Pairing British refinement with Swedish minimalism is a hard combination to beat, and also the reason why the independent watchmaker Larsson & Jennings has stood apart from other affordable watch brands out there. Established in 2012, the Swiss-made unisex watches draw inspiration from the design spirit of London and Stockholm and team the sculpted hands and Roman numerals of a classic British dress watch with clean leather straps sourced from tanneries across Sweden or the UK.
This week, the label has packed up its brand of wearable, design-forward craftsmanship into a portable studio that will travel the world. Arriving first in Copenhagen for the CIFF Lab trade show (5-7 August), it will greet the public in London at Design Junction (24 - 27 September), before continuing to Paris, Berlin and Belgium and more over the next six months. The modular boutique mimics the appearance of Larsson & Jennings’ London store in Covent Garden and its impending opening on Bleecker Street in New York this autumn.
Designed in London and built by hand in Oxfordshire, the travelling studio unfolds to reveal individual displays and drawers that carefully showcase each of Larsson & Jennings’ watches and components. The company’s full product range, including the LJX custom that can be personalised to a customer’s wishes, will be on offer.
'We want to be able to deliver the Larsson & Jennings retail experience to new cities. We hope to be recognised not just for watches, but for our design aesthetic as well,' explains founder Andrew Jennings. ‘When creating this modular display unit, it was important for us to use a minimalistic approach and for it to represent more than just a retail space, but a beautifully designed piece in itself.’
The company’s reach will encompass a new signature with the opening of its New York store. The West Village boutique will feature a Swedish-style Fika, where customers and passers-by can enjoy a coffee break.
Jennings says, ‘Fika is a great demonstration of the Anglo-Swedish culture and approach that Larsson & Jennings is built on. In a store environment, we want our customers to make informed, thoughtful decisions about the purchase of our watches. Serving Fika allows the customers time and space to consider the products and speak with our store staff.’
Designed in London and built in Oxfordshire, the portable studio will showcase the label’s complete collection in a host of European cities including Stockholm, London, Paris, Berlin and Belgium over the next six months
The modular studio unfolds to reveal individual displays and drawers that carefully display each of Larsson & Jennings’ watches and components
Each Larsson & Jennings watch is a stylish amalgalm of British refinement and Swedish minimalism
Its leather straps are sourced from tanneries across the UK and Sweden
‘We want to be able to deliver the Larsson & Jennings retail experience to new cities. We hope to be recognised not just for watches, but for our design aesthetic as well,' explains creative director Freddie Wyatt of the travelling concept
Visitors to the studio will be able to purchase the label's LJX Custom watch, which will be available outside of London for the first time
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