Foothill Ranch, CA., December 8, 2011 – Oakley, innovators of performance golf sunglasses, apparel, footwear and accessories, announced plans to introduce premium golf innovations at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 26-28, in Orlando, Fla. The company’s new line includes the lightest performance golf shoe on earth, as well as unsurpassed apparel technologies that offer the ultimate in comfort and performance. Oakley will have a significant exhibition presence in the apparel hall and offer an exclusive preview of its full product lines to more than 40,000 attending PGA Professionals, media and golf retailers from around the world.
“With our renewed focus on becoming a leader in performance and innovation, we are thrilled to be back at the PGA show,” said Raphael Peck, VP of Global Apparel, Footwear and Accessories at Oakley. “Our commitment to golf is underscored by the launch of several new technologies in the space. We remain dedicated to becoming a leader in golf while earning validation by the best in the game. With our belief in the importance of bringing young consumers to golf, our focus on this changing sport has never been clearer. We look forward to showing our new vision to the world and having the likes of Keegan Bradley, Ricky Barnes, Brendan Steele and of course our youngest phenom, Rory McIlroy, sporting our products on and off the course,” Peck concluded.
The world’s lightest performance golf shoe, Oakley Cipher was made possible by the company’s Factory Lite technologies that minimize weight to reduce fatigue, improve flexibility, free movement, reduce heat retention, and maintain uncompromising durability. Oakley Cipher is also the first golf footwear engineered with cleatless NanoSpike™ technology that maintains sure footing while allowing the wearer’s feet to be closer to the ground, ensuring better balance with a lower center of gravity. Added benefits include breathability, moisture wicking, and dual density shock absorption for all-day comfort.
Oakley is the icon of excellence in optical innovation, and the company is earning the same authenticity in golf, especially with its apparel designs. Premium Oakley golf apparel is crafted with a range of features that may include O Hydrolix™ technology for best-in-class moisture management, resilient four-way stretch, antibacterial action, UV protection, and seamless construction. Pro golfers who rely on Oakley apparel will appreciate the protection of Oakley Hydrofuse™, a technology that seals seams against environmental moisture. The company is renowned for wrapping science in art, and all its innovations come with style that expresses individuality while respecting the heritage of the game.
Rory McIlroy stays focused with the premium comfort of the company’s golf apparel, and in the upcoming Masters, he will depend on the new Oakley Accomplish Polo and Swagger Pant 2.0 (matched with the Ellipse Leather Belt). He has chosen the same style of performance golf pant for the US Open, where he will rely on the new Oakley Biotic Polo. For the British Open, McIlroy will put his faith in the Slanted Stripe Polo and Agility Pant, unrivaled designs slated for release in fall 2012.
In addition to seeing the brand’s latest performance golf shoes and apparel, attendees will learn about cutting-edge breakthroughs in eyewear. This includes the latest sunglass designs that take advantage of Oakley’s wide array of precision-engineered lens tints that allow golfers such as Ian Poulter, Yani Tseng, Ai Miyazato and Ricky Barnes to optimize their vision for the course and weather.
On Wednesday, January 25th, the Oakley O Lab will be on site at the 10th Annual PGA Merchandise Show Outdoor Demo Day at the Orange County Convention Center. Demonstrations will include the superior optical clarity and impact protection of the company’s performance sunglasses including the new Flak Jacket™ 2.0, as well as the unrivaled benefits of the new Oakley Cipher golf shoe. Created to educate the public on Oakley technologies that define the cutting edge of sport performance and protection, the O Lab is a 40-foot long mobile laboratory equipped with testing apparatuses and audio/visual displays.
Representing every business sector of golf and ranging from all golf market leaders to start-up companies, some 1,000 golf vendors will display and demonstrate hundreds of thousands of golf merchandise that will appear in golf shops and retail stores throughout the 2012 golf season.
“We are pleased to welcome Oakley to the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President John McGeary. “Their participation provides attending PGA Professionals and industry leaders with a valuable opportunity to preview Oakley’s newest golf and lifestyle apparel lines, learn new merchandising techniques and network with company executives.”
About Oakley
Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is continually seeking problems, solving them with inventions and wrapping those inventions in art. This philosophy has made Oakley one of the most iconic and inimitable brands on the market, with innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible. Oakley is famed for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition Optics® (HDO®) which is incorporated into all Oakley sun and prescription eyewear, and premium Oakley goggles. Oakley has extended its leadership position as the world’s leading sports eyewear brand into apparel, footwear and accessories collections. Laser focused on the consumer, Oakley has both men’s and women’s product lines that target Sports Performance, Active and Lifestyle consumers. Oakley is a subsidiary of Luxottica Group. Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.
About the PGA Merchandise Show
The 2012 PGA Merchandise Show, held January 26-28, in Orlando, Fla., will welcome some 1,000 top golf companies and brands and more than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world to the industry’s 59th annual global summit for the business of golf. Outdoor Demo Day, the world’s largest professional golf testing event, tees off the Show on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Orange County National Golf Center. During Show days, PGA Professionals, retailers and industry leaders will uncover the latest trends, source the newest golf merchandise, test the latest equipment, learn proven business best practices, network among peers and move forward the business of the game. Organized in partnership with The PGA of America as a trade-only event, the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show will be held in the Orange County Convention Center ~ 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Jan. 26-27; and 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Jan. 28. For more information, visit www.pgashow.com.
Contact:
Oakley: Dara Reiter, (949) 900-7298, DReiter@oakley.com
PGA Merchandise Show: Sherry Major, (716) 662-3855, smajor@reedexpo.com
