When it comes to safety, often there’s a sizeable gap between knowledge and compliance—between abiding by a bike helmet, say, and going blissfully, recklessly without. Why take the chance, when, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury by as much as 80 percent? The answer can be boiled down to three common complaints: They’re bulky, hot, and not exactly chic. That’s the short list that Manhattan couple Sujene Kong and Christian Von Heifner came up with eight months ago as they sat down for brunch just after a harrowing taxi collision that sent Von Heifner flying over his handlebars (and landing, luckily, in one piece). “We were so shocked, and we couldn’t stop thinking or talking about it: Why don’t we wear helmets?” recalls Kong, explaining that they quickly borrowed a pen and scratch paper from their server and started sketching. “It’s pretty crazy that, within the next 45 minutes, we more or less developed what we were after with Fend,” says Von Heifner.
The result of that rapid-fire brainstorm session—a novel, collapsible helmet design—launches today on Kickstarter, with plans for the first crowdfunded products to arrive late next spring. If their company, Fend, got off the ground in record time, it helps that each partner brings complementary experience to the table: Kong has logged time in the merchandising and accessories divisions at Burberry, Saint Laurent, and Jimmy Choo; Von Heifner, an industrial designer and mechanical engineer, most recently launched a health startup. “I have a 3-D printer at the house and the software to develop the engineering side of it, so we had a working prototype within a week,” he says of their nimble beginnings. They then set about refining the details, including an impact-resistant ribbed shell and a proprietary joint system that enables the helmet to fold to just a third of its size. They’ve teamed with factories in China that manufacture other well-regarded helmet brands, and Fend’s version is on target to clear both American and European regulations (final certification comes toward the end of the production cycle). While the very phrase “collapsible helmet” might have an oxymoronic ring to it, Von Heifner puts any qualms to rest: “At the end of the day, safety is number one.”
Of course, looks are a close second. Borrowing a page from the early iPhone playbook, the Fend helmet comes in black or white. “Very clean and minimal,” says Kong, pointing out the airy, breathable construction. Von Heifner also calls out a Scandinavian influence—a kinship that speaks to the region’s love for both streamlined aesthetics and bicycles. (In that spirit of commuter-friendly riding, Fend is in talks to partner with an urban rideshare program.) If it all sounds too good to be true, there is at least one hiccup: Delivery is still months away. But sturdy things come to those who wait.
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