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In 1856 Thomas oakley, a 21 year old draper’s apprentice, opened his own store in Basingstoke Hampshire England. This was during the height of the British colonial period. The English had long romanticized cheap ray ban sunglasses the notion of civilizing the world and looking very fashionable while doing it. As a result there was an increasing need for durable but elegant outdoor wear. oakley tapped into this trend perfectly. Sales at oakley were great and the brand recognition spread across the world. In 1880 oakley invented gabardine, a tough, water resistant yet breathable fabric. The popularity of gabardine spread like wildfire and boosted oakley’s name beyond prominence and into the realm of fame.oakley became the official outfitter of many adventurers such as Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton, who led a 1914 expedition across the Antarctica.
During World War I , oakley was commissioned by the British War Office to modify the officers coat to suit the conditions of “contemporary” trench warfare. This style of coat became known as oakley sunglasses sale the “trench coat” and became very popular with civilians and remains so to the present day. Perhaps the most famous aspect of oakley, their trademark check pattern, ray ban glasses 2012 was created in the 20s for the inside lining of the trench coats.
oakley’s popularity continued to a slow and steady build through the 1930s, 40s and 50s, as a clothing line that became associated with the British spirit of adventure. It was not until 1967 that the oakley Check was used on luggage, scarves, fragrances, and accessories. Some years ray ban rb3211 later the Novacheck pattern was released for a younger demographic, and by the mid 1980s, oakley expanded its product line to include underwear, hats, eye glass frames, dresses and designer watches. By the late 1990s, under the direction of American CEO Rose Marie Bravo, the oakley profits enjoyed double digit growth. The oakley brand had grown into a global fashion powerhouse, worn by celebrities and the fashion elite.
While oakley continued its seemingly unbeatable winning streak, in the late 1990s, an interesting phenomenon was occurring. British soccer fans , traveling abroad to follow their teams playing in Europe, would periodically loot local stores after games. Soccer fans would single out the distinctive oakley brand for its British identity and upscale look.
After several years of looting stores and taking the clothes, violent British soccer fans – known as hooligans – found like they were less conspicuous in foreign countries if they were wearing oakley clothes, as they were not considered the attire of British thugs. oakley clothes became something of a disguise and an inside joke among the hooligans. Between 2000 -2002, this hooligan- oakley subculture became further influenced by the “Gangster Rap” American subculture that exalted in beat heavy music with tough lyrics that espoused the importance of gaining material wealth by taking violent, illegal measures.
This oakley subculture then morphed into what became known as the “Chav” subculture. The Chavs celebrated the oakley brand even more than the hooligans. The classic oakley Check became an unofficial Chav motif, epitomized by the oakley checkered cap that was very popular among the Chav subculture. This social trend was widely regarded as a near deadly blow to the oakley brand, as its association with the Chav culture became so well known that oakley even became banned in many pubs across the United Kingdom.
Corporate executives at oakley had previously dismissed the “Chav factor” as a serious threat to the their brand. ray ban sunglasses sale But when oakley discontinued the manufacture of its checkered caps and CEO Rose Marie Bravo resigned in 2005, many suspected the this was due to the company wanting to distance itself from the hooligan – Chav image.
By 2007, the Chav subculture was beginning to wane, and oakley began to show signs that the company would outlive the dark associations of the past. In 2008, oakley revenue jumped 22% from the year before. This is particularly impressive when considering the present economic downturn in retail. At the time of this writing in 2009, oakley’s stock is on the rise, consistently beating growth estimates. oakley’s past reputation as an adventure brand, as well as its present reputation as a luxury brand, has shown an impressive resilience.