From
St. Andrews
The David Alexander story started in Fife, Scotland. About a four-iron from the home of golf in St. Andrews. But it came to life in Asia, after a fruitless search for more stylish golf accessories.
To
Singapore
I was in Singapore and - not for the first time - my head-covers had disintegrated in the humidity.
So, I started looking for something more robust and a bit more personal. A head-cover that would last as long as the clubs they purported to protect and say more about the person on the outside, than the club on the inside.
And
Back again
But it wasn't long before I realised that to get the quality I wanted, I was going to have to make them myself.
So we went from a back bedroom in Sentosa to a workshop back in Fife. We took the product, the market and the supply chain apart to find the best way to make the most effective product possible.
The result is what we think is a stunning range of higher quality unique product lines that enable players to express their style and creativity through a medium that they've never really had before.
And
We're just getting started
The game of golf is growing and changing. The sport has seen a record growth in participation whilst its demographic focus is re-balancing and its geographical centre is moving.
The vast majority of this growth is coming from the East and particularly, emerging economies such as China where the game is predominantly practiced in non-competitive environments and off-course settings (i.e. driving ranges and simulators).
In these markets, the number of female golfers as a percentage of the total is also much higher than in traditional markets and this is predicted to develop further. Despite this, ‘luxury’ design brands have a limited presence in golf and those that have, mostly adapt existing lines rather than design specifically for the sport.
The female golf market as a result, is largely still an interpretation of what western men think women want! We want to help change that.
Digital platforms are now providing the opportunity to co-ordinate design and manufacturing capability on a global scale. This is enabling companies to bring previously cost-prohibitive technologies (i.e. laser etching, digital printing) into the production process and develop and test product prototypes without large capital investments.
We’ve created a platform to facilitate design excellence and rapidly test new product concepts and we're building a company around this. The head-cover is the first iteration of what we hope becomes a range of higher quality, stylish sports accessories.
Our unique approach to
Innovation
Every David Alexander headcover is hand-crafted from premium leather and the latest microfibre fabrics to create the best combination of performance, personality and style.
We've taken a one-hundred-year-old product, redesigned it around a global playing experience andmade what we think are the finest golf club head-covers in the world.
More Sustainability
The core material used in all David Alexander products is leather. But the company is already in conversion with a number of research and development facilities to develop more sustainable materials and incorporate them into the design and production process.
More Technology
The access the company has created to high-end design technology is enabling us to test new product concepts. (i.e. laser etching, 3D printing). For examples, we have already figured out how to create leather tartan using laser etching technology and we’re continuing the development of digital printing research to enable the creation of three-dimensional designs.
More Collaboration
We are experimenting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable the creation of unique design and marketing concepts in the hope that this can take product development to another level.
No more compromising on
Quality or Style
Player-focused Thinking
We've introduced a range of unique leather-embossed products in similar colours. This doesn't just add an extra touch of quality, but enables players to harmonise collections. So they can mix ‘n match ranges and continuously refashion the look that they want.
Unconstrained design
Why identify clubs with numbers or symbols that have no modern relevance? We incorporate more personal accessories into our designs to give our head-covers more style and personality.
Better
Quality Products
Internal Waterproofing
We've incorporated a waterproofed micro-fabric interior which spreads moisture to aid evaporation. Protecting both the club AND the cover.
Secure-fit construction
Every head-cover has three extra-strong strategically-placed elastic straps to ensure that they slip on easily, but don't fall off unnoticed half-way around a golf course.
Life-long protection
All head-covers are made from high-quality nappa leather which stretches naturally to fit individual clubs. This makes the cover both more resilient and more sustainable (than PU-based alternatives).
Who is David Alexander?
David Alexander is a name shared by a fellow designer friend and the father of the founder Gavin McClement. Both of whom sadly passed away before they could reach their full potential.
The name reflects the collaborative ethos that drives the company’s vision. Whilst most of the initial products were styled by Gavin, many of the new designs have been developed through a network of up-and-coming design talent and collaborations in Europe and Asia.