To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Italian eyewear brand Rudy Project has launched Performance 40 – a limited edition, 3D-printed titanium reimagining of the company’s first-ever sports glasses model.
Only 100 individually numbered Performance 40 items will be available, paying tribute to the original Super Performance glasses worn by Italian cyclist Moreno Argentin when he won the 1986 UCI Road World Championships in Colorado Springs, USA.
The victory helped catapult Rudy Project, following a handshake deal between founder Rudy Barbazza and Argentin the night before the race.
Back then Rudy Barbazza reportedly said to Moreno Argentin, “Wear these glasses tomorrow. Win the World Champs. And I will sponsor you!”
Featuring modern tech and a retro design, features of the limited edition Performance 40 eyewear include:
- Frame: 3D-printed titanium, hypoallergenic and hollow for lightness
- Weight: 36g
- Lens: Toric lens replicating the original Super Performance shape
- Finish: Laser-etched Rudy Project logo, Rudy Barbazza’s signature and unique edition number (1–100)
The metallic grey model features adjustable nose pads and will be sold via Rudy Project’s direct channels, priced at (a not insignificant) €950.
“This eyewear celebrates the iconic model that marked an era… It is a tribute to our past history and to the people – most importantly my father – who laid the foundations we stand on today,” said Simone Barbazza, Rudy Project’s Marketing Director and Sustainability Manager.
Founded in 1985 in Treviso, Italy, Rudy Project remains a key player in performance eyewear and helmets, with products worn by elite athletes in cycling, triathlon, and winter sports.
