Oakley Part 2

ELIE

Runsy

elie

PART 02

PART 01

Photographer

Shows Us His Active Lifestyle Through the Lens of His

Oakley BXTR Sunglasses

A love of sports and a determined work ethic fuels

career and outlook on life.

Elie Kimbembe’s

Global eyewear brand Oakley takes pride in always being at the intersection of sport and culture. Its latest models, the BXTR and HSTN, perfectly echo this sentiment – they were imagined by Oakley designers and friends of the brand who believe,

As such, athletes can be musicians and designers can maintain a passion for recreational sports. It’s all about the exploration of self and going beyond people’s preconceived perceptions of you.

“people are more than just one thing.”

He’s built a reputation for his captivating, personal photography and innovative content creation. Kimbembe first burst into the scene with his photographic works for The Weeknd’s XO clothing line which opened more doors for him to shoot music artists, movie stars and global campaigns. In 2019, the young creative launched his first gallery exhibit in Toronto – the show juxtaposed the celebrities Kimbembe has shot and the everyday people he’s come across through his travels. These days, the Toronto artist continues to work on impressive projects, having recently photographed global soccer star Kylian Mbappé and F1 race car driver Lewis Hamilton.

Multidisciplinary artist is a highly sought-after talent

Elie Kimbembe

It’s actually through his love of sports that he’s built a balanced outlook on life. There’s also a connection between photography and the world of sports that’s made him resilient, especially when it comes to becoming a problem solver and team player. “When you're on the pitch playing soccer you have to solve multiple micro problems, Kimbembe says. “Whether it's defending or passing, you train to get better at these things from doing the activity over and over again. It’s like doing the micro work to learn your camera, doing proper research and leaning on your creative team to accomplish bigger projects. It’s really the same when I’m solving things to create the right images.”

The young photographer was born in the Congo and raised in Montreal. From ages six to seventeen, he would spend two to three months of the year in Paris, France to visit his aunt. He also went on school trips to capture photos of whatever he could. Armed with a camera his mother gave him or through disposable cameras, Kimbembe took photos of things that interested him like people, architecture and landscapes. “I was just interested in how things looked in the world, at a very young age,” Kimbembe said. “It was just pleasing for me to see structures, people’s behaviors and architecture. So that's the origin of how I grew to love photography.”

In order to work, life and moving from country to country, Kimbembe leads an active lifestyle, to hike, snowboard, play basketball and soccer.

balance

always finding time

His aunt, whom he often visited, was fond of the sport and would watch (PSG) Paris Saint-Germain F.C. play on television every weekend. Kimbembe is a big Zinedine Zidane fan and played the game with the other kids in town wearing the Zidane model shoes his mom gave him. Loving French football means a lot to him and his family, especially since the team is made up mostly of African players. “As a Congolese person, it's kind of integrated into your culture, whether you play or you don't,” Kimbembe said. “I did play a little bit of soccer growing up, but it wasn't something I pursued heavily. I'm just a PSG supporter because it came from my aunt who's like my second mother. Just seeing her watch the team and that joy it gave her translated to me. And today, it's a sport that we just love.” Coincidentally, Kimbembe’s aunt lives in Bondy, the same Parisian suburb where French soccer star Kylian Mbappé is from.

From his origins in the Congo, to moving to Montreal, staying in Toronto, visiting Paris and going to anywhere else his work might take him, the young creative feels lucky to have these fruitful connections around the world. He also takes the time to stay active in the places he visits, whether it's going for a hike, snowboarding, biking or practicing his soccer skills. Kimbembe was in New York City for his Oakley photoshoot and one of the places for the editorial was Pier 5 at the Brooklyn Bridge. Here, Kimbembe suited up and put his Oakley BXTR sunglasses on to play a bit of soccer. “I just love the way they feel,” Kimbembe described wearing the Oakley BXTR frames. “I think they just feel good and they're wide for a really amazing feel.”

Kimbembe credits his to how he honed his photography skills and

developed a passion for sports.

upbringing

Elie Kimbembe is also proud to live a .

nomadic lifestyle

Kimbembe then saw the Brooklyn Bridge as a metaphor for connectivity and building relationships throughout his career. “A bridge like this is something that connects a place to another place,” Kimbembe says. “It's nice to see these structures, understanding that something has to physically be built in order for that connection to happen. It’s the same thing in my life where you create bridges as structures for communication and experiences. It's the experiences you have with others that give you a feeling for a location.”

“A lot of people don’t get to do what I’m doing,” Kimbembe said. “I can be in London just to assist on a shoot then I’m doing creative direction for photography for an F1 driver. Not everybody gets to do this so I’m grateful for the experience.”

Kimbembe’s time in France at a young age introduced him to the .

As for sports,

world of soccer

Elie Kimbembe is to live a life that a lot of people don’t get to do, both in photography and his personal active lifestyle.

Ultimately,

grateful

Elie Kimbembe is wearing the which is priced at $177.00 USD and can be purchased through .

Oakley’s website

SHOP NOW

Runsy

elie

PART 02

PART 01

“ When you're on the pitch playing soccer you have to solve multiple micro problems,”

“ It’s like doing the micro work to learn your camera,”

“ It’s such a beautiful city with so much culture,”

“ It’s really the same when I’m solving things to create the right images.”

“ As a Congolese person, it's kind of integrated into your culture, whether you play or you don't,”

“ I was just interested in how things looked in the world, at a very young age,”

“ It’s the same thing in my life where you create bridges as structures for communication and experiences.”

“ The resilience that they have, is something someone should have in photography.”

" And today, it's a sport that we just love."

“I think they just feel good and they're wide for a really amazing feel.”

“ A bridge like this is something that connects a place to another place,”

“ A lot of people don’t get to do what I’m doing,”

“ It can be really hard and challenging like sports.”

“people are more than just one thing.”

BiO-Matter® frame

Size: L (135mm)

LIGHT TRANSMISSION: 20% LIGHT CONDITIONS: MEDIUM LIGHT CONTRAST: INCREASED BASE LENS COLOR: ROSE INFORMATION NOTICE: 2

A. Lens Height 55.1 mm B. Frame Width 134.9 mm C. Arm Length 139 mm

Oakley BXTR

in the creative industry.

He also equates his work evolution to that of the work ethic of star athletes. “From a sports perspective, it’s mostly building momentum like if you're Kobe, a Michael Jordan or an Mbappé,” Kimbembe explains. “The resilience that they have, is something someone should have in photography. It can be really hard and challenging like sports. You always need to get to the next level and you need resilience to keep pushing through regardless of the situation or project.” This sentiment all ties in to what Oakley represents too, as a company at the intersection of sports and culture. “Oakley is a dynasty and represents resiliency and everything that I've spoken about,” Kimbembe adds. “It's a brand that's been around for so long through their designs and they’re here today to open up doors for others, even myself. It’s a brand that’s just as resilient as ever.”

Runsy

elie

part 02

part 01

As such, athletes can be musicians and designers can maintain a passion for recreational sports. It’s all about the exploration of self and going beyond people’s preconceived perceptions of you.

“people are more than just one thing.”

SHOP NOW

Runsy

elie

part 02

part 01