Studio

Busy jobs, bad weather, emotional struggle – at some point everyone gets overwhelmed with the level of stress they have to deal with. Manifesting itself in a lot of different ways, stress can, in the worst case, lead to serious physical and psychological problems. And when life suddenly seems unbearable, the only way to get back to your balance, happiness and healthy ways is by learning how to soothe with your stressed-out mind. Meditation, exercise, a cup of tea or a hot relaxing bath have proven to be top stress-killers. However, if you love sugar and prefer to stay in bed rather than going out for that run, here is another method to calm your mind…Poetry can be a powerful trigger of positive thoughts. Beautiful wording and the playful use of stressed and unstressed syllables are nutrition for the soul. Authors Jonathan Bate, Paul Byrne, Sophia Ratcliffe and Andrew Schuman created the ultimate collection of classic poems against stress with their book ‘Stressed Unstressed’. Featuring poets like Rudyard Kipling and William Blake this must-read hold the perfect selection of poetry from different centuries to handle those unpleasant every-day challenges. Beside classic poetry, there have been a lot of new modern artists inspiring us with their poetry on Instagram. We listed some more of our favourite contemporary poems that will hopefully feed your mind and soul.    

Style icon and Creative Director of ‘Welcome To Singapura’, Lucas Veríssimo Brilhante a.k.a. @lucas.verissimo teamed up with Farfetch who just published a selection of his favourite must-have watches. On his Instagram, he announced, “#withfarfetch I realised my obsession for watches is back. In my early memories, I remember being obsessed with the watches that people wear. I was always wondering why they pick that particular design for this highly functional artefact. I’ve partnered with @farfetch on an edit of the best watches right now.” Besides being included in one of his top picks, Lucas chose our Lugano Aurora Gold Milanese 26mm for the according to the photo shoot with Farfetch. The result? Badass imagery featuring Lucas’ effortlessly cool style. Set in São Paulo, the pictures reflect an urban feel combined with tropical vibes. Images Credit: FarfetchModel: @lucas.verissimo

"Know yourself. Don’t overthink things. Do your best" To round up our international women's month, we caught up with Lu Li, the founder of Blooming Founders;  a community platform and support system designed to help early-stage female entrepreneurs.  So Lu Li, tell us a little about yourself and Blooming Founders I’m the founder of Blooming Founders, a community platform and support ecosystem designed to help early-stage female entrepreneurs and diverse teams succeed. Under Blooming Founders, we offer a wide range of products and services, such as events, a networking app, a co-working space and accelerator programmes, that give our members a competitive edge in building and growing their businesses. When I founded Blooming Founders it was important that we genuinely build things which help female entrepreneurs progress and not just use female empowerment as a marketing tool, which I think is actually detrimental to women’s advancement in the workplace.   How do you manage your time? I prioritise important dates with friends and family and the rest of my calendar is pretty much whitespace that I fill up with work activities. To me, there is not that much of a differentiation between work and life, that’s just the way I choose to live my life as an entrepreneur. On a daily basis, I use Nirvana to keep on top of to-do’s and also snooze a lot of emails and newsletters to read on weekends in Gmail.  How do you manage day to day distractions? Either, by having enough time buffer between meetings and calls, or I’m back to back, then it’s hard for distractions to creep in anyway.  What tools do you use to keep you on track, in the know and up to date? I’m subscribed to a bunch of newsletters. I also scroll through Twitter or watch Instagram stories to keep up to date with what my friends and other startup people are up to. Where do you look for inspiration? Podcasts and blogs. I very much enjoy learning from other people’s experiences. At the end of the day, business isn’t rocket science and we’re not reinventing the wheel. You just need to listen and observe carefully.    The challenges around fundraising for female founders? There are so many and it’s quite a complex issue. On the investor side, there is lots of conscious and unconscious bias from (typically male) investors. There are very few female angel investors and only 13% of women in venture capital are in decision making positions. It’s hard to be a female pitching to a bunch of men, who might not understand the market opportunity you’re looking to tackle.. On the other hand, female founders are more oftentimes solo founders and it’s harder for them to build the business fundamentals and become investable (team, product, traction). They also lack connections to investors and knowledge around how investors, especially institutional funds, operate. Overall, I strongly believe there is a gap in the market to facilitate investment into early-stage startups that are not focused on growth, but on revenue and profits and have the potential to grow to £10-50m businesses. Do you have a female role model? Victoria Beckham, the girl who wanted to become as famous as Persil Automatic and who succeeded in her vision. Words of advice to women in business? Know yourself. Don’t overthink things. Do your best - and done is better than perfect. Choose an L&J watch for each of the following looks Work: LJXII Lugano Vasa Weekend: LJXII Rose Gold Leather Date Night: Opera Milanese Rose Gold  One thing you can’t live without? Enough sleep. If you could change one thing tomorrow, what would it be? That the finance world becomes more interested in investing in female founders and diverse teams, seeing it not just as PR and a ‘good thing to do’, but as a true opportunity to generate great returns. "Our next networking event Women, Wisdom & Wine is taking place on April 4th and out next masterclass on “How to create a brand story that hooks consumers” is coming up on April 17th. If you are a female entrepreneur looking to connect with other like-minded women, join us on www.bloomingfounders.com! :)"

