Optical Prism May 2017 | Page 30

NEXT GEN: Building a career in eyewear By Troy Patterson What began as a temp job in 2010 turned into a ground- breaking career for Golta Mohammadi with luxury eyewear company Cutler and Gross. Mohammadi is responsible for helping to open Canada's flagship Cutler and Gross location in Toronto, the first out- side of the United Kingdom, and assisting with training and launching locations in New York and Los Angeles. Mohammadi says the company has nurtured her talents and built both her skillset, and in turn, her dedication to the brand. And it all stems from C&G's focus on handmade design quality and a focus on custom fitting consumers with their styles. “With Cutler and Gross I've had the opportunity to be part of everything from design to fitting to finding the proper lens for long-term use,” says Mohammadi, who is currently the director and Canadian operations manager of C&G Eyewear Canada. 30 Optical Prism | May 2017 “I've definitely developed a lot of optical knowledge and design knowledge in the past seven years.” Mohammadi, who will finish Seneca College’s two-year opticianry program in 2017 as part of her ongoing training with Cutler and Gross, was initial- ly offered an opportunity to work with the brand during their 2010 Silmo campaign. With a Master’s degree in French linguistics, Mohammadi jumped at the chance to join Cutler and Gross after graduation. “They didn't have any representation in Canada at the time,” she says. “They were looking for young people who spoke the language and I basically got an interview and got the job.” Knowing the company was expanding, Mohammadi proposed after Silmo that they open a shop in Canada. After Toronto, she helped train and open accounts at the New York and LA locations and has been helping with North American market development.