It's been 40 years since Moreno Argentin not only propelled himself to fame by winning the World Championships but also helped launch the Rudy Project 'Super Performance' sunglasses, the brand's first wraparound eyewear.
The glasses actually went into production 12 months earlier, the same year Rudy Barbazza founded the Rudy Project brand, transforming cycling eyewear forever.
Like many cycling sunglass stories, legend has it that Barbazza met Argentin the night before the Colorado Springs race and struck a handshake deal: "Wear these glasses tomorrow and win the World Championships, and I'll sponsor you."
Argentin won, and it launched the brand into what Rudy Project now calls a cult classic.
To honour the brand's anniversary and Argentin's victory, Rudy Project has created a limited-edition model, the 'Performance 40', with only 100 individually numbered pairs sold directly on the Rudy Project website for an astounding €950!
The new Performance 40 features a 3D-printed, hollow titanium frame that Rudy claims weighs just 36 grams. The Toric lens aims to replicate the shape of the original Super Performance and is finished with a laser-etched Rudy Project logo, Rudy Barbazza's signature, and a unique edition number (1–100).
During the launch, Simone Barbazza, Marketing and Sustainability Director at Rudy Project, said, "It's a tribute to our past and to the people—my father above all—who paved the way for us," adding that the Performance 40 sunglasses embody the company's long story while keeping its eyes firmly on the future."
Performance 40 is available directly from the brand and comes in an exclusive collector's box with subtle references to the brand's original 1985 colours.