A Few Of Our Favourite London Green Getaways The start of Spring marks the beginning of longer days, warmer weather and enjoying the great outdoors.  If you live in London or have visited before, I’m sure you’ll agree the need to escape the hustle and bustle from time to time is necessary, so we’ve popped together a few of our favourite London green getaways.   Kew Gardens Home to the world’s most diverse collection of living plants, Kew Gardens is set over 130 hectares and has lots to explore, from it’s beautiful glasshouses to the Treetop walkway, it’s the perfect day out.  Situated in Londons Richmond area, Kew Royal Botanical Garden is quite simply the DREAM hustle and bustle escape, once you get through the queue to get in that is. We recommend getting your tickets beforehand to keep the day as tranquil as possible.   Victoria Park If you’re looking for something free, Victoria Park, known as the ‘Peoples Park’ could be just the ticket. Set along the Regents Canal, you’ll find a boating pond where you can hire rowing boats during the warmer seasons, which is situated next to the  Pavilion Café; the perfect spot to grab a coffee and a bite to eat.    Hackney Marshes Looking for something different? East London’s Hackney Marshes, steeped in history with its waterworks, constructed in 1856, is just that. It’s also perfectly placed with a couple of local pubs to hydrate after a stroll along the canal. If you visit on a Sunday, we recommend visiting Chatsworth Road Market, a nearby street full of local market traders, independent boutiques, coffee shops and eateries.   Sky Gardens So, we all know we can’t rely on the British weather and more often than not the clouds like to open! Well, we have a solution for that, Sky Gardens; London's highest public garden and if you look hard enough, you'll find your next Easter Egg hunt clue here. Situated on the 43rd floor of the Walkie Talkie building, Sky Garden is a leafy urban jungle with panoramic views of the capital. Even better, Sky Garden is free, but it’s good to book in advance as space is limited. This is only a few of many green spots in London and you really can escape the hustle and bustle with a simple bus, tube or overground, so what's stopping you? 

