We defined a focused target market: A thirty-something with a generous income. He’s playing the adult card more and more. When he splurges on himself, he does it in a way his dad would approve. He is inspired by the classic and he takes pride in objects and ownership.
We changed the name to M&U co, freshened up the leather with a new supplier and began work on brand new products.
Pocket hooks have become pretty popular but nobody is pushing the boundaries of the archetype.
The M&U Keyhook combines a pocket hook with the keyring it is usually linked to. Melding the two together creates new efficiencies, keeping your keys more compact.
The bent wire hook doubles back on itself to create a bottleneck: a safe entry and exit point for keys.
The hook catches on pockets which means you can feel your keys are with you by touching the edge of the pocket. No more digging for a tangle of keys or leaving the house without them.
The M&U money clip is a based on a simple idea. By matching negative and positive space, a single bend can align them and allow the metal to overlap and pinch.
We laser cut the brass and developed a rig to bend the moneyclips in house.
Combining cast brass and leather, we created a bracelet and a belt. The bracelet has the leather cord doubled back to create a loop and eliminate most of the end points that need to be hidden.
Making the buckle and belt proved to be rather easy compared to handling merchandising and selling. Three colors across six sizes and two buckle colors means 36 SKUs to manage.
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M&U Co
I worked for M&U in 2014 to help expand their catalogue for the high-quality menswear market. Adding 16 products, we shifted from a leather wallet company to a home goods and mens’ accessories brand carried in stores across the world.
