IMO, the Minute, new Frogskin, Five, Ten, etc. don't look any less bland then the Fuel Cell, Antix, Batwolf, etc. I'm curious if it's because we've packed 20 years worth of buying and collecting in 5 years.
Very good thoughts...Mine however is that those styles (Frogs, Minute, Five) don't fit, so they are not in my equation of bland. I do feel the frogs are pretty sick, and wish we had the quality in the material back in the 80's and 90's that we do now because I wore them then...As for the others, Fuel Cell didn't mimic anything when it was released, unlike the Rig, Batwolf, Antix, Ten, Necessity, and so on...Many, and by many I mean most, of the "new releases" are just morphed shield lens versions of past items. That to me is where the "Bland Factor" comes into play. Also, it's a fitment issue on many of the new pieces. Batwolf for example should fit me, it's freaking huge!! It doesn't. Sits right on my cheek bones. Such a let down
Now, as for the packing in 20 years of collecting into 5, that really isn't an issue for me. I have only a handful of the "Vintage" pairs left after my house cleaning that I just cleared up. Eye Jacket, M Frame, my very first T Wire, and a few other pieces is all I have clung on to. The rest never saw the light of day, and to have them just to say I have them was stupid, so off to better homes they went. That is the future I see in many of my Dogs, Gascans, and others. If I won't wear them, then I won't keep them, that simple. I still get excited to see what's next, and I am chomping at the bit for Pit Bull!! So the passion is still there, but the fuel for the fire has diminished due to the lack of creativity coming out of HQ in my opinion.
Not all can be Straight Jackets and XX Twentys...Those were iconic pairs as noted by the fact the Vault Versions still do well. Those were pairs that just worked. Gascan ran it's course I think. A great pair, but didn't have the staying power of the classics. Could also be that the passion went with Jim, and now it's all about the cash for Lux and it's reflective in the product line. I did see the Canvas and Troy Lee Fuel Cell shades in person yesterday and Mark's and man, they are WAY better in person, so it goes back to having to hold my tongue until seen and touched. Take the gearbox for example, I didn't even realize it was missing a date counter like all the others...Who would have thought it, but it's a huge and insanely cool watch.
All I am saying is that the passion isn't there with Oakley like it was, and maybe that's just the evolution of the business, or a product of trying to make the big big dollars, I don't know.