Shaping Oakley’s Soul – A Conversation with Brian Takumi

In this episode of Shady Characters, hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat sit down with Brian Takumi, Vice President of Soul and Creative at Oakley, to explore his nearly three-decade journey shaping one of the most iconic brands in sports and culture.

Brian reflects on growing up immersed in Southern California’s BMX freestyle scene and how his passion for art and design eventually led him to Oakley in the late 1990s. What began as a graphic design role soon evolved into creative leadership, with Brian helping define the visual DNA and storytelling that made Oakley’s ads and products stand out as art as much as performance gear.

He shares candid stories of working closely with Oakley founder Jim Jannard, learning to interpret his cryptic design language, and creating the now-iconic Square O logo after hundreds of iterations. From apparel graphics and eyewear campaigns to brand frameworks that continue to guide Oakley’s global identity, Brian has been at the center of it all.

The conversation dives into Oakley’s culture — the legendary parties, prank wars, and boundary-pushing creativity — as well as how the brand has evolved within a global corporation of 200,000+ employees. Brian speaks openly about the challenges of keeping Oakley’s rebellious spirit alive in a corporate matrix and why storytelling is the ultimate differentiator in today’s era of AI-driven creativity.

With humility and insight, Brian talks about becoming a reluctant but effective spokesperson for the brand, carrying forward the ethos of “physics elevated to an art form.” It’s a rare look behind the lens of a company that defined performance and style, told through the voice of someone who has lived and shaped it from the inside.