Don’t call it a comeback!
Originally retailing for $40 USD and released in over 50 color-ways since their inception, Oakley Frogskins were the classic sunglasses that helped put the brand on the map and have solidified themselves as a true piece of 80′s pop culture. Now over 20 years later, the Oakley Frogskins have been re-issued for a new generation to embrace. Re-released in limited numbers through selected retailers, the Oakley Frogskins have once again gained momentum in fashion circles and have proven yet again that classic silhouettes and bold colors are still in demand. Check out how this all came to be in the first of three exclusive features covering these iconic sunglasses.




Early beginnings
Oakley began in the the mid 1970′s by founder Jim Jannard as a small scale “garage” brand that focused on producing cutting-edge motocross handgrips. The operation was small, but the dedication to quality and innovation in his products soon lead to the eventual fabrication of goggles and eyewear, something that Oakley is most known for today.

1984 marked the year that their sunglasses were introduced, with several sport-specific models slowly being adopted by the key athletes of the time. The most famous being that of cyclist Greg LeMond, who wore Oakley sunglasses during his performance in the 1984 Tour de France.

With this exposure, the appeal of Oakley as an innovative eyewear brand soon developed with the mainstream. In 1985, the Oakley Frogskins were released as all-around performance sunglasses that had a classic design and silhouette to them, yet kept with the cutting-edge technology and innovation that Oakley was known for with their iridium-finish lenses and Serilium™ based frames. These two combined aspects propelled the Oakley Frogskins into an object of desire for the 1980′s and helped pave the way for future classic eyewear releases.



Design
Although the shape and colors may look similar, there are some significant differences between the original Oakley Frogskins and their modern-day re-released counterparts. For example, the first generation Oakley Frogskins used metal hinges on their earstems, had the Oakley logos screenprinted flushly to the side of the glasses, and were made in Japan. This was followed up with a second generation of Oakley Frogskins in the 90′s, which used integrated molded hinges and had raised Oakley logos on their earstems. These newer models were made in the USA.

The current re-released Oakley Frogskins differ slightly from these early generations by using the nylon based O-Matter as well as all the technical lens geometry found on modern Oakley products. Moreover, the hinges on the re-released models are beveled rather than cylindrical in order to improve strength and flex.



Releases and re-issues
Over the course of their product run, the Oakley Frogskins were made available in over 50 different color-way and lens combinations, while finally being discontinued in the mid 90′s.

In 2007 they were re-introduced and have since been made available in limited numbers. Only 3000 editions per colorway are released at a time through key retailers as Collectors Edition glasses. Once supplies are gone, they’re gone forever.

Image source: All Frogskins imagery courtesy of Dann Thombs / O-Review.com
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