Bench is a British company, started in the late 80’s as a clothing company which specialized as a niche t-shirt brand. Its original inspiration came directly out of the worlds of BMX biking and of skate boarding. It had expanded its ambitions to become an organisation which designs, sources and markets distinctive products of many different kinds – all of which retain the original “cool” philosophy.
Through the innovation that Bench employed in the creation of the their clothing, the brand has grown quickly, being recognised by those “in the know” as a brand to watch. In 2007/2008, this approach picked up an award from the “CoolBrands” panel as the coolest streetwear available.
Bench has grown up with a strong connection to the music scene in Manchester and has managed to grow that original underground clubbing appeal across almost every imaginable urban scene. Their distribution reach has grown along with the company and they now sell worldwide from the US to Australia, going so far as starting to open standalone stores in several city centres across Europe.
How does this all relate to watches? Well, more recently, Bench has turned its attentions to other forms of streetwear. In particular, looking at accessories for the already successful clothing range.
Bench has always built its collections on the demands of individuals and this has extended to its new range of watches. Available in many different styles and materials, from more traditional looking stainless steel bracelets to wide leather cuffs, these appeal to a huge cross-section of the watch-buying public and sales growth in the UK in particular is dramatic.
