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OAKLEY HISTORY

OAKLEY HISTORY

The Oakley brand was founded in 1975 by a crazy scientist, his garage laboratory, $300, and an Oakley-named dog. James, Jim, Jannard, the creator of Oakley, intended to make items that functioned and looked better than anything else on the market; he wanted artwork that performed.

Jim rejected skeptics and transcended the restrictions of predictable from the start. In his garage laboratory, he created The Oakley Grip®, an innovative motorcycle handgrip whose distinctive tread and grip helped suit the rider to the motorbike. The novel design, made with the exclusive substance Unobtainium®, astounded industry leaders who had never seen anything such. In contrast to conventional grips, which become slippery when wet, the material actually enhanced grip when tested with perspiration.

But Jim had greater ambitions. Over the next two decades, his next creation, the O Frame® Goggle, would become a major player in the MX racing world. Jim's lens was curved in the perfect arc of a cylinder, demonstrating his ability to design items that were technologically and aesthetically superior to those presently available. Champions of the sport, Mark Barnett and Marty Smith, praised the clarity and broad peripheral vision that the Oakley O Frame® Goggle made available to them.

Jim returned to his laboratory with the intention of revolutionizing the sporting eyewear industry. Once again, misgivings were expressed, but never by Jim. He understood that everything could be better, and he had no qualms about competing with the industry's top firms. Then came Eyeshades®, which revolutionized eyeglasses. Eyeshades®, with their revolutionary design, are not only sunglasses, but rather important sporting equipment. Professional athletes wanted Eyeshades®, whose performance and protection surpassed all others. Greg LeMond, who went on to win the Tour de France three times, was among the original Oakley customers. Today, Oakley designs its performance goods with considerable athlete feedback and field testing.

Oakley's history is comprised of years of invention and the development of innovative product innovations, which have resulted in 600 global patents and the emergence of a leading, immediately recognizable international brand. The ear socks of Oakley spectacles and the nosepieces of many frames are still constructed of Unobtainium®. Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Antonio Banderas, to name a few, all desire to be seen wearing Oakley frames due to the high-end appeal of their casual eyewear. Oakley has earned a reputation for itself as the industry leader in the development of sporting equipment.

The Oakley brand exemplifies perfection and is the solution for individuals who cannot and will not compromise in terms of performance.

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