Oakley how about some classic reissues??

[Funky-Trixtar]

Some excellent points @Ventruck!!

Apart from the aviator type frames, have there even been any "metal" frames released?

C5, Magnesium, O-Luminum and Titanium.....to name a few my friend.

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

Some excellent points @Ventruck!!

Yeah, I wish they'd release more truly numbered limited editions for the public (as opposed to 5 pieces for athletes). The only one that comes to mind is the madman raw.

Oakley did bring out "new" X-metals, the Badman and Madman. Not sure it was really a hit with the purists, though. In fact I'm pretty sure despite the X-metal pricing, it was widely disparaged.

In fact, the Madman wasn't even approved for use in Australia, and was therefore never released here!!!

Apart from the aviator type frames, have there even been any "metal" frames released?

@motoGP_fanatic. I agree with your points too. Old Jordans will only maintain their value in mint condition. Unlike Oakleys, they really drop badly in value once they're used because they "wear" out and you definitely can't get replacement parts for the sole etc.

That's actually not true- even beat up certain pairs of Jordan will sell for well over retail when resold - I've sold probably hundreds of used both OG and retro pairs over the years and always made a profit. Sure there's always pairs that have less value and are less desirable but same with certain Oakley's. Also, as there's evolved an entire cottage industry for rehabbing and maintaining x metals so to for sneakers- check YouTube and you'll find theres product and methods for bringing completely thrashed shoes back from the dead- from complete resoles, reviving leather, and removing stains to full repaints or custom paint.

Something to remember with why values of sneakers hold up like they do? Sunglasses are one size fits all- find a pair and you have a pair whereas with shoes you have to find YOUR size and some are harder than others to obtain (that's also a reason I've always turned a profit- size 15 and 16 are less than 1 pct of the pairs ever produced and somewhat disproportionately so to the number of buyers desiring those sizes).

Anyway- I could ramble on about that topic for hours. My point I guess is that I don't think sneakers retro and are brought back because of the product type - I.e. something that wears out (if anything sneakerheads are worse shelf whores than Oakley nuts)- but rather because theres simply a following and clamor for it in the market. I think that market exists in the case of Heritage Oakley's it's just the company does not give a **** anymore.

And why did shelf whores auto correct to selfish whites the first time I typed it???

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

Nah, it'd be impossible for them to "get it right". They'd never be able to register a "win" for the brand.

If it's too similar, people will complain that it's forcing original OTT prices down and that it was just a cheap cash grab. And then everyone will complain.

If it's too radically different, people will complain that it's not true to the homage it's trying to elicit and that it's just a cheap cash grab. And then everyone will complain.

Either way, people will complain that it's not like the Oakley of old with numerous pictures of botched paint jobs, poor plastic imperfections and superfine scratches, because manufacturing will be in China and not the ol' US of A!!!!

Yes and no- again going back to the sneaker analogy- retros arent straight copies of OG (in the case of Foams they can't be- the original molds were destroyed) so each retro kind of has little things about it that aren't OG. Many models retro every 5 to 10 years and with each one there's things tweaked here and there some that some people like some that some people don't like. Because of that, there's ALWAYS a market for the originals. If anything I could argue bringing back heritage pairs would INCREASE the value of originals- why? Becuase you'd maintain interest in the products bringing in more people that would find out about the history and want the original of the new thing they own - more demand for finite original variations equals higher prices.

And while to a degree I agree that they might be damned either way and you'd get price increases, can anyone here truly assert that if they came back with a heritage say OTT for double original retail (so they'd be $400 basically) with some variations here or there and maybe even some improvements (better padding) we wouldn't be snapping them up?

Finally to the issue of the Madman and Badman- here's the issue with those. The Madman was an insult- I'm sorry it was. Supposedly the company listened to the collector community and that was the response? In the sneaker community we're a bit dismissive of mash ups- what are mash ups? They're newly imagined models that take say a sole from the Jordan 3 and redo the upper in some new way or have kind of the look of a numbered retro but with lesser materials. Sound familiar? Thing is those usually cost about 40 pct less than a retro - the Madman did all that, basically knocked off the Mars....and cost more (MSRP wise obviously once they clearanced at $100 that was another story). And the Badman? It's just a decent wireish frame. So they gave it an exaggerated x nosebridge and put torx screws in a visually obvious place where they essentially serve no function. Guess what Luxley? On true metals those were functional- what they did was like bolting non functional scoops on a sports car. So the Madman was weird vs. Mad Science (there's a difference between just bizzare and purpose beyond reason same as there's a difference between crazy vs genius) and the Badman was a caricature and knock of the O's former self.

