Sunnies For Yogis In Sayulita

It’s very important to us that we stay connected to the San Diego yoga community. After all, it was the gorgeous sand, surf, sun and vibrant energy of Southern California that inspired us to launch Vira Sun in the first place.

So when we were approached by San Diegan Janalyn Yanover of Horizon Light Productions to be the official sunglasses sponsor for her Acro, Surf and SUP Yoga Retreat to Sayulita, Mexico, from October 28th-November 2nd, it was a no-brainer. We were in!

Along with Janalyn, Robin Martin and Adam Hiner hosted (and taught) during this amazing week-long retreat. The fifteen participants were treated like the yogi royalty that they are by the staff at Villas Sayulita, a beautiful boutique hotel by the beach. Here they practiced yoga daily, savored delicious home-cooked meals, enjoyed the occasional massage, and gathered to share their immense love for being physically active under the sun's healing rays.

Yoga classes, acro and inversion workshops, private surf lessons, and an adventure hike to a secluded beach featuring medicinal mud, were just a handful of ways participants spent their time. Throughout the retreat, sponsor products were put to good use including pants from Flexi Lexi Fitness, jewelry from Blooming Lotus, healthy snacks from Rickaroons, and of course Vira Sun shades. Where else can "The Original Sunnies For Yogis" be put to better use than on a yoga retreat in Mexico?!!

Following are a selection of beautiful photos shot by our friends at Horizon Light Productions. To learn more, please visit their website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook for details on upcoming retreats and special events. Namasté!

Sweating for Smiles in NYC

On Wednesday night (11/18) we were a proud sponsor of the Sweat for Smiles: Pink Ribbon Pilates Party in support of Boarding for Breast Cancer, which advocates early detection and a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means for breast cancer prevention.

Held at The North Face flagship store on NYC's Upper West Side, the charitable event was hosted by our friend Ashley Slaughter, founder of The Cuisinistas Club. The event featured a one-hour pilates class taught by celebrity instructor Kristin McGee, followed by cocktails, small bites, and a raffle featuring several pairs of our signature "Warrior" sunnies in Translucent Pink. It was a fun night with a great group of people!

If you would like to learn more about Sweat for Smiles, please visit their website or Instagram page.

Vira Sun x Lululemon

Last night was truly one for the books! We were extremely honored–and completely humbled–to support the grand opening party for the relaunch of Lululemon's SoHo store located at 481 Broadway in New York City.

As a budding brand with lots of hopes and dreams, having the opportunity to collaborate with an industry leader like Lululemon was nothing short of AMAZING! To commemorate the relaunch event, we produced a limited run of co-branded Vira Sun x Lululemon sunglasses, and everyone in attendance received a pair at the end of night. On the inside arm we laser-etched #doitonpurpose, which is the guiding principle of the Broadway store.

Not only was it a super fun night with delicious eats from Seamore's and drinks from WellWell, but we also learned about two incredible non-profits from keynote speakers Terence Gerchberg (Back on My Feet) and Jon Rose (Waves For Water). Check out both organizations to learn more and find out how you can get involved.

A huge THANK YOU goes out to the awesome team at Lululemon's SoHo store for helping to make our collaboration a reality. Shout out to Monica, Erin, Joe, Sygale, Katie, Mikaila, Daryl Ann, Erica, Adam, Carli, and all the other rock stars over there who Do It On Purpose each and every day. Keep up the good work!

Think Pink

Throughout October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, take 20% off all of our pink shades using promo code "BCA20" at checkout.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to Boarding For Breast Cancer. B4BC is a non-profit foundation that advocates early detection and a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means for breast cancer prevention. Founded in 1996, B4BC empowers young people to make positive choices that promote lifelong wellness through outreach, prevention and support programs.

To shop our pink collection, click here. To learn more about Boarding For Breast Cancer, visit b4bc.org.

Look good while you do good!

We're Lovin' on Peloton

As they say, "Variety is the spice of life." At Vira Sun, we wholeheartedly believe this old adage to be true.

While we're firmly rooted in and extremely passionate about yoga, we embrace the need to challenge our bodies–and minds–by incorporating other physical activities into our exercise routine. It's a great way to shake up our metabolism, keep our muscles guessing, and meet tons of wonderful people.

One studio in particular that we’re absolutely in love with is Peloton, headquartered in NYC's Chelsea neighborhood. Peloton offers indoor cycling classes in your home (if you purchase their state-of-the-art bike), live in-studio sessions, and on-demand. Our team has been frequenting their 23rd Street studio for months now, and it was through these regular visits that we were able to form relationships with Peloton's amazing staff and instructors.

When Peloton was looking for a unique gift to give their employees at an end of summer soirée earlier this month, they asked if we would create a customized pair of co-branded shades just for them. We were absolutely honored and of course jumped at the chance to make it happen! To get that summery vibe and match their brand colors, we went with our clear translucent frame with orange mirror lenses and bamboo arms. We laser-etched their logo and ours on the temples, and added a fun "Summer 2015" call out on the inside arm to commemorate their team event.

