Take a First Look at Kerby Jean-Raymond's Vision for Reebok
The VP of Creative Direction has enlisted Jide Osifeso as artistic marketing director — here’s the duo’s first project.
Last year, Kerby Jean-Raymond joined Reebok as vice president of creative direction, a move that many anticipate will push the sportswear giant to embrace a more experimental aesthetic. Though it’s still unclear what exactly Jean-Raymond-era Reebok will look like (the fruits of his endeavor won’t release until 2022), the creative is giving us a better idea of what to expect with a new announcement: Jide Osifeso, a graphics and apparel designer who boasts Kendrick Lamar and SZA among his collaborators, has signed on as Reebok’s new artistic marketing director.
A preliminary look at Reebok’s refreshed vision, Jean-Raymond and Osifeso have released a short film, Reconnect, exploring themes of sports and community. Written by Osifeso and directed by Jonas Lindstroem, the 11-minute short is the antithesis of a commercial — instead of peddling product with punchy graphics and slogans, Reconnect is a thoughtful interpretation of Reebok’s sports heritage, the importance of hard work and the blinding nature of consumerism.
Set in a mostly Black neighborhood, the film follows a frank conversation between a young boy and an older man, most likely his father or mentor. “Money is just the space between time and reality,” the older, wiser figure says. “What you really want is time and reality. Friendship, community, partnership, love…that’s real.” Osifeso, who drew inspiration from his own relationship to sports to inform the film, explained that he wanted to explore “forward movement,” both literally and figuratively. “The idea that life is not a spectator sport, as we should always strive to make the most of every moment in our journey through life.”
Watch Reconnect below.
