Great British Brands 2022

2022

We can be

HEROES

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I am the spirit of joy. I am the beauty of the natural world, the nurturing lands under foot and the growing flora around your crown.

Borne from the earth of our ancestors, rejuvenated through artisanal prowess.

I am living art. I am Jabula.

From the tactile grace of the ceramicist’s wheel to the free-flowing stroke of the artist’s brush, a celebration of the Animal Kingdom and its vibrant landscape arises. Capturing the unmistakeable tempo of life within the KwaZulu-Natal South Africa, this wallcovering collection continues Cole & Son’s sui generis Design House aesthetic of artistic integrity and illustrative ingenuity, whilst maintaining Ardmore’s ceramic atelier’s profound dexterous skill.

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THE NEW RANGE ROVER

THE ORIGINAL INFLUENCER

Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the New Range Rover in mpg (I/100km): Combined 23.5-37.2 (12-7.6). CO2 Emissions 272-198 g/km.

Real world figures may differ. CO2, fuel economy, energy consumption and range figures may vary according to factors such as

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The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. For comparison purposes only. driving styles, environmental conditions, load, wheel fitment and accessories fitted.

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GBB 2022

Contents REGULARS 6 EDITOR’S LETTER 8 CONTRIBUTORS 344 INDEX

FEATURES 14

19

24

30 38

45

48

52

TALKING ABOUT A RENTAL REVOLUTION Rent is the final ‘R’ to add to your reduce, reuse, recycle mantra. Lucy Siegle explains how this retail model can help change the fashion landscape for the better I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD...

Do you want your brand to deliver a dose of morality along with its product promise? Only when it’s appropriate, argues Rory Sutherland DELIVERING DIVERSITY Jamie Gill has beaten the odds to reach fashion’s highest echelons. Now he’s determined to crack open the industry and make it diversity-fit from top to bottom, says Farrah Storr MODERN MASTERS Erin O’Connor models some British fashion masterpieces GIVING NATURE A SEAT AT THE TABLE Putting nature and our natural resources at the heart of all corporate, fiscal and financial decision-making is ethically, socially – and commercially – savvy, says Ben Goldsmith THE FUTURE’S HERE... AND IT’S ALL ABOUT AI Feel the fear and do it anyway, says artificial intelligence expert, Tabitha Goldstaub, otherwise you will be left behind DISRUPTION AS A FORCE FOR GOOD James Bidwell hails British innovators who tear up the rule book and invent solutions to future-proof our lives on this planet WE ARE LONDON Like underground mycorrhizal systems, our brands and our capital city have a mutual co-dependence, says Peter Griffiths

FROM ABOVE: Modern masters (p30); Hancocks (p72); Tanqueray No TEN (p342); Ascot Racecourse (p268)

DIRECTORY 58

Style & Jewellery

90

Shoes & Accessories

110

Beauty & Wellbeing

134

Iconic Destinations

150

Designers

184

Property & Investment

202

Inside Outside

242

House Style

266

Sporting

282

Land, Sea & Sky

298

Hotels & Travel

314

Food & Drink

ON THE COVER Erin O’Connor wears dress by Richard Quinn from Harrods.

Photography by Paul Farrell.

Fashion direction by Nicole Smallwood. Make-up by Adam de Cruz, using ADC Beauty. Hair by Bjorn Krischker, using FEKKAI

Editor Charlotte Metcalf Editorial Director Lucy Cleland Managing Editor Amy Wakeham Copy Editors Kate Patrick, Maggie O’Sullivan, Matt Forbes-Dale, Richard Hopton, Emma Love, Harriet Compston and Steve Cooper Fashion Director Nicole Smallwood Chief Sub Editor Belinda Bamber Sub Editors & Production Controllers Sofia Tindall and Ruby Featherstone Creative Direction & Production Parm Bhamra Production Designer Samuel Thomas Online Editor Rebecca Cox Junior Online Editor Ellie Smith Online Writer Charlotte Rickards Online Assistant Charlie Colville Social Media Junior Editor Daniella Saunders Digital Intern Sophie Bucknall Technical Manager Hannah Johnson Property & Marketing Associate Director Gemma Cowley Advertising Sales Director Ellie Rix Senior Account Manager Pandora Lewis Account Manager Katrina Gane Digital Manager Adam Dean Finance Controller Lauren Hartley Finance Administrator Ria Harrison Finance Director Jill Newey Group Publishing Director Tia Graham Managing Director Jeremy Isaac

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Copyright © 2022 Country & Town House Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. While every care is taken to ensure all information is correct at the time of going to press, it is subject to change, and Country & Town House Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors.

Country & Town House, Studio 2, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL, +44 (0)20 7384 9011

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Editor’s LETTER

G

reat British Brands 2021 posed the question ‘What Next?’ as a fraught year drew to a close with a locked-down Christmas. A year on, our 2022 edition shows that brands have been positively heroic in dealing with an increasingly uncertain and challenging global situation. ‘We Can Be Heroes’ honours those British qualities of resilience, adaptability and innovation that are keeping our brands buoyant. Even more cheering is the generous way so many brands are responding to their customers’ and communities’ needs. As well as continuing to provide the exquisite products and services their customers have come to love, many are now contributing generously to society at large, sustaining craftsmanship, joining Race to Zero, or supporting the NHS and other charitable causes.

Last October, to coincide with COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Great British Brands ZERO presented a series of essays and conversations with CEOs and founders of 26 brands about how they’re tackling the biggest threat to our planet – climate change. From Anna Teal of Aromatherapy Associates (who won our 2021 Sustainability Award) to Hugh Seabourn of Cadogan Estates, these leaders talked with candour about the difficult journey towards cutting their emissions and becoming more environmentally and socially responsible. It’s been inspirational to see the innovative ways and commitment with which brands are now putting sustainability front and centre, from The Conduit and Joro Experiences to Naturalmat and newcomer Jennifer Manners.

Consumers are increasingly seeking out brands that are doing better by doing good.

Paul Polman, ex-CEO of Unilever, captured the public’s imagination with his book Net Positive, How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More than they Take, and 2021 saw numerous brands showing that courage,

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Erin O’Connor models some modern masterpieces (p30); Rolls Royce (p296); Annoushka (p60)

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whether eliminating plastic, supporting the arts, initiating apprenticeship schemes, giving to their local or wider community, moving towards a regenerative, circular model, consciously creating a more diverse workplace or simply improving the lives of their employees.

In Delivering Diversity (p24) Jamie Gill, CEO of Roksanda and British Fashion Council board member, discusses with former ELLE editor, Farrah Storr, how the fashion industry can – and must – become more diverse. As a BAME, gay, working-class man, Jamie has defied the odds to secure his place among fashion’s elite – and he’s determined to break the industry open so it’s easier for others to join him.

On p45, Tabitha Goldstaub, chair of the Government’s Artificial Intelligence Council, exhorts the luxury industry to embrace AI wholeheartedly – not only will it enhance customer experience, but it will help them become more sustainable too.

Talking of sustainability, journalist Lucy Siegle argues convincingly for the fashion industry to transform itself into a rental model (p14). If it doesn’t reject over-consumption and start re-using and re-purposing billions of existing garments, it will deserve its current dismal reputation as a destructive, negative force for our planet. So, it’s cheering to see fashion brands, from Vivienne Westwood and Barbour to Savile Row and John Smedley, encouraging buyers to buy less, choose well and abandon fast, disposable fashion.