I digress again. Anyway- it's neither here nor there with metals- the facility is sold and they are NOT coming back (which to an extent makes having them more special- you feel like you're holding history never to be seen again, a la something like a vintage car or an original recording of a piece of music) but I would like to see something like a heritage Splice etc. which I think could be produced in existing facilities.

 

[OakleyFrankFMJ]

---Official "Dead Horse" thread---

 

[QLR1]

---Official "Dead Horse" thread---

But there is healthy debate here lol

Sent from Q's Note5

 

[OakleyFrankFMJ]

But there is healthy debate here lol

Sent from Q's Note5

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

Just be happy this is Oakley and not the ongoing debate I have going elsewhere about the clear and present threats to the Fourth Estate

 

[cacatman]

---Official "Dead Horse" thread---

This thread is a metaphor for Luxottica's re-releasing of their "X-metals"! Oh, the irony!!

 

[Ventruck]

Yes and no- again going back to the sneaker analogy- retros arent straight copies of OG (in the case of Foams they can't be- the original molds were destroyed) so each retro kind of has little things about it that aren't OG. Many models retro every 5 to 10 years and with each one there's things tweaked here and there some that some people like some that some people don't like. Because of that, there's ALWAYS a market for the originals. If anything I could argue bringing back heritage pairs would INCREASE the value of originals- why? Becuase you'd maintain interest in the products bringing in more people that would find out about the history and want the original of the new thing they own - more demand for finite original variations equals higher prices.

And while to a degree I agree that they might be damned either way and you'd get price increases, can anyone here truly assert that if they came back with a heritage say OTT for double original retail (so they'd be $400 basically) with some variations here or there and maybe even some improvements (better padding) we wouldn't be snapping them up?

Finally to the issue of the Madman and Badman- here's the issue with those. The Madman was an insult- I'm sorry it was. Supposedly the company listened to the collector community and that was the response? In the sneaker community we're a bit dismissive of mash ups- what are mash ups? They're newly imagined models that take say a sole from the Jordan 3 and redo the upper in some new way or have kind of the look of a numbered retro but with lesser materials. Sound familiar? Thing is those usually cost about 40 pct less than a retro - the Madman did all that, basically knocked off the Mars....and cost more (MSRP wise obviously once they clearanced at $100 that was another story). And the Badman? It's just a decent wireish frame. So they gave it an exaggerated x nosebridge and put torx screws in a visually obvious place where they essentially serve no function. Guess what Luxley? On true metals those were functional- what they did was like bolting non functional scoops on a sports car. So the Madman was weird vs. Mad Science (there's a difference between just bizzare and purpose beyond reason same as there's a difference between crazy vs genius) and the Badman was a caricature and knock of the O's former self.

I digress again. Anyway- it's neither here nor there with metals- the facility is sold and they are NOT coming back (which to an extent makes having them more special- you feel like you're holding history never to be seen again, a la something like a vintage car or an original recording of a piece of music) but I would like to see something like a heritage Splice etc. which I think could be produced in existing facilities.

Regarding the bold, don't be sorry. For every reason you described it was shameless exploitation by Lux.

Regards to revisiting the analogy, it is true that the market can sway in favor of OG's but over time they just become museum pieces. It could also go either way with past retros. Like if a more recent one was executed better or worse, or closer/further from OG design.

But another key thing I wanted to bring up about this practice was how retros are released: single colorways release, and therefore receive more dedicated marketing/hype. I know pretty much anyone into sneakers is aware of this, but just saying for people in this discussion who don't. Strategic ploy as it actually makes each offering more accessible since consumers can save up between releases. Ends up being a win-win again. Can also benefit OG's because of the dedicated spotlight going into the release.

Even current offerings are typically sold in limited colorways at a time. Oakley would likely lose out taking up this practice for regular releases, but could attempt it with future premium pairs.

 

[Constructabot]

I was actually a big fan of the dispatch 1 they need to bring those back