The History Of Oakley: How It All Started!

When you walk into a sunglasses shop, you rarely think about how all the brands on the wall grew to where they are today. One of the largest brands on the market today is Oakley inc. Now offering hundreds of pairs of sunglasses, and selling them under the umbrella company Luxottica, it is hard to believe they ever had a humble start. But that’s exactly what happened.

Started in 1974 by Jim Jannard, Oakley wasn’t even selling sunglasses. Instead they were revolutionizing BMX grips, selling them out of his trunk, with a couple hundred dollars, Jannard name the future mega company after his pet dog. Eventually some 10 odd years later, Jannard wandered into the world of sports eyewear, creating the revolutionary Oakley Eyeshade. What soon became the most popular sunglasses among athletes, Oakley began focusing their energy on sunglasses instead of Bikes. Turns out, that was a pretty smart idea. Design after design, Oakley was making hit after hit. Consumers were buying up all the Oakley products they could get, mostly thanks to Jim Jannard.

Unlike most other sunglasses companies of the time, Jannard didn’t just want to sell you a pair of shades, he wanted to build a brand, and by doing so Oakley gained a cult following. Jannard harnessed the power of his following, when he introduced the Mad Scientist Era. A period of wacky designs including the Over The Tops, Medusa’s and Bob heads. Critics thought he had lost his mind, most of the pairs weren’t even wearable, but they were exactly what consumers wanted. They became instant hits because of their insane looks and collectability and are still some of the most sought after designs today!

Collectors even have taken to the Internet to discuss there favorite Oakley’s with websites such as OakleyForum.com. Oakley Foru has given collectors a proper platform to discuss all of their opinions and favorite pairs!

In 2007 Jannard sold Oakley for several billion dollars to Luxottica who owns numerous other sunglass brands including Ray-Ban, Gucci, Prada and many more, in addition to several retail outlets such as Sunglass Hut.

In recent years this change of ownership has caused a lot of debate among collectors on the quality of products, especially after Luxottica began producing some of their Oakley products in China.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Oakley sunglasses, and whether collectors will stick by their favorite brand, even through turmoil and controversy.