OAKLEY
Oakley was originally founded in 1975 out of James Jannard’s garage on a mere budget of $300. Named after his dog, Oakley Anne, Jannard would begin his culture-shifting design journey by selling moto-cross grips out of his trunk. With industry leaders like Michael Jordan and Denis Rodman adapting Oakley eyewear, the sport-centric label would become increasingly lucrative, until the peak of extreme sports in the late 90s. However, this shift in cultural interests didn’t phase Jannard’s team, as they entered their famed ‘mad scientist’ era. Dawning silhouettes like the OVERTHETOP sunglasses at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics and the beloved Medusa’s in 2002, Oakley hype would travel south as it surged in Brazil’s Baile funk scene. Further innovating with silhouettes like the Juliet sunglasses, among wristwear and clothing, Oakley would solidify itself as a symbol of forward thinking within the design community.
