Synonymous with future-ready eyewear, Oakley started life in 1975 when James ‘Jim’ Jannard left his sales job to build a business of his own, using his beloved English Setter, Oakley Anne, as the namesake.
Noticing a gap in the market, Jannard launched his first invention – a motorcycle grip with an octopus tread pattern for improved traction, known as the Oakley Grip. This innovative design was made from an exclusive rubber compound called ‘Unobtainium’, which you may recognise from modern eyewear tooling. It wasn’t until 1980 that the brand went into performance eyewear, kicking things off with the O Frame MX designed for motocross riders.
So how did we get to sunglasses? The story goes that in ‘84, Jannard was taking a sunset car ride down the Pacific Coast Highway when he noticed his traditional sunglasses weren’t blocking light rays from streaming through the sides, offering nowhere near as much coverage as the MX goggles. Upon returning home, he grabbed a coat hanger, Lexan goggle lens and electrical tape and got to work on a prototype, creating what would become the Eyeshade.
Now to the Eye Jackets.
Entering the scene like nothing before, the Eye Jacket lineage made its debut in 1994. Everything was different about the design, from being fully CAD-engineered and prototyped on a 3D printer to its revolutionary wraparound dual-lens. As the Jackets collection evolved, it maintained its futuristic aesthetic with designs looking like they were made for tomorrow, available today.
Eye Jackets timeline:
1994: Eye Jacket
1996: Straight Jacket
1998: Racing Jacket
2000: Water Jacket
2007: Flak Jacket
Serving its own purpose, each model shares the same performance-first DNA wrapped in aggressively progressive design. The Eye Jackets challenged conventional eyewear aesthetics, proving that technical innovation and bold styling could exist in the same frame. What began as a disruptive sports silhouette quickly became a cultural marker, reaching into realms far beyond its original intention. Notably worn by Michael Jordan and adopted by the European rave scene in the ‘90s, Eye Jackets continue to impact the music, fashion and sports spaces, worn by the likes of Travis Scott, Damian Lillard and every trend leader on the streets of Copenhagen, London and New York City.
More than 30 years after the original Eye Jacket changed the course of sports eyewear, Oakley is ushering the Jackets family into a new era. Drawing inspiration from defining models, the new generation reinterprets the past to speak to the future. Making a return is 2019’s Eye Jacket Redux, offering a nod to tradition, while new models like the organically-inspired Plantaris SQ, Suture Jacket, and Neoforma pave the way to tomorrow.
Check out the latest from Oakley at size? today.