The four-year-old British watchmaker already turning over £8m and exporting to the US, Germany and Australia
Andrew Jennings, 31
Company: Larsson & Jennings
Web: www.larssonandjennings.com
Launching into a 500 year-old industry is certainly a daunting proposition, especially one so dominated by large conglomerates selling expensive luxury timepieces. This didn’t put off Andrew Jennings however, who noticed a space in the watch market for an independent brand targeting a younger demographic.
Launched in 2012, Larsson & Jennings produces affordable, unisex, Swiss-made watches, combining classic design with contemporary craftsmanship and style. Starting life as an online-only watchmaker, Jennings juggled a full-time job and the day to day running of his fledgling brand before it took off. Today, Larsson & Jennings is stocked in the likes of Selfridges, Harrods, Liberty and Harvey Nichols and counts a number of high profile celebrities as fans including Suki Waterhouse, Emma Roberts and Emily Blunt.
The brand has replicated its approach internationally, forming partnerships exclusively with high-end retailers in Germany, Australia and the US (its second biggest market after the UK) and launching its own Prince Street store and a Bleecker Street flagship store in New York earlier this year. To date, this global reach has been fuelled by just £10,000 in funding, with Larsson & Jennings pulling in £8.5m in revenues last year. With increasing interest from retail partners across the Far East, the company is already expecting to double that figure next year.
