There is no time like the present to launch a new business
Fans of the tv series Dragon Den, would surely be surprised to know that Duncan Bannatyne, one of the stars, is in touch with his femine side. You would think with his hard Glaswegian exterior and tendency to dismiss the contestants, that he would be the last of the Dragons team to make these admissions. But inside his smartly understated flat in London’s Covent Garden, something stands out. Between the elegant cream sofas in the living room and the minimalist lines of the kitchen, sits his favourite chair garish, glaring pink asymmetrical sofa!
On closer inspection, there appears to be something rather dapper about the man, even chic the pinstripe seems a cut above the tightly buttoned Theo Paphitis or the bland Peter Jones. You also get the sense that he is aware of it!
Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that his latest venture is into the world of style, with the launch of a snappy line of men’s designer watches marketed under the name ‘Kurt Zeiss’. The designs are very much contemporary in style, with clear, large faces in designs that combine futuristic sleekness with elegance. With this range of mens designer watches and ladies watches, Bannatyne and new business partner Grant Morgan, clearly aren’t messing around. Or are they? There certainly does not seem to be any great rush to sell the products, as the main outlet was through eBay, and Bannatyne’s wife’s boutique in Yarm, North Yorkshire. Since Morgan’s arrival, a new ecommerce website has been produced providing a platform for the range.
The men met through various charity functions and realised that there was a mutual love of watches, and Duncan has admitted that he didn’t see much risk in starting the business.
Following a sluggish start, watch sales have been increasing and the predictions of growth are set to continue. Christmas being the busiest time of the year, with the company taking measures to cope with the increasing in expected sales interest.
If the business is purely an ego trip for Bannatyne, it is certainly a good move, for a business man who can recognise a good thing when it comes along. Worth £320m, Bannatyne is easily the richest of his fellow Dragons, on the back of business empire that begun with the acquisition of a single ice cream van two decades ago.
