When style and heritage collide, the results can be electrifying. Such is the case with the newly unveiled collaboration between Amsterdam’s Daily Paper and global eyewear giant Oakley, centered on reimagining one of Oakley’s most recognizable models: the Gascan.

This unexpected but exhilarating partnership seamlessly weaves together Oakley’s legacy of high-performance sportswear and Daily Paper’s bold Afro-Futurist narrative. By doing so, the two brands don’t just launch a product — they create a cultural artifact, a new chapter in the story of contemporary design and community-driven fashion.

The Gascan: A Modern Classic Revisited

The Oakley Gascan first debuted in the early 2000s, embodying an aesthetic that was at once aggressive and technical. With its angular, high-wrap silhouette and striking lines, the Gascan became an instant icon among athletes, extreme sports enthusiasts, and those who craved a taste of rebellion in their daily wear.

Over the years, the Gascan evolved from a niche technical frame into a streetwear statement. Its associations with motocross riders, skateboarders, and rock musicians cemented its reputation as an accessory for those unwilling to blend in. In many ways, the Gascan was the first Oakley design to truly transcend sport and find a place in fashion subcultures worldwide.

Daily Paper’s reinterpretation breathes new life into this legacy. Rather than simply adding a new colorway or pattern, they’ve sharpened its edge, infusing the shape and details with an Afro-Futurist spirit that feels both futuristic and deeply rooted in cultural storytelling.

Daily Paper: From Amsterdam to the World

Founded in 2012 by friends Hussein Suleiman, Jefferson Osei, and Abderrahmane Trabsini, Daily Paper began as a blog celebrating African diaspora culture and quickly evolved into one of Europe’s most exciting streetwear brands. The trio’s unique backgrounds — each with connections to various African heritages — formed the foundation for a design language that merges global street style with African traditions, myths, and aesthetics.

Over the last decade, Daily Paper has built a loyal following with collections that celebrate identity, community, and history. From detailed prints inspired by Maasai shields to silhouettes echoing 90s hip-hop, the brand has continually balanced local stories with international aspirations.

This new collaboration with Oakley marks an evolution in that narrative: an opportunity to embed their Afro-Futurist vision into a globally recognized sportswear icon.

Afro-Futurism: Style as Resistance and Imagination

Afro-Futurism, the guiding vision behind Daily Paper, is more than a design aesthetic — it is a philosophy. Coined in the 1990s to describe a cultural movement combining African diaspora culture with technology and speculative fiction, Afro-Futurism reclaims narratives often marginalized in mainstream media.

From Sun Ra’s cosmic jazz to the cinematic world of Black Panther, Afro-Futurism imagines alternative futures where Black identity and creativity are at the forefront. In the context of fashion, this vision manifests as bold shapes, dynamic prints, and technological experimentation — all designed to challenge stereotypes and push beyond colonial definitions of African identity.

In their Gascan reinterpretation, Daily Paper applies Afro-Futurism as a framework for rethinking heritage. The frame is not simply eyewear but a wearable symbol of a future in which performance, culture, and community intersect.

Design Details: Where Function Meets Culture

Daily Paper’s Gascan iteration stands out immediately for its sharper, more sculpted lines. The angular geometry feels more pronounced, emphasizing a warrior-like silhouette — a nod to traditional African shield designs and contemporary sci-fi motifs.

Colorways incorporate earthy tones mixed with futuristic metallic accents, creating a palette that feels equally grounded and otherworldly. The branding is subtle but intentional: the Daily Paper insignia appears alongside Oakley’s iconic ellipse logo, merging identities without overshadowing either.

The lenses, made from Oakley’s high-definition optics, ensure the piece retains its high-performance roots. This isn’t merely a fashion accessory but a technical object designed for clarity, durability, and protection.

Djibril Cissé: The Perfect Ambassador

Fronting the campaign is none other than Djibril Cissé — the French footballer known as much for his fearless style as for his explosive career on the pitch.

During his prime in the early 2000s, Cissé’s flamboyant hair colors, bold tattoos, and avant-garde fashion sense made him a natural outlier in the conservative world of professional sports. His 2006 partnership with Oakley was a landmark moment, showcasing the Gascan as a symbol of defiant individuality.

Bringing Cissé back as the face of this new chapter isn’t just a nostalgic move; it’s a statement about continuity and evolution. He embodies the collection’s ethos: performance fused with personality, heritage reimagined for the future. His presence bridges generations, reminding longtime fans of his earlier influence while introducing his style legacy to a new, younger audience.

The Culture Vibe 

In recent years, collaborations have become fashion’s currency, often criticized for being shallow marketing gimmicks. But the Daily Paper x Oakley partnership stands apart by emphasizing community and storytelling over hype.

Daily Paper’s entire ethos is grounded in collective experience and cultural pride. This spirit is evident in their previous projects, from community pop-ups to artist residencies and educational workshops. By working with Oakley, they expand this approach to a new demographic — extreme sports enthusiasts and performance-driven fashion consumers — without diluting their message.

In the Gascan, the collision of these worlds feels authentic rather than forced. The design language, cultural references, and campaign imagery all reinforce a shared commitment to pushing boundaries while honoring history.

Daily Paper, Oakley, and the Evolution of Streetwear

Streetwear today is no longer a fringe subculture; it is the dominant force shaping global fashion. The fusion of sportswear and cultural commentary is now a baseline expectation rather than an exception.

Oakley, long respected for its technical innovation, has historically focused on athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. By collaborating with a brand like Daily Paper, Oakley positions itself within the broader context of fashion storytelling, signaling a willingness to evolve alongside its audience.

Daily Paper, for its part, solidifies its global credibility. It demonstrates that the brand’s Afro-Futurist narrative is not limited to apparel but can transform even the most technical accessories into cultural symbols.

Performance with Purpose: The Future of Sportswear

This collaboration is emblematic of a broader movement in sportswear — a shift from pure functionality to “performance with purpose.” Today’s consumers are looking for products that do more than perform well; they want items that express values, connect them to community, and tell stories.

The Gascan by Daily Paper x Oakley embodies this perfectly. It offers all the technological features expected from a high-performance sunglass — durability, precision optics, comfort — but frames them within a narrative of cultural pride and imaginative future-building.

Flow

In the end, the Daily Paper x Oakley Gascan is more than an accessory; it is a wearable artifact, a convergence of athletic legacy and Afro-Futurist dreams. It serves as a reminder that fashion can be more than seasonal trends or surface-level statements — it can be a medium for reimagining identity, heritage, and possibility.

By drawing on the past while boldly charting a future, Daily Paper and Oakley have created something that resonates far beyond the runway or the track. It is a call to see the world — and ourselves — through a different lens, one that honors our histories while embracing new visions.

As Djibril Cissé stands once again at the forefront, the message is clear: the future belongs to those willing to fuse performance with personality, heritage with innovation, and past with future. In this new Gascan, we are invited not just to look forward, but to imagine forward — and do it in style.

No comments yet.