First Pearl Izumi products seen at retail in US were about 1984. It was a Japanese company. Everything made in Tokyo. Quality was astonishing. You would still occasionally see Vittore Gianni in stores then, even though that company had long since sold to Castelli. Pearl was many levels above Gianni, as Gianni was a level above Castelli.
Connie Carpenter and Davis Phinney bought the brand and turned it into a commodity.