International Women's Day at Just Sunnies

At Just Sunnies, we're big fans of celebrating anything and everything from important causes, milestones and extraordinary people in the industry. In light of International Women's Day, we reached out to a handful of women in the office to discuss what inspires them, their experience in a female-dominated workplace and what this day means to them. These women, who work alongside the equally fantastic men, are the faces behind marketing, customer service, inventory and all that makes Just Sunnies go round. Get to know our incredible team and join the uplifting conversation around women's achievements in the workplace and everyday life.

Who or what inspires you?
My biggest inspiration is my mum - she is probably the strongest woman I know and I hope to have her strength and perseverance as I get older.

What are the best things about working in a women-dominated workplace?
Definitely the support and understanding of women. 

What do you love most about being a woman?
We can be so independent now - we have come such a long way!

Who did you look up to as a girl?
As before definitely my mum, but I’m also incredibly inspired by female actors in particular - especially in the last couple of years with the #MeToo movement. With social media being such a powerful tool, there is something so moving to see the most famous, strong women advocating for those who have no voice, to stand up for ourselves and fight for equality.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
Courage and power!

Who or what inspires you?
I’m constantly inspired by women-led and owned businesses. But I’m also so lucky to have a strong, selfless and fierce Mum who time and time again inspires me to be brave and resilient. I owe a lot to her.    

What are the best things about working in a women-dominated workplace?
Having your very own fan club every day to cheer you on! We genuinely have women who uplift women at Just Sunnies and I feel so grateful every day to be a part of our workplace. 

What do you love most about being a woman?
I think women make great leaders, we are great listeners and compassionate human beings. I think the thing I love the most though is the relationship and bond women have with one another. There’s nothing better than being with a group of fabulous girlfriends.

Who did you look up to as a girl?
I remember flicking between MTV and Channel E, watching Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port Intern at Teen Vogue & Kelly Controne then would tune in to Giuliana Rancic reporting from the Red Carpet at the Emmy Awards. It was definitely a time when younger me was exploring what career path I wanted to take, and both of those TV shows were so iconic and influential during that time. 

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
To celebrate women from all walks of life. We’re making history.

Who or what inspires you?
I’m inspired every day by my friends and peers, seeing others' success inspires me to do better myself.

What are the best things about working in a women-dominated workplace?
Being surrounded by like-minded women who encourage and cheer each other on :)

What do you love most about being a woman?
I love that I can express my mood and personality with fashion and accessories, not saying you can’t do that as a man!

Who did you look up to as a girl?
As a child, I remember looking up to my single aunt who mothered 4 of my cousins. Huge respect.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
When I think about International Women’s day I feel proud to be a woman, and everything feminism stands for.

Who or what inspires you?
Who - my mum, my friends and colleagues, women in business. What - creativity + big ideas + the future of technology.

What are the best things about working in a women-dominated workplace?
A sense of sister-ship, it's inspiring to have a team working together and killing it in their roles (the guys included though, go team). 

What do you love most about being a woman?
Fashion & style, the options are endless. 

Who did you look up to as a girl?
The Olsen Twins + Rachel Zoe #fashion.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
Celebrating women and cheering each other on.

Who or what inspires you?
I take a lot of inspiration from what’s around me, whether that’s nature, community, or women doing incredible things. I’m lucky to have a lot of women in my close circle who are their own bosses, I love to observe and learn from them as well as what’s happening in the world.

What are the best things about working in a women-dominated workplace?
Communication, definitely. We’re very fortunate to have so many like-minded people working together. We’re all such great friends and just get each other.

What do you love most about being a woman?
Everything! We’re powerful and badass. Plus we have more fun.

Who did you look up to as a girl?
Both of my parents. My mum for her compassion and way with words, and my dad for his drive and intelligence. I’m still aspiring to be the perfect blend of both!

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It’s a day to celebrate and uplift each other while remembering how far women have come. 

Who or what inspires you?
My mum is one of my biggest sources of inspiration lately. Her resilience is beyond comprehension. Growing up, she always had the ability to be hella scary without raising her voice, I want that! Lol.

