Q&A with Jonathan Ross Sceats

We sat down with the legendary Jonathan Sceats, Australian optical designer and brand developer for eyewear brands Jack De Ross, Jono Hennessy, Carter Bond, Zeffer and Jonathan Sceats Eyewear, to hear his take on what it’s like as an Australian designer in the optical industry.

 Q: JONO, as one of Australia’s most iconic eyewear designers, tell us of your proudest achievements.

 Seeing the results of promoting Australian design makes me proud.

When I see other Australian designers at Silmo Paris and Mido Milan, like SUNSHADES, Peter Combes and Niloca etc., I feel proud that we can do it from Australia.

Representing Australian design at the World Fair in Barcelona, being inducted into the Australian Design Institute Hall of Fame and starting the Design Council at the Museum of Contemporary Art with the wonderful Lucy Turnbull were all COOL.

But my real joy is seeing Australian Designers in all areas showing overseas. For me, that is exciting as it ultimately helps people in Australia and shows our creativity.

 Q Your interest in Eyewear & Optical evolved organically and unplanned, would you agree?

My father was an Optometrist in Sydney, so I grew up around his practice. At one stage, he had an Optician making unique, highly coloured, Perspex handmade frames in the practice on Pitt street.

I did spend a lot of time working out what to do, like 2 years at University (or should I say 2 years at the Pub down the road from UNSW) 4 years as an operator on the trading floor of the stock exchange, (late nights at the bar under the Wentworth hotel) but during that time and after, I went to various art schools at night for 4 years.

Dad sold his practice, and I then put sunglass lenses in a lot of his old optical frames and sold them at the Woollahra fair. They were a big hit, so I thought I would learn about the Optical industry. I got two jobs selling optical frames and got fired twice, realising this was a slight problem, I decided I had better make my own frames, as getting a job could be difficult. And that is how it started.

 Q: To design fashionable quality Eyewear ranges, what are the essential skills required?

 Besides liking fashion and design, it is important to understand the technical CAD drawings for the machinery. For example, designing off datum plus an understanding of balance in design.

I still do my technical drawings by hand (pencil on tracing paper) with all the measurements so they can be converted to CAD.

I learnt all the rules for tech drawing, like bridge heights above datum, widths and depths, etc, from an Austrian Optician. The mantra has always been “COMFORT, FIT AND QUALITY. “

 Q: How have your brands continued to be competitive?

 In today’s world, with so much information and media, it is important to operate in a different way and to love change. Fashion is just enjoying and managing change, BUT it is hard for a brand to be all things, so the creative newness has to be recognisable.

It is interesting as an Australian Brand, we use the best available materials worldwide. So the quality of our styles has to be the major part of being new and continuing to be creative in our styles and construction. Plus, being ahead of Europe, we are able to export successfully.

 Q: Has technology enhanced your creativity & productivity?

New technologies and constructions are exciting, and the major ones arrive every 2 or 3 years. We were one of the first brands in the world to use HDCA, a hardened acetate. My friend, who makes acetate, took two years to develop it and prove its quality, and it can be cut thin and lightweight but retain its strength. Also, we were the first to introduce special acetate in a wood look finish that can be heated and adjusted.

Some of the new technologies that appear, I will know fairly soon, through experience, if they will work or not, as they are often great ideas but don’t pass the “quality, comfort and fit ‘test.

 Q: Your authentic and unique designs have influenced Australian style since the 80s, is this still part of your theme today?

 The 80’s in Australia was a very free creative time, and we all hung out together as fashion designers, interior designers and filmmakers, and generally mad people at night time venues like Stranded and Cabaret Conspiracy, and this helped create individual styles with no rules.

Plus, growing up on the beaches in Sydney was a huge influence and a part of our lives, this area also helped produce unique worldwide brands like Mambo etc.

But today’s themes are more about the feelings you get from what you see changing.  So our visual and social media and Netflix life, plus creating good in life, is more important now in influencing what we enjoy and want. For many people, these are the new religions.

From a visual and new technology life, we are all moving to eco materials and carbon reduction, our new religions. We have an electric car and absolutely love it as we watch the whole world moving this way.

 Q: You have natural flair which can’t be acquired, what is your best tips for aspiring designers to succeed?

 Try to create a new individual look that you can own. But make sure whatever you make has perfect comfort and fit and is a joy to wear. And don’t stop if your first range is slow, learn from this and keep going as long as it is your passion.