Photo: SPY
SPY OPTIC Brand Manager, Matt Harkins

Founded in 1994, SPY OPTIC was created by a group of action sports enthusiasts who assessed the eyewear market and wanted to make it better. Fast forward 16 years and SPY is still creating aesthetically pleasing, technologically sound products to protect our eyes.

Given my last name, a part of me feels obligated to interview SPY OPTIC for Street Beat. So I grilled SPY Brand Manager, Matt Harkins, about their 2010 collection and he was happy to give me the details. Enjoy!

- Danny SPYra

Photo: SPY
SPY team rider, Torrey Meister, wearing the Stratos
II

BNQT - WHAT DOES THE "SWEET SIXTEEN" COLLECTION OF SPY SUNGLASSES AND GOGGLES CONSIST OF?

Matt - Hahah, sweet 16! We're almost legal...Our 2010 collection is a continuation of the fun and flavor that has kept the lights on for the past 16 years. This line includes three limited collections for the collector in all of us: Origami Mami features a kimono inspired Japanese design with street styling, Candy Coated with eye catching colors to top off your style and Rad-N-Plaid that takes a trip back to the roots of our generation. Check out the Kubrik, Bodega and the Stratos II and you will become a believer. Hot off the press for snow goggles we've got the 2010 SPYxDCPxYES Collaboration Zed goggle and pipe slayer/Olympic team rider Louie Vito has an all new Trevor signature. For the track, sand, dunes, wherever your moto bike takes you, the newest Klutch moto goggle provides upmost comfort, function, unmatched clarity and style options that will have you beggin' for more than one pair.

Photo: SPY
SPYxDCPxYES collaboration goggles

BNQT - CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE SPYxDCPxYES COLLABORATION, AND ITS EFFORTS TO HELP OFFSET ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE?

Matt - SPY collaborated with team rider phenom DCP on the all new SPYxDCPxYES. Collaboration Zed snow goggle. It comes with a FREE bonus lens and uses plush recycled bamboo fleece. It's so soft you'll wish you had a bed of it to sleep in. A portion of all of DCP goggle sales go to reforestation in Costa Rica to help offset DCP's carbon footprint.

Photo: Dericks.com
Lil Wayne wearing the Tice shades

BNQT - LIL WAYNE RECENTLY WORE THE "TICE" SUNGLASSES IN A MUSIC VIDEO. IS WEEZY A FAN OF SPY OR HOW DID THESE SHADES END UP ON HIS HEAD?

Matt - Weezy is a huge fan of the SPY "Tice" frames. Let's just say we make things happen over here.

BNQT - LOOKING THROUGH THE SPY MEDIA KIT, I FEEL THE "BODEGA" WILL TURN HEADS IN 2010. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS PAIR OF SHADES?

Matt - The "Bodega" was a much needed piece in our arsenal! We made it for our web designer who is a hype man in a local Hip Hop Band on the weekends...he needed a piece! We hooked him up and now he has to buy us lunch every 2nd Friday of the month. Worthy trade!

Photo: SPY
SPY Bodega sunglasses - for the hype man in all of
us

BNQT - IN ADDITION TO INJECTING SOME SERIOUS FASHION, SPY'S POLARIZED SUNGLASSES FEATURE TRIDENT LENSES. HOW DO TRIDENT LENSES DIFFER FROM COMMON POLARIZED LENSES?

Matt - Common eyewear companies use the sandwich polarization process where the polarized lens material is flanked between two pieces of a lens. This generic process is not as effective and over time the polarized film can delaminate when exposed to the elements. SPY+ uses only premium injected Trident polarized lenses. This is an injected process where the polarized film is actually fused in between the polycarbonate lens inside the mold. The result is permanent, stable polarization that will not fade or falter.

Photo: SPY
SPY team rider, Wade Goodall, wearing the Kubrik

BNQT - IS IT POSSIBLE TO ELIMINATE 100% OF BLINDING GLARE? DO WE HAVE TO SETTLE FOR JUST 99%?

Matt - Call me later and I will give you our lawyer's number...

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