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 1980?s, 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.