When Oakley debuted the Overthetop sunglasses at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, they were unlike anything that had ever been seen. The aptly named, double entendre shades wrapped all the way on top of the wearer's head and sported metallic lenses to go along with the chrome frames. Twenty years later, they're still just as insane — and Oakley is bringing them back for an extremely limited release.
Oakley will rerelease the Overthetop with a makeover and a run of just 20 pairs before retiring the silhouette forever. While using the original mold from two decades ago, Oakley has switched up the all-chrome frames with a gradient that transitions from silver to bronze and the brand's lightweight O Matter material. The lenses have also been updated with Oakley's Prizm technology, which is designed to enhance color and contrast so you can see in more detail.
This freakshow won't come cheap —
Oakley will sell the Overthetop for $2,000 each, making it more of a collector's item than anything. That may seem steep, but consider how long the goggle-like sunglasses have endured as an iconic image. Trinidadian sprinter Ato Boldon had the honor of debuting them during the Men’s 100 meters, which he won a Silver Medal for. When it came to looking like a bad motherfucker, however, Boldon ran away with Gold.
The extreme design wasn't just for aesthetics, though. The unique frames were intended to reduce pressure points and limit bouncing from the force of running. "Twenty years later, I still remember the rush," Boldon said in a press release. "Wearing the Oakley Overthetop in Sydney was an iconic moment in my career."
Pick up 1 of 20 today —
The Overthetop will release at 9 a.m. PST today through Oakley's website. Once the 20 pairs are gone, which will surely be a matter of minutes or seconds, Oakley says it'll never bring them back again. That said, you can still find the original sunglasses on eBay, where they typically sell around the $500 range. But with newfound attention, the price may just go up.
