Oakley Announces Special Edition Artist Eyewear Series


FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., July 17, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Oakley, Inc. (NYSE:OO) today announced a new program of exclusive, limited-release eyewear that specifically targets young consumers on the cutting edge of music, art, fashion, digital media, and action sports. The Oakley Artist Eyewear Series is a focused extension of the company's "SQUARE O" collection and includes custom design treatments by artists, musicians and designers from around the world whose inspirational cues help to shape underground youth culture, lifestyle and trends. Named after the distinctive icon that signs it, the SQUARE O eyewear collection features unique Oakley designs that are inspired by the lifestyles of its athletes as well as their cultural influences including music, art and fashion.

"Technology will always be part of our genetic code, but our reputation is also built on the art that wraps the science," said Colin Baden, president, Oakley, Inc. "The Oakley Artist Eyewear Series targets the youth market -- those who drive today's popular culture and define tomorrows -- further solidifying our connection to this important consumer."

"Influential artists, musicians and designers will use some of our most sought-after frame styles and contribute original graphical frame treatments, imaginatively rendered logos, and logo icons formed from special materials to create unique eyewear editions," continued Baden. "Oakley offers the very best of form and function, and this collaborative series allows us to bring these attributes together in a way that is important to customers whose purchase decisions are often driven primarily by style."

In conjunction with this new series, Oakley developed a proprietary multi-layer pad print process to achieve the highest level of graphic resolution possible. Each release will be available in limited quantities and only available at exclusive retailers. Additionally, approximately once a quarter, the company expects to release an ultra-exclusive Collectors Edition.

One of the first artist collaborations in the new series features a design by Art Chantry, an influential artist known for poster and album art that captured the Seattle grunge scene. Mr. Chantry's work draws from a combination of pop culture sources including ad campaigns from the '50s, psychedelic music posters from the '60s, and cultural icons from the '70s. The creation of the HIJINX(tm) Art Chantry Edition sunglass utilizes a deconstructed graphic collage that draws from the artist's wide-ranging catalog of more than 300 posters and album covers.

About Oakley, Inc.

Oakley is a global leader in sport performance optics including premium sunglasses, goggles, and prescription eyewear. Headquartered in Southern California, the company's optics brand portfolio includes Dragon, Eye Safety Systems, Fox Racing, Mosley Tribes, Oliver Peoples, and Paul Smith Spectacles. In addition to its global wholesale business, the company operates retail chains including Bright Eyes, Oakley Stores, Sunglass Icon and The Optical Shop of Aspen. The company also offers a wide selection of Oakley-branded apparel, footwear, watches and accessories. Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.

The Oakley Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1533

Safe Harbor Disclaimer

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. All statements in this press release, other than those that are purely historical, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by the use of terms such as "expect," "believe," "plan," "intend," "seek," "anticipate," "outlook," "estimate," "assume," "project," "target," "could," "will," "should," "may," and "continue," as well as variations of such words and similar expressions, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding product, retail and brand initiatives, marketing efforts, upcoming product releases, operational improvements, on-time apparel deliveries, responsiveness to retailers and consumers and the ability to drive consistent, profitable growth. The company's expectations, beliefs, anticipations, objectives, intentions, plans and strategies regarding the future are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, and actual events that occur, to differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the highly competitive markets for our products and our ability to develop innovative new products and introduce them in a timely manner; consumer acceptance of our new products and our ability to respond to changing consumer preferences; order and demand uncertainty; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; intellectual property infringement claims by others and our ability to protect our intellectual property; our dependence on key suppliers for materials we use in our products, including lens blanks; our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses into our operations; our dependence on athletes and personalities for the endorsement of our products; and risks associated with our international operations, including foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and the impact of quotas, tariffs, or other restrictions on the importation or exportation of our products. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ from those set forth in any forward-looking statement are discussed in more detail under "Risk Factors," "Business" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as well as similar disclosures in the company's subsequent SEC filings. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


            

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