This week saw the launch of Oakley Kato, born from 45 years of innovation and engineered to shatter the boundaries of sports performance.Â
Oakley Kato’s radical aesthetic is made possible by game-changing advancements in optical design. This progression, combined with research and testing, helped create a unique piece of eyewear set to revolutionise the face of sport this year.
Oakley Kato’s purpose-built design features an innovative, frameless lens, crafted with an extended wrap and built-in retention to mimic the structural properties of a typical frame. The result is a product intended to fit close to the contours of the face, creating a mask-like feel. When paired with Oakley’s outstanding optics and clarity of vision, the product removes limitations and provides the wearer with the confidence to be at their best.
During development, a select group of elite athletes, including Patrick Mahomes, Mark Cavendish, Nigel Sylvester, and Joseph Newgarden, were equipped with a prototype, testing the durability and performance attributes. This feedback led to the final design, which features an adjustable rake system and multiple nosepads to enable a customised, seamless fit. The strong yet lightweight O Matter stems provide durability, and Unobtainium earsocks are moulded over the stems to deliver all-day comfort with a no-slip grip. This next-level innovation required a complete overhaul of the fabrication process – from moulds to optical axis machines and lens adhesive. Conventional approaches were abandoned to achieve this never seen before aesthetic. Oakley Kato eyewear is available with Prizm lenses designed to enhance colour and contrast to see more detail.
Anticipation amongst Oakley’s global community culminated in the ultimate reveal – a first-of-its-kind, collective augmented reality experience. Team Oakley athletes worldwide, including Juju Smith-Schuster, Mikaela Shiffrin, Mark Cavendish, Rohit Sharma, Seth’ Scump’ Abner, Valentino Rossi, and Patrick Mahomes, received a mysterious package with time-sensitive instructions. Upon opening the box, athletes discovered an other-worldly object which guided them through an AR-enabled journey, culminating in an epic crescendo when space-ship-like doors unlocked to reveal the revolutionary eyewear. This immersive, hybrid experience merged physical, digital, and social technology in a beyond human event to capture the imagination and inspire athletes to push boundaries with ultimate confidence.
Oakley has built a legacy on disruptive design, from the Eyeshade in 1984 to the avant-garde Over The Top, debuted in Sydney in 2000, to Jawbreaker in 2015. Oakley Kato is the next step on this journey, engineered to push the boundaries of form, fit and function to achieve a revolution in eyewear design.
GO: Visit www.oakley.com for more information.
