‘Dress Code’ is VIBE’s fashion and style series, where were we test drive rising brands from an every day life point of view.
THE FIFTH WATCHES SAY
Founder: Alex McBride
Happy Customers: Stephen James, Gabby Epstein, André Hamann, Mija Flatau, and Helen Owen.
Behind the name: A friend of mine was holidaying in New York when I called to discuss my idea for the brand. At the time, she was in a taxi on Fifth Avenue and looked out the window at a street sign and mentioned her location. It made total sense: we were both so inspired by the electric hustle of the city. So The Fifth was born there and then.
On The Fifth’s humble beginnings: To take chances and embrace the unknown. Our ethos in life is that time is what we make it. Because we know that we can’t control time, only what we do with it. So we try to reflect that down to the finest detail. The Fifth connects and cultivates collaboration between talented people. The creative doers of this world. And what better way to connect them than via that one thing we all share: time. Our products are physical reminders to make the most of every moment.
On The Design Process: We’ve got two ranges at the moment, inspired by our two favorite cities: Melbourne and New York. It’s that balance between classic and contemporary, where there’s something for everyone, every day. ‘Cause however cutting edge the two cities continue to be, there’s always a timeless, classic beauty to them, and we love that.
Their Uniqueness In The Marketplace: Ironically enough, it’s that concept of limited time. We only sell our products for 5 days of every month (from the 5th to the 10th). The rest of the time is spent connecting, collaborating, and sharing with our customer base; our Fifth Family. We wanted to create a product range that’s actually affordable but exclusive. So it’s not price-point that makes The 5th exclusive; it’s time.
How The Founder Wears The Fifth: On my wrist right at this moment is the Brooklyn timepiece, from our New York Classic range. It basically goes with everything in my wardrobe, which if I’m being honest, is mostly black! It comes with interchangeable straps in two textures—leather and suede—so I swap them pretty often depending on my mood.
VIBE SAYS
Ashley Monaé, Vixen Editor:
Arm candy is a necessity when it comes to style. Personally, I rock my Apple Watch on a daily basis, but The Fifth’s New York Classic Brooklyn Watch was a great switch up. It’s the right amount of classiness and edginess with its black sandblasted case and polished gunmetal grey indexing. Not to mention, the stitched black straps feature double textures of leather and suede. If you’re into deets and intricacies speaking for your style, this watch is a must-have no matter if you’re a gal or a dude.
Stacy-Ann Ellis, Assistant Editor:
I can count on one hand how often I wear a watch on a weekly basis. Even as an accessory hoarder, I’ve never been the one to keep tabs on just how scarce my wristwatch collection is. With a trusty iPhone tucked into my pocket, I seldom have a need to deviate from digital, but I won’t lie, a little analog now and then is cute. Especially when the watch looks like a sweet treat versus a clunky, metallic timekeeper.
The Fifth’s Rose Gold & Peach Melbourne Minimal is just my speed. The feminine nudes and neutrals add a flirty touch to my wrist, and the overall lightweight nature of the watch makes me almost forget it’s on. I’m really feeling the global brand’s golden trademark “V” taking over the five o’clock spot on the face. Classy touch, Fifth. Classy touch.