Mention the letters "Op" to anyone over the age of 20, and chances are you'll elicit a slow smile and an "Oh yeah, whatever happened to them?" look or comment.

Following years of dormancy, Op, or Ocean Pacific, is riding a wave back from its surf roots to become a true outdoors brand. Op was born in San Diego in 1972, when surfboard maker Jim Jenks wanted to make a better pair of swim trunks. His first line included three pairs of trunks and two pairs of shorts--one twill and one corduroy--and five years later, Op began licensing its name. The corduroy shorts--with deep cargo pockets and a simple embroidered Op label--became an instant classic.

The surf-inspired Op line thrived throughout the 1980s but the company floundered several years ago. The company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the early 1990s. Berkeley International Capital Corp. purchased Op in 1993, and when Richard Baker was hired as CEO in early 1997, his task was to rebuild the brand name that is the granddaddy of logo marketing.

Last fall, Baker and the Doyle & Boissiere Fund signed an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Op from Berkeley.

A HOUSEHOLD NAME

Today, Op--which never really lost its brand recognition--is enjoying a major resurgence. ClearVision Optical caught the Op wave, and together the two companies have launched the premiere collection of Op Eyewear, a sporty unisex sunwear and ophthalmic collection.

"Op is a reinvigorated brand with a long history," says David Friedfeld, president of ClearVision.

FREESTYLIN' SPECS

The 12 styles in this premiere collection are aimed toward a "broad audience" spanning from teens to adults. The seven metal styles include narrow ovals and modified rectangles and have unique features such as curved "banana" spring hinges and "wavy" temple tips. All the frames feature spring hinges, and ultra-thin snap-in nose-pads. The zyl frames feature modified rectangular shapes with spring hinge temples. Sunglass clips are available for the ophthalmic styles. Several of the styles are double- and triple-laminated zyls in glossy colorations.

The three sunglass styles--two plastics and a metal--feature bold shapes and colorations, as well as embossed logo designs and unique temple treatments. Each sunglass comes with polarized lenses with hydrophobic coatings and a neoprene cord.

The new collection is priced between $35.99 and $49.99 wholesale.

Each of the frames comes with a sporty, "soft-feel" Op case.

BRIDGING GENERATIONS

"The focus is to modernize the Op brand today," Baker says. Fun, young, casual, and authentic is the mantra of this brand, which Baker wants to evolve into a true outdoors brand. "The profile of Op must be young, hip, and cool."

It's a niche ClearVision can fill, says Friedfeld. He notes that the Op consumer base is between 18 and 35-years-old, however there is a large crossover among baby boomers who want a younger image. Specifically, Op is targeted to the younger consumers who are more likely to buy "cool, true brands" as opposed to designer collections.

"We knew we needed a brand that wouldn't compete directly with Kenneth Cole," Friedfeld says, referring to another of ClearVision's strong licenses. "And Op just fit in perfectly with our long-term strategy."  FB