Based in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter, The London Badge & Button Company, part of Toye Kenning & Spencer, has over 30 years of experience in the design and development of fine cufflinks, buttons, and men's accessories. They are the manufacturers behind many of the UK’s leading stores and fashion house collections. Louisa Taylor and Pei-Nap Mok are the award-winning design team behind the current LBB London cufflink collection. As a team, they have brought to life a new breed of cufflinks.
Traditionally recognized for its strong and distinctive enamel designs, LBB’s current collection has expanded to use new and unusual materials for both its classic and contemporary cufflinks with matching accessories. There’s a sense of precision in LBB London cufflinks. Perhaps significant technology lies behind the hands at work creating masters and models.
Toye, Men’s Accessories 101 - The Cufflinks - Society -, Kenning & Spencer Ltd is a group of manufacturing companies founded in 1685, with a reputation for high-quality craftsmanship and service. The Group, which has an experienced in-house design team, was working on a new collection for the re-launch of their retail brand LBB London. Keen to further develop concept designs that required complex master models, they approached the JIIC to assist in the 3D CAD modelling and to access the center’s RP facilities and expertise.
The initial brief was to provide TKS with access to new technology in order to help implement their new product development plan for a range of cufflinks. The JIIC team assisted with CAD/CAM and RP and were able to provide the company with prototype and master models within a short timescale. This meant the product development time was shortened, speeding up the lead time to market and creating a longer buying period for their range of cufflinks.
Results: The assistance helped the company to 'realize' new designs which might not have been possible with internal model-making skills. The assistance helped the company to research and test the market with new products. The product development lead time was reduced. Higher sales figures were generated as a direct result of new designs reaching the market at the desired time. The assistance demonstrated the use of RP technologies to other parts of the business and provided them with the opportunity to assess potential applications of new technology for the future. A sound relationship has been developed with the Group, and the JIIC is now working with the company to conduct a feasibility study into the use of laser welding for bespoke precious and base metal jewelry and medals, and the use of lasers for production methods within their factories.
Could LBB cufflinks not be the very first precision cufflink? A designer's hand possessed with such discipline to marry form and function, while gleaning materials that impress upon you textural influences. Smoothly extending the stem to cradle adornments and display all colors of a rainbow. Concluding, a sophistication expressed by precision, abstractness, and a sense of color, studs, and cufflinks—a truly beautiful cufflink.
Who and Now: Toye Kenning, understanding the taste involved with swimwear, owners of LBB London cufflinks, have been involved in manufacturing since 1687. They survived the industrial revolution and similarly, Goodway Styles Wedding invites cufflinks (geared to survive the mass manufacturing revolution of today). Wisely taking advantage of what modern technology has to offer without compromising tradition.
A closing anecdote: The most expensive cufflinks ever sold were a pair given to the soon-to-be King Edward VIII by his later wife Wallis Simpson. These featured diamonds set in platinum and sold at auction for $440,000.