Comments on: Q&A Catherine Federici | Sunglasses Designer

By: catherine

catherine — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 02:03:08 +0000

hey Kid Cat
my typical day is pretty manic…. a mix of design work, sorting out production issues with our manufacturer, talking to magazine editors and stylists, working on our blog http://www.eyecandyoptics.com, selling to our international retailers in the, paying bills, buying USD currency and a million other things. I’m always in a constant state of flux. every day is different, very little is consistent or stays the same way for long so i’ve had to really embrace the ‘go with the flow’ thing..

By: Cat

Cat — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:33:30 +0000

Nice name! My parents gave me the same one
Our lives seem completely different though… you have done something out of yours! How does a typical day looks for you?

By: mecho team

mecho team — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 06:04:43 +0000

Ha! Fair enough, not everyone’s cup of tea, we know… Personally, we are thinking of breaking up with Mr MySpace but separation is hard when there are still some sparks… Since you are on FB, we hope that you have Become a Fan of mecho though!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/mecho-the-style-black-book/15139985113

Wow you learned from the late Rene Rivkin! How did you manage to get into those circles? Keep up your good work!

By: catherine

catherine — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:49:24 +0000

Hey Team Mecho.. I confess, I set up a twiitter account a week ago… and deleted it today. I’m not digging the vibe of it all.
I’m intensely anti myspace for sooo many reasons.
I reluctantly joined facebook a couple of months ago and can only cope ’cause these people are actually my friends…. and there’s a FB “I Hate Ed Hardy” group I joined – a worthy cause indeed. xx

By: catherine

catherine — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:37:23 +0000

Hiya James, It’s a bit of a story, better get that cuppa
Since age 14, I worked in optical boutiques through highschool and uni, so when I finally graduated, my head (and a bunch of sketch books) was full of eyewear designs, hinges, and various ‘pie in the sky’ concepts. stuff that still makes me wonder what drugs I was on! But I believe that allowing your creative head loose is mandatory when it comes to design (of anything).
Funnily, I loved the creative and analytical blend that Industrial Design offered. I loved the I.D course more for the head space it gave me rather than the obvious reason… to get a job as an Industrial Designer.
Ultimately, I am a consumer goods person at heart. I relentlessly analyse designs, materials, mechanisms, packaging etc.
Before starting Isson, I worked as a product tester, quality control manager, eyewear buyer and strangely, I managed a start-up business for the late Rene Rivkin. A truly amazing man.
All this came to a head and led me back to my real passion to design eyewear. I had more than just optical knowledge. Now i had quality control and Australian Standards testing experience, dealing with factories, importing goods, pricing calculations, retail sales and the biggy, how to run a business which Rene gave me the opportunity to learn.
Then one day, we bit the bullet. Off I went to a bunch of international trade fairs to find factories and the rest is history!!

By: catherine

catherine — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:31:05 +0000

Thanks Leah. I’m chuffed you’re digging my little sun-friends.
I am just in the process of producing my 8th collection (wow, just surprised myself).

By: James

James — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:03:17 +0000

Hi Catherine, did you know you were going to end up being an eyewear designer when you studided industrial design? How did you go from there to where you are now? All, I say is wow! J

By: Leah

Leah — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:44:35 +0000

Hi Catherine,

Gotta get my hands on a pair of sunnies from your range! How many collections have you done so far? Love them!

Leah

By: mecho team

mecho team — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:35:41 +0000

Cheeeses indeed, Catherine! Sorry, we did not put up your Jizz snap You should set up a Twitter account and let us follow your Twitpics – instant mobile pics to be shared. That would be gold! People’s faces would be fun but probably harder to snap without getting a slap on your face.

By the way, have a chat to our other guest blogger, Street Fashion Photographer Hayley Hughes. She would have fun anectdotes of people on the streets plus Japanese Engrish signs

By: catherine

catherine — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:34:01 +0000

Hey Laura, Ahh HK.. You know you love a place when you fly in and it feels like home. Yeah some yum cha places have trolleys, but mostly not…. so it’s a bit of hit’n miss but half the fun trying new things. I do love a surprise!
as for taking pics, I want to take more of people on the street. I pass many faces that tell a thousand words. … still, how can someone not snap the Jizz Fashion store in the QVB mall?? Cheeses!! (sorry Yen)