Saving our planet is environmentalist Ben Goldsmith’s raison d’être. He passionately insists that brands have absolutely everything to gain by giving nature a metaphorical seat at the boardroom table, considering it in every decision-making process (p38). After all, the World Economic Forum calculates that transitioning to a naturepositive economy could generate $10.1 trillion in annual business value and 395 million sustainable jobs.

Rory Sutherland, advertising guru and vice chairman of Ogilvy UK, warns, however, that brands should exercise caution when broadcasting their roles as

2021 saw brands ELIMINATING PLASTIC, supporting the ARTS, giving to their local COMMUNITY moving towards a CIRCULAR model and creating a more DIVERSE workplace

FROM ABOVE: Delivering diversity (p24); Asprey (p136) and Barbour (p66)

moral arbiters via advertising and marketing campaigns. Consumers, increasingly capable of judging a brand’s virtues without the attendant marketing puff, will quickly tire of a brand that constantly lectures them about its plans to change the world – when all they really want to know is whether its product is actually any good (p19).

Meanwhile, on page 52, city strategist Peter Griffiths examines the co-dependence between our brands and our capital city.

If, he posits, London’s status as one of the world’s four truly global cities wanes, British brands too will lose the lustre of being associated with it. Therefore, it now behoves our brands to help re-imagine our ailing city high streets and contribute some innovative thinking as to how we can make better use of commercial real estate. The good news is that we have many heroic innovators and wildly imaginative disruptive thinkers to help make Britain a better place, says strategy consultant and co-founder of B Corp businesses Re_Set and Springwise, James Bidwell (p48), and we’re proud to represent some of them here, like newcomer Oxwash, disrupting the way we clean and care for our clothes.

As we continue to face the pandemic and the huge threat that climate change poses, we can at least take comfort in the heroism of some of our finest luxury brands, determined to use their visibility as a platform for driving positive change.

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CON T R I BU TOR S

Jamie Gill

Lucy Siegle

Ben Goldsmith

Rory Sutherland

CEO at Roksanda and Non

Journalist, writer and broadcaster

Environmentalist and CEO at

Vice chairman of Ogilvy UK

Executive Director of The British

on environmental issues

Menhaden Capital Management

Great British Hero of 2021: Tom Daley for the gold medal, the literal high drama – and the knitting.

Great British Tipple: Oxford Distillery gin. It’s regenerative for the soil but not for the drinker.

Great British WFH Accessory: A woollen blanket, spun, dyed and woven in Devon. My security blanket for stressful Zooms!

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: Amly Botanicals face mist and rescue balm are harvested from meadow flowers.

Great British Garden: Hampton Court’s wildflower bit. Go there to see bees living their best life.

Great British Staycation: Kilminorth cottages, Looe, Cornwall. Right next to some of the most ancient woodland left in the UK. Great British Walk: Dartmoor, the Templar Way. Great British TV Series: I like collaborations like Succession – it’s brilliant and has a cast of English writers and producers.

Great British Hero of 2021: Derek Gow, for championing the return of beavers to Britain.

Great British Comfort Food: Freerange Tamworth bangers and mash.

Great British Tipple: Am I allowed Japanese whisky? Hibiki Harmony?

Great British WFH Accessory: I adore my iPad for everything from Zoom calls to reading.

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: My wife Jemima fills her baths with English rosehip oil, which I like.

Great British Garden: Stourhead is close by, and pure heaven.

Great British Staycation: Camping at the Knepp rewilding project, waking to birdsong like you’ve never heard before – unbeatable.

Great British Walk: Dorset’s Jurassic Coast could do with some rewilding, but the views are extraordinary.

Great British TV Series: There’s nothing funnier than Fawlty Towers.

Great British Podcast: Dan Snow’s history podcasts are riveting.

Fashion Council Great British Hero of 2021: Sarah Gilbert, for her time and investment into the vaccine.

Great British Comfort Food: A classic Sunday roast.

Great British Tipple: I have started appreciating English sparkling wine – Nyetimber is my favourite.

Great British WFH Accessory: My boyfriend bought me a round desk light for Zoom meetings, I cannot do a meeting without it now.

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: I’ve just been introduced to Nursem and I’m loving its Caring Skin Fix. Great British Garden: My own garden in Little Venice.

Great British Staycation: Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond – not fully out of London, but beautiful.

Great British Walk: I’m from Derbyshire, so any scenic route through the Peak District has always touched my heart.

Great British TV Series: Line of Duty.

Great British Hero of 2021: Kate Bingham, for heading the UK Vaccine Taskforce.

Great British Comfort Food: Kedgeree. Technically, I think it is an Anglo-Indian comfort food.

Great British WFH Accessory: A garden chair with a built-in laptop table.

Great British Garden: A beer garden.

Sissinghurst is all very well, but its selection of artisanal ales is very disappointing.

Great British Staycation: Deal.

In fact, East Kent in general. Until recently this was the sherry of the weekending world, underrated relative to places further afield.

Great British Walk: Deal to the Zetland Arms at Kingsdown.

Great British TV Series: Manhunt.

Written by my brother-in-law in conjunction with Detective Colin Sutton, hence I am biased.

Great British Podcast: All Killa, no Filla, The Beef & Dairy Network and No Such Thing as a Fish, whose weird whimsy mean they are uniquely British in content and delivery.

GR E AT BR ITISH BR A N DS TO YOU R IN BOX Celebrating our homegrown talent each month with carefully curated guides to the best of British, sign up to the monthly Great British Brands newsletter now. @countryandtown

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It’s not about where you go, it’s about what you experience.

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CON T R I BU TOR S

Farrah Storr

James Bidwell

Tabitha Goldstaub

Peter Griffiths

Head of Writer Partnerships at

Co-founder/Chair of B Corp

Co-founder of CogX and chair

City Strategist and Urban

Substack UK and former Editor in

businesses, Re_Set and Springwise

of the UK government’s Artificial

Content Consultant

Chief of ELLE and Cosmopolitan Great British Hero of 2021: The Dogs Trust staff for dealing with thousands of now homeless ‘lockdown puppies’.

Great British Comfort Food: Jam roly poly with custard, there’s no greater indulgence.

Great British Tipple: I’m a Kent woman so it has to be a glass of Chapel Down.

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: Anything from Heckfield Place’s new beauty brand Wildsmith.

Great British Garden: Always Sissinghurst. It doesn’t have a bad season.

Great British Staycation: The Wild Rabbit cottages in Kingham are about as chic as they come, and just steps from the glorious Wild Rabbit pub for breakfast.

Great British Walk: Faversham to Whitstable – country, beach and great fish and chips.

Great British TV Series: The hugely underrated Pulling. I laughed till I cried.

Intelligence Council Great British Hero of 2021: Lina Khan, the British-born, courageous guardian of fairness in the marketplace.

Great British Comfort Food: The Riverford Organic veg box – a delight on our doorstep every Tuesday.

Great British Tipple: Fever-Tree tonic, on the rocks, slice of lime.

Great British WFH Accessory: Weaver Green footstool made of recycled plastic bottles and perfect for meditation moments.

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: Mr Masey’s Post-Shave Balm – plant-based and cruelty-free.

Great British Garden: Great Dixter in Rye, a pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world.

