A designer for life

Mike Hale: How did you get interested in eyewear and come to work in optics?

Caron Kraitt: My family has been in optics for over 60 years, starting with my grandfather, so I was aware of the industry from a young age. My first pair of glasses were a terrible pair of classic NHS specs that I hated.

At the beginning of my career, I worked as a dispensing optician in the largest single optical store in the UK. Dispensing was a vital part of my experience in optics. I loved working face to face with the customer in a retail environment, and I eventually became involved in the buying for the store. I knew a great deal about the products, what sold best, what stood out in the store. I was always interested in fit, comfort and style. It was definitely an important formative experience, learning about people’s relationship with eyewear: seeing what they loved and helping them understand what suited them. This was an integral learning experience that helped me understand more about the customer and the optical market in general.