Interview with Michael Lowers, Founder of NEUE water

This week we caught up with Michael Lowers, Founder of NEUE water, to talk about stylish yet thoughtfully designed water bottles, key lessons learned as a Founder and so much more.

1. Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired the creation of this brand?

It was when consulting for a luxury fashion brand that I noticed a problem for the fabulous women visiting the atelier studio. Every customer wanted to take the bottle of water we gave them during their fitting home, but the bottled water on offer didn’t fit their handbags, so a lot of them were left behind. Seeing that happen regularly led me to think one day: “Why has no one designed a bottled water to fit into a woman’s handbag?”

I also knew that if I was going to bring a new bottled water to the market, I wanted it to be thoughtful, not wasteful. So we created our bottles using recycled plastic, turning what would otherwise be waste into something useful. It might surprise people, but 100% recycled plastic produces 10 times fewer carbon emissions than aluminum cans, and up to 20 times fewer than glass bottles. A small detail, perhaps, but one worth knowing next time you reach for bottled water on the go.

2. The artwork on the water bottles are beautiful, where did this idea come from?

Given where the brand was conceived, fashion was always front and centre in my mind in terms of how I was going to build it and the aesthetic I wanted to create. As cheesy as it sounds, I wanted the brand to be more than just a bottle of water, I wanted it to be considered an accessory.

So every detail had to be beautiful in that way, in fact the way I describe the brand to new people working with us, is that we're a fashion brand that sells water, that's the mindset.

So having artists design the labels felt like a natural choice. Changing them each year, like fashion seasons and styles, became the inspiration for keeping the brand fresh and dynamic. Plus, no other brand was doing that, which aligned perfectly with our mantra of being different.

3. What were some key lessons you learned along the way that shaped your approach to building a brand like NEUE Water?

Building a brand is hard, especially when you’re trying to innovate. A lot of people think innovation is some kind of major technological breakthrough, but it can be much smaller and still incredibly difficult to achieve.

In my case, it started with the bottle design, then finding a way to produce a bottle like that, and even harder, finding a co-packer in an industry that almost exclusively works with cylindrical bottles. Problems come up almost daily. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to just keep working through them. Don’t take them personally, see them as part of doing business. Easier said than done, especially as a solo founder, but essential.

4. Best piece of advice you have been given?

You’ve got to be in it to win it - It’s amazing to me how many opportunities open up simply by staying in the market, the moment you step away, they disappear just as quickly.

5. Where would you like to see NEUE Water in the next 5 years?

The world’s most-loved luxury bottled water brand.

6. What would your ideal day in London be like?

Sleeping in, an Americano and this amazing swirl bacon pastry from Pophams, a winter swim at Shoreditch House, and then off to a pub to watch Arsenal.

For more information on NEUE water click here.

Photography courtesy of NEUE water