What are the best things about working in a women-dominated workplace?
Great conversations every day, women are so verbal about the love and respect they have for each other.

What do you love most about being a woman?
The freedom to be nurturing and fierce at the same time.

Who did you look up to as a girl?
Cindy Lauper was one of my biggest idols when I has a girl. She dared to stand out without relying on sexual tones alone and she wrote her own music and basically did it all her way.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
This year it has meant taking a moment to think about what is so great about my gender.

This International Women's Day, we reached out to the women in the office to discuss what inspires them most, what this day means & more.

International Women's Day | Just Sunnies Australia

With Jon Laurenson, founder and managing director of Childe.

This September, we're celebrating sustainability within the eyewear industry. With a focus on the brands that are making changes within their manufacturing processes to include more eco-friendly and clean practices, Sustainable Spring is all about shining highlighting the importance of sustainability while proving that eco-conscious eyewear doesn't mean a sacrifice in style.

We spoke to Jon Laurenson, the brains behind the up and coming brand, Childe, to discuss how the brand came to be, what influences their creative direction most, and of course, their environmentally-friendly approach to eyewear. Keep reading to gain an insight into the trendy Byron Bay brand and how they are leaps ahead when it comes to sustainable innovation. 

Can you tell us a little bit about Childe and how it came to be?

Childe came about when I was travelling through Portugal in 2018. I was thinking about developing an eco-considered sunglass brand with a rock n roll persona. I had this feeling that the young environmental activists are the new rock stars of today and the rock stars of today are the next environmental custodians too. 
 I wanted to build a brand around that culture and belief. I wasn’t seeing this type of sunglass brand on the market either. While I was in Portugal, I decided to contact and then visit the manufacturers in Italy that I previously worked with at Arnette and Electric. I also got working on a logo that represented recycling and the evolution of life created through death. Hence the Childe Ouroboros logo of the serpent eating its own tale which is the symbol of eternal evolution or infinity. 
The objective was to design and develop a brand and sunglass collection that was both eco-sensitive in the materials and production methods inspired by the style and persona of rock n roll inspired from the ’60s and ’70s. Over the course of the next 12 months, I developed a small collection of 2 eco-sensitive frame materials that we launched at the end of 2019. I want Childe to be a brand with a progressive mindset that has an open-minded inclusive voice that joins and expresses community to create a more eco-conscious attitude for the planet. As a brand, I want to create excellent sunglasses that create represent this persona. Childe is Australian, modernistic, eco-sensitive eyewear inspired by artists, musicians and activists.



We love Childe’s edgy and youthful aesthetic, where do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from the musicians, artists and activists who carry the charisma, style and persona to make a positive impact on our community and environment. The community leaders, innovators and outcasts that walk the talk and strut their style with a positive outlook. I draw the design inspiration from iconic musicians of the past combined with the current needs of our environment and modernistic design. 
Sunglasses should enhance your charisma and vibe so we produce eyewear that gives you raw, fresh energy and style. Childe is a kick in the teeth to the mundane and kisses on the lips to the progressive.

If you could describe the Childe customer in 3 words, what would they be?

Designed in Byron Bay and made in Italy. 

One of our favourite things about Childe is your approach to sustainable eyewear, what prompted the company to become eco-friendly and can you tell us more about the creation process?

I’ve always lived in and around the ocean in Australia so naturally, I wanted to create a brand that respected the environment. Having worked in eyewear for the past 20 years I often thought how the environment was not a priority so much in the past for this industry which was a product of the times. I decided that if I was to create my own brand this time ( I was one of the founders of Electric Visual in 2000) I wanted the environment to be seriously considered in the brand's ethos and products.

My vision for Childe is an eco-sensitive and environmentally conscious eyewear fashion brand. The objective is to be sustainable in our production process, the product quality itself and the consumer's experience of our product. Childe creates quality eyewear that people can trust is going to be their favourite pair of sunglasses for years and years and not just seasonally. To create a collection we develop a theme and story to define the design aesthetic. We then draw each sunglass style according to that theme to form a collection with a distinct style and fit.

When each frame shape drawing is complete we then decide what eco-sensitive frame material is best to make that particular style from. 1 style will be best to produce with Bio Acetate and some might be best if they are lightweight ad produced in the plant-based polymer. We can then choose colours and lenses to make the product complete. Currently, we use 2 eco-sensitive frame materials to create 2 sunglass collections at 2 definitive price points to cater for the various consumers:

Our Childe Wilde collection is a plant-based polymer that is made from castor oil and 61% renewable resources. The biggest advantage of this product is it is a huge reduction of carbon emissions in the production process as opposed to petroleum-based products. These frames are also lightweight and very comfortable to wear.

The Childe Hand Made Bio collection is made from premium Italian Bio acetate called Mazzucchelli M49. This M49 Bio-acetate is made from cotton and wood pulp fibres and organic binding compounds to produce an eyewear frame that lasts a lifetime. This is considered to be the best Bio-acetate product available on the market for eyewear. This product is also recyclable and bio-degradable under industrial conditions.
Following this, we also make sure our packaging is recyclable by using PET bottles for our sunglass pouches, recycled cardboard for packaging and soy-based inks.

We also offer a sustainable lens replacement program called #CHILDEFORLIFE. We teamed up with local award-winning Byron Bay company The Sunglass Fix to provide our customers with the ability to replace scratched or damaged lenses so your sunglasses can be enjoyed for a lifetime. You don’t need to throw away or replace sunglasses just because your lenses are scratched. We replace them for you for Free for the first 12 months and then at a very reasonable cost there-after so you can enjoy your favourite Childe for Life. Together, for you, we created Childe for Life to replace your sunglass lenses at any time. Sustainable lens replacement. Premium quality, eco-sensitive, sustainable sunglasses. Designed in Byron Bay. Made In Italy.

Overall sustainability should first be durable quality products so people get their lifespan and essential use of the product. Then if the product can be biodegradable or recycled into another useful product when its lifespan is over that is excellent. I believe that is the epitome of sustainability. Quality, lifespan, recyclable. 

With a variety of eco-friendly frame materials on the market, was using bio-acetate a no brainer?

No, it wasn’t actually. 
As mentioned we use 2 eco-sensitive frame materials – a plant-based polymer and an Italian bio-acetate because these were the best eco considerate materials that we knew of and we could work with to build our collection at the time of manufacturing. In the last 12 months, a number of new eco frame and lens materials are becoming available which is great. There is also some corporate obstacles to overcome as a small brand too. For example one of the best eco-frame material we know of now is only licensed to Gucci at this stage so that kind of defeats the purpose if it’s not available for everybody to use?
 Being a small brand can limit your access to new materials too or we can be first to market with others
 Overall we are always searching and pushing for ways to improve our product and lessen the brand and product footprint to reduce the impact on the environment overall. 
 By always questioning our suppliers for improved, more sustainable materials we should see more evolution in eco-materials being available to use in the future.
 The eyewear industry has a long way to go to become truly sustainable. 2 years ago when I launched this brand there were very few people discussing Bio-Acetate. Now, most brands are considering it in their product mix for the future which is a step in the right direction but I fear most only discussing it because it’s a buzzword. How many actually change their entire collections to these eco biomaterials remains to be seen. 
 We are 100% committed to the cause with the materials that are available.
 For example next month we will launch our new bio lenses made from 39% plant-based materials. They are not the perfect sustainable solution either but as far as we know they are the best eco considered lens on the market right now. 
 It’s the little steps in the right direction that helps to improve the environmental impact and pushes the industry overall which is realistically the best we can do day to day.


We think big things are in store for Childe, where do you see the brand in the next five years?

Ha ha, thanks. Our intention is to create an iconic sunglass brand that people love due to the exceptional quality and fit of our eyewear made from eco considered materials that make you feel and look great. Thanks to your support we will be a successful independent Australian brand in 5 years.


A favourite style you have created so far?

My favourite style would have to be the Mookhi cat-eye. It's inspired by an iconic 1950’s era cat eye with a modernistic depth of frame and bevelled edging that evolves a traditionally female style into a unisex fit and style. 


This September, we are celebrating sustainability within the eyewear industry, what message do you hope to spread surrounding this?

I hope that people really consider their sunglass purchase and buy a product of true quality as sustainability comes from the quality of the product that can last a lifetime. Sustainability in sunglasses comes from premium quality manufacturing combined with eco considered materials so make your decisions based on those 2 qualities.

You can keep up with Childe by signing up to our newsletters at our website www.childe.co or our Instagram @childe_co.

We spoke to Jon Laurenson, the brains behind the up and coming brand, Childe. Keep reading to gain an insight into the trendy Byron Bay brand and how they are leaps ahead when it comes to sustainable innovation.

Sunny Sessions with Jon Laurenson from Childe | Just Sunnies

This August, the Just Sunnies team braved the chilly winter mornings and afternoons to walk with our best furry friends in order to raise funds for Guide Dogs Australia. As eye care and protection is an integral part of Just Sunnies, it seemed only fitting for us to participate in Pawgust to raise funds for those who need a guide dog to help them see. 

By setting a goal to walk or run for at least 30 minutes a day for the month of August, we're pleased to announce that the Just Sunnies team raised $1,573.00 thanks to our generous friends, colleagues and family. We loved being part of such an important cause that was made even better with our dogs by our side. We can't wait for the next PAWgust!

Guide Dogs Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers essential services to anyone who is blind or has low vision. With a belief that vision loss should not limit anyone's independence, Guide Dogs provides assistance to anyone with vision loss while encouraging them to be active and involved members of the community. Receiving only minimal government funding, Guide Dogs Australia relies on the generous support of the community to fund programs and services such as training guide dogs, assistance dogs, orientation and mobility services, daily living services and client support.  

The Pawgust challenge started in 2018 in order to raise funds for the important services the organisation was providing to the community and has since raised over $3.2 million dollars for Guide Dogs!

A big thanks to everyone who supported us in August! If you would like to get involved in fundraising for Guides Dog Australia or want to find out more about their awesome cause, click here.

This August, the Just Sunnies team braved the chilly winter mornings and afternoons to walk with our best furry friends in order to raise funds for Guide Dogs Australia. Keep reading to find out more about this PAWsome cause!

Just Sunnies for PAWgust

July is National Eye Health Awareness Month, and while we are in the middle of winter, we believe there is no better time to remind all Australians of the importance of maintaining healthy eyes, especially leading up to the hottest months ahead. This month, we have discussed the benefits of wearing proper eyewear, eye conditions that can arise from UV exposure and our best eye care tips. However, no one can attest to the value of proper eye care better than professionals in the optical industry. We sat down with Rebekah Barnes, a local Optometrist here on the sunny Gold Coast, to discuss the rewarding career of Optometry and why it's so important to get regular eye checks.

Please tell us a little about yourself and what made you want to become an Optometrist?

Hi, I’m Rebekah, an Optometrist working and living my best life on the Gold Coast. I feel so lucky to have absolute paradise on my doorstep, particularly in a time of less travelling. I spend most of my spare time riding my bike to the beach and planning home improvements with my husband. I’ve wanted to be an Optometrist for as long as I can remember. I fortunately had a great experience at my first eye test which opened my eyes to a career in Optometry involving both clinical and retail aspects. 

What is the most rewarding part of being an Optometrist?

The immediate gratification when patients can see differently with their first pair of glasses. Their reaction is instant and that feeling is hard to beat. In addition to this, glasses have to be worn full-time for a lot of people, so I truly believe making glasses a fashionable accessory. Improving patient’s self-confidence with clearer vision and a stylish frame is very rewarding.

What do you want people to know about eye health? 

The most important message is that regular eye exams are a must. Often eye diseases don’t present with symptoms initially so can progress undetected without regular check-ups. Bulk-billed examinations to Medicare make this simple and affordable!

How often we should we get our eyes checked and how often should children get checked? 

Every two years is recommended however this can change for the individual. Risk factors and evidence of disease, family history or new symptoms should prompt someone to attend more frequently. Children should have a routine eye test in their first year of school or earlier for specific concerns.

Unfortunately, in most cases, no. Damage caused by glaucoma and macular degeneration cannot be restored. As Optometrists, we diagnose and treat eye conditions in order to slow or prevent further progression. Sadly though, in developing countries, most of their blindness is caused by treatable and preventable conditions including cataracts. 

Taking breaks from near work including limiting screen-time, particularly in children. The digital world is difficult to avoid however a short 20 second break, every 20 minutes is recommended. It is also very important in the development of a child’s vision to have exposure to natural sunlight. Research suggests that children who spend more time involved in outside play during daylight hours are less likely to become short-sighted. And as a bonus, this supports our physical and mental health too.

What message do you hope to spread for eye health month? 

Wear your sunglasses! Australia has some of the highest levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world so protecting our eyes and skin from the harmful rays is vital. As I said earlier, natural light has been proven to be beneficial in the development of a child’s vision, so finding the right balance is important.

Go-to brand for sunglasses and optical frames?

I think traditionally Ray-Ban’s are a favourite, particularly the classic wayfarer or club master style. However, I do believe Valley Eyewear is absolutely trendsetting. And I love that they are a Gold Coast brand. 

How can people get involved to promote eye health, and can you recommend any organisations to donate to?

Health promotion is the best way to get the message out there and I believe in having an eye test and spreading the word. 

Recycle for Sight by The Lions Club provides a great service of supplying donated spectacles to developing countries. Most Optometry practices accept donated spectacles on behalf of The Lions Club so that’s a great way to help out if a monetary donation is difficult. A little bit closer to home and an interesting initiative is the Visiting Optometrists Scheme. This is a federal funded program delivering outreach Optometry services to remote communities of Australia in order to provide access to eye care.

We sat down with Rebekah Barnes, a local Optometrist here on the sunny Gold Coast, to discuss the rewarding career of Optometry and why it's so important to get regular eye checks.

Sunny Sessions with Rebekah Barnes | Just Sunnies

July is National Eye Health Awareness Month, and while we are in the middle of winter, we believe there is no better time to remind all Australians of the importance of maintaining healthy eyes, especially leading up to our hottest months ahead. We sat down with Rebekah Barnes, a local Optometrist here on the sunny Gold Coast, to discuss the rewarding career of Optometry and why it's so important to get regular eye checks.

with Trudi Peterman, volunteer for the nonprofit organisation, OneSight.




During the month of July, we sat down with professionals in the optical and eyewear industry to discuss all things eye health and why our eyesight is something we shouldn't take for granted. Trudi is Queensland's Ray-Ban representative and has worked for the world's largest eyewear company, Luxottica, for thirteen years. Not only passionate about eyewear, Trudi's work includes promoting the importance of eye health and has spent the last decade working with OneSight to eradicate the vision care crisis. Keep reading to find out about the amazing work Trudi and the rest of the OneSight team do to provide communities across the globe access to eye care.

Please tell us a little about yourself and how you got involved with OneSight?

I am the Ray-Ban rep for Queensland and have been working for Luxottica for 13 years now and one of the reasons I love my job is because Luxottica supports any of us who want to give up our time for OneSight. I originally started out organising fundraising events that raised over $14k per event and then started participating in vision screening clinics in 2012. My first major clinic was in Thailand where 50 volunteers from all over the world came together and we screened 8,500 people in 2 weeks and gave out 8,000 pairs of glasses. It was without a doubt the most rewarding thing I have ever been involved in.



Can you give us an insight into what kind of work OneSight does?

OneSight is an independent nonprofit leading the global movement to help the world see clearly by providing access to eye exams and glasses to underserved communities worldwide. 1 in 7 people or 1.1 billion people worldwide can’t see clearly because they have no way to get an exam or a pair of glasses.

What is the reality for those who do not have access to proper eye care?

80% of learning is visual. Clear vision empowers students to perform up to twice as well in school. Yet even in the U.S., nearly 1 in 4 students have an undiagnosed vision problem.



Did working with OneSight give you a new perspective on the importance of eye health?

So many people take vision for granted. I have seen first hand, in particular children who have not even known that they cannot see properly. Especially in smaller children where parents and even teachers assume there is a learning difficulty, it often is as simple as not being able to see the blackboard. So many times this problem is not identified due to lack of access to appropriate vision care and that is where OneSight steps in.



What has been the most memorable part of your involvement in OneSight?

The obvious answer is “helping people see”, however, I find the best part of being involved with an organization like OneSight is working together with like-minded people who are all there for the same purpose, no egos, no judgments, we all just get in and do whatever it takes. Complete strangers one minute, family the next.

Team of 20 Australian volunteers in Vanuatu, 2018.

What is one tip you wish you could give Australians about taking care of their eyes?

In Australia in particular, we should all be protecting our eyes from the sun with sunglasses. It was most obvious during our clinics in indigenous communities where they are working out in the sun all day without sunglasses. We found so many cases of people with sun-damaged eyes and pterygium.



What message do you hope to spread for eye health month?

OneSight’s mission is simple. Ensure everyone who needs a pair of glasses has a way of getting them.



What advice do you have for those who would like to get involved in health organisations or charities, but don’t know where to start?

I find the best way to get involved is to talk to someone who already is. OneSight has Facebook and Instagram accounts you can follow or you could simply go directly to their website here. To find Trudi on Instagram, search @defndagirl.


Image taken from OneSight's trip to Vanuatu in 2018.

If you would like to make a donation to OneSight, please click here.

Read about the amazing work Trudi and the rest of the OneSight team do to provide communities across the globe access to eye care.

Sunny Sessions with Trudi Peterman | Just Sunnies

We sat down with professionals in the optical and eyewear industry to discuss all things eye health and why our eyesight is something we shouldn't take for granted. Keep reading to find out about the amazing work Trudi and the rest of the OneSight team do to provide communities across the globe access to eye care. 

Taking measures to make Just Sunnies a more eco-conscious workplace has been a major focus for the company, we recognise that change starts with us, which is why we as a business and as individuals have made changes to support a healthy and happy environment. While we have some way to go, our sustainability journey is one we take seriously. From the office to the warehouse, we are always thinking of ways we can improve our processes and waste through sustainable practices that reduce our carbon footprint. 

We also invite our customers to be part of this conversation, Just Sunnies welcomes any feedback that can help us make changes to becoming more sustainable. If you have some ideas on what we can do better, we'd love to hear from you!

As our team located on the sunny Gold Coast has continued to grow, taking the following measures to be more eco-conscious has become a huge focal point for us. 

Protecting your sunglasses in the most secure packaging as they make their way to you is of huge importance to us, but also making sure that we are using the least amount of plastic packaging is just as important. No bubble wrap or unfriendly plastics necessary to keep your sunnies safe, our cardboard box packaging is durable and secure while being recyclable.


Our postage bags are also completely compostable, with no plastics and nasty stuff, our packaging is all-natural meaning once you receive your sunnies, you can put your postage back into a compost bin which breaks down into fertiliser. Magic! However, there is always room for improvement; upgrading our packaging to be even more sustainable is a project we are currently working on, watch this space.


In the workplace, we have our own strict policies to reduce waste and to ensure we are recycling the right way. As shipments of stock reach our warehouse daily, we have a dedicated industrial recycling bin that gives the cardboard that protected your sunnies on their way here a second life - you won't find any mix-ups of general rubbish and cardboard here.

The team also has a shared hate for single-use plastic water bottles. Plastic bottle water consumption is a huge no-no in our eyes, we're all about saving the turtles. Banning single-use bottles is the first step in becoming a single-use plastic-free workplace which the team strives to make further achievements every day. 

In 2019, a major project for us was to migrate to a completely paperless order system. Once upon a time, every order was printed and picked from, but as the business grew busier, we recognised that we had outgrown the printed order system. For the past 18 months, we have gone completely paperless, meaning your orders are picked and packed from screens only, minimising our need for paper. In fact, we love being paperless so much that we are currently trialling electronic notepad books to reduce and replace paper use.

Perhaps our favourite part of our becoming a more eco-conscious workplace is onboarding more sustainable eyewear brands and collections. We love seeing sunglass brands like Szade, Le Specs, Costa and many more doing their part to minimise their environmental impact while encouraging consumers to reduce, reuse and recycle. See all of our eco and recycled sunglasses in one place with our eco-friendly collection, because sustainability looks good on everyone. 

Find out what changes Just Sunnies has made to embrace sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.

Supporting a Sustainable Future | Just Sunnies

Taking measures to make Just Sunnies a more eco-conscious workplace has been a major focus for the company, we recognise that change starts with us, which is why we as a business and as individuals have made changes to support a healthy and happy environment.  From the office to the warehouse, we are always thinking of ways we can improve our processes and waste through sustainable practices that reduce our carbon footprint.  

with Amanda King, founder and creative director of Bask Eyewear

In light of Mother's Day, we sat down with Amanda to find out her secrets on balancing being a mum while running a successful sunglass business. She tells us her favourite part of the creation process and gives us an insight into the upcoming Bask collection, keep reading to find out more. 

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND BASK EYEWEAR

I’m 35 years old, I live in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, and I’m a wife and mother to two beautiful girls. I’m obsessed with everything fashion, travel, and long days basking on the beach with my family. I’m the founder and creative director of Bask Eyewear, I created Bask after being in the eyewear industry for years and was frustrated with the lack of fashionable eyewear with great quality polarised lenses.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT OWNING A SUNGLASS BRAND?

Besides the fact I have 100 sunglasses to choose from every day, I love the creative outlet it gives me. The most rewarding part of it all is when I’m at the beach, out for lunch or on vacation and seeing people wearing my designs.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE CREATION PROCESS?

Seeing the sunglasses go from an idea in my head to a drawing and then finally my favourite part…the sample. I LOVE opening the parcel when the samples arrive. It’s a fun and equally important process that involves a lot of inspection, running my eyes over them about 100 times, trying them on to ensure the fit is perfect and comfortable. I try and test all of our sunglasses for months before they go to market. 

WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR?

I have a few highlights but I think the launch of my first Bask collection “Under the Sun” would have to be my most memorable. I worked so hard for years to create a brand from scratch, so seeing it come to life was a pretty special moment.

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED AS A WORKING MUM?

Haha, where do I start…finding a balance would probably be the hardest part of being a working mum. 

AS A MUM AND A BUSINESS OWNER, WHAT’S YOUR TIME MANAGEMENT SECRET?

For me a VERY organised schedule for my family and work. I find if I sit down first thing Monday morning and plan my week in detail my head feels clear and I can go forward with my week knowing my time is planned wisely. 

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS?

While Bask is my business baby, I think being a mum and raising my two beautiful daughters.

FAVOURITE PAIR OF BASK SUNGLASSES RIGHT NOW?

Hands down the Peggy in Nude pink. They are such a fabulous pair of sunglasses. I love the fact I can run out of the house wearing something super simple. I throw on my Peggy’s and instantly feel dressed up. 

WE’D LOVE A SNEAK-PEAK INTO THE NEXT BASK COLLECTION, CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT IN THREE WORDS?

LASTLY, ANY ADVICE TO MUMS WHO DREAM ABOUT BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR, BUT JUST CAN’T GET STARTED?

Amanda with her daughters on holiday in Italy.
See more from Bask Eyewear at:
justsunnies.com.au/bask-eyewear/
Instagram: @baskeyewear

In light of Mother's Day, we sat down with Amanda to find out her secrets on balancing being a mum while running a successful sunglass business.

Sunny Sessions with Amanda King | Just Sunnies

In light of Mother’s Day, we sat down with Amanda to find out her secrets on balancing being a mum while running a successful sunglass business. She tells us her favourite part of the creation process and gives us an insight into the upcoming Bask collection, keep reading to find out more.  

BLOGS

International Women's Day at Just Sunnies

Sunny Sessions with Jon Laurenson

Just Sunnies for PAWgust

Sunny Sessions with Rebekah Barnes

Sunny Sessions with Trudi Peterman

Supporting a Sustainable Future

Sunny Sessions with Amanda King