Vignelli Center Lecture: Uniform Wares (Patrick Bek & Oliver Fowles)

Lecture title: "Devotion to Detail"

Uniform Wares is a British company that designs and produces timepieces based around a philosophy firmly rooted in contemporary British design and engineering. Each Uniform Wares timepiece is a carefully balanced exercise exploring the relationships between engineering, aesthetics, function, material choice and surface finish.

Established in 2009 by product designers Oliver Fowles and Patrick Bek, the Uniform Wares aesthetic is synonymous with a devotion to detail and a firm belief in design with a practical and visual permanence. Uniform Wares timepieces are for everyday use by individuals with an eye for meticulous detailing and a passion for diligent, modern design.

Uniform Wares co-founders, Patrick Bek and Oliver Fowles will discuss their early career change from furniture designers to wrist watch designers and entrepreneurs, as well as their challenging journey from a shared live/ work space in London's creative hub, Hackney, to their newly established showroom and office headquarters in London's historic watchmaking district. What began as a college friendship evolved into a successful business partnership and four years on, Uniform Wares wristwatches are available through over 130 respected retailers in 35 countries across the globe.

The duo will also discuss the current state of the market, the challenges that face them and how their unrelenting attention to detail drives them to continue the evolution of their business in response to an ever changing marketplace within an increasingly digital environment.