Riane Garfin was once a marketing executive who yearned to become a designer. She served as a marketing director for several Philippine retail companies for more than a decade before moving to London.
All the while Garfin hoped that her nine-to-five job would prepare her to become an entrepreneur who designs and creates her own products. It was in the early part of the past decade that Garfin felt the urgency to act on her dreams. She saw herself at that time as someone who was “already in her 30s doing a desk job with a lot of repressed creativity.”
Finally, in 2014, she made the big leap.
With P20,000 as seed capital, Garfin launched a fashion accessories line called Leupp Ltd. The business grew and attracted her friend to join as a business partner. Soon, Leupp Ltd. expanded to offer more accessories, including watches.
Timepieces quickly became Leupp Ltd.’s most popular product. In 2018, the group changed direction and focused solely on watches. They branded the products after the company name, Leupp, which is a play on the word loop.
After all, time, Garfin thought, is just that: “A cycle of repetitions.”
Priced starting P1,899, Leupp is positioned on the low-priced spectrum of the timepiece market. For years, it was a segment that was synonymous to catalog parts, offering white-labeled generic designs from fast fashion brands that have watches merely as an extension line.
“This is what makes us unique,” Garfin pointed. “Leupp is a microbrand focused on watches and only watches. It’s that laser focus that allows us to remain design-obsessed and provide customers the best unique designs for their buck.”
Garfin and two design London-based associates take care of the design of the products, which are then produced by their manufacturing arm based in Hong Kong. “This allows us to stay true to our commitment: to provide sophisticated products at radically affordable prices,” she said, adding that their ultimate goal for Leupp is to become the public’s go-to brand when it comes to everyday-wear fashion watches.
Inspired by minimalism
Leupp is inspired by the principle of kanso, which is Japanese for simplicity. The idea is to eliminate clutter; to get rid of the non-essential.
“[Leupp] is characterized by unique, versatile, and elevated designs, as well as flattering, flawless, and genderless silhouettes,” Garfin said.
These elements are most evident in the Kubo, Mori, and Ito lines, which Garfin notes as being so versatile that they can be worn with both casual and formal wear. Kubo, in particular, has an asymmetrical winder, giving it an unexpected yet classy look; Mori, meanwhile, fully embraces the minimalist aesthetic with its clean-looking markers. Ito, arguably the boldest of the three, boasts a square, Bauhaus-inspired shape coupled with an all-black watch face.
Other models that Leupp takes pride in are the Ueno, which Garfin notes as being her personal favorite, and the Imako, which she describes as being “an unconventional watch designed for the non-conformist.”
The road map
Just like any other business today, Leuup Ltd is also feeling the brunt of the global pandemic. Nevertheless, the time-honored tradition of gift-giving during birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions continue to help the brand survive these challenging times.
“We are still able to pay our bills. The staff are still getting their wages. We are all healthy. So I am grateful,” Garfin said.
Now operating in a studio tucked in the leafy Putney district of southwest London, Leupp continues to focus on creating simple, clean, and contemporary timepieces for fashion-conscious consumers, in stark contrast to their contemporaries, most of whom often tend to put emphasis on style over substance.
Today, Leupp watches are available in its official store at www.leuppwatches.com, as well as in Lazada, Zalora, and their physical stores located at the Paragon, Mall of Asia, and the Penthouse, SM North EDSA and Market Market.
Garfin said that the plan is for Leupp to start catering to a global market within the next two years. “It’s a notion that’s nothing short of ambitious, I’d give you that, but judging by how well-received Leupp’s timepieces are, I’m quite sure it won’t be long before that happens.”