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Scratch: Starting From

Henry Hopwood-Phillips interviews Alexandre Meerson and Anthony Adebo, founders of luxury watch and suit brands, respectively. Both entrepreneurs entered competitive markets and aim to produce high-quality products through careful craftsmanship rather than fast growth or cost-cutting. Meerson discusses using fine materials and skilled artisans to create timeless watches, while Adebo notes Kingdom tailors suits for different occasions rather than a single house style. Both founders emphasize their passion for their industries and access to important artisan networks.

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38 views

Scratch: Starting From

Henry Hopwood-Phillips interviews Alexandre Meerson and Anthony Adebo, founders of luxury watch and suit brands, respectively. Both entrepreneurs entered competitive markets and aim to produce high-quality products through careful craftsmanship rather than fast growth or cost-cutting. Meerson discusses using fine materials and skilled artisans to create timeless watches, while Adebo notes Kingdom tailors suits for different occasions rather than a single house style. Both founders emphasize their passion for their industries and access to important artisan networks.

Uploaded by

api-224336109
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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BE L GRAVI A RE S I DE NT S J OURNA L 019

A
lexandre Meerson and Anthony
Adebo are both new entrants in
a luxury market that rarely treats
fresh brands with kid gloves. The former
has created an eponymous watch
brand that seeks to escape
the cheese-paring ways of the
fashion industry equivalents
and yet remain protable. He
aims to do this by ultimately
producing something for
himself, not for the customer.
He calls it a union of the
highest-quality materials and
a discreet classical style that
nods to tradition but aspires
to timelessness. The latter has
his sights set on ensuring his new
company, Kingdom, can compete
and eventually usurp Savile Row in
the sartorial stakes.
To uninformed eyes, we all
look like were up to no good.
Here in the anonymity of a hotel,
Alexandre pulls out a large dark
bag, the sort that usually spills
body parts or a dodgy jewel haul. He puts on gloves and
starts imploring me to try on the timepieces. Anthony is,
of course, dressed to the nines, ready to take his cut of
whatever were up to. Fortunately, the staff deliver coffees
instead of our marching orders.
Pleasantries over, I start at the jugular, trying to
prompt Anthony to acknowledge that the suit is no longer
the power symbol it once was in fact, many take pride in
not having to wear the uniform of their minions. Im glad
you asked that, he responds, unfazed by my directness. I
do believe weve seen this happening, but for Kingdom the
suits are just the rst step, were already seeing many people
choose our services for a more smart-casual look.
Both are keen to emphasise their inability to accept
cost-cutting measures, often at the expense of faster
growth. I want to grow organically, Anthony assures me.
Weve already seen casualties on Savile Row this year.
Henry Hopwood-Phillips talks to two local luxury brand
purveyors, Alexandre Meerson and Anthony Adebo, about
how they went from zero to hero in their respective elds
scratch
Starting from
These are typical business models built on hype rather
than loyalty. Its a very brave step for a man who, up to a
year or so ago, had no experience of the industry.
Indeed, whereas Anthony was burning the midnight
oil poring over tailoring books and attending the Fashion
Tailoring Academy in Waterloo, Alexandre had a father
who had a hand in turning our timepieces from utilitarian
objects into fashionable pieces. But Alexandre was not
happy in a comfortable role as a consultant in style and
branding for the big fashion houses. I wanted a new
chapter in my life, he explains. My passion is horology.
Im guessing thats how the French pronounce chronology.
No, its the science of measuring time, he corrects me.
Despite their different backgrounds, both highlight
their unique access to the networks that matter. In fact,
it seems to be more than half the battle. In Switzerland
they wont just pick up the phone for anyone, you know.
You have to get the access. I had to almost persuade them
that theyd work with, not for me. Alexandre talks of the
artisans as if they were some sort of cartel. He has 88 of
them involved in making every component of his watches.
Alexandre is very French about his watches. I dont
want to talk of rules but of values. I dont want to talk of
manufacturing, because we are in the business of creating.
We do not want to pander to the customer,
we want to build something and if the
customer buys into it, well, thats a bonus, he
says. In my cynical moments I close my eyes
and think of David Ginola selling shampoo,
or Audrey Tatou peddling perfume,
but as I thumb the watches,
the materials, the weight, the
handcrafted crown, dial and
exhibition back are truly breathtaking.
Taking advantage of my
silence, Anthony goes into detail
about Kingdoms unique selling
points. Often the Savile Row rms
will put their house style over the
personal needs of the client, but
most people want different suits
for different occasions and we
provide that.
Keep your head about you when
everyone is losing theirs is a famous
Rudyard Kipling line, but as I leave
these two gentlemen I suspect a line
better adapted to their purposes might
be Keep your values about you when
margins are squeezed.
(meerson.com; kingdom-london.com)
I want to grow organically. Weve
already seen casualties on Savile
Row this year
I wanted a new chapter in my life.
My passion is horology
Left / The latest timepieces from
the Alexandre Meerson Altitude
Premire Collection
Left / From the
Kingdom Autumn/
Winter 2014 collection
Anthony Adebo
Seasonal staples from Kingdoms latest collection
A watch from the Altitude Premire Collection
created with expert attention to detail

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