Since launching in early 2011, Proof has become one of the hottest and most progressive eyewear companies on the market. Their glasses–made of sustainable wood–are a far cry from the metal and plastic frames we’re used to rocking. We recently chatted it up with Proof founder Brooks Dame to discuss the past, present and future of the company.

Read the full Q&A

Kuhvet: What was the inspiration behind Proof? Did it start with the love for wood or the love for fresh sunglasses?

Brooks Dame: A little bit of both. My Grandpa was a hustler and always on his grind. He got into the wood business a little bit by accident and then blew up his business and started really selling wood, building products all over and made a business of it. So sawdust is in my veins. I love wood. It is one of the most versatile mediums out there. I’m also a big fan of accessories. I’ve always had multiple pairs of shades, watches etc. , things that just really bring that extra something to your personal style. So it was a marriage of both.

What are the rewards/difficulties of basing a brand out of Boise, Idaho?

Being in Boise keeps us grounded. It’s home base. Once a person from LA said, ‘Wow, Proof is so progressive, and just such a solid brand, I’m surprised you’re out of Boise and not in LA or NY.’ That fueled the fires a bit for me. I kind of took it as ‘you can’t be creative unless you’re in a major metro area.’ I want to release stuff that people are peeing their pants for. And one of the reasons we haven’t come out with any duds thus far is because we are driven to make a statement with all our products. Maybe it’s a chip on our shoulder maybe it’s just our personality as a company. Either way we are out to say, ‘We are here, and aren’t going nowhere.’ You may think we are just Joe Schmoe from Idaho and that’s ok. Keep underestimating us you’re just gassing us up. We love Idaho. The community is supportive. It’s easy to make connections. People are into Proof here and they just keep digging what we are doing. We have people come by the shop to check out what we are doing or pick up a pair of shades. It’s just fun.

We have other brands approaching us and coming up with ideas for us to work together all the time. The internet, social media and all that has made the world a smaller place. So we can be chatting with someone across the country working on a collabo. So there aren’t a lot of negatives being in Boise, plus after a long day we can go for a hike, float the Boise River or go skiing. Try that living in LA. Just sayin’.

The company has been recognized by heavy hitters like Huffington Post for its charitable efforts. Were you inspired by the likes of Toms to go in that direction with Proof?

Toms has got such a great model and we love what they are doing. The company was run by me and my 2 brothers originally. Now we have a huge supporting staff of designers like my Brother in Law Joe, a ton of Interns, a great marketing team out of BYU’s Ad School, and the support of our customers.

But, we believed from the get go that we needed to give back. Good business and doing good aren’t mutually exclusive. “Look Good. Do Good.” is our Mission. We created that before we even made a dime, so after we started making a little money it was already part of our DNA to giveback so that was an automatic.

How did you choose the charities that Proof donates proceeds to?

It is always stuff that we are involved in or passionate about. We are inspired by people, events, our travels, and all those things have helped inspire us with our charities.

Sustainable goods and recycling are not something we’ve seen too often in the eye wear world. What made you think so far out the box when launching the brand?

Sustainability is just part of our DNA. We live in a world of consumerism and disposable products. We wanted to create an heirloom something that people would pass on to their kids and their grandkids. We really like the vintage movement. People making old new again. And really classic design will always stay in style. Style is sustainable if it is done well.

The idea for recycling shades actually came from the computer industry. HP had a deal where you can recycle old batteries and we thought, hey that’s a great idea. We added our own twist to it by giving people a discount for recycling their Proofs.

Proof has done exceptionally well for a new brand that’s not even a year old. Are you at all surprised by the grass roots popularity?

(Laughs) Shocked. It has been such a great ride. We are really grateful for those people who have supported us. There are people that were all about Proof even before we had any shades on the market they supported the movement and the idea.

We haven’t done any advertising. It has all been about support from our fans, bloggers, media, and we are grateful for that. It’s been so fun.

Are there plans to put Proof into retailers this year?

We are opening up stores all over the world as we speak. So it’s a lot of fun to get that support and have retailers approaching us about our products.

