Rudy Project Celebrates Its History With 3D Printed Retro Eyewear In Titanium

In 1986, the newly established Rudy Project presented new sports glasses that would become iconic: the "Super Performance", the brand's first “goggle-type” model.

The product quickly gained international fame, thanks to the extraordinary victory of Italian cyclist Moreno Argentin, who wore it on the day he won the world road cycling championships in Colorado Springs.

That was how Rudy Project rose to fame, and became a brand that was synonymous with innovation.

The Super Performance remains a textbook example in the sports accessories sector of what it means to be a trail-blazing, disruptive product.

Legend has it, and its protagonists have never said otherwise, that Rudy Barbazza, the founder of Rudy Project, met Argentin the night before the world championship race at a pool table. There he agreed to a sponsorship if he won.
Here’s what the ingenious entrepreneur from Veneto proposed to the aspiring champion: “Wear these glasses tomorrow. Win the World Champs. And I will sponsor you!”. The deal was allegedly sealed with a simple handshake.

They both kept their promise: Moreno Argentin won the World Championships, beating Mottet, in a sprint that was over a kilometre long, with his gaze hidden behind those glasses. He became an ambassador of Rudy Project and his success turned the Super Performance into a cult product.

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, and 39 years since the victory in Colorado Springs that helped showcase its glasses to the entire world, Rudy Project is now presenting a celebratory model that is part of a very limited edition, just 100 numbered pieces: the “Performance 40”.

"The past inspires, the future innovates: this eyewear celebrates the iconic model that marked an era, preserving its soul and design, while also features cutting-edge materials and technologies," said Simone Barbazza, Rudy Project's Marketing Director and Sustainability Manager. "It is a tribute to our past history and to the people – most importantly my father – who laid the foundations we stand on today.

The Performance 40 shows that Rudy Project is a forward-looking brand that cherishes its roots: the model celebrates the long history of a brand that remains future-oriented.”

The Performance 40 is a technological treasure for collectors: its frame is in titanium, a noble and hypoallergenic material, printed in 3D. Thanks to this special structure, the glasses are hollow inside and therefore extremely light: they weigh just 36 grams.

Produced in metallic grey, the Performance 40 uses a toric lens that recreates the curved shape of the original model and has adjustable nose pads.

The Rudy Project logo, Rudy Barbazza's signature and the numbering of the glasses from 1 to 100, printed using laser technology directly on the lens, complete the finish.

The glasses will soon be available for sale, in a limited edition with just 100 pieces, through the Rudy Project channels. The retail price is €950.