KJ Beckett

KJ Beckett is a men's accessories business which is based in Bath, England. The concept was created by three brothers, the Beckett brothers (Paul, Alex and Mark). They named the company after their grandfather.

It specialises in accessories for men such as wallets, cufflinks and ties however it is renowned for knitted ties and particularly socks, for which it has been featured in publications such as The Independent. It has branched out into other forms of clothing, such as shirts (including bespoke shirts) and men's underwear.

The company primarily ships to the UK and USA but also offers options for global delivery.

History

KJ Beckett was established in 2003. The company was established based on an apparent market opportunity (a niche in the men's clothing industry): luxury accessories for men. The initial success for KJ Beckett came from the unique offerings the store had available. This was due to the company sourcing accessories from unique suppliers around the world. Indeed KJ Beckett built up a collection of men's accessories from independent designers that were not widely available in other stores.

In 2004 and 2005 KJ Beckett received coverage in many UK publications including The Independent. This was mostly due to the unique collection of socks that they offered. As a consequence men’s socks became a key area of specialism for the company. They now hold men’s sock collections by Gene Meyer, Dore Dore and Burlington amongst other sock leading designers.

In early 2006 KJ Beckett entered the bespoke shirts industry through a strategic alliance with custom shirt makers Fil’Harmonie, a French based shirt making company. Success came through a unique online user interface that allowed KJ Beckett Bespoke Shirt’s customers to order made-to-measure shirts in an easy manner.

In late 2006 KJ Beckett expanded further by obtaining the UK license for Stayclip, a unique collar stiffener system.

Products available

• Aftershave/Fragrances
• Bangles
• Belts
• Bow Ties
• Braces/Suspenders
• Business Card Holders
• Button Covers (Shirt)
• Collar Stays
• Cravats
• Cufflinks/Silk Knots
• Cummerbunds
• Handkerchiefs/Pocket Squares
• Hats
• Pens
• Scarves
• Shirt Studs
• Shirts
• Socks
• Ties
• Tie Clips
• Underwear
• Waistcoats
• Wallets
• Watches

Competition

KJ Beckett is in main competition with Thomas Pink and Charles Tyrwhitt. It also faces stiff competition from the men's clothing departments within leading UK stores such as John Lewis Partnership, House of Fraser and Selfridges.

Within the custom made shirt industry, KJ Beckett Bespoke Shirts sees competition from the resident bespoke shirt makers of Jermyn Street including Thomas Pink, Turnbull & Asser, Hilditch & Key, Emma Willis and Harvie & Hudson. Another key competitor of KJ Beckett Bespoke Shirts is Liste Rouge, a French company that has been making custom shirts since 1938 and is now internationally established.

Blog

KJ Beckett.com launched a specialist men's fashion blog Men's Fashion Blog (MFB) that follows men's fashion trends and events. The blog also considers technology, sport, music, films, and other areas of men's lifestyle and interests.

Trivia

It is publicised that KJ Beckett is named after the founders’ grandfather (Kenneth John Beckett) but in reality the name was originally based on a combination of the initials of the founders’ grandfather and grandmother (Barbara Joan Beckett). Paul Beckett confirmed that when creating the company name and logo; the KJ initials were based on the “K from Kenneth” and the “J from Joan”. It was only a number of months after company inception, when presenting the logo to their grandparents, that the founders discovered their grandfather’s full initials were identical to the company name. Previous to the discover the founders only knew their grandfather as Kenneth Beckett.

Paul Beckett (founder of KJ Beckett) is also quoted as saying “We used K.J. because J.K. was taken”. This refers to JK Rowling (author of the Harry Potter novels) who was subject enormous media attention during the period of time KJ Beckett was founded.

See also

Stayclip

External links

• KJ Beckett Official online store.
• MFB Men's Fashion Blog.