Lizzo's New High-Glam Quay Sunglasses Collection Will Make You Look Good While Giving Back

A summer possibly spent at home doesn't mean any amount of style should be sacrificed. Whether or not our backyards, patios, and apartment rooftops will serve as our official summer 2020 getaways, one thing is for sure: Lizzo's new collaboration with eyewear brand Quay ensures that stellar sunnies should be a vital component of our warm-weather wardrobes.

The extensive collection, which launches today on Quay's website, features tried-and-true, classic silhouettes upgraded with fabulous and funky detailing inspired by the pop star herself. The eight styles incorporate some of Quay's best-selling shapes, such as cat eyes, aviators, and shields, and start at just $55.

"[The collection is] just so over the top, sexy high-gloss glam. And I feel like I've been such a fan of playing in that world lately that I wanted to just take it a step further with this specific collaboration," Lizzo tells BAZAAR.com.

Before the coronavirus pandemic brought the world to a standstill—literally, with the majority of people staying home if they can to stop the spread of the novel virus—Lizzo's constant traveling due to a rigorous press and touring schedule encouraged her new dependence on the staple accessory.

"I've had to wear a lot of sunglasses lately, and that is not normal for me. For one reason, I'm in Brazil. You know what I mean? Or I'm in Mexico. And then, for another reason, going to and from all of these events, my stylist, he would just throw a pair of shades on me, and it's been something that's new to me and exciting to me," explained the "Truth Hurts" singer. "I have a large collection of sunglasses now, which I didn't have before 2018. So when Quay reached out to me, I was actually excited to partner with them, because it's something new and exciting—and I just wanted to give people some glam to look at."

Lizzo didn't just wants her fans to look good after purchasing a pair of shades; she wanted them to help do good as well. Coinciding with the launch, Quay and Lizzo are teaming up with Feeding America—the country's largest hunger-relief organization—to donate one million meals to those currently in need due to the crisis. From May 20 to 25, customers can buy any pair from the new collection and receive another pair of their choice for free, while Quay will donate at least 100 meals per purchase through Feeding America.

"There are people who are not doing as well as I am, and I'm just always conscious of that. As a super-empathic person, it's so difficult having to sit here while I know people are getting furloughed or laid off. And there are kids that aren't having graduations and people who aren't able to get food as readily as they normally do. And it's heartbreaking for families who have to bury family members, my family included," says Lizzo of the health crisis. "This pandemic has truly changed everything. I don't know if it's changed everything forever, but things are completely different. Literally, the Dua Lipa song, like, two full 180s. I'm very optimistic about the future of it, but I am super sympathetic while we're going through this."

Being a part of a campaign that encourages people to give back was a crucial component for Lizzo's collaboration with Quay.

"Everything that I participate in, I always ask myself, what does this do for the greater good? What good does this do for humanity? How does this help the world? And feeding people, honestly, I don't know why, maybe it's my family roots, but I love feeding people. I think that everybody deserves a warm home-cooked meal or a good meal," explains Lizzo.

"I was so excited that Quay was down to partner with me in that, because I don't want to do anything that's just for the sake of doing it. Hundreds of people have had sunglasses campaigns and there are hundreds of different sunglasses companies and brands, but if we are going to help somebody with the sunglasses that we sell, with the profits that we make, if we can put a smile on someone's face and fill somebody's belly or take some stress off of a parent who needs to feed somebody for a day and can't—that makes it more than just selling sunglasses to me. That makes it matter."

Even while staying at home, Lizzo is managing to keep busy. The superstar shares that in between experimenting in the kitchen (she successfully baked her first batch of vegan banana bread) and finding new ways to stay creative with her team (including trying out FaceTime photo shoots), she's also working nonstop in her home studio on new music.

"I've never had a [home] studio before, and I was always intimidated by working by myself. And I've been in my studio every day working on music and writing songs, producing songs, recording myself, collaborating. It's been extremely fruitful," reveals the singer. "I've written so many songs. I was already in songwriting mode after [performing on] SNL. I was like, 'Okay, when is this going to be over?' because it's just time to tell a new story, to tell the new part of my story. So I've been itching to write, and I've been writing a lot. I'm not rushing anything, and I also am not trying to force anything. I think everything will come out when it's supposed to."

When the time is right for the world to be graced with new Lizzo music, the singer hopes the world will be able to safely reconvene again—because there's nothing she misses more than being onstage in front of her fans.

"I can't wait to play a show again. I've missed the audiences. I miss the people who love me and that I love so much," says Lizzo. "I miss connecting with them in that way. So I cannot wait to play a show again. It's going to be a great day."

This article originally appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR US.

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