The frame styles and lens choices are very different from what’s already on the market, what inspired the designs?

Just that. We don’t want to be like everyone else. We are original and want to come out that way. We also wanted to create designs that were classic while adding a little flare to them. So that was a conscious decision. We have some new stuff that is gonna drop and blow some minds. We want the other guys to step their game up and these new models are going to have to make them bring their finest.

You named one of the designs after your Grandpa “Bud,” how proud would he be to see glasses named after him being worn all over the world?

(Laughs), you gotta know something about my Grandpa Bud. He was always scheming and coming up with new ideas and businesses. There’s a funny story, when he died some of his siblings mentioned that he never graduated from high school. It was something no one really knew. After he started his business he was making good money and went back and saw his High School Principal and his principal asked him, ‘Bud, How’s your business? How much money are you making?’ He told him and his principal said, ‘shoot that’s more money than I make.’ When he was really established he went out and bought a Caddy. A year later he bought another one for my grandma. So the guy had two Cadillac’s sitting in the garage early on. He just worked hard and made things happen. So, to be honest I think he’d be proud for sure, but he wouldn’t expect anything less from his grandsons. Can’t knock the hustle.

What can we expect from Proof this fall/winter?

We’re coming with some new models and some new twists on the old classics that are going to blow minds. We are super stoked on getting these things on people’s faces. We are also coming out with some new accessories that are going to take us from being a sunglass company to being an accessories company. You know we’ll be staying on the sustainable bent in the next chapter. We can’t say more than that. So just stay tuned. We’ll be dropping more info on our Facebook and Twitter accounts so keep up with the comings and goings.

We are really excited about this next chapter for Proof. It should be a lot of fun and expand our base across some more demographics while staying true to who we are.

Wiz Khalifa is taking full advantage of his 15 minutes of fame. We had already heard about his branded blunt wraps now the Pittsburgh emcee is peddling sunglasses.

Currently available for pre-order, “The Elevators” shades come in tortoise and black. Wiz rocked them in the clip for his hit song “Black & Yellow” and for the very steep price of $225 you can rock them too.

Spotted: RR

Since 2005 Louis Vuitton has been making some of the hottest shades in the business. Their Summer collection carries on the tradition of crazy styles and outside the box design with inspiration from the seventies and a technicolor feel. All of the frames will be rolled out in March 2010. More shots

]]> http://www.kuhvet.com/2009/12/22/louis-vuitton-summer-sunglasses/feed/ 0 http://www.kuhvet.com/2009/12/22/orisue-pop-up-shop/ http://www.kuhvet.com/2009/12/22/orisue-pop-up-shop/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:32:24 +0000 The Notorious BJP http://www.kuhvet.com/?p=2542

Dope brands, Belve and Corona. How can you go wrong?

(Editors Note: Overhyped is a revolving forum for tastemakers to express their constructive dislike for something that the street or the media is over hyping. The views don’t necessarily reflect the ownership or staff of kuhvet.com. Don’t take it personal.)

The Subject: Ray Ban Wayfarer’s
The Guilty Party: Complex.com
The Crime: Over hyping the latest Ray Bans

Complex commands readers to “Buy It Now” because “it’s still cool enough that you can fit in with the D Bags in Williamsburg, but unique enough that you can scoff at the streetwalkers when your real friends stop by for a beer.” I hate to break it to you Complex, but you are the D Bag in Williamsburg, and that beer your holding is probably a PBR.

The new editions Wayfarers may be black and red (whoot!), but we all know what Obama said about putting lipstick on a pig. Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not opposed to Ray Bans as a nose-perch, in general. But whatever you call them, and however you color them, you can’t sneak a hipster Ray Ban by me. Ditto for the cheap knock-offs or, God help you, expensive knock-offs.

So, Complex readers, I say embrace your inner hipster instead of just riding the aesthetic, and continue to rock out with your checkered keffiyeh out. Collect those sunglasses like you’re Rick Ross on a sunny day in McCarren park — just accept the fact that that you’ll always fit someone’s definition of a “hipster” — which, like love, misfortune, or RAY BANS, knows no color. – B.O.P.