Great British Walk: The Hangers Way in Hampshire – walking in the footsteps of poet Edward Thomas.

Great British TV Series: Springwatch with Chris Packham, reminding us of the wonders of the natural world.

Great British Podcast: 39 Ways to Save the Planet – eco innovations.

Great British Hero of 2021: Dame Donna Kinnair, former general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, for fighting so hard for the people who fought so hard for us.

Great British Tipple: Almost as good as the real thing, I’m hooked on Thomson & Scott’s Noughty organic alcohol-free sparkling wine.

Great British WFH Accessory: Alexa.

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: Symprove keeps my gut in order.

Great British Garden: Anything with a Shackadelic shack in it.

Great British Staycation: The Old School House – rentable bolthole my partner built in West Suffolk.

Great British Walk: To Queens Park from Kensal Rise for the farmers’ market on a Sunday morning.

Great British Podcast: My friend Azeem’s podcast Exponential View, which offers fascinating insights into the impact of technology on the economy and society.

Great British Hero of 2021: Everyone – a pandemic is a great leveller.

Great British Comfort Food: Cornish pasties bought in Cornwall are very hard to beat.

Great British WFH Accessory: Noise-cancelling headphones to turn spaces not designed for desks into havens.

Great British Rescue Beauty Product: Perhaps unintentional, but Teams’s background blur does a great job of smoothing hair in need of a trim.

Great British Garden: Green Park’s simple celebration of mature trees and little else always provides headspace in a busy city.

Great British Staycation: North Wales – you get to cross a border and parts of it feel otherworldly.

Great British Walk: Almost any of the coastal walks – there’s nothing like an edge to focus beauty.

Great British TV Series: The Great British Bake Off feels like the perfect introduction to this island.

THE GR E AT BR ITISH BR A N DS PODCA ST Hosted by Michael Hayman, industry experts, founders and CEOs share their invaluable insights into the future of Great British Brands. Available on all good platforms. countryandtownhouse.co.uk/podcasts 10 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB

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The Mayfair Collection

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DUBAI

SHANGHAI

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LONDON

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Some furniture is made for the here and now.

Some is built to stand the test of time.

At Neptune, we believe that the best can do both.

Good design never grows old.

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Talking about a

RENTAL REVOLUTION Could renting fashion save the global wardrobe? asks LUCY SIEGLE ver the last five years fashion has rightly endured a reputational pummelling when it comes to sustainability. From the declining lifespan of clothes and the lightning metabolism of fashion consumerism – exemplified by swipe-and-tap social shopping on Instagram – to the increased reliance on petroleum-based synthetic fibres in order to produce 100 billion-plus new garments every year (only for them to be slung in the bin after a handful of wears), the industry has gained a dismal reputation. In short, this is one industry in need of an ecological saviour.

Hands up if you expected that saviour to be found in renting other people’s fashion buys? I did not. For (lazy) verification I checked my own 2011 book To Die For: is Fashion Wearing Out the World? A decade old this year, this was once considered the, ahem, cutting-edge word on sustainable fashion. Hmmm, rewearing, mending, swapping, upcycling, remodelling (old clothes), deadstock design and thrifting etc all come highly recommended, but there is scant mention of ‘renting’.

Of course, there’s always been formal hire for men. In the newspaper archives I find a 1936 report of a New York tailors asking men being fitted for wedding suits to leave their prospective brides at home; whereas the man could be fitted quickly for a suit rental, the woman would want him to try on every piece of inventory. ‘They’d like 'em to look like Clark Gable but for the most part they don’t,’ said the assistant. I also once attempted to hire a formal dress from somewhere in Chelsea, before being horrified by the restrictions and deposit and going off to Topshop for a sequinned spandexy number instead (likely still clogging a landfill somewhere).

Some 20 years on, I’m back in a posh London location looking to rent an outfit. This time it’s via Zoom, and I’m scouting the virtual pop-up Marylebone showroom of By Rotation, a peer-topeer rental app. The founder and self-confessed clothing rental obsessive, Eshita Kabra-Davies, is showing me around. There are rails with a few ‘managed’ collections from celebrities like Stacey Dooley, where the rental fee is donated to charity. But usually this is a peer-to-peer service via the By Rotation app. So 14 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB

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Eshita Kabra-Davies (left) founded By Rotation, the peerto-peer rental app that is helping redefine consumer habits

wait, what’s with the bricks and mortar? ‘We were offered this place by the estate landlord for a while,’ explains Eshita, who grew up in Singapore, where she went to the mall every day, but is now leading a circular-fashion revolution. ‘We think of this as a common room for By Rotation, where we do lots of great events. We had a wonderful launch here with over 400 women. It was an amazing night, I can still see it now!’ she says half-closing her eyes, ‘and the drink spillage on the carpet! It was so nice to meet our community in person.’

Eshita mentions the By Rotation community a lot. A former investment banker, with an elevated sense of personal style (I quickly became addicted to her Instagram posts) she had no background in the fashion industry – but was determined to create a tech-first company (it’s all about the app and the community) that also addresses fashion’s massive waste problems. ‘For me the most sustainable piece of clothing you can wear is already in your wardrobe, or it’s in someone else’s wardrobe. Unfortunately, my sister and my mom don’t live in the same country or continent as me and a lot of my friends are not the same size. So I think building the app has been amazing for me to meet a lot of like-minded women who might be in a different city.’

By Rotation launched five months before Covid and lockdown hit the country. I can’t quite imagine the terror but, relentlessly upbeat, Eshita finds the positive. ‘It was actually a great time for us to build our community and get people to list their wardrobes on the app’, she says. ‘Everyone was talking about Marie Kondo since they were face to face with all the stuff they’d amassed. And, you know, we had a very captive audience, digitally, when it came to the lockdowns.’

At this point there are over 150,000 on the By Rotation app, predominantly women and largely millennials, but increasingly Gen Z. The average amount paid by a renter per loan is £45 to £50. By Rotation takes 15 per cent from the lender and 15 per cent from the renter. The app joins a flourishing UK ecosystem of fashion rental that seems to be in the ascendancy. Brands include My Wardrobe HQ, which last year attracted the ex-Whistles CEO, Jane Shepherdson as Chair (she has said she wants renting clothes to be ‘as commonplace as renting a car’); Onloan, a subscription model that works in direct partnership with brands (as opposed to the peer-to-peer model), through which you can rent two or four pieces a month for £69 or £99; HURR, which is available at Selfridges; and Hirestreet, which recently achieved a high street first by teaming up with M&S. There are also accessory-specific sites for renting super-high-end handbags, such as the subscription service from Cocoon. The very idea of rental seems to be on a bit of a roll as the stigma of on-loan melts away. All platforms reported a surge after Carrie Symonds rented a bell-sleeved gown by Christos Costarellos for her wedding to Boris Johnson last May. It was £2,830 to buy but borrowed by her for £45 a day from My Wardrobe HQ. By 2030, around the time the UK is supposed to hit Net Zero, analysts predict the UK clothing rental market will reach £2.3 billion.

Fashion rental has burst onto the fashion scene carrying all the promise and thrills and spills of the circular economy.

The circular economy squares up to the huge problem of overconsumption and overproduction and then draws a different shape. Almost everything we consume at the moment is from the linear economy and the social and environmental impacts (not just carbon emissions but also water pollution and land-use change, which contributes to species loss) are devastating. This is driving the climate and nature crisis.

