60 Minutes... Luxottica?

[Razerwire]

what exactly is the reason the X Metal plant was closed? I haven't really followed up on it, but I have heard some nonsense that just doesn't add up...

One reason was that Nevada didn't want the plant there. Now there's a story that Oakley was going to shut down the program anyways. Etc, etc.

Final Pour: Oakley X Metal, Nevada on Vimeo

Watching that video leaves me sad/angry/frustrated.

 

[Razerwire]

That bit on what they did with Ray Ban kinda stuck in my head too. They used to be very affordable and then Lux took over, took them all off the shelves, created demand by withholding the merchandise and then rereleased them at inflated prices. From a business standpoint, genius. From a moral standpoint, evil. It's like scalping your own manufactured goods. LOL

 

[Rezechs]

Before today i never even heard of this company... my overall view on oakley doesnt change they still have quality products and i love their styling over all other brands, i admit they have gone kinda downhill over these years and now this episode explains it but i will still be keeping all of my pairs i own based solely on the fact that they are excellent glasses and their artist series are awesome.

 

[BriP]

Is it just me or does the 60 minutes videos not work on macs?

 

[EditReject]

Is it just me or does the 60 minutes videos not work on macs?

Worked on mine somewhat. There was an ever so slight hiccup in the vid every 4 seconds or so.

 

[Batwolf]

Alright guys, I was waiting until I got home and on a computer to post, but here we go.

Just recently I had a chance to speak to somebody from corporate that is pretty high on the food chain. Out of respect for that person I will not say who, but let's just say he has been with Oakley for awhile and worked with Jim Jannard and knows him personally. I had a chance to ask him some questions for a few minutes and discuss what is going on with the company.

Firstly, I discussed how Oakley was sold to Luxottica. To give some background, Jim had been working on his RED Camera project a little while before the idea of selling the company was around. Jim wanted to move on (at some point) to focus on the development of his new camera line. Luxottica might've bullied Jim a little bit but it's not like he was innocent either. Jim wanted to move on to other ventures, so Luxottica isn't the bully everyone thinks they are. Perhaps Jim sold the company sooner then he wanted to, but it was still going to happen either way.

Secondly we discussed the Luxottica "merger." His opinion was that Luxottica is seen as the bully, when really it is a friendly relationship. According to him Luxottica lets them run the show, and they almost always have designs planned 5 years ahead. So that means that some of the frames you've recently seen were designed and being developed when Jannard was around. I asked if they have any affect on production, or design. The answer again was no. He did admit that styles were getting less aggressive, but that is because of the market and the current trends.

Thirdly we talked about the shutting down of the X-Metal facility and the discontinuation of X-Metal frames. Again some background and I'm sure a lot of you know, but the X-Metal plant was located in Nevada because the process to make the X-Metal frames was too "dangerous" to be allowed in California, hence why it was in Nevada. The X-Metal production process is a dangerous one and can cause massive damage if not handled properly (again, why it's in Nevada). I'm sure you guys also know of the story with the forklift getting thrown through concrete walls. Anyways, there have been rumors that the new frames would be produced at HQ, others have said they will be made overseas. I am here to tell you now that none of that is true. X-Metals are gone. Yep, I'm sorry to tell you guys but there will not be another one. That is until they release it under the Elite collection. My source informed me that Oakley wanted to shut it down for a long time. I can quote him directly as saying, "we thought it was time." As I mentioned before, I asked if another X-Metal was going to be released eventually and he stated that if there is one, it will be made with a different process and released under the Elite collection.

Lastly I asked what was in store for the future. Besides the Elite piece I mentioned before, he couldn't tell me much besides a new goggle that is coming out soon and the electronic technology they are working on with a goggle that will tell you elevation, temperature and etc. The main point I got from the brief discussion was that Luxottica doesn't have as much of an impact as many think, and that current styles are more based on recent trends.

------------------------

Now here's my opinion on all of this.

We all love Oakley for what it is. I personally love it for what it was, what it is, and what it will be. That's how we should all be. Are glasses as innovative as they were in the 90's and early 2000's? No, but I can tell you that there are a lot of factors that made this happen. Firstly, the 90's were a time of rising popularity for Oakley and as such, they wanted to get their name out there. How do you spread word of your product? By making the craziest things possible in the name of "science." Solving problems with science and wrapping them in art.

Jim loved to go out of the box, he thrived on it. But at the same time I feel that Oakley had to do this to become what it is today. Let's face it, as cool as these were a lot of the crazy styles never really sold, only to the hardcore fanatics. I'd say the collectors market is pretty small, maybe 10% of sunglass consumers or less. The market was never designed for us fellas. Oakley is a business and like any business, the goal is to make money. Sure there were more crazy designs back then but there were plain jane styles too, and that's what kept Oakley afloat. Bring the customer in because he saw an OTT, walks out with a Five.

As far as current styles go, some of them might not be aesthetically pleasing but I'd much rather have a Garage Rock than a Wayfarer. Regardless of the **** looks, these glasses still have all of the technology points that we love Oakley for and that alone will keep me with Oakley forever. I have optimism that Oakley will get to the level they once were at, but at the same time I think everybody needs to realize that Oakley started as a company trying to make money (if you recall the original Frogskins, they were called that because they were cheap to make and easy to sell). So has Oakley really changed? If anything, I say they've gotten better because technology is always improving and materials are constantly getting better. You honestly can't tell me that the frames made in the 90's are better quality than today's pairs.

You can also blame Shaun White and the huge uprising in the skate, surf and snow culture. However, doesn't this sound familiar? I fondly remember what Oakley was about in the early 80's and 90's.

Oh yeah, let's not forget about the Frogskins in the 80's too.

Oh yeah, and then there was this guy.

Greg Lemond - the original Shaun White

Looks like the same thing to me, but with Holbrooks and Frogskins. In fact if anything I would say Oakley is going back to their roots by releasing styles to go with the surf and skate crowd.

To wrap this up, I'll be staying with Oakley. Because at the end of the day, I still love what they are and what they will become. I think some people are blind to history and just choose to hate because of rumors floating around. Yes I will miss the good old days but you have to embrace this and take it for what it's worth.

 

[EditReject]

Great info and well expressed Batwolf. Another 60 Minute piece about corporate greed (which they relish in doing) in no way is going to change my opinion of Oakley.

 

[xmetalmaniac]

@ batwolf, I am sure your sources are good, and the info is damn straight.....Well done....As far as I am concerned I will buy what I like, no matter what it is. We all have choices and we are allowed to express them in what we purchase.

 

[JOBEN]

Hmmm not sure what to think about this?!?

 

[Deleted member 24]

I know there has been talk about it, but i truly believe some alot of the oakleys are now being made overseas, even some omatter stuff etc.