Adidas Originals by oamc

Speaking of working together, what are the secrets to a successful collaboration?

Luke: I only like to engage in collaborations when they offer the potential to create something that we couldn’t do on our own. I also only like to work with the best of the best. [In this case], adidas is an exceptional brand and offers capabilities that open many pathways to creation. Their engineering and technical know-how was key to making this project come to life, and I am excited about what this partnership can grow into in the future.

Dev: I collaborate with people if we are friends and/or I respect them as a person. That’s basically it. That way it’s always a learned, enjoyable experience based on personality and life—not necessarily music. The music is like the extra blessing if something usable stems from it.

Dev, it’s widely publicized that you’re a huge soccer fan. Are there any aspects of sports that you try to incorporate into your creative process?

Dev: Haha not really, but yes I love me some footy. Maybe it relates to the last question, team effort? I know my role as a left winger.

Moving on to points of reference, how do you use the past as a source of inspiration for your work?

Luke: [It’s] mostly technique, sometimes reference. It’s good to look at the past for inspiration, but I never want to re-create. And it is always important to acknowledge that the high-level techniques we use today were, in some cases, originated in the past.

Dev: In a magnitude of ways, but it’s really more of a constant research I’m in… for my life... which then lets itself out via music.

So Dev, the same way this collection merges different influences, your music often draws on divergent points of reference. Is this something that’s important to you as an artist?

Dev: [It’s] not necessarily important to me, but more the only way I know how—everything I do is from a place of trying to have fun and digestion in regards to interests. So that tends to come from various avenues.

And for you, Luke, the Pacific Northwest is an often overlooked part of the United States. How did the region influence you for this collection?

Luke: The Pacific Northwest is also (and importantly!) Canada, which is where I grew up. I was raised in Vancouver, and I lived for a while in Seattle, so the bulk of my formative years were spent in that part of the world. It has a special vibe: incredible and powerful nature, as well as a consciousness about culture, music, and art. I was looking at some of the early '90s references from when I lived there for this collection, and some of the fabrics, shapes, and motifs helped to create a Pacific Northwest mood. I don’t agree that this area is overlooked. People realize how much influence it’s had—all the way back to Jimi Hendrix.

There's an obvious link to outdoor activities here too. Beyond the geographic connection, what was it that drew you to mountaineering as a source of inspiration?

Luke: Initially, I was not looking specifically at mountaineering; more so exploring the idea of functionality in athletic shoes. What attracted me to the climbing shoe design language was the combination of materials and how the feeling of a vulcanized, hand-made shoe can result in something that is very high performance. It’s an interesting combination.

Finally, in fashion as well as music, avant-garde and mainstream culture are often in dialogue yet remain separate. How important are both for your respective industries?

Dev: [I] can’t speak for my industry, but I do think growth in life stems from dialogue and crossing boundaries. Speaking to those outside of your comfort zone and working towards developing an understanding with that which is not of your world.

Luke: I think both are important, but this distinction is becoming less distinct than it was in the past. OAMC is more of an avant-garde brand. However, I’m also pleased when someone who has more mainstream inclinations appreciates what we do.