Each week 2threads interviews a prominent or up-and-coming designer, music or other creative talent in relation to what they do. This week we feature Electric's head graphic designer Jack Bailey, who answers a few questions for us about the brand, his life, and how he comes up with his great designs.
 
How did the idea for Electric come about?
Bruce Beach, Kip Arnette, and Mike Carter launched Electric Visual on Jan 3rd of 2000.  After eight years building and branding for another eyewear company, Bruce and Kip had the expertise and motivation to hit restart. They enlisted Mike Carter to lead the marketing efforts, and the team was signed sealed and ready for delivery.  The stage was set to start a visual evolution.

Drawing off the different personalities of the team, design ideas started flowing.  Frames, such as the Noise and Flux came out like rapid fire; on top of the first three releases.  Add to that a December 2000 goggle, the single line was becoming a double yellow with no left turn.

The next couple of years have seemed like a blur.  Challenges (were) overcome and a team roster that boasts the original guys (Mike Todd, Peter Line, Bam Margera) still on top of their game is a testament to both their skill and the unfathomable foresight of Electric¹s marketing.  While we are welcoming new people on our team the same standards apply; that they possess a talent and have the drive that will ensure they too will be on the team roster five years from now.

Who makes up the team at Electric?
Electric Australia has around 16 full timers but the team includes so many creative people, musicians, athletes, artists, comedians, drunks and bums the list of people that have influence through friendship with Electric is endless.

How are designs for products decided upon?
Loads of research, an international design pool that all regions can contribute and draw from, more research, rough picks, culled picks, meetings, phone-calls, trips here and there, final picks then actual finals.

How did you get into Graphic design?
After 12 wasted years of school I walked out with fuck all. Scored a job at a leading advertising agency as a 'Studio Hand', basically cutting and spray mounting storyboards together, after 38 stitches to my fingers and a lungful of spray glue I graduated to an uneducated junior designer. Spent 3 years honing my skills and sapping the brains of all the senior Designers and Art Directors. Moved on and worked / traveled off and on for 8 odd years and ended up in Byron Bay with Electric.

What aspect of this business is most interesting?
The constant growth. Being that the Soft-good side of the Electric business is still very pubescent we have a great opportunity to develop and grow this side of the business, watching orders increase drastically, season by season is a big buzz.

Also the advertising side of the business, concepting and directing shoots is my favorite thing to do especially with such a forward brand that has no restraints on what an ad should be.

If you weren¹t a graphic designer what would you be doing?
Black Smith. Working at a forge creating amazing ornate gates, fences and doors and cruelling the rich for big bucks for my work.

What advice would you give to graphic design students in establishing careers?
Work Work Work. Get as much experience as you can, rape as many minds for all the info and wisdom that you can.

If you could work with anyone in the world who would it be?
Spike Jones.

What is your biggest creative inspiration?
Life, friends, family, happiness, Sadness. Pretty much draw from everything good and bad.

Your favourite travel destination is...
Haven¹t found it yet.

What is your favourite winter sport?
Drinking.

How would your work colleagues describe you?
Wouldn¹t like to think.

What do you like to eat for breakfast?
Cigarettes and air.

When you¹re not working you are...
Working.

Check out some of Electric's latest season looks here 1, 2 and 3.