Apparel for eyes, eyewear for apparel: Oakley has never been afraid to play with form. This season, the king of future-oriented eyewear is wheeling out one of its most conceptual designs from the archives: the Jackets collection.

Crafted with the intention to bring a tight wraparound, apparel-like fit to a pair of glasses, the Jackets from Oakley were arguably one of the most definitive frame shapes from the ‘90s, truly setting the standard for the techno-futurist eyewear style that’s so instantly recognizable to us today.

Oakley

Starting with the Eye Jacket in 1994, the twin lenses and the recognizable high, tight fit were formulated for athletes pushing boundaries. But the design had an impact far beyond performance sporting circles.

Now, a new chapter opens for Oakley’s eyewear design language. Space-age names accompany a space-age campaign: the headliner is the Plantaris SQ (a more squared, more technical version of the original), but equal attention should be paid to the Neoforma (a rounder, almost goggle-like shape which breathes flow and energy), or the Terraforma (a sleeker, more universal design). There’s also the ever-popular Eye Jacket Redux, which seemingly takes the Jacket concept to its pure, most extreme iteration. These are frames that push beyond mere performance into the realm of the sculptural.

Oakley

But Oakley, true to form, didn’t stop here. Where the Jackets take queues from outerwear and morph them into glasses, the brand has also come up with the Field Gear Line collection, a series of apparel that in turn takes the energy of the Jackets frames, and transposes it onto apparel.

Designed in Japan and distributed globally, the FGL collection fully realises Oakley’s HALO-like universe, in which their ‘Artifacts from the Future’ feel right at home. The standout item is the FGL AP vest, a tactical-style accessory worn over the chest and designed to store gear in even the harshest of conditions—the perfect match for the Eye Jacket Redux.

Oakley

More universal staples lie in the Stealth Jacket, Stealth Tee, and Stealth Pant, concepted alongside the Plantaris SQ and Neomata frames. Balancing minimalism in design with ultimate performance, these are truly hard-wearing pieces to see you through the most intense environments and conditions.

With the update to the Jackets and the new Field Gear Line collection, Oakley is in the business of future transformation, reworking ‘90s classics for today, and playing effortlessly with genre. It’s a cyclical design language that feels both archival and forward-looking, blurring the line between function and expression, and reinforcing Oakley’s position at the forefront of techno-futurist style.

To see the full collection, head to Oakley's site here.