As a company, Oakley sunglasses have been on a
journey for 30 years, focused on creating the
world's finest and most stylish sunglasses. Oakley
still feels a deep sense of pride and satisfaction
when an athlete is seen wearing a pair of Oakley
sunglasses.
Having successfully created a new motocross handgrip
which became famous for its unique orbicular design,
Jim Jannard decided to focus his attention
elsewhere. With growing confidence and a solid
reputation behind him, Jannard created his first set
of motocross goggles. In response to their success,
Jannard then decided to create a pair of sunglasses
especially for wearing during sports. This was a
much larger market to crack, but he was confident
that his unique approach would see him through and
expand Oakley's business.
Jannard decided that the core of the new range of
sports sunglasses should be strength, function and
style. Keeping this in mind, he named the range
Eyeshades. The unique thing about the Eyeshades was
that they were effectively a one-lens sunglass
promoted as a goggle. The Eyeshades came with all
the usual features, but came packed in an attractive
box ready to sell. It was initially met with a slow
response, but sales started to improve. Gradually
sales started to snowball and quickly the Eyeshades
became a phenomenal success.
The Eyeshades were first released in the 1980s, a
decade known for it's radical and at times
outrageous styles. However, the new Oakley Eyeshades
were the perfect addition to the fashionable
wardrobe. Athletes and consumers alike stood up and
took notice of the Eyeshades and embraced them as a
fashionable necessity. It was the completely
original style of the glasses that made them so
popular, just as Jannard had hoped.
The Oakley Eyeshades were a spectacular success, but
it took some time for Jannard to comprehend their
success, and to realize their future potential. At
the time Eyeshades were only available in one color.
However, when Tour de France Champion Greg Lemond
called Oakley to enquire if the Eyeshades were
available in different colours, Jannard realized he
had just stumbled into a massive opportunity.
The runaway success of Oakley sunglasses and their
high brand status has inevitably been met with fake
Oakleys entering the market. Duplicate Oakley
sunglasses are available around the world and are
often called Foakleys, standing for fake Oakleys.
When buying Oakley sunglasses, ensure that you are
dealing with a reputable company who only offer
original Oakley sunglasses. Imitations are known to
be flimsy and can even be dangerous.
Oakley sunglasses are still growing in popularity
today, and are sure to be favorites for many years
to come.
