In 2025, Oakley marks its golden anniversary, celebrating five decades of bold innovation, high-performance design, and optical excellence. Founded in 1975 by motorcycle aficionado Jim Jannard, the brand took its name from his beloved English setter, Oakley Anne. What began with selling custom motorcycle grips out of the back of his car soon evolved into a global eyewear icon.
To commemorate this milestone, Oakley invited guests to its futuristic ‘Interplanetary HQ’ in Foothill Ranch, California, for a five-day immersive experience. The celebration blended nostalgia with forward-looking innovation, taking visitors on a journey through the brand’s past, present, and aspirational future.
The MUZM 2.0 gallery revisited standout designs such as the Over-The-Top and Medusa, juxtaposed with contemporary remasters like the MUZM Eyeshade, showcasing how Oakley’s DNA remains firmly rooted in pushing boundaries. Present-day innovation was on full display at the Innovation and Tech Expos, with unveilings that included rapid-reaction headgear systems like Velo Mach and Velo Kato, bold prototypes such as Stunt Wing and Stunt Devil, and cutting-edge optics including PRIZM™ and HDO® technology.
Guests also toured Oakley’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, where advanced materials, R&D, and craftsmanship converge, a testament to the brand’s engineering-first ethos and U.S.-based production.
Looking ahead, Oakley introduced ‘Future Genesis,’ a creative platform featuring Maxine Fearlight, a symbolic figure guiding the brand’s next era in sports, design, and culture.
Perhaps most ambitiously, Oakley partnered with Axiom Space to create the space-grade AxEMU visor system for NASA’s Artemis III mission. These advanced visors feature dual-stage protection, gold-coated lenses, dust resistance, and optimised optics, designed to aid astronauts in the challenging conditions of the lunar South Pole.
To honour its design legacy, Oakley also unveiled the limited-edition Ellipse 50th Anniversary sunglasses. This collector’s piece merges retro and futuristic geometry, pairing Midas Fleck frames with Prizm™ 24K lenses, perfectly encapsulating Oakley’s balance of heritage and innovation.
As Global President Caio Amato affirmed, Oakley today positions itself first and foremost as a technology company, championing ‘science wrapped in art,’ advancing AI eyewear, incubating concepts for the future, and collaborating with partners that extend far beyond the optical industry.
With this golden milestone, Oakley is not only celebrating its heritage, it is charting the course for the next 50 years of innovation in eyewear, sports performance, and design excellence.
