Vitae London
The Richard Branson-backed philanthropic watch brand, Vitae London, is set to release its new Season IV range.
Vitae London will release its unisex, matte black watch exclusively through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign offering backers the timepiece at a discounted rate. https://igg.me/at/vitae
A Vitae London watch
A Vitae London watch
Season IV is adapted from Vitae London’s limited edition Walmer Midnight line. The brand decided to design a permanent range of similar watches - adding Gold, Rose Gold, and Silver highlights and a Swiss Movement - after the original batch sold-out within weeks.
Vitae London’s Season IV range has the following specifications:
* Rose Gold, Gold or Silver highlights
* 40mm Stainless Steel Case
* Matte Black Colour
* Stainless Steel Milanese Mesh
* Swiss Movement
* Water Resistant 5 ATM (50m)
* Scratch-Resistant Sapphire Glass
“Each Season marks a new era for us,” says Will Adoasi, Vitae London’s Founder and a Virgin StartUp ambassador.
“It’s the way we’ve always done it - the natural evolution of the brand. We’ve seen what people have really gravitated towards and we’ve taken a lot of feedback from our customers. That has allowed us to develop a product that will resonate with our customers and give them the aesthetic they love”.
William Adoasi
William Adoasi
Richard Branson is also a fan of Vitae London; “What you (Vitae London) are doing is great, very simple but effective."
William Adoasi and Richard Branson
William Adoasi and Richard Branson
Sitting at the helm of a social business, the young entrepreneur seeks to combine fashion with social justice - the sale of each watch provides a child in Southern Africa with two sets of school uniform, a bag, and footwear to see them through a year of education.
By offering his new watch range exclusively through Indiegogo, and by offering rewards such as limited edition gift sets and the chance to see the result of Vitae London’s charitable work in Southern Africa, Adoasi hopes to raise enough funds to grow in the retail market.
Vitae London helping less privileged children in South Africa
Vitae London helping less privileged children in South Africa
Beyond the brand’s website, Vitae London watches are currently available in London’s Utter Couture, and Les Tresor in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Vitae London has developed a large social media following and many celebrity backers. Emeli Sande, Phillip Schofield, Paloma Faith and Tinchy Stryder are among the big names sporting Adoasi’s timepieces.
As for its social impact, sales of Vitae London watches in 26 countries have funded more than 1,100 school uniforms for children in Southern Africa.
For Londoner Adoasi, the son of two Ghanaian parents, Vitae London’s success is measured by its impact in his home continent. Only second-generation educated, his father was the first in his family’s line to learn how to read and write. Education, says Adoasi, was the key to breaking a perpetual cycle of poverty in his family, something that allowed him to live in London, “one of the best cities in the world”.
“My passion is to create opportunities for other young people across Africa to break that cycle of poverty. I truly believe education is the key in order to do that. I want to help people who look just like me, but are unable to reach their full potential due to a lack of access to education and resources.” says Adoasi.
His latest drive is to use his company’s large social media following to let the world know about the unequal access to education in Sub-Saharan Africa, and invite solutions.
Adoasi’s wife was inspired by a volunteering trip to support the House of Well non-profit organisation in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 2010. This led to the couple donating money on a personal level and later taking action to support the cause on a more permanent basis, by combining their two passions of education and watches. And in 2015, Vitae London was born.
Adoasi says he became interested in old-school 60’s watches in his youth. While he loved brands such as Patek Philippe, he simply couldn’t afford their watches. This led him to design his own range, which he believes are of the same high-quality aesthetic, but without the huge price-tag.
So, did he always have a flare for fashion?
“Not until I was 14. I just used to put on whatever was to hand. I was wearing a purple and yellow LA Lakers cap along with a blue t-shirt when I went to visit one of my cousins, and she insulted me. ‘What the hell are you wearing? Your colours are clashing’ she told me. From there, I developed a massive awareness of what works, and what doesn’t.”
Links
Indiegogo | https://igg.me/at/vitae
Web | https://www.vitaelondon.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/vitaelondon
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/vitaelondon
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vitaelondon/