All change at Oakley

As well as the opportunity to view flame-retardant footwear designed for Formula One drivers, Oakley's latest product launch at London's Soho House also featured new ophthalmic and sunglass styles from the high-tech brand.
One of the main eyewear developments was the interchangeable prescription lens technology that has been teamed up with the Half Jacket sunglass. The removable corrective lenses are made using custom-engineered digital sculpturing equipment. A triple blocking process grinds each lens, shapes it for the frame and sculpts the rim for mounting. Thanks to the bevelled edge the lenses stay in place and can then be changed, should the wearer want to adapt to a differing light condition. It has been launched in the UK as the first European market, following a two-month trial in the US. The lightweight options come in 18 lens colours and two lens shapes.
Oakley's eyewear brand manager, David Jeffrey, explains that while Oakley's heritage is sports-oriented eyewear, it also has two new sunglasses with a more lifestyle look in a rimless and a shield.
'In the first half of the year we have six new sunglass styles that are truly perfect for the Northern hemisphere and in the latter half of 2004 there will be two more styles.'
The shield model is the sunglass Dartboard, which features a one-piece lens and combines stainless steel lugs with lightweight O-Matter Temples. There are five colour options, two of which are feminine and available with a metal-scripted logo that reflects Oakley's women's clothing.
One of the options for Dartboard is the fashion look of white frame with Ti Clear lens (above right), a model used to striking effect in posters and showcards.
Additional new product and again moving away from pure sports designs are the Why 8 and Why 8.1, base-8 three-piece rimless designs that will be available from April 1, with prescription and polarised versions to follow. The lightweight models have a refined and sculptured bridge and temples with metal icon accents.
Also new is a frame style made of Oakley's X metal, titanium. Model Chop Top (above left), in three shapes with spring hinges, is only the second time the company has used the lightweight cast metal in a frame.
At the same time, the company has launched the subtle women's model Soft Top, an acetate-type frame that comes in a colour option of cherry with a pink logo.
To help with the sale of prescription and sunglass eyewear, the company is also introducing new presentation tools. It has re-developed its lens demonstration unit, the Lens Vault, creating a new lens tower that is designed for use in a prominent position in the practice. The prototype will be placed in 30 best-selling outlets, with feedback and refinement to follow.
Another new option is a polarised demonstration unit, that vividly demonstrates the contrast achieved with the company's polarised lenses.
As Oakley has had such success with its Rx eyewear, it has added a second T-Rex machine at its Ireland plant and has taken on two trained specialists to work with UK practitioners on the Rx front. Such is the impact of the Rx plant, Oakley UK was recognised with an award from its parent, as well as being 'subsidiary of the year'.
Eyewear is just one string to Oakley's bow and this was vividly demonstrated with the highlight of the event when the new flame-retardant Formula One boots (as worn by F1 ace Juan Pablo Montoya) were put to the test. These remained damage-free after a session with a cigarette lighter.
Along with the company's military boot for elite forces, they will be available on the high street and are described as a demonstration of Oakley's tactical to practical application that then turns to fashion.