaboration, a limited number of prints and posters will be available at 2G, an art toy and apparel store inside the PARCO Shibuya shopping mall, from March 1-3. A limited portion of the collection will also be available online, via GQ Japan.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
