THE BUTTONING UP INTERVIEWS – JAMES KENNEDY

In the first of a series, we take a moment to explore what ‘Buttoning Up’ means to people in the real world.

The  ‘Buttoning Up’ disciplines of ‘Preparation, Ritual and Respect’ apply to our everyday lives as concepts that play out in both the big picture and the tiniest detail. How we choose to order our lives and why we make these choices is something both universal and distinctly personal.

Uncovering differences and commonalities, we discuss with people who in their own way embody these principles of ‘Buttoning Up’. Throughout this series we’ll be exploring the decisions they make and the rules they follow.

James Kennedy of Kennedy City Bicycles exemplifies an individual approach. A one-man business, he swapped a stable job in research for life in the workshop, building bikes, one at time, in his stripped back London studio. A labour of love and a solitary pursuit, James has struck a careful balance between discipline and creativity. Here, he talks us through them both.

James wears the Plain Chambray Long Sleeve Shirt

ON BEGINNINGS

My life before Kennedy City Bicycles was the usual 9 to 5 story. I’d been working in research and journalism for quite a while, moving from YouGov to trend forecasting for The Future Laboratory. When I first moved to London cycling was my main method of transport, just because it was so cheap. I burnt through my first bike really quickly so to save money I thought I’d build my own. It was all new to me. I Googled what I needed to know and guessed the rest. I quickly got the itch but it was more about the enjoyment of making rather than the bike itself. It’s about solving riddles. Nothing fits. Ever. Cutting a Coke can to shim a seat post into your frame is satisfying because when it works, after the 10^th attempt, you have that amazing eureka moment.

ON LAUNCHING 

It felt like no one had got the balance between accessibility, quality and affordability right in the custom bike market. So I started thinking about how this could be a business. I threw myself into it and at the beginning made a lot of assumptions that were wrong, but that was important.

My old job was great but it just wasn’t for me. It’s important to be happy, you don’t get to do this twice. It didn’t feel brave, it felt like the only thing I could do.

I launched in June 2013 and I’ve been steadily moving along ever since, learning as I go, just as I did with that very first bike.

ON CONCEPT

The biggest thing for me is inclusivity. I spent a lot of time going into shops and being made to feel like an idiot because I didn’t have every bit of esoteric bike knowledge. That’s kind of a universal experience. As a small business, being a place where people felt comfortable, unintimidated, was essential.

ON PREPARATION

I usually get up around 6am. It’s important for me to have time free in the morning so I always get an early start. I walk the dog, then stop out for breakfast. Then I’m ready to can get started on the real work. I’m currently studying for my phd and use the mornings to concentrate on that. Once I’m done I move to the workshop and begin working on the bikes. Preparing for the day is about balance for me.

ON RITUAL

Structure and discipline is key when you’re making something that people are riding around on at 20mph. That’s a big responsibility. I’ve naturally devised a method that works for me over the years so it’s now second nature. The beauty of working for yourself is that you can control your own world, a kind of order within madness I guess. These bikes have my name on them, if I make a mistake then I’m the one who’s responsible; that’s important, people appreciate that. The end product, a ready to ride bike, is a reflection of a ritual that works.

ON RESPECT

At the core of what we do is the relationship between the customer and their bike. I make each individually from start to finish rather than work on a whole set of wheels or a whole set of frames. Without sounding cheesy, I have the person I’m making it for in my head as I’m building. I keep the process simple. I don’t want it to feel like a grind, if you’ve enjoyed making a bike that enthusiasm is obvious to the customer when they come to pick it up. I do this because I love it.

ON RIDING

I’m not a sports cyclist and I don’t own any lycra. My passion is for city cycling, the belief that it’s the best way of getting around. Often people’s idea of London is the tube map, but a bike allows you to uncover those spaces in between stations. Maybe I’m over-romanticising, but I think it’s a very powerful thing. It’s the simplicity of the bike. There’s so few things we use in every day life that we can fully understand.

There’s no better feeling than seeing my bikes out on the road. I drove home recently and saw three, it was crazy. I hope I never get used to that feeling.

‘Buttoning up’ has been a part of the Ben Sherman DNA for over five decades. A simple yet deliberate act, a gesture that marks completion and a finishing touch.