Fashion: Valley Rays – PHOENIX magazine

In 2023, Phoenix entrepreneurs Anthony DeVito and Shane Eberspacher sought to apply their engineering backgrounds to design sunglasses built to withstand the blazing Arizona sun. Now, their brand collaborates with local athletes to design durable yet fashionable sunglasses that can withstand any physical activity, from jogging to mountain biking. “Our goal is to have five really popular models,” DeVito says. “We started off with the Phoenix and came out with the Sedona about a year ago. We’re designing the third one now.” The shades are made with Lucid Lens, which was designed for Navy SEALs and is lighter than glass, but with similar clarity. The frames are made from castor bean oil to be sturdy, flexible and sustainable. DeVito says Valley Rays aims to offer “premium [quality] without the big-brand price tag” of companies like Oakley and Ray-Ban. There’s also a charitable component – the brand supports Phoenix hunger nonprofit AzBrainfood with a portion of its profits. “We believe in what’s called business as a purpose,” DeVito says. “There are kids in our city who don’t know if they’re going to eat this weekend. We’re newly fathers, so it kind of hit home for us.” valleyrays.com