Blenders Eyewear Presents: Gareth Emery // Full Circle

A crowded Cali club. A sensational set. And a chance bit of life-changing style. Learn how an unforgettable night led to an unexpected friendship—and how song, dance, and a slice of serendipity came Full Circle into the Blenders brand you love today.

Sup Blenderville! It’s Chase.

I know. You don’t often hear from me on the blog. Aside from my emails thanking you and the community for the staggering level of support you show, I’m busy running Blendz as the “Big Fish.”

But how did Blenders come to be? How’d I even get here? You see, there’s a hell of a story behind it all—a surprising tale of how I found my stoke for the sunglasses biz.

It’s time it was told.

If you’ve always felt the day sounds better when you press ‘Play’ on your passions; that hard work is the hook that makes life’s song work; and that great things really can be born from a good time, well, let me tell you…

You’re damn right on all counts.

(BTW, stick around following this story for an unbelievable, Blenders-exclusive two-hour solo set from DJ Gareth Emery, filmed just for you in Nevada’s salt flats—or scroll down, press play, and vibe as you read!)

The Backstory: Beats, Beaters, and Blenders

For what seems like forever, Gareth Emery has been my favorite artist. Not just my favorite DJ or producer. All-time, all genres—Gareth was and is my dude. He brought a sound that hit different to me, right off the rip. The depth, the vocals, the style… and that wicked work ethic of his. I could always tell he busted his ass to be the best and I admired that.

So, when I heard he was coming to San Diego in 2011, I was first in line like I always was for his shows. Except that time, I put a twist on things—I rolled through with a pair of $5 beater shades I copped from Target.

Here’s what’s wild: They were a total hit. Everyone was coming up, asking about them, and prying them from my face. The set was sensational but the experience also planted a seed: What started out as a night with close friends and good tunes turned into a full-blown passion for sunglasses.

That packed club and those fire beats would go on to birth Blenders, but it also paved the way for one wonderful friendship.

From Fandom to Friendship: A Timeline

2011: I attend Gareth Emery’s ‘Northern Lights’ show wearing beater sunglasses. The crowd goes wild—for the show and for the sunnies.

2013: Built off the back of the unforgettable ‘Northern Lights’ set in 2011, I empty my bank account for a trip to Taiwan to meet our sunglasses manufacturer and solidify a relationship we knew would be a long one. Afterward, we make the most of our one-night layover, hitting Taipei’s streets to soak up the local culture—and get soaked by the falling rain. As darkness grew and neon lights dazzled through the mist, we stumble on a big, blasting, blaring billboard… heralding a huge Gareth Emery show set for April 19th.

We check our phones. It’s April 19th. No flipping way! We hit the 7-11, pre-funk like champs, and get blown away by another dynamite set courtesy of our boy from across the pond.

Immediately after returning to San Diego, I email Gareth to relay the story.

 2014: Blenders becomes the official sponsor of Groove Cruise Miami. Unknowingly, Gareth happened to headline this event. I know the lead photographer and Gareth takes his first picture in Blendz. I post the pic and tag everyone I know or think-I-know is close to him. 

The next day he "liked" the photo. 

2015: Roxanne, Gareth’s sister, reaches out about an Electric for Life collaboration, Gareth’s radio show and foundation to help society’s most vulnerable groups. I walk into the office the next day and tell the team to refocus their efforts on the new project—this is big!

I catch up with Roxanne and Gareth in Los Angeles to discuss Electric For Life. For the first time, Gareth and I enter business together, launching a limited-time EFL x Blenders custom sunglasses collaboration.

2016: At his invitation, I spend 4th of July at Gareth’s house. Beyond fandom, beyond business, Gareth and I simply kick it as buddies. It’s sick.

Full Circle: Since that Independence Day party in 2016, Gareth and I have become close, sharing our common interests in business, music, and life. Increasingly, it became so, so necessary to do something big with Gareth. Something that meaningfully told our story in a way all of you could appreciate. Something that brought our journeys Full Circle, from Cali’s shining rays to Taipei’s neon lights, all the way to how we’re now Living Forward together.

Today, with Gareth Emery // Full Circle, we’re honoring that special nightclub performance all those years ago with an exclusive two-hour, earth-shaking solo set in the salt flats of Nevada. It celebrates a chance friendship, a brand origin story and, just as importantly, all the support you Blend Heads have thrown our way since the beginning.

A wild ride deserves a wicked set, but make no mistake, we’re just getting started here at Blenders—and the ride ain’t slowing down anytime soon. So grab your Blendz, buckle up, and bring your stoke, because it’s all out there waiting for each and every one of us.

Let’s get after it!

Chase //