Sunny Sessions
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Sunny Sessions with Jossi Wells
The Josiah sunglasses, the latest Dragon Alliance collaboration with professional skier and Winter Olympian Jossi Wells, celebrates his unique style and partnership with the leading performance eyewear brand. We chat to Jossi about his signature style, the inspiration behind the frame and other future Dragon collaborations in the pipeline.
With Jossi Wells & Dragon Alliance
Olympian and six-time X Games medalist Jossi Wells and Dragon have combined forces and creativity through the iconic brand's latest collaboration. The Josiah, Jossi Wells' signature sunglasses, is an exclusive addition to Dragon's catalogue of best-selling sunglasses, available in a range of fresh and on-the-pulse colourways.
Combining the professional skier's unique fashion style and Dragon's design ethos, the collaboration explores bold and refined design features of the past, combined with sleek and stylish accents to instil confidence in every wearer. We chatted with Jossi to discuss behind-the-scenes collaboration processes, his style inspirations and the driving forces behind the design of the Josiah.
Jossi Wells wearing the Josiah sunglasses - Tortoise.
Winter Olympics and other massive achievements aside, you’re recognised for your unique style that separates you from others in your industry. What would you say inspires your style?
I take inspiration from a plethora of industries, people & places. I would say certain people I've had the pleasure of befriending have influenced my style over the years. Skateboarders, snow industry heavyweights, jewelry & fashion designers, film makers & photographers. I guess to sum it up, it's been people working within the creative fields that I've either looked to or known personally that have influenced me the most.
Tell us about the design process. How did both your and Dragon’s aesthetics merge?
I knew from the beginning of the process that I wanted to create something that was forward for Dragon, while at the same time staying true to the brand. Dragon has such a rich history within action sports & counter culture, It was important to me that there was Dragon DNA running through the frame while at the same time adding my own touch. The whole team at Dragon are great to work with, from the designers, to marketing through to management, the whole process was really enjoyable. The design team & myself worked closely together & after a couple prototype runs we landed on the frame you see today.
What sets this style apart from the rest of the Dragon range?
I feel like these shades are a bit of a swiss army knife, at home in many different situations. They carry a strong sense of confidence & that's something I wanted to create with these shades.
Image from campaign shoot just outside of Queenstown, New Zealand.
Favourite part of the collaboration process?
My favorite part was deciding on the colorway options. Once the frame silhouette was locked in, the real dreaming bagan. Being a accete frame we had such great options to choose from.
The campaign shoot for The Josiah sunglasses was incredible. Does this location hold any significance to you or the style?
The campaign location is an hour or so from my hometown of Wanaka NZL. It was important for me to shoot these shades in the unique and beautiful environment that is the South Island of NZL. Obviously this place holds a special place in my heart so to see this campaign shot in my hometown area is really rad.
Can we expect any other exciting Dragon collaborations in the future?
We've got some things in the pipeline, another signature goggle colorway etc. I'm really enjoying my work with Dragon & look forward to continuing this partnership into the future!
