RS Recommends

Oakley Debuts $14,000 Pair of Sunglasses as Part of New Partnership with Damian Lillard

Lillard, a.k.a. Dame D.O.L.L.A., was photographed in the pricey shades on his way to his basketball game just this week

By Tim Chan

Tim Chan

Contact Tim Chan on X Contact Tim Chan by Email

View all posts by Tim Chan

March 5, 2021

Add us as a Google Preferred Source

oakley sunglasses romeo and juliet

Oakley

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Sunglasses brand Oakley is stepping up its (basketball) game this season with the launch of a new partnership with Portland Trail Blazers star (and hip-hop recording artist) Damian Lillard.

The partnership kicks off with the re-release of Oakley’s iconic “X Metal Romeo and Juliet” frames, the brand’s first-ever wire frame sunglasses. Popularized in the nineties as part of Oakley’s 1875 X Metal Edition collection, the frames were often seen on A-list athletes and musicians, who liked the shades for their sleek, sculptural shape and performance-minded features.

As part of Oakley’s new partnership with Lillard, the brand is re-issuing two pairs of the “X Metal Romeo and Juliet” sunglasses in a super limited-edition set. The set include two pairs of the 3D-printed titanium frames, a collector’s coin, commemorative booklet and custom box. The boxes will be signed by Lillard, as well as former Chicago Bulls star, Scottie Pippen, as a nod to Oakley’s past and present. Only 14 limited-edition Oakley MUZM Series 1875 X Metal Edition sets will be made available for purchase. The rare offering won’t come cheap: the special boxed set comes with a $14,000 price-tag.

damian lillard oakley

Lillard was pictured wearing a pair of the iconic frames prior to tipping off against the Golden State Warriors earlier this week, pairing the $14,000 shades with a Louis Vuitton striped sweater, cloth face mask and a pair of white sneakers (though they don’t appear to be from his collection with Adidas).

As part of the new campaign, Oakley will contribute $140,000 to RESPECT, a program founded by Lillard to empower high school students to stay in school and to find success both in and out of the classroom.

“I strive to be the best on the basketball court but I also work hard to give back to my community and help foster the education of future generations” Lillard says, in a press release. “Oakley understands what I want to accomplish both professionally and personally so I’m looking forward to being the new face of Oakley basketball.”

Oakley says its research and development took more than two years to re-imagine the 1875 X Metal Edition frames, narrowing down the final product from more than 400 designs. The brand says it will work with Lillard on future releases, saying “The sky’s the limit when it comes to collaborating with Damian to innovate eyewear both on and off the court.”

In this article:

More News

Read more

Top stories newsletter

A Cultural Force That Transcends Generations

Enter your Email

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.