The superwomen, the teacher, the person that makes everything better, the MUM!  This March we wanted to treat one of many special mums to a Larsson & Jennings experience and find out what it's really like to be a modern-day mum. We know managing your day can be tough at the best of time's, but when you've got a little one crawling around, it gets even tougher, so what better way to help first time mum Victoria than gifting her the perfect Mother's Day present; a watch.  We invited Victoria to our store in Covent Garden and this is how it went... What do you love most about being a Mum?I love seeing Amelia grow and learn new things every day. It's so exciting to see how much she is developing all the time and knowing that you are nurturing her into her future self is so fulfilling. Describe your style in 3 words?I would describe my style as; Simplistic, timeless and tailoredI think it fits well with L&J as a brand, as I would say L&J is very simplistic and stripped back, with timeless pieces that can be worn for years to come. What 3 things do you always carry with you?Sunglasses, phone and lots of baby snacks!Choose an L&J watch for each of the following looks:Work - Aurora Leather 38mm Black Charcoal (Classic, professional, smart)Weekend - Sloan Cube Milanese in Rose Gold (Beautiful, elegant, fun, versatile)Date Night - LJXII Norse Leather 34mm Gold Black (Perfect for date night, timeless, romantic) Any tips for the modern day mum?Cherish the time you have with your little one. Time goes by so quickly, so leave the housework for another day and treasure every moment - it will all still be there for you to go back to!Get your baby into a routine as soon as possible. It helps so much when both you and your baby know what to expect from your day - particularly bedtime! Life is so busy, so I find having an order to my day really helps.Has becoming a mum changed your style?Becoming a mum hasn't changed my style in terms of what I wear, but my approach to getting ready certainly has. I no longer have endless amounts of time to get ready in the morning, so being able to have a small capsule wardrobe where I can pick my clothes out quickly saves time, along with a stripped back make up routine for speed! "I know when Amelia is older, she will still love to wear my new watch!"   Victoria selected her perfect Mother's Day gift; the Sloan Cube Milanese because the "combination of the pretty tone of Rose Gold and classic minimalist look make it a watch to suit every occasion and there's nothing I don't love about it!"    SHOP GIFTS FOR HER

The Story Of A Face Last week we caught up with our founder and CEO Andrew Jennings on how Larsson & Jennings got started; in 2012 he saw a gap in the market for a luxury watch at an affordable price point. After six years of success in September this year we relaunched our classics, today on the Studio, get to know the faces from our most signature collection, LJXII.   LJXII represents the balance of modern and classic; two opposing identities that come together in equality in our new brand range. Using iconic roman numerals to represent the twelve dials on a watch face we seek to portray this balance and have it become a new signature for our bold yet timeless styles. Founded between the ideologies of Stockholm and London, LJXII marries the dual sensibilities so forged in our brand identity. The collection takes shape in various guises that features our classic aesthetic including textures, straps and faces; from Italian leather straps to intricate Milanese detailing and beyond. LJXII Lugano Our original timepiece, the simple rounded face of the Lugano is synonymous with Larsson & Jennings. When starting a watch brand, Andrew was inspired by the rich history so entrenched in Switzerland so when it came to the first timepiece he looked to the mountain surrounded southern Swiss city for inspiration, which is where our classic design was born. Original and iconic, the LJXII Lugano fuses together all the traditional aspects of an English dress watch with contemporary Swedish design. The clean and bold dial gives with the watch a distinct and contemporary feel whilst the Roman numbers add a subtle nod to its British heritage and Andrew’s roots; a classic reimagined. The slim features of the Lugano is an ode to the dress watch with it’s signature slight width, always able to be tucked into a cuff where necessary. LJXII Norse Elevating our offering with the LJXII Norse in 2016, this LJXII shape fuses Scandinavian and British elements that are intrinsic to our values whilst recognising the need to expand and become a bit more experimental. The Lugano shape was a clear message for Larsson & Jennings as a brand so it was important the move away was in-keeping with the signature aesthetic, as well as slim design. The Norse is a refreshed take on the renowned circular design, reimagining classic angular watches with modern finishes and details. Square watches have a rich horological history and it became the logical step to move the brand forward. LJXII Jura The launch of Jura in 2017 as a part of the 5th anniversary celebration and its ethos ‘Reflect to Evolve’ sees British sensibility with a new twist. The Jura has all the charm of a timeless dress watch, with added functionality and a pop of colour. With subtle updates including small seconds and a sand-blasted dial, this watch is the evolved of the original LJXII collection. 

