Oakley marked an incredible milestone—50 years of relentless innovation and ground-breaking design—in style. The legendary brand celebrated this golden anniversary at ‘The Bunker’, a cutting-edge event hosted at the GreyBox, GMBB Kuala Lumpur. The venue, a tribute to Oakley’s rich history, invited iconic athletes and creative talents, including renowned Malaysian sports figures like Dato’ Muhammad Azizulhasni Awang, Shah Firdaus, and Izzah Izzati, to reflect on the brand’s half-century journey and its vision for the future.
Oakley’s celebration began by paying homage to its founder, Jim Jannard, whose humble garage lab in Southern California evolved into an empire of performance-driven design. It was here that Oakley’s revolutionary approach to sports equipment and eyewear was born. From motocross grips to eyewear innovation, Oakley has become synonymous with pushing boundaries and setting new standards.
The Past: A Legacy of Innovation
The Bunker showcased some of Oakley’s most iconic creations, starting with Jannard’s first groundbreaking product—the motocross grips—and extending to fan favorites like the Over-The-Top sunglasses and the Eye Jacket™. The latter, a pivotal product launched in 1994, helped catapult Oakley from a niche sports brand into a cultural phenomenon, bridging high performance with stylish design. Oakley’s Prizm™ lens technology, which optimizes vision by enhancing color and contrast, continues to set the standard for athletes across the globe.
The Present: The Oakley Ellipse 50th Anniversary
In a bold statement marking the brand’s progress, Oakley unveiled the Oakley Ellipse 50th Anniversary eyewear. This special edition model fuses three design eras, featuring a unique silhouette inspired by Oakley’s ‘90s aesthetic, today’s best-selling Radar EV, and cutting-edge PhysioMorphic™ Geometry. Finished in a striking Midas Fleck colorway with gold details, these limited-edition sunglasses embody Oakley’s commitment to both innovation and design excellence. Additionally, Oakley is building a new product system for elite athletes, named Retention Redefined, ensuring that their eyewear pushes the limits of high performance.
The Future: Oakley’s Space Age Vision
Looking forward, Oakley’s partnership with Axiom Space signifies a historic leap into space exploration. Oakley is developing the visor system for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), which will help astronauts return to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission. This collaboration symbolizes Oakley’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of optical technology, now extending beyond Earth into the extreme environment of space.
Alongside its space ambitions, Oakley introduced its #FutureGenesis storytelling platform, a multimedia project centered on the brand’s next 50 years. Through characters like Max Fearlight and Maxine Fearlight, Oakley’s narrative will continue to unfold, offering an immersive look into the future of sports, design, and culture.
For more insights, follow Oakley on Instagram at @Oakley and @Oakleysea, and explore Oakley’s journey on www.oakley.com.
Read also: OAKLEY Unveils “Artifacts From The Future” — Futuristic Eyewear for Today’s Culture Shifters
