Oakley
EssilorLuxottica · United States
Oakley is a Californian sports eyewear and apparel brand founded by Jim Jannard in 1975 and owned by Luxottica, now EssilorLuxottica, since 2007. It is best known for performance sunglasses, goggles and lens technology used by athletes. Since 2025 it has also sold AI-enabled smart glasses developed with Meta.
| Founded | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jim Jannard |
| Owner | EssilorLuxottica (Luxottica since 2007) |
| Headquarters | Foothill Ranch, California, United States |
| Key technology | Prizm lenses |
| Smart glasses partner | Meta |
| Website | oakley.com |
What is Oakley?
Oakley designs sunglasses, prescription eyewear, goggles, helmets, apparel, footwear and accessories with a focus on sport and performance. Its headquarters and design centre are in Foothill Ranch, California, and it operates as an autonomous subsidiary within EssilorLuxottica. Oakley holds more than 600 patents in eyewear, materials and performance gear.
History
Jim Jannard founded the company in his garage in 1975 with an initial investment of 300 dollars, first selling motorcycle grips before moving into goggles and sunglasses. Oakley became a listed company and expanded into apparel, footwear and retail, including the acquisition of several eyewear store chains. In June 2007 Luxottica agreed to buy Oakley for 2.1 billion US dollars in cash, completing the deal in November 2007.
Products and positioning
Oakley is a premium performance brand. Its main categories are:
- Sport and lifestyle sunglasses, including prescription versions
- Snow, motocross and mountain bike goggles
- Helmets, apparel and footwear
- Oakley Meta AI glasses
Its official site features athletes such as Kylian Mbappé and Mikaela Shiffrin, and an NFL licensed eyewear range.
Oakley and technology
Oakley's lens technology, including Prizm lenses designed to enhance contrast in specific sports and environments, is central to its positioning. In June 2025 Oakley and Meta unveiled the Oakley Meta HSTN, smart glasses with Meta AI and video capture based on the HSTN frame, and the brand's website now also lists the sport-oriented Oakley Meta Vanguard, with Prizm Transitions lenses.
Business model and distribution
Oakley sells through sporting goods retailers, opticians, EssilorLuxottica's own chains such as Sunglass Hut, Oakley stores and e-commerce. Some frame and lens production moved from the United States to China and Italy after the Luxottica acquisition.
Why it matters
Oakley gives EssilorLuxottica a credible performance brand to sit alongside fashion names such as Ray-Ban. Its move into AI glasses for sport shows how the group and Meta are segmenting smart eyewear by use case.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Oakley?
Oakley is owned by EssilorLuxottica. Luxottica acquired the company for 2.1 billion US dollars in 2007, and it operates as an autonomous subsidiary in California.
Who founded Oakley?
Oakley was founded in 1975 by Jim Jannard in his garage in California. He started with motorcycle grips before moving into goggles and sunglasses.