Vision was the biggest conglomerate in skateboarding in the 80's. Granted, this may not sound like a lot, but consider this analogy: if Element, World Industries, Volcom, and Etnies all joined forces, they would have a fraction of the power that Vision had. Oh yeah, later on, they also started a video production company, UnReel Productions, so throw 411 VM into the mix too. They covered every possible way to make money off of skateboarding, and make money they did.
Vision was started by Brad Dorfman. He got Mark "Gator" Rogowski and Mark Gonzales to be his main riders. Good choices indeed, as they were two of the most influential skaters in the 80's. The company swallowed up Sims skateboards, and other small companies as well. With this type of domination, it's hard to imagine how they could have fallen. But, it turns out, their size was the reason.
As the previous write-up remarks, Vision capitalized on the splatter-painted, neon colored, garish clothes and deck designs that the 80's were known for. You loved it, admit it. Once styles began changing though, Vision couldn't keep up. Their pros left to form small start-ups. Vision was a giant that got taken out at the knees, and then eaten by mice.
Today, Vision is trying to make a resurgence. They are following the lead of other companies, though, dividing its resources into a number of smaller brand names. This diversifies their customer appeal, and gives them a little more stability.