The History of Oakley Sunglasses
Oakley Sunglasses
Great Fashion from MotorX!
Jim Jannard, like many people, began with a creative mind and an interest in building a business. After dropping out of the University of Southern California in 1970, Jannard decided to take some time to explore his passion for motorcycles and the open road. Eventually, he returned to Los Angeles and sold his motorcycle for the money to start his own small business selling motorcycle parts out of his trunk. While the beginning years of entrepreneurship motivated Jannard to continue as a small-time supplier, his exposure to the motocross world and his original thinking led him to pursue his shot at building his own products. In 1975, the 26 year old Jannard invested his only $300 in to a design he had developed for a unique styled hand grip for off-road motorcyclists. The idea was put forth under the name Oakley, which was inspired by his dog Oakley Anne.
The new grip did well and earned Jannard a reputation that he soon built on by forging ahead with his newly patented "Unobtanium" material. The textile was a kind of responsive rubber alloy that helped to sustain a rider's grip despite sweat. Jannard's grips earned him enough revenue to support another new endeavor of creativity.
Next, Jannard set his sights on developing a new and unique goggle for motocross. Through the 70s, motocross cyclists still wore heavy glass goggles for protection. Jannard's idea was to make a lighter weight goggle with a plastic lens that curved across the face like the surface of a cylinder. Today, goggles all follow this type of design model, but it was Jannard's small motorcycle parts brand that first produced and distributed them to motocross riders in 1980.
The new O-Frame Oakley goggles became an instant hit with cyclists, and soon other athletes were looking to take advantage of Jannard's design. Not only were the lenses lighter because they were plastic, but the curvature design increased peripheral vision by pushing the sides further back toward the temples. In 1983, Oakley expanded its goggle market to include skiers. Rapidly, Oakley's signature "O" emblem was being seen throughout the motorcycling and winter sports worlds. The success of the O-frame inspired Jannard to start developing a pair of sunglasses based on the shape of his successful goggles. Soon, the newly introduced form-fitting sunglasses caught the attention of Greg Le Mond, the three-time Tour de France cycling champion. Again, another market opened to Oakley as Le Mond's victories and endorsements drew international attention to Oakley sunglasses.
Athletes from a wide variety of sports were adopting the aerodynamic, and ultra-lightweight, Oakley products. After receiving a free pair at a golf tournament in the early 90s, Michael Jordon soon became a fan of Oakleys and inspired millions of people to don the sunglasses with the "O". Since then, Oakleys have become synonymous with athletic and military eyewear. In 2007, Oakley was merged with the Luxottica group for $2.1 billion. In 30 years, Jannard turned $300 and Unobtanium in to an industry legend.
