Warby Parker is going into the sports eyewear category.
The direct-to-consumer brand on April 21 will launch Warby Parker Sport: a dedicated performance eyewear collection. It will feature concealed spring hinges, no-slip nose pads and flexible, lightweight, hand-painted nylon frames that are being made in Italy and designed to look more like everyday Warby Parker glasses than sport-specific glasses.
The difference is in the lens offering as well as the design. There will be three different lens options, all of which will offer advanced polarization to enhance depth perception, contrast and clarity in various environments and reduce horizontal glare by 55 percent. There will be gray for water and road use; rosewood for trails and snow, and brown for field and fishing.
The sport lenses can also be used in any Warby Parker sun frame.
The Warby Parker Sport glasses are designed to look more like everyday glasses.
Courtesy of Warby Parker
Neil Blumenthal, cofounder and co-chief executive officer, said since the company was founded in 2010, it has never offered sport glasses, “even though we get a large number of requests for it. But it was important to do it right and use the highest quality materials and provide great optics. We worked with our factories in Italy and every detail was highly considered.”
He said most sport eyewear is not designed for people who need prescriptions and the curves built into most models often result in optical distortion for those who do. So while the Warby Parker glasses will also be offered in non-prescription options, he said the company historically sells a higher percentage of prescription sunglasses.
He also said that in addition to reducing glare, the sport lenses do not distort digital screens.
To promote the launch, the company has tapped influencers and runners Victoria Paris and Victoria Bennie as well as golfer Roger Steele to appear in a campaign.
The glasses will retail for $195 and will be available both online and in all 330 Warby Parker retail locations. Blumenthal said the brand has been aggressively adding brick-and-mortar locations to reach more people who may not be familiar with the company. Many of those stores also have on-site optometrists to provide eye exams. “This is still a category dominated by brick-and-mortar,” he said.
Taft is branching out beyond shoes.
The Utah-based brand created by Kory and Mallory Stevens and now part of the KNS International portfolio, got its start making no-show socks. But shortly after launching in 2013, it pivoted into footwear and quickly became known for fashionable European-inspired shoes that it produces in Spain and Portugal.
Now the company is launching accessories.
Centered around one of Taft’s most recognizable prints, a bold floral jacquard called the Eden, the Eden Collection of accessories will include a card case, bi-fold wallet, belts and a tie made from cotton and Italian leather that are being made by artisans in Europe.
“Taft has always stood for a distinct point of view in men’s footwear — where pattern, texture and construction come together in a way that feels intentional and expressive,” said Taft president Marisa Byrne. “As the brand has grown, it became clear our customer wasn’t just looking for statement shoes, but for a more complete way to dress. The Eden accessories collection is a natural progression of that. It takes one of our most recognizable design signatures and extends it into the finishing pieces — belts, wallets, ties — that bring a look together. These aren’t add-ons; they’re considered elements that carry the same level of design and craftsmanship our customer expects from our footwear.”
The Taft accessories range includes small leather goods as well as neckwear.
Courtesy of Taft
Byrne said the company sees accessories as “the first step in a broader expansion — one that continues to build out the Taft perspective across categories, always grounded in design, quality and a strong point of view.”
The Eden Collection will retail from $75 to $125 and will be available beginning Tuesday on the Taft website.
Peerless’ Dan Orwig to Be Honored
Dan Orwig, president of Peerless Clothing International, will be honored by the Foreseeable Future Foundation at its annual gala on June 9 in New York.
Founded by Griffin Pinkow in 2017, the Foreseeable Future Foundation is dedicated to helping blind or visually impaired individuals lead more active, fulfilling lives through sports, recreation and other experiences including tandem cycling, guided running and group-based recreational activities. It also offers immersive awareness experiences such as Come to Your Senses, which brings together sighted participants and those with vision loss to create a deeper connection and break down misconceptions.
Orwig is being honored for his professional leadership and how he has used his position to create broader impact across both business and philanthropy, the organization said. His philanthropic involvement includes being a board member of Delivering Good and he served as chief executive officer of the Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council for 10 years. He’s also a board member of the Fashion Scholarship Fund and has served as its gala chair for the past three years.
“From Foreseeable Future Foundation’s inception in 2017, Dan was one of the first people to step up and help in any way possible,” Pinkow said. “Dan has always had a passion for helping the visually impaired and blind community lead more fulfilling lives through sports and recreation. Whether it be volunteers, supporting the foundation or finding other ways he could help us grow, Dan has been instrumental about the mission and work that we do.”
Peerless president Dan Orwig
Courtesy of Peerless
“I’m truly honored to be recognized by Foreseeable Future,” Orwig said. “The acknowledgment means a lot, but what matters more to me is supporting an organization doing such important work, helping people who are blind or visually impaired live fully, confidently and without limits. It’s a privilege to be part of something that’s making a real difference.”
The Foreseeable Future Foundation gala will be held on the Tribeca Rooftop, 10 Desbrosses Street from 6 to 10 p.m. General admission tickets are $275 and sponsorship opportunities start at $5,000 and go up to $50,000.
Since its creation nine years ago, the foundation has impacted more than 5,000 individuals and their families. Its founder, Pinkow, is an active athlete, was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa as a pre-teen and today has limited vision.