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CLOCKWISE FROM THIS PICTURE: Cocoon specialises in renting handbags; My Wardrobe HQ and Onloan are taking the clothes and accessories rental market by storm

Everything we consume in this system involves raw materials that must be mined, grown or cracked from petroleum. To add insult to injury, those resources are on single-track journeys to become waste (some of it indestructible), pushed onto the market with no plan for how long they will be in service or how they will eventually be disposed of. In a fashion context, an estimated 87 per cent of all the fibre used to produce clothing ends up as waste.

The circular economy is a different system with different outcomes. Essentially resources stop becoming waste and are continuously regenerated or circulated to be used again. This works well with precious metals, for example, which can be reclaimed and reused without loss of fundamental characteristics.

Clothing is harder to reclaim in this way, partly because it is increasingly formed from blended fibres, which include synthetics that are difficult to recycle, and also because it can be hard to retrieve clothes from a linear system. In common with other things, including furniture, clothing lends itself to the sharing economy (part of the circular economy) where products are continuously circulated in order to maximise use.

It’s easy to see, from this argument, that keeping better quality clothes in circulation could add up to a big leap forwards. But not everybody is convinced. A study by Finnish researchers from LUT University, published in May 2021, caused a huge stir when it declared that renting clothes had the highest climate impact of all clothing behaviours.

I think the polite response to this is that there were some eccentricities in the data. The researchers used a pair of denim jeans as their rental subject (almost nobody rents jeans). The study was also modelled on each rented item being collected by car, whereas most companies claim to use other delivery methods: By Rotation sends garments by post; Onloan uses carbon-neutral delivery service DPD; My Wardrobe HQ uses cycle couriers and electric vans; HURR at Selfridges and My Wardrobe HQ at Harrods rely on most customers arriving on foot (normally using public transport). Similar assumptions were made around dry cleaning. Rental platforms said the study did not reflect the reality of the rental system.

What’s exciting from my point of view is that rental creates the potential for a different sort of fashion consumer (although I hate calling us ‘consumers’ because we are humans and global citizens with agency). At the moment even conscientious shoppers are trapped in a linear system that is rubbish in a number of different ways. For starters it lacks nuance. Every time you buy something made in a linear system (also known as takemake-waste) you are sending a signal to the market to make more. You might be dying inside, knowing your fast-fashion purchase has a horrible impact on the planet; you might want to let them know you’re buying it with many reservations; but the signal the brand gets is a huge thumbs-up sign. If you carry on buying, the linear economy carries on growing. Yikes!

So, I’m personally rather excited to enter the era of the super-renter or super-lender. In By Rotation parlance it’s the Super Rotator, who lends and rents her (or his) wardrobe. ‘Some of our top lenders are happy for cash to stay within the app and use it towards rentals instead of cashing it out into their bank accounts,’ says Eshita, ‘One of the things I love about our app is that users are not influencers and celebrities and stylists, but regular, working professionals. One of our Super Rotators is a mother of twins, in her 40s. She’s a maths teacher and just received an OBE. Of course, she wore a rented piece to collect it and looked incredible.’

I’m determined to take a leaf out of this Super Rotator’s book. I’m a mere dabbler in rented fashion. During lockdown, when I chaired

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a panel for the UN Ocean Dialogues online, I rented a swanprint blouse from Stella McCartney. It was a much-needed fashion moment, at a fraction of the cost. I ask Eshita, who also loans her own pieces out, what is her hardest-working piece? ‘Currently it’s my Saloni green dress, which I bought, at the end of June, because I wanted to wear something green and there aren’t many dresses my size on the app.’ She’s a very small size and bought the green dress at an outlet store for £340. ‘I’ve rented it 24 times for £58 each time [£70 with service fee, including postage and cleaning]. I have another rental for it on Monday. I love seeing very different women to me wearing it for different occasions and seeing how they style it. The other item I have that does well on the app is a Jacquemus Le Chiquito bag. It’s impractical, silly, cute and very Instagrammable.’

Then she looks quite pleased, ‘It’s also rewarding when people approve of your style. I think that is what’s interesting about the app. I have no background in fashion myself and I didn’t even know what a buyer did, but you don’t really need to know on By Rotation. You quickly gain a good sense of how your piece is doing. If it’s had over 1000 views but no rentals, you might decide the price is too high. The user is completely in control. On our app, we’re showing you what people are actually renting and adding to their wardrobes.

The top lenders end up being the buyers in effect, because they are the ones with the cool style!’

Not only could fashion rental take the heat off the planet, it could also, finally, democratise style. n

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GBB 2022 / MARKETING

I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO…

PHOTO: UNSPLASH

(BUT SHOULD I?)

In a world of social flux and the need for dramatic societal change, can brand advertising and marketing campaigns take on the role of moral arbiter? Yes and no, says RORY SUTHERLAND COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 19

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n my childhood it was a long-standing joke that there were no famous Belgians. There’s a reason for this.

It’s not that there are very few famous Belgians, but that once you’re Belgian and become famous, people who aren’t Belgian assume you’re French.

Canadians often complain about the same thing: whenever Canada produces a world-famous figure, unless they are an ice-hockey player or a maple syrup manufacturer, everybody assmes they’re American.

I’ve spent 33 years of my life working in marketing and advertising. And one sad realisation this has brought is that marketing itself sometimes suffers from the Belgian problem. The reason is that if you do marketing really well, the credit generally goes somewhere else.

Nobody (outside marketing) ever says, ‘Steve Jobs, what a marketing genius – what salesmanship!’ Instead they say, ‘What a brilliant inventor or designer!’ or, ‘What a brilliant phone!’ Of course, a large amount of marketing works outside the field of direct consciousness. The most effective form of persuasion is when you don’t know you’re being persuaded.

So I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Jobs and Musk – and for that matter Edison and Ford – are brilliant hucksters and showmen as well as great inventors. What’s more, I suspect that if James Dyson were less telegenic,

and less talented as a storyteller, you might still have a Miele not a Dyson in your home.

Almost all innovation requires marketing. In fact, scientific progress itself requires marketing. In its earliest stages, any behaviour, belief or technology – if it is to become widespread – must replace something else, which has typically become deeply entrenched and normalised. The early adopters of new beliefs and technologies must therefore behave in a way that looks weird to the majority of their contemporaries, risking social embarrassment or general opprobrium.

(I discovered this in 1989 when I answered a mobile call on Oxford Street, using a brick-sized Motorola phone, and two people shouted abuse at me from passing cars.)

Public resistance is true of every new technology or belief in its earliest stages and has applied not just to mobile phones but also to domestic electricity, cars, trains – even (as we’re experiencing with Covid-19) vaccinations. In 1796,

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PHOTOS: ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES

FROM TOP: Steve Jobs was a brilliant designer but also a brilliant marketeer; in 20 years or so, we’ll probably think the internal combustion was a terrible idea and it seems absurd that electric cars failed the first time around because they were deemed too feminine.

Now the market is gaining traction and new players, such as British company Soventem, are set to shake up the industry (ecryptocar. com); if you have a Dyson rather than a Miele at home, it’s probably partly thanks to James Dyson’s talent as a storyteller

GBB 2022 / MARKETING after discovering the smallpox vaccine, Edward Jenner spent the rest of his life persuading people it was safe, fighting both religious objections and the scaremongering of quack doctors, who stood to lose money from their alternative treatments if vaccination were widely adopted.

