Minimalism, to many people, means all-white, sleek edges, no seams. The LABB watch band isn’t that. Its straps feature an intricate lattice, the details of which are designed to a tolerance of just 0.05 millimeters. Its function, however, embodies a minimalist ethos.
The silicone LABB band is devoid of features and affordances traditionally found on watch straps---most notably a buckle or a clasp. “The question was, how much could we remove from a watch band in material quantity, and component count, and still be left with something effortless in use?” says industrial designer Benjamin Hubert, whose studio, Layer, designed the LABB. The answer: Opposing straps whose complementary lattices interlock like Lego bricks, allowing each to fasten quickly and securely to the other.
Hubert’s studio devised the LABB (short for loopless and buckleless band) for Noomoon, a young Swiss design brand. Noomoon belongs to Brasport, a Swedish heritage line in its 70th year producing watchbands. Those come in expensive leathers and are assembled by craftsmen. Noomoon was founded to service a slightly different clientele: smartwatch wearers. As Noomoon sees it, because devices like the Apple Watch are essentially small computers, its users likely need to put them on and take them off at a high frequency. LABB's closure system not only snaps together quickly and securely, removal it is also a cinch.
As of this writing, Noomoon’s Kickstarter campaign for LABB has already doubled its goal. Early bird bands cost $47 (retail price is $77) until December 12.
