Walpole: Tell us about the history of your brand…
Grace Lo: Founded in 1961 by BBC engineer Raymond Cooke, KEF is named after its original site, Kent Engineering and Foundry. KEF continues to manufacture and develop its signature pieces at this site in Maidstone, Kent today and – for the last six decades – has been committed to bringing a superior listening experience to audiophiles.
Leading technical innovation alongside design and craftsmanship, KEF pioneered the early adoption of synthetic materials within audio and has continued to produce bar-setting products in speaker design, including its Reference Series that defines the worldwide industry standard.
A champion of next-generation engineering and creative thinking, KEF’s revolutionary collection of speakers and subwoofers has evolved to include wireless speaker-systems, portable speakers, and headphones, with KEF’s high-fidelity sound now available in people’s homes and on the move around the globe.
What is your brand best known for?
Since 1961, KEF has been obsessed with the power of high-fidelity sound and its ability to enhance the lives of listeners. We are known for engineering exceptional, next-generation products, providing transformative audio experiences that enable creators to deliver the true meaning, magic and moments of their work.
What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline
In recent years, we have been proud to extend the KEF experience to immersive KEF Music Galleries in key international cities – our London site, just off Oxford Street, launched earlier this year. The spaces exist as a high-fidelity audio space for our creative communities to enjoy, featuring state-of-the-art podcast recording studios, screening studios and a high-fidelity café – or KEFé – as a place to connect. KEF is committed to showcasing and nurturing creative talent, and we have been so delighted to see how these spaces are being embraced as community hubs for creatives in cities around the world.
Why do you love the brand?
We aim to transform the experience of sound from the ordinary to the visceral. I am continually inspired by the KEF team’s relentless commitment to innovation across engineering and design. Great sound unlocks an intensity of human emotion that other senses can’t. At KEF we are driven by Raymond Cooke’s founding vision of creating an exceptional audio environment where listeners can experience audio as the creators intended.
Why does your brand represent the very best in British luxury
British luxury is not just about prestige, but about world-leading craftsmanship, boundary-pushing innovation and pioneering design. The last 63 years of our products chart a remarkable British cultural history whose impact reverberated internationally – inspiring and enabling the exploration of great sound at homes and on the move.
What attracted you to becoming a Walpole member?
At KEF, we are big believers in the power of community and collaborative innovation. With more than 250 leading brands within its community, Walpole offers strong advocacy and network for British Luxury across a wide cross-section of industries and we are looking forward to being part of it.
If you could collaborate with another Walpole member, which one would you choose?
We have already collaborated with Walpole member, Savoir Beds to create the world’s first luxury bed featuring seamlessly integrated speakers, called The Seventy Five. The bed was named after the ideal number of beats per minute in a song that will help you relax.
We are looking forward to meeting other great creative leaders and companies within Walpole and the potential for exciting collaborative ideas that may inspire.
Tell us about an exciting development or new launch for your brand in the coming months?
Continuing to connect creative and culture lovers across the globe to high-fidelity experiential destinations, KEF Music Gallery Beijing will formally open in December. Situated within the 798 Art District, the hub for the artistic community and contemporary art in Beijing, the KEF Music Gallery Beijing will be our first in mainland China.
In the same month, the fifth event in KEF’s global ‘Take It Home’ listening series will take place in Seoul, in partnership with South Korean singer-songwriter, sogumm.
In the coming year, we will also be launching a series of new products and collaborations with other lifestyle brands.