I particularly like a 1920s Dublin ad promoting the installation of electricity in the home. Today, if you buy a remote cottage that’s not connected to mains electricity, you won’t need a lengthy sales spiel to convince you to wire up to the grid, but back in 1927 you did. We tend to forget the role that marketing plays in the early-stage adoption of new technology.

This applies equally to ideas and beliefs, from female suffrage and same-sex marriage to civil rights and the abolition of slavery. It even applies to scientific beliefs – indeed the Theory of Evolution is arguably still not a mainstream belief in the United States, 164 years after Darwin came up with it.

It is inconceivable even to imagine that there might be benefits to human slavery. But the greatest minds of past centuries,

PHOTOS: ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES

It was thanks to an advertising campaign by De Beers that we came to believe in the rarity of diamonds

including Benjamin Franklin, took a lifetime to arrive at the conclusion we now take for granted – that it is totally unacceptable in any circumstances.

What I’m saying is that while the most effective marketing isn’t exactly invisible, once a new equilibrium or consensus has been achieved, in hindsight we forget that it required persuasion in the first place. As a present-day example, consider electric cars. Currently the subject of controversy, there is a high chance – though not a certainty – that in 2050 we’ll regard the internal combustion engine as a quaint curiosity. Interestingly, one reason why electric cars died out after some early success in the early 20th century might well have been a marketing failure – they were seen as ‘feminine’. Henry Ford and his previous employer Edison did once co-operate to build an electric car, but the project went nowhere.

Consider how attitudes to video conferencing have changed since the pandemic. Although there was no significant technological advance in video quality between 2018 and 2020, what shifted was public opinion, because lockdown forced everyone to meet virtually.

The social context of video calls went from ‘weird’ to ‘normal’ and will probably stay that way, thanks to the climate change campaigns against flying. Back in 2018, suggesting a video call instead of flying to New York for a two-hour meeting would have implied disrespect to your client – that you couldn’t be bothered to see them in person. Today, the idea of flying from London to New York for a couple of hours when you could simply talk by Zoom, seems outlandishly unsustainable.

So it’s not advertising and marketing that change products per se. But they can change what the products signify. Take the current belief that a diamond is the most precious stone for use in high-end jewellery or engagement rings. In fact, diamonds are not especially rare.

It was a global advertising campaign, started by de Beers in the 1940s, that convinced us of this fallacy. The campaign didn’t change what a diamond is, but transformed the perception of what it feels like to receive one as a present.

Now, this is important, because it suggests that the techniques that made diamonds de rigueur for engagement rings can also be used, for example, to tackle climate change or wealth inequality or diversity. A great deal can be achieved through persuasion, rather than compulsion.

Government, largely populated by lawyers (who occasionally talk to economists), tends to try and tackle change the wrong way around, starting with legislation. If that fails, it moves on to economic incentives, such as bribing people. Only when those two have failed does government resort to persuasion.

Smart motorways are not a wholly bad idea, for example, but government has introduced them without explaining how they work.

Advertising people know they have this

Those techniques that made DIAMONDS DE RIGUEUR for engagement rings can also be used, for example, to tackle CLIMATE CHANGE or WEALTH INEQUALITY or DIVERSITY. A great deal can be achieved through PERSUASION, rather than COMPULSION

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GBB 2022 / MARKETING FROM ABOVE: Madmen, the slick television show that documented advertising’s golden age and whose final episode ended with famous hilltop ad for CocaCola; ‘Charley says...’, the former Central Office of Information’s campaign to help children learn road safety

The most effective marketing isn’t exactly INVISIBLE, but once a new EQUILIBRIUM or CONSENSUS has been achieved, in hindsight we FORGET that it required PERSUASION in the first place

PHOTOS: ALAMY; BFI _ CROWN (C)

power of persuasion. Indeed, over the last few years there has been an extraordinary preponderance of advertising by commercial entities, trumpeting their own pro-societal credentials, and in many cases wanting to be seen as the agents of social change.

This practice is widely debated within the advertising industry. The movement is often well intentioned, but the real question is: ‘Is it actually effective?’ And here the jury’s out: some purpose-driven campaigns have been very successful.

But others have singularly failed, and even been counterproductive.

There’s nothing new about purposedriven advertising. The famous hilltop ad for Coca-Cola, which ended the final episode of Madmen, was a kind of celebration of one-worldness and brotherly love from the Vietnam War era.

But Coke is a highly unusual brand. Its immense scale, global popularity and use as an accompaniment to sociability gives its promoters licence to talk about fellow feeling and mutual kindness that most

other brands can’t touch. A comparable montage for a haemorrhoid ointment might not work.

There’s a wider problem, too, because if every advertisement becomes purpose-driven, the net effect feels hectoring to the audience, and people react against the message. I don’t want my margarine to lecture me about social justice. And I certainly don’t want to be morally tutored by corporations that, behind the scenes, are seeking to reduce their tax bills at every opportunity. If we start assuming businesses are advertising for self-interested reasons and interpret their ads as cynically motivated, brands seeking to bolster their woke credentials may end up damaging the message.

Wouldn’t it be better if, instead of every brand doing a campaign to bolster its own pro-societal credentials, there were a voluntary levy on advertising, of one or two per cent, to produce messages at the category level, not the brand level, in order to promote behaviours and attitudes which could help create new, beneficial beliefs and behaviours? This would force companies to put their money where their mouthpiece is. In seeking to solve social issues, we should be careful to act in a way that’s genuinely appropriate to their solution.

Funnily enough, an organisation once existed to pursue such a purpose, from 1946 to 2011.

Called the Central Office of Information, it arose as the peacetime successor to the Ministry of Information during World War II. It brought us ‘Charley says…’ (the Green Cross Code Man) and ‘AIDS: Don’t Die of Ignorance’. It also produced a slew of public information films, exhorting us not to drink-and-drive, to close farm gates, to prevent our dogs from worrying sheep, to avoid dropping litter and so forth. It was propaganda of a kind, though propaganda of a good kind, in that it simply sought to inform us what sensible social behaviour was, and to create and reinforce norms around that behaviour. Many of these ads are still working today, years after the COI has ceased its work. (Contrast your own attitude to drink-driving with that of your parents’ generation, and you might see what I mean.) Some – not all – of this shift in attitudes, from drinkdrivers’ ‘regrettable acts of naughtiness’ to their current pariah status – was achieved by effective campaigns.

A COI-type organisation might be a better alternative to having to endure every brand on the planet lecturing us about its plans to change the world, when mostly we just want advertising to decide what kind of toothpaste we should buy.

And so my simple message here is: Yes, I think advertising might be able to save the world; but I don’t think it will do it one brand at a time. n

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GBB 2022 / DIVERSITY

Delivering Diversity CEO of Roksanda and British Fashion Council board member, Jamie Gill, has beaten the odds to rise to the top of the fashion tree – both as a BAME gay man and a kid who hailed from a working class background in the Midlands.

