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Sylvain Onofri, creator of SkyGear

From high-level rowing to creating glasses that truly protect your eyes.

Rowing, the sport of my life

I'm Sylvain Onofri. Before becoming an eyewear designer, I was a high-level rower. Rowing is more than just a sport for me: it's a school of life. You learn discipline, rigor, and humility in the face of the elements. On the water, there's no cheating. Either your equipment holds up, or it lets you down.

After my sports career, I made a switch to an unexpected field: ballistic protection, shooting, and tactical recreation. I developed protective gear for professionals, with a rare privilege: being advised by the GIGN in Satory to create a range dedicated to defense forces.

When you design for those who risk their lives, you learn quickly. Every detail counts. Function must take precedence over everything else. There is no room for approximation.

Back to basics

At the end of 2019, I returned to my first love by joining the French Rowing Federation. And that's where everything changed.

Something struck me: in sports, as in everyday life, we wear sunglasses to protect ourselves. But are we really protecting ourselves effectively?

The discovery that changes everything

I conducted my own research. I consulted reliable sources—specialized eye health websites, scientific studies, and cross-referencing using various AI tools. The conclusion is inescapable:

We have always been mistaken in the way we protect our eyes from the sun and its UV rays.

Classic city glasses — square or round — offer no lateral protection. UV rays penetrate freely around the sides, reaching the tip of the eye, and even beyond.

Even worse: many sporty models lack horizontal coverage to protect the outer corner of the eye. There has clearly been too much emphasis on aesthetics in recent years, and not enough on actual protection.

Therefore, I could not remain a spectator.

The birth of SkyGear

I then decided to design my own glasses to make that valuable difference. From A to Z. Alone. Every curve, every detail, every choice of material.

Not to make it look pretty — to do the right thing .

SkyGear is the result of this obsession: to put the priority back on the primary function of a pair of sunglasses , that is to properly protect the eyes against UV rays.

The characteristics that matter

Among the lightest on the market: between 21 and 25 grams depending on whether or not removable membranes are added.

Adjustable to your body shape. Customizable to your taste.

But above all: designed to envelop the eye, to block UV rays where they try to penetrate. Horizontally (temple to temple) and vertically (eyebrows to cheekbones).

I don't compromise. I learned from the GIGN, from rowing, from every experience where approximation has no place.

Recognition

Today, SkyGear signs partnerships with French sports federations — such as the Île-de-France National Police Sports Federation, for example.

Not by chance. Because those who demand the best know when a product lives up to its promises.

My mission

I don't just want to sell glasses. I want to raise awareness .

To make people understand that wearing sunglasses isn't just about looks. It's about health. About real protection. About making a commitment to yourself.

SkyGear is a French brand driven by my convictions as a former high-level athlete and demanding designer. I design, I test, I select. Everything. Because I refuse to compromise.

And you ?

Do you think you are truly protected with your glasses?

SkyGear doesn't promise to revolutionize your style. I promise to protect your eyes as they deserve. With glasses designed for sports, for the city, for life.

Lightweight, adjustable, high-performance.

Because ultimately, whether on the water or in life, you can't cheat when it comes to what's essential .

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