Tech Diving in Pop Culture

Header image: A tech-inspired jacket from Supreme’s 2021 Junya Watanabe/Comme des Garçons collaboration.

Skaters, punks and hip-hop heads can now manifest their inner tekkie, with this underground-inspired jacket from fashion maker Supreme as part of their Fall/Winter 2021 Collection. The iconic image is cave explorer Olivier Isler entering Doux de Coly in Dordogne, France for his return 1998 expedition, wearing his fully redundant RI 2000 semi-closed rebreather with an oxygen rebreather for decompression. 

As Isler explained to InDepth, “It was a very hard expedition. The line was broken in a lot of places. The final dive was the most trying dive of my career. Just to progress from 4055 to 4300m, I needed to put 1150 m of line. I spent 6 hours at depth (avg. depth 50m/165 f) and 10 hours decompression. I used JP Imbert’s Heliox tables for saturation. I carried one big scooter and a small safety but was able to fin my way back if necessary, thanks to the saturation [decompression] schedule. I used deco bottles in the shaft but nothing but the fully autonomous RI 2000 in all other parts of the sump.” 

How did the pioneering explorer feel about his dive being elevated to pop culture fashion status?

“When  the marketing people from Supreme contacted me earlier this year I was surprised by their idea to make fashion with my image. I guess they were looking for something impressive—something more impressive than standard open water gear. Certainly, the RI-2000 is imposing but the whole configuration is compact and well-ordered around the diver. I always tried to look a bit professional! I will be 72 years old in January. So I am not sure I’m wearing this jacket in public! But I must admit that the look is fine.”

So how does he feel about being portrayed as pop fashion icon? “It is nice of course to be elevated to pop culture status.” Isler chuckled. “It’s a form of recognition. But the most important recognition for me is the recognition from the diving world.”—InDepth

DIVE DEEPER

ADM: VICTORY AT LAST by Olivier isler