Love Island fashion used to mean one thing: girls in neon, almost naked bandage dresses and guys in too-tight tee shirts and overly short shorts.
Then half way through last season 28-year-old professional basketball player Ovie Soko walked in, and everything changed.
Not only did the Islander bring a kooky sense of humour and a refreshingly chilled vibe, but he also had a way of throwing an outfit together that set him apart from his fellow contestants.
Never seen without a hat of some sort, Ovie always looked understated and cool in oversized bowling shirts and baggy (or at least baggy by Love Island standards) shorts.
It’s perhaps not surprising then that ASOS has chosen him to be the face of its new season menswear campaign, making Ovie the first Love Islander ever to strike a deal with the brand.
Ovie’s very own style edit launched on the shopping site last week; a confident collection of utility staples, standout shirts, smart suiting and, of course, a bucket hat or two. He’s also created a seven-piece capsule collection in collaboration with the online retailer, which goes on sale on ASOS this week.
Ovie chose his father, an artist called PappiRay, as the source of inspiration for his debut fashion collection, which consists of long and short sleeve t-shirts and organic cotton hoodies and sweatshirts.
The clothes are printed with slogans and graphics that reference Ovie’s dad’s paintings. A logo created by Ovie and inspired by one of his father’s paintings features on each piece, while Ovie’s iconic villa catchphrase, ‘MESSAGE,’ appears as a sleeve detail on hoodies and is printed across bucket hats.
Wondering how to style it all? Watch the video above to hear from the pro himself. We’re all Ovie it.
The Ovie x ASOS DESIGN collaboration is available exclusively on ASOS.com now. Prices start at £6.
