Patrick bek and oliver fowles, uniform wares

HOT 100 2013: Patrick Bek & Oliver Fowles

The impressively Spartan minimalism of Uniform Wares watches has led the 2009-founded brand to quickly become the designer’s choice of wristwatch. Its non-branded face has become a sort of modern nod of respect between those in the know.

When you see someone wearing the factory wall clock-inspired 103 Series, (which is now included in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s collection) you know they know design.

But co-founder Patrick Bek says that’s only part of the story. “We’re less concerned with minimalism for minimalism’s sake,” he says. “Each watch employs texture in colour that many designer watches shy away from. We have seen creative people in their 20s buying our watches, but we also have customers in their 60s that couldn’t care less about trends or styles.”

However the customer profile lines up, the past 12 months have seen the brand solidify its relevance and prepare for future growth with a raft of international department stores signing them up, the growth of the team and – any day now – the move into their new showroom.

Along with his slightly less loquacious design partner and co-founder Oliver Fowles, Patrick is working on some exciting creative projects and says they will stay true to their mantra of “designing everyday watches that are unique and equally inspired by the passion and attention to details seen in haute horology”.

Pretty soon they will spread their wings into other areas. “We are first and foremost product designers,” says Patrick. “Manufacturing techniques at watch scale are not a whole lot different from other products. You’ll see other products from us soon.”

This is welcome news for the brand’s growing fan base, but let’s keep enjoying those watches for now, huh?

 

Uniform Wares founders and designers Patrick Bek and Oliver Fowles were Entrepreneurs in the WatchPro Hot 100 2013 in association with The Company of Master Jewellers. To read a digital version of the book in full online, click here.

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