Inscribed on the wall of their studio is this truth: “Riders in a Peloton work together, conserve energy and perform better because of one another." Teamwork definitely makes the dream work. Thanks for the support, Peloton!

To learn more, check out pelotoncycle.com or visit them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Vira Sun x The North Face

We're very proud to announce our limited edition collaboration with outdoor industry leader The North Face in celebration of the Reel Rock 10 film tour which kicks off tonight in Boulder, Colorado, at the Chautauqua Auditorium.

Only 200 pairs of co-branded Vira Sun x The North Face shades were produced. Over the coming month, they will be exclusively available as a special gift with purchase at select The North Face retail stores in Boulder, NYC, SF, DC, Denver and Boston after Reel Rock 10 premieres in each city.

Available with orange mirror or blue mirror lenses, each pair of limited edition shades features polarized lenses with UV400 protection, metal spring hinges for enhanced comfort and fit, bamboo arms with laser-etched logos, microfiber carrying case, co-branded cotton pouch, stickers, and hand-numbered edition card.

While yoga will always remain the cornerstone and driving force behind Vira Sun, we truly are a lifestyle brand that's influenced by fitness and creativity in all forms. Whether you're doing a mountain pose at your local studio, or climbing to the top of an actual mountain, we can't wait to take that journey of self-discovery with you!

For Reel Rock 10 premiere dates and more information, please visit reelrocktour.com or thenorthface.com.

By the way, if you're one of the lucky ones that snags a pair of our collab shades, be sure to show us where your explorations take you by using #VSxTNF on all your favorite social media platforms—we'll keep an eye out and share our favorites! Oh, and we're also planning a special giveaway on social media... Full details coming real soon.

Where Brooklyn At?!

We had a blast today at YogaWorks! After running successful pop-up shops at several other YogaWorks studios in NYC earlier this summer, we were excited to set up shop in Brooklyn Heights as part of today's Member Appreciation Open House.

It was super fun meeting students, spreading the Vira Sun message, and hanging out with our new friends Jess and Rachel from the super cool lifestyle brand Folk Rebellion. And of course, a huge THANK YOU goes out to Pace and MaryAnn from YogaWorks for being such wonderful hosts.

Namasté, BK!

Be sure to also check out some pics from our pop-up shops at the YogaWorks studios on Manhattan's Upper West Side and in SoHo.

Vira Sun x Magda Love

We love creativity in all forms, especially when it comes from the paint brush of our talented friend Magda Love!

A Brooklynite by way of Bueno Aires, Magdalena Marcenaro (aka, Magda Love) is more than just a street artist. She forms "deeply textured narratives joining nostalgic images with sudden, emotional moments." Her work is aggressive yet playful, vibrant yet subdued. She is a juxtaposition with a happy-go-lucky disposition.

Magda Love recently hand-painted two pairs of shades for a special promotion we ran on Instagram. Two lucky winners received a pair of custom Vira Sun x Magda Love sunnies featuring an intricate floral pattern bursting with color.

Our fans were really excited about the collaboration, and so were we. So much so that we've decided to work on another special project with her that's slated to launch in mid September. Keep an eye out, because it's gonna be awesome!

In the meantime, check out more of Magda Love's work on her website, as well as Instagram and Facebook.

One-Hundred Percent Pure Love!

We love Pure Yoga in NYC! When the opportunity presented itself to collaborate with them, we of course jumped at the chance to make it happen.

We're absolutely thrilled to be working with Pure on creative ways to promote their SUP Pure Beach Party classes with Jimmy Burgio on July 10th and 24th at Pure West. These fun-filled specialty classes are tropical-themed and inspired by SUP yoga. Participants will enjoy a great workout while expanding their practice by using an Indo Yoga Board. They'll also receive complimentary cocktails and a FREE pair of limited edition, co-branded Vira Sun x Pure sunglasses (while supplies last). Register now.

Inspired by blue skies, sunny weather and lazy days at the beach, this summery colorway (Translucent Blue / Polarized Orange Mirror / Bamboo) was carefully crafted to align with Pure's refined aesthetic. As a special treat, you’ll find the Pure mantra “One Intention, Many Practices” laser-etched on the inside arms of each pair.

In the event you can’t make it to the SUP Pure Beach Party classes to receive a free pair of shades, don’t worry! Starting July 10th, our collaborative "Sunnies for Yogis" will be available for sale ($40) in the Pure Boutiques at the East Side and West Side locations.

We can’t believe how lucky we are to be sold in such prestigious studios with some of the best instructors, workshops and yogis in the world. Now that's what's SUP!

Workin it on the West Side

This past Saturday (6/27), in celebration of National Sunglasses Day, we had the pleasure of setting up shop at the YogaWorks on Manhattan's Upper West Side located at 37 W. 65th Street near Lincoln Center. It's an absolutely gorgeous studio with an incredible staff!

From 10am-3pm, we had our entire collection on display. It was super fun meeting students and introducing them to "The Original Sunnies for Yogis." We made lots of new friends, including locals and even a few visitors from out of town.

A huge thanks goes out to YogaWorks and UWS managers Jennifer and Ashley, plus their entire team, for being such wonderful hosts. To learn more about one of our favorite studios, check out yogaworks.com.