Dragon sunglasses Founder and CEO, Will Howard and General Manager Aaron Behle, have taken Dragon private, separating it from optics giant Luxottica Group, which acquired the business when it bought Oakley in 2007.
“We want to thank Scott Olivet and the rest of the Oakley team for their support over the years and during this transition,” says Howard. “In two very different business plans, we collectively saw an opportunity to allow Dragon to break off and do its own thing in the marketplace.”
Howard started Dragon out of his garage in San Clemente over 13 years ago when he saw an opportunity in the market for new blood. Since then Dragon has evolved to become a diverse and global brand, deeply rooted in surf, snow and MX core/specialty distribution in over 35 countries worldwide.
With one of the most iconic logos in the industry, Dragon looks to build on its global branding mission and progressive product offerings and return to what Howard calls the “specialty power band of the action sports industry”.
Dragon will continue to leverage its core assets, which includes a first tier portfolio of athletes with the likes of Surfing World Champion Mick Fanning, Supercross Rookie of the Year Josh Hill and snowboarding legend Jamie Lynn. Dragon looks forward to focusing on fundamentals and continuing to build dynamic, long lasting business relationships with its retail partners.
“We have restructured Dragon to fully leverage a decade of brand authenticity and capitalize on what we believe is a paradigm shift in the action sports market,” said Behle. “We have a unique position with a unique plan. More importantly, we have a young and passionate team with the ability to zig while the market zags and enjoy ourselves along the way.”
A bold decision made by a powerful brand, Dragon now embarks on its independent journey with a familiar yet refined mission statement to be the leading eyewear and accessories brand in the youth lifestyle market.
For more information on the Dragon brand and its products, visit www.dragonalliance.com.