This week in the Studio we sit down with founder Andrew Jennings to find out how Larsson & Jennings got started and the journey which has taken the brand to where it is now. From a youthful fascination with watches to thousands of orders within an instant of launching, the first chronograph and beyond. Meet our CEO and Founder and see what keeps us running. - What made you want to start your own business, in particular a watch brand? I spent many of my younger years dreaming up entrepreneurial ideas and it wasn't until I was in my twenties that I merged my love of vintage watches with my entrepreneurial drive. I have always had a fascination with watches, the first watch I actually owned belonged to my uncle. As an army radio DJ who was obsessed with cars he was something of a hero to me. When he’d got his first radio job in 1962, my grandmother bought him a Rolex 6239 Daytona cosmograph for £250, so that he could time his live radio shows because it had the cosmograph timing function. It was actually the first Rolex Daytona ever to be released and my uncle wore it until he died in 1994. When I was 10 years old, he left the watch to me but I was banned from wearing it until I was old enough to look after it. In 2001, when I was still at school, I read an article in GQ on vintage watches - it showed a full-page image of my late uncle’s Rolex Daytona. The watch was valued at around £20,000. I frantically called my dad, who put it in a safe where it stayed for another 10 years. At twenty-six I was working in finance and searching for an entrepreneurial idea to leave the City and I saw a gap in the market for modern yet classic dress watches at a great price point and went with it. I actually almost sold my Rolex to buy our first batch of watches - which I managed to fund with savings and credit cards so now the watch is safely locked up and apparently worth even more - not that I ever want to sell it!  - How did the brand start to take off? While working in finance as a 9 to 5 (actually 7 to 7!) I knew I needed a shoulder operation that would take me off work for two months, so I timed it to fall over the Christmas period, when I hoped Larsson & Jennings would be busy. I had no employees, my arm in a sling and was fulfilling orders from my apartment – attaching watch straps to watch heads by hand to keep stock levels low and bombarding the local post office with sacks of parcels to post. We turned over £100,000 that December (2012) with the help of social media so I went back into my finance job after Christmas, quit on the spot and began to work full time on Larsson & Jennings that January.  -   What separates Larsson & Jennings from other watch brands? We have managed to offer a very luxurious product that features exceptional materials and features at an affordable price by working closely with our supply chain and by not over diluting our distribution which means we can pass the margin savings onto our customer. Our unique approach to design across product, stores and communication has been key to our growth and success as we are always looking for new ways to challenge the industry - I started Larsson & Jennings to offer an alternative to the many look-a-like watch brands in our price segment so remaining independent and challenging traditions is very important to me.  As we grow organically we value the importance of establishing a clear message through our content messaging, collaborations and affiliation with great brand ambassadors, focusing on design and the highest quality for a product that cates for both men and women and most importantly, is affordable.  - Which model is your personal favourite? That’s a tough question but our LJXII Lugano 40mm with a silver Milanese band will always have a special place in my heart as it was our first offering and was inspired by our founding nations of Stockholm and London; Swedish minimalism meets British heritage. However this year, after five years of success we launched the Rally, our first chronograph and was a nod to my Uncle’s Rolex which inspired me from the beginning. I am so proud of our offering as there is truly something for everyone, our LJXII range is our classic whereas the Velo and Meridian offers something new for us, aesthetically.  - What have been your key achievements over the years? Selling our first watch to a complete stranger was a phenomenal feeling, as well as launching our flagship store on the iconic Seven Dials in Covent Garden with a pop-up in New York along the way too. We are also stocked in some iconic retailers globally. Watch-making is such an important part of who we are as a brand I am proud we are bringing something new to the millennial customer by always reimagining classic design and staying true to our Anglo-Swedish roots.   - What’s next for Larsson & Jennings? We have some big plans for 2019, and beyond, which includes some exciting new products and unique store experiences. I don't want to give too much away now but keep posted... -  Follow Andrew on Instagram here.