Oakley’s Journey: How the Brand Evolved Beyond Sunglasses and Into Fashion

12th December 2024 EDT FEATURES

Oakley’s Journey: How the Brand Evolved Beyond Sunglasses and Into Fashion

Explore their collaborations, innovative designs, and shift into sneakers.

The fashion landscape has evolved dramatically, expanding into endless territories and blurring boundaries with other industries. In the realm of technical and functional wear, we’ve seen a leap from apparel designed purely for performance to pieces that also make bold style statements. Among the many brands making waves in this space, one stands out for its remarkable evolution: Oakley.

The Beginning

Founded in 1975 by Jim Jannard, Oakley built its reputation on sports performance equipment and lifestyle pieces, with sunglasses at its core. Iconic designs like the O-Frame and Factory Pilot Eyeshades exemplify the brand’s technology-driven ethos, cementing its status as a trailblazer.

Innovations like the RadarLock and Frogskins were true game-changers, propelled Oakley to new heights, and its distinctive “O” logo was in the sights of both adventurers and urban trendsetters.

Left to right: Oakley RadarLock; Oakley Frogskins

The RadarLock gained fame for its SwitchLock technology, allowing users to quickly swap lenses—a revolutionary advancement in eyewear design. Meanwhile, the Frogskins offered a versatile everyday design that seamlessly blended durability, performance, and comfort.

These successes opened the door for groundbreaking collaborations, most notably with Hiroshi Fujiwara’s fragment design. As the godfather of streetwear, Fujiwara’s influence helped Oakley break into new territory, paving the way for unexpected partnerships.

Earlier, Oakley has teamed up with brands like WTAPS, A-COLD-WALL*, and fragment design. However, the brand’s most surprising move came with its collaboration with Brain Dead to launch the Oakley Factory Team project—a platform for disruptive design and bold experimentation.

Expanding beyond sunglasses and apparel, the Oakley Factory Team turned its focus to sneaker designs. While some may question, “Oakley shoes? Are they any good?”, the brand has proven its worth with models like the Chop Saw and Flesh.

By blending contemporary style with functional wear, Oakley Factory Team captured the attention of streetwear aficionados. This new approach attracted further partnerships, including ones with Junya Watanabe, Palace Skateboards, and PIET.

With this shift in direction, now is the perfect time to dive deeper into Oakley’s diverse range of offerings if you haven’t already. And with even more exciting products on the way, let’s give you a headstart by exploring some standout Oakley pieces available on the SNKRDUNK App.