Former ELLE editor, FARRAH STORR, shares a similar backstory and discusses with him why the first step is to make a business case for diversity. Hopefully, the rest will follow…

PORTRAIT BY LUCA STRANO

o the naked eye, Jamie Gill is fashion personified. He’s a sharpsuited, immaculately mannered sort of chap, the type who will hold the door open for you while giving you his thoughts on the latest Balençiaga collection. He sits on the Board of the British Fashion Council and has the not insubstantial job of CEO of Roksanda, one of the world’s most exciting luxury fashion houses. You could hate him – if he wasn’t such a nice guy. You could also dismiss him as ‘just another fashion type’ if you didn’t know the whole story. And the whole story, by the way, is really worth knowing.

Jamie Gill is, after all, an Asian man from a Derbyshire mining town who had not a single fashion connection when he started out, but has somehow gone on to become one of

the industry’s most powerful new players. The story of how he did that is as complex as it is eye-opening – not only about race but also about the power of social mobility and the cultural nuances that make that climb steeper for some than for others.

Most of all, however, it’s a story about resilience.

Like most modern day meet-cutes Jamie and I first crossed paths on Instagram when I was editing ELLE magazine. He slipped into my DMs saying we should grab a coffee. We had friends in common. We both worked in fashion. Frankly, why had it taken so long?

It soon transpired that we shared other things in common: namely we were two of only a handful of BAME leaders in the fashion industry. Jamie is from an Indian background; my father is Pakistani. Those two things would not be so striking were it not for the fact we’re outliers in an industry that has spent the last 18 months talking fervently about diversity. What’s more, both Jamie and I come from solid, working-class corners of the country. I am from Salford, home to Strangeways Prison

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Jamie Gill has climbed the fashion tree against the odds

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GBB 2022 / DIVERSITY

and Shaun Ryder. Jamie is from Denby, a small East Midlands town famous for its former mining pits and pottery. To be BAME and make it in fashion is one thing. To be BAME and come from a forgotten corner of the UK to make it in one of the most competitive, heavily networked industries in the world is a whole other story.

‘I think last summer made me wake up to the diversity issue,’ says Jamie, speaking from his West London home. ‘If you remember, Caroline [Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council] invited everyone from a BAME background in the industry to a meeting – 163 of us came, from all different levels, and that was it.’

I remember the meeting well.

It was striking to see the industry’s BAME population on one Zoom call. There were names I knew, of course: Edward Enninful, editorin-chief of British Vogue, Imran Amed, founder of The Business of Fashion and stylist Julia Sarr-Jamois.

But, like Jamie, it was sobering to see how few of us there were, particularly at the very highest level.

‘You wouldn’t think fashion has a problem because of our image,’ says Jamie. ‘Ad campaigns, runway shows, parties, events, the assets, the Instagram, the influencers – they are very diverse. It’s so progressive. It’s different ethnicities, different sexualities, different body shapes, it’s gender fluid. It’s everybody’s welcome.

Well, anyone is welcome as long as you’re cool,’ he laughs. ‘That’s the only entry card – don’t come in a suit and tie!’

Like most of the creative industries in the last few years, much of the fashion world has worked hard to try and shake off its

To be BAME and make it in fashion is one thing. But also to come from a FORGOTTEN corner of the UK and make it in one of the most competitive, heavily networked industries in the world is a WHOLE OTHER STORY

PHOTOS: MERT & MARCUS; SHUTTERSTOCK; QUIL LEMONS

Edward Enninful is British Vogue’s first black editor and has featured a more diverse range of people on the cover since his tenure, including Malala Yousafzai (above right)

image of privilege and inaccessibility. When I was growing up in the '90s, I could name every single model of colour – Yasmeen Ghauri, Yasmin Le Bon, Nadège, Alek Wek and, of course, Naomi Campbell. I struggled more with the big designers – Azzedine Alaïa, perhaps, Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake.

The catwalks are now filled with models from a true plurality of heritages (and, it should be said, body sizes, though interestingly this still feels like one of fashion’s last big taboos). From a design perspective, we have Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, Mancunianborn Maximilian Davis, Grace Wales Bonner, Osman Yousefzada, Alighieri’s Rosh Mahtani, and Rejina Pyo. This is not an exhaustive list, of course, but the point is we have a list. It is a starting point, though arguably a small one.

What is perhaps more intriguing is what happens when you move further up the fashion chain, into the C-suites and boards. While there has been much talk about the need to diversify at entry level – fashion assistants, writers, pattern cutters, design assistants – few have pointed the finger higher up. One suspects because higher up is not as visible. Few know the ethnic and socio-economic background

CLOCKWISE FROM CENTRE: Naomi Campbell and Julia Sarr Jamois are recognisable BAME names in the industry, but it is striking how few there are

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PHOTOS: MERT & MARCUS; SHUTTERSTOCK; QUIL LEMONS

of those truly at the top. And not to know, perhaps, is the point.

‘It’s never going to change unless it’s top down,’ says Jamie. ‘It has to be board, executive level, management (then) team down. To be fair, it has sparked Richemont and LVMH to find non-executive board members of colour as well as bringing in heads of diversity and inclusion. But ultimately, the fashion industry is run by a handful of macro players and if it’s going well and the talent is delivering, why are they going to rock the boat?

‘You see people holding the same high-level seats for a long time. And to some degree, fashion celebrates that. Because you’re seen as mature and visible after so much time, so it glorifies that seat. At that C-suite level with some of the macro players there’s also still that social bias against someone who is different to them.

‘If you grew up in a certain way and are still friends with the people you went to school with and your neighbours are of a certain ilk, other people can seem quite alien. Someone like me is trying to challenge that because I’m part of a world now that I never grew up in. So you have to have a thick skin. I have always had my headlights on. People will ask you, “Where are you summering this year?” as if it’s the most normal thing in the world. Or, “Where do you ski?”

I mean, I’d never skied before! It was something that my family just didn’t do.’

Jamie grew up in Derbyshire where his father ran a takeaway business and his mother worked part-time for Derbyshire constabulary.

He tells me he was the only BAME child among a thousand Caucasian kids at his comprehensive secondary school. He was also, he knew from an early age, gay – a fact further complicated by the sheer absence of gay South Asian role models.

‘Being gay in the 90s was still a social taboo in many

10

BAME DESIGNERS TO WATCH

Chosen by Jamie Gill. Words by Belinda Bamber

1. AHLUWALIA Priya Ahluwalia’s own brand exploded onto the scene like a firecracker in 2018, with the designer wearing her pride in her multicultural Nigerian-Indian heritage quite literally on her clothing – characterised by bold, colourful shapes and sinuous patterning. ahluwalia.world 2. ALIGHIERI Named after Dante, poet of purgatory and paradise, Rosh Mahtani’s jewellery encapsulates stories of human imperfection and vulnerability.

An Oxford graduate, raised in Zambia and London, her fragmented talismans are worn and prized by the likes of Michaela Coel and Marcus Rashford. alighieri.com 3. BIANCA SAUNDERS Award-winning Bianca Saunders magics menswear basics into statement pieces thanks to artisanal workmanship and her playfulness with masculine tropes. Her British-West Indian roots inform the distinctive vibe of her streetwear x avantgarde couture. biancasaunders.com 4. K.NGSLEY Based in New York, NigerianAmerican designer Kingsley Gbadegesin founded his label to forge a positive future for the Black and queer communities and people of colour in the USA. His sensual woollens and geometric separates reflect his formative years at Versace, Celine and Loewe. k.ngsley.com

Osman Yousefzada (right) was told when he started out in fashion that he had to shy away from his heritage in his designs (SS22 pictured above) to conform to the elite fashion environment

5. MARTINE ROSE Martine Rose is the cult go-to for edgy androgyny with a dash of kink – viz this winter’s fuzzy jumpers and leather cowboy chaps: a glorious revel in ‘bad’ taste and gender codes. Martine’s many influences include the ’90s rave scene, her Jamaican-British heritage and London’s cultural melting pot. martine-rose.com Continued overleaf

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6. NICHOLAS DALEY While the use of rich tartan textiles and emphasis on craftsmanship hint at Nicholas Daley’s Scottish upbringing, his distinctive hats, chunky weaves and assertive textile patterns are a tribute to his Jamaican heritage. It’s a powerful, unashamedly masculine exploration of multiculturalism. nicholasdaley.net

7. RAHEMUR RAHMAN London-born Raheem Rahman’s love of craft and community sing through the colours, woven textiles and natural dyes of his clothing – bold reinterpretations of South Asian identity that are made in his parents’ homeland, Bangladesh. @rahemurrahman 8. SAUL NASH Who better than a dancer and choreographer to design flexible, luxury activewear?

Saul’s movementbased shows famously feature his North London mates in unusual venues like schools or markets; he explores his BajanGuyanese heritage with masculine, sporty pieces topped with a nonchalant, acid-yellow trench. saulnash.co.uk

9. SUPRIYA LELE Sensual draping, chiffon layers, ruching, sequins, beading, mesh: Supriya Lele transforms her heritage of traditional Indian materials into a hedonistic mix of sexy, feminine and empowering. Raised in the Midlands with family ties in Madhya Pradesh, Supriya’s an activist for the education of Indian girls. supriyalele.com

10. WALES BONNER LVMH Young Designer winner 2016, Dior collaborator, Central St Martins lecturer, critical theorist in Black literature and music: Grace Wales Bonner landed on the sportswear scene with the versatile agility of an Olympic multisport athlete. Take your marks for her zinging daywear in stripes and checks, elegant leather and wool. walesbonner.net

PHOTOS: CAPTURISE; JULIEN MIGNOT; WILL GRUNDY; JAMIE MORGAN

circles,’ he says. ‘Back then who did we have? It making a “business case” is what you have was Lily Savage, Dale Winton and, eventually, to do. If you can get results that way, then in Graham Norton. But they are the caricatures. ten years it will be a different conversation.’

They addressed being gay in a comical way, so He wants to start that conversation now. in my eyes it wasn’t positive. Any conclusion Part of his remit on the BFC’s board is to I drew from society then was that it was silly. help steer the diversity journey onwards So for a long time I grew up thinking I was and upwards. But he’s also personally ill. Perhaps it would have been different if spearheading an – as yet – top-secret I had found a South Asian gay role model, incubator programme that focuses on but I never did.’ the operational side of fashion: the future He loved fashion and the arts, he tells CEOs, HR directors, operation managers me, but if he’d told his family these were and logistical experts. It’s where he sees the interests he wanted to pursue, ‘they a huge opportunity for the sector would have thought: “Something’s not and it’s an aspect of fashion he right here.”’ He eventually came out to knows well, partly from Deloitte’s, his family aged 22. where he was involved with LVMH’s ‘Fashion would have been acquisition of Nicholas Kirkwood, unpalatable to my family and to the and later when he advised wider community. It would have investors in Roksanda, been, “What is he doing? Where long before he became the can that possibly lead to?” and company’s CEO in 2018.

“Why on earth are you designing ‘There is definitely a talent issue on my side women’s clothes?”’ So Jamie of the fashion business,’ studied architecture instead, but he explains. ‘Probably when the financial recession of 2007-8 impacted architecture because the British fashion and construction it was almost industry is a handful of impossible to build a viable macro players who are career in those industries. all household names – So in 2010, Jamie joined Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Deloitte’s graduate training programme (following a Westwood, Paul Smith, friend on the scheme Stella McCartney. Everyone who seemed to be else is very small. Where do having a good time), those smaller businesses tend and this is where his to find their obvious talent?

Within those macro players.

Damascene diversity moment took place.

But you’ve got these outsiders, ‘The f ir m like me, who have never just seemed to seen the fashion industry be looking after its as a viable career option. We people,’ says Jamie, ‘and I could do with fresh blood and fresh remember that in those first perspectives. After all, resetting after two weeks it was clear diversity and Covid means there’s even greater inclusion were at the heart of what it did. pressure on ops and finance, but where Its clientele was international, is that fresh thinking so it needed a workforce coming from?’ that represented its clients.

Fresh talent. Movement That was where it was really at the top. Breaking apart progressive. They asked you the age-old networks about your sexual orientation, that have dominated the your ethnic background, fashion industry. Creating and there was a support role models with different programme for everyone from perspectives. These are a diverse background.’ not the whole answer to Making a ‘business case’ shaking up fashion, but for diversity is seen by some they’re a start. And with as too cynical. After all, why Jamie Gill leading from should there have to be a the front, it feels doable. business case to promote Rejina Pyo moved to London what should be a natural Farah Storr is the head in her early twenties from South Korea and has seduced a stylish of Writer Partnerships at priority? Yet Jamie is a realist. audience with her modern lines ‘Of course, we want it to be Substack UK. She is the former mixed with antique details a natural priority, but right editor in chief of ELLE and (SS22 pictured above) Cosmopolitan. n now, to make it tangible, 28 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB

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A PR O UD M E M BE R OF S A NDE RSON DE S I GN GROUP

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MASTERS Our Great British fashion brands have painterly appeal

FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD PHOTOGRAPHER PAUL FARRELL ART DIRECTOR FLEUR HARDING

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Dress, jumper vest and gloves, all Erdem. Loafers, Alexander McQueen.

Socks, Falke

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Blazer, trousers, bracelet and bag, all Alexander McQueen

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Jacket, dress, jumper and socks, all Molly Goddard.

Boots, Stella McCartney

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Dress, pinafore and arm warmers, all Vivienne Westwood. Hat, Oliver Brown

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Top, skirt and shoes, all Christopher Kane.

Tights, Wolford

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Pinafore dress, cardigan and shirt, all Simone Rocha.

Boots, Stella McCartney.

Tights, Wolford

STOCKISTS Alexander McQueen: alexandermcqueen.com Christopher Kane: christopherkane.com Erdem: erdem.com Falke: falke.com Molly Goddard: @matchesfashion.com and mollygoddard.com Oliver Brown: oliverbrown.org.uk Richard Quinn: @harrods.com Simone Rocha: simonerocha.com Stella McCartney: stellamccartney.com Vivienne Westwood: viviennewestwood.com Wolford: wolfordshop.co.uk TEAM Associate art director: Sally Glover Makeup: Adam de Cruz at One Represents, using ADC Beauty Hair: Bjorn Krischker, using FEKKAI Set designer: Michelle Lester Fashion assistant: April McCarthy Photographer’s assistant: Josh Tarn Videographer: Jacob Lewis Motion editor: Tracer Ital Digital assistant: Joe Wiles

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Giving

NATURE a seat at the

TABLE BEN GOLDSMITH gives a warm welcome to your latest board member Illustration by AASE HOPSTOCK

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ll children are born into the world imbued with a fascination for nature. Consider the look of intense focus on the face of a toddler eyeing a frog in the wet grass, or attempting to grab one of the myriad shiny bugs racing away in all directions after turning over a log in the woods. We may not know it, but somewhere deep down an innate love of nature persists in us all. An apartment overlooking the park inevitably sells for a higher price than one that doesn’t. Hospital patients have been shown to recover faster if they have access to nature, or even just a glimpse of it from their beds. We crave connection with the natural world.

Amid the suffering of the Covid lockdowns, people everywhere experienced an upwelling of love for the natural world. For months on end, we had few options but to explore each day our immediate surroundings in search of patches of greenery. And as the human world shrank back, nature expanded. Video clips were circulated of dolphins playing in the silence of Trieste harbour, of the mighty Himalayas seen through clear air from northern India for the first time in decades, of wild boar trotting the

deserted streets of Berlin. For a while the pace of life slowed, even stopped, granting us time to reflect on the magic of the world, and what really matters in our lives. The disappearance of traffic offered a glimpse of how clear the air can be when roads are empty, how rich the birdsong when unwanted noise dies down, how delirious with wildflowers the road verges become if they are left unmown.

In Britain’s first lockdown so many people were reawakened to the vitality of nature and its importance in our lives. But that reawakening brought with it a realisation: that just when we need it most the natural fabric of our world is catastrophically depleted, and nowhere more so than in Britain, which ranks among the most nature-impoverished places on Earth.

Most of us, happy to find a solitary songbird in our back garden, aren’t truly able to grasp how bereft of wildlife our country has become.

Shifting baselines is the term used to describe a phenomenon whereby we yearn as adults for the natural abundance we experienced during childhood, while failing to grasp how much had already been lost to our parents at the time, so that expectations diminish from one generation to the next. We’ve lost countless species already, and those that do remain are in isolated, often tiny fragments of remnant nature.

PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; SHUTTERSTOCK

We’ve been in an abusive relationship with nature. We’ve taken it for granted, disrespected it, stripped it bare and given nothing back.

But now we have to change. We must mend our ways and give nature a metaphorical seat at the table – whether that’s in our kitchen, our boardroom, or in a global negotiating forum.

Formalising the relationship keeps nature constantly in our sights, instead of six feet under.

The benefits for people, businesses and brands are infinite

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GBB 2022 / CONSERVATION

PHOTOS: UNSPLASH; SHUTTERSTOCK

CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Children are born with an innate fascination for nature; bees make their home on Ben Goldsmith’s Somerset land; Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell reintroduced Longhorn cattle on to their Knepp estate; biophilia at play at Amazon HQ in Seattle

My family is lucky in having nature all around us, living as we do on a small farm in Somerset, on heavy clay not entirely suited to intensive food production. Last year we decided to emulate the extraordinary experiment of Knepp, where Charlie Burrell and his wife Isabella Tree ceased intensive agriculture altogether and adopted a wilder farming approach, triggering a resurgence of natural abundance that was unprecedented anywhere in Britain.

As at Knepp, we took away all our grazing animals to allow scrub and young trees to regenerate naturally. We removed all our internal fencing, and renaturalised and rewiggled the stream that runs along the valley bottom. In due course we’ll add back native Longhorn cattle, that essential keystone species, in order to establish the kind of mosaic wood pasture, rich in wildflowers and wildlife, that once blanketed much of Britain. Excitingly, several of our farmer neighbours are now considering doing the same, in an initiative some of us are tentatively calling Wilder Selwood. Experiencing the rebounding of nature now unfolding around us is one of the most joyous and wonderful experiences of my life.

The Knepp experiment has been an environmental and economic triumph. The estate has been transformed from a loss-making farm to a thriving, nature-based business, operating at far greater profitability than before, and more so even than conventional agriculture on more productive land. Knepp also provides a whole host of ecosystem services that benefit the nearby community, including flood mitigation, water purification and more abundant wildlife.

Not all landowners will pursue nature recovery in this manner, and nor should those on the most agriculturally productive land if we are to avoid offshoring food production. But more are recognising the potential of regenerative and nature-friendly farming to improve soil and crop fertility, reducing their reliance on costly inputs and opening up new revenue streams for carbon, biodiversity and water quality improvements.

Nature, they conclude, is good for business.

It’s not just agribusinesses reaching this conclusion. According to the World Economic Forum, over half the world’s GDP is at risk from nature’s decline, due to the private sector’s dependence on nature and its services. This should not come as a surprise. If you consider all the things nature gives us for free – such as healthy air, clean water, fertile soils, pollinated crops, a stable climate, and green spaces for human recreation and wellbeing – you can quite quickly see why depleting it is an existential risk to business that depends on the natural resources, ecosystem services (estimated to be worth at least $125 trillion per year) and healthy workforce that nature provides.

It’s true that human progress has been built on an often rapacious consumption of the biosphere.

Our mastery of the natural world, from the birth of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East 12,000 years ago to the Industrial Revolution here in the 18th century, gave rise to villages, towns, cities and empires and an ever more sophisticated civilisation comprised of healthier and happier human beings.

This left an indelible mark, but for millennia nature was able to replenish itself and continue to meet our needs. However, the Great Acceleration of the 20th century has driven many of our ecosystems toward critical thresholds beyond which they may no longer be able to provide for us. Our life support system is itself on life support. Unsustainable systems of production and consumption have driven extinction rates to between 100 and 1,000 times higher than would occur naturally, leaving one million species facing the threat of extinction. In the UK, nearly half of species have declined since 1970 and 15 per cent are at risk of extinction. To continue meeting our present rate of consumption would require the equivalent of 1.6 Earths – and would extirpate many more species.

To turn this around, we need to put nature on the balance sheet – as the Dasgupta review commissioned by the UK Treasury highlighted.

While produced capital doubled and human capital increased by 13 per cent between 1992 and 2014, our stock of natural capital – the natural assets which supply the goods and services upon which we depend – decreased by nearly two-fifths.

At the root of this vertiginous decline has been the invisibility of natural capital in financial and economic decision-making.

Transitioning to a nature-positive economy could generate $10.1 trillion in annual business value and 395 million sustainable jobs, according to the World Economic Forum.

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GBB 2022 / CONSERVATION

FOUR WAYS BRANDS CAN GIVE NATURE A SEAT AT THE BOARDROOM TABLE

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We need to mainstream natural capital accounting across both public and private sectors. Businesses should monitor and maintain the natural capital they’re responsible for, or depend on, just as they would other types of capital. This means protecting and enhancing assets like soil, forests, river catchments and marine ecosystems.

We need to integrate nature-related financial risks into corporate strategic planning. This includes the threat that ecosystem collapse poses to the stability of markets and supply chains, such as from crop failures or devastating floods. It’s also the financial impact of anticipated evolutions in consumer behaviour and government regulation to halt biodiversity loss. The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, which has received significant support from the UK Government, is developing a framework to help businesses understand and respond to these risks, with the ultimate ambition of redirecting global financial flows towards activities that restore rather than harm nature.

3

Businesses must set meaningful environmental targets and action plans. This will help with attracting investment, as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) concerns increasingly preoccupy those with their fingers on the purse strings, and prove an invaluable marketing tool in a consumerist society now making retrospective judgements on its own avarice. In response to a survey last year by the IBM Institute for Business Value, almost eