Australian eyewear designer Jono Hennessy Sceats, creator of popular Australasian brands, Jono Hennessy, Carter Bond and Zeffer, says the best thing about joining international Australasian eyewear distributor Sunshades is he can get back to doing what he loves best - design.
“We built an international company. We now sell 40% of our frames in Europe, but there were only four of us running the business. It got too hard… we needed help… we were spending too much time on administration and not enough time on the product.”
So, it was exciting, he says, when Sunshades CEO Rodney Grunseit, son of Sunshades founder Bette Lasse, approached him and his business partner wife, Louise Sceats, 10 months ago with a business proposition to do something special together.
Becoming part of Sunshades Eyewear business is the culmination of a personal and professional friendship first formed more than 30 years ago, says Jono. “Betty Lasse was my first account and she was so supportive and wonderful. My designs at the time were a totally new look and not getting great interest. Betty then sold them well and Vogue did a story, so it was all then accepted.”
Even when the businesses were no longer connected, Jono was still welcome on Betty’s guest list, he says. “She was a very special person and I am grateful for her uplifting support. Today I see the same feelings surrounding the team at Sunshades, including her son Rodney who continues her legacy so proudly.”
