OTIS Eyewear’s 25 trips around the sun

In the late 1990s, things were changing in Australia. Manufacturing jobs were moving offshore, threatening local employment for small coastal towns and cities alike. Style was shifting from grunge to something cleaner. People were struggling with the drop in quality of a lot of goods.

The surf industry was no exception.

To help keep his people employed and expand beyond the narrow surf accessories market, the Creatures of Leisure founder was looking for something new. Something different from what everyone was doing. Two eyewear brands had approached his team for distribution, sparking the idea to explore that avenue.

A visit to the Hong Kong Optical Fair solidified this vision when the team discovered the unmatched quality of mineral glass lenses. Its impeccable clarity and incredible scratch resistance was leaps ahead of anything easily accessible at home.

OTIS Eyewear was born in 2000, built on a simple yet powerful idea: to create premium eyewear exclusively with mineral glass lenses. A way to transcend the boundaries of style, durability and technical excellence.

As original OTIS team member Shane Partington says, “trends come and go, but timeless style and premium quality never go out of fashion.”

The name OTIS was inspired by our founder's love for the legendary soul musician Otis Redding. Redding's reputation for effortless style yet passionate delivery is still an influence the team draws on today.

When OTIS launched, the eyewear market was dominated by plastic lenses and eight-base wraparound styles, popular in surf and outdoor communities. The brand’s use of mineral glass lenses provided a key point of difference: unparalleled optical clarity, superior scratch resistance, and endless recyclability. This commitment to quality, paired with a dedication to timeless style, enabled OTIS to evolve from a surf-centric brand to something more forward looking.

The early years saw OTIS focus on the surf industry, leveraging relationships built through Creatures. However, the team quickly realized that to grow, they needed to cast a wider net. Partnerships with musicians and advertising in Rolling Stone magazine helped OTIS capture the imaginations of more people. Collaborations with prominent artists, bands, and surfers alike built the brand’s credibility and broadened its appeal.

“That more artistic side really hit home for us,” says OTIS Creative Director, Simon Lafranchi. “To this day we’re still working with artists like Kentaro Yoshida to bring in authenticity and fun. There’s also just the sense of adventure that trying new things brings. Everyone loves exploring new ideas, traveling to new places too, so it’s a huge part of what we stand for, getting out and finding what inspires you.”

It’s not a true adventure until something goes wrong. Things got pretty adventurous for a lot of people during the Global Financial Crisis. Coupled with a divided focus between OTIS and Creatures of Leisure, things were starting to seriously stagnate by 2010. The team debated selling or shuttering OTIS. After some soul searching, they decided to double down and lift things to the next level. This renewed focus marked a turning point, fueling growth and innovation. The brand moved into new countries, including Japan, the USA and the UK. The team started pioneering sustainability initiatives, including plastic free packaging and better frame materials to complement the already endlessly recyclable mineral glass lenses. New styles were developed, with ‘Louie’ being a major breakthrough, as well as the more recent crowd favourites Capitol, After Dark and Young Blood. Omar then added a fashion injection to those more active oriented frames.

“At one stage, Young Blood, After Dark, Capitol and Omar accounted for a full half of all OTIS sales in just those few designs,” says OTIS head of Brand and Product Sally Kerr. “They really got the word out there and proved to new people the quality was something beyond most brands. It really set us up for the next few years.”

As OTIS entered the 2020s we also branched into some collaborations with ambassadors like Imogen Caldwell, Jamie Thomas and Jay Davies, alongside releases with like-minded brands Outerknown and The James Brand. In 2023, we celebrated becoming a certified B Corp — the world’s gold-standard in helping businesses genuinely show we’re working to be a force for good in the world.

This year now marks 25 trips around the sun for OTIS. 25 years of looking forward, pushing boundaries and planting a flag in the sand for timeless quality. It’s a chance for us to look back at all of the fun times, and the original values that have guided us for so many years. It’s also a chance to look forward to the coming decades. The brand continues to champion craftsmanship, style, and sustainability. From its small-town roots to global recognition, OTIS stands as a testament to resilience, innovation, and a commitment to seeing the world through a clearer lens. We can’t wait for the next adventure.

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