Oakley launched an international expansion campaign starting with an O-Store in Santiago, Chile. The store was opened and is operated under a licensing agreement with Racing Ltda., Oakleys exclusive distributor in Chile. Oakley management did not release the terms of the agreement, but Racing is widely credited with building the Chilean market for Oakley.
Oakley Chief Operating Officer Link Newcomb described Santiago as, “a fashion forward cosmopolitan city,” and the addition of this store would, “build upon our youth sports and lifestyle demographic.”
This is the first step for Oakleys expansion overseas. The company said that it had plans to open similar stores in London, Barcelona and Dubai. “Considering that approximately half of Oakley's sales are generated outside the United States expansion of our retail concepts to key locations worldwide represents a tremendous long-term opportunity” said Newcomb.
In other news, OO has inked a deal with Orvis to produce polarized sunglasses for the fishing company. Oakley will be producing eight models for Orvis which will initially be offered exclusively through the Orvis catalogue.
“Oakley has been awesome to work with in our quest for perfection in angling eyewear…. fish will never look so good,” said Perk Perkins, CEO of Orvis.
