Oakley Releases Fall 2000 Apparel Line.

Business Editors

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2000

Oakley Inc. (NYSE:OO) Tuesday announced the release of its Fall 2000 apparel line, the latest culmination of work in performance technical wear that began in 1997 and continues to advance under the guidance of professional athletes.

"When competing in extreme environments, athletes have always been forced to choose between comfort and performance," said Oakley president Colin Baden. "Our goal was to maximize both. We achieved breakthroughs in moisture transport, vapor abatement and water repulsion while minimizing the weight and bulk of substrate materials to emphasize comfort and flexibility. The result is a composition of membranes which exceeds the performance of any biological model Mother Nature has produced."

"Winter apparel demands the highest level of technical performance. Our innovation extends from the design and cut of a garment to the surface chemistry of the fabrics from which it is constructed," stated Baden. One of the challenges for Oakley's mad science lab was to develop an array of hydrophobic coatings that would repel water while releasing interior moisture at transport rates never before achieved in the industry. "If a sports garment is designed only to warm the wearer and repel water, it fails on at least two levels: it impedes movement and causes moisture buildup. That means it offers all the performance benefits of an insulated rubber straitjacket," continued Baden.

In releasing the buildup of perspiration, the company's top textiles outperform the industry standard by 47% on test ASTM E96B, the assay of moisture vapor transfer from the American Society for Testing and Materials. That translates to superior comfort during high activity, as well as reduced temperature drop when activity has ceased, the hazardous result of heat conductance by moisture.

Climate protection is enhanced by coating technologies rated as high as 25,000mm water resistance. To reach this level of water repulsion, Oakley developed hydrophobic coatings that allow textiles to endure the pressure of an 82-foot column of fluid -- the equivalent of over 35 lbs of water per square inch of surface area -- with no leakage.

The degree of technical advancement in the fall 2000 line can be seen in the company's new Trinity Jacket and Trinity Pant. With uncompromised attention to detail, the seams are bonded by triple needle stitch-work using high-tenacity nylon. Special lubricants reduce friction as thread passes through the eye of the needle and reaches velocities that exceed 5000 repetitions per minute, producing enough heat to melt lower quality fibers.

Both the Trinity Jacket and Trinity Pant feature durable nylon tri-laminates with 25,000mm water resistance and the flexibility of ergonomic articulation. Hidden closures streamline the exterior while webbing tabs offer easy grasping of pocket closures, even with gloved hands. The jacket includes underarm zip vents, a snow skirt with pant tabs, a double-layer storm placket and draw cords in the hem, collar and detachable hood. The pant includes a second layer of fabric in abrasion areas, a quilted seat for added insulation, a full front entry, snow gaiters with external zip plackets and side-seam zips for easy on, easy off.

Baden concluded, "The human form is a work in progress. It generates heat but operates within a narrow temperature range. Given time, it will evolve. But we're tired of waiting."

About Oakley Inc.

Oakley: a world brand, driven to ignite the imagination through the fusion of art and science. Building on its legacy of innovative, market-leading premium sunglasses, the company offers also an expanding line of premium performance footwear, apparel, accessories, watches and prescription eyewear to consumers in more than 70 countries. Trailing-12-month revenues through June 30, 2000 totaled $300.2 million and generated net income of $40.0 million -- a 13- percent net margin, excluding a one-time after-tax restructuring charge of $8.2 million recorded during the fourth quarter of 1999. Oakley, Inc. press releases, SEC filings and the company's Annual Report are available at no charge through the company's Web site at www.oakley.com.

Safe Harbor Disclaimer

This news release contains certain statements of a forward-looking nature. Such statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The accuracy of such statements may be impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including: risks related to the company's ability to identify qualified manufacturing partners; the ability to coordinate product development and production processes with those partners; the ability of those manufacturing partners to increase production volumes in a timely fashion in response to increasing demand and enable the company to achieve timely delivery of finished goods to its retail customers, the dependence on eyewear sales to Sunglass Hut; unanticipated changes in general market conditions or other factors which may result in cancellations of advance orders or a reduction in the rate of reorders placed by retailers; risks that the net realizable value of assets disposed of in the footwear restructuring may differ from estimates used; the ability to continue to develop and produce innovative new products and introduce them in a timely manner; the acceptance in the marketplace of the company's new products; the ability to source raw materials and finished products at favorable prices to the company; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; and other risks outlined in the company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 1999 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the three-month periods ending March 31, 2000 and June 30, 2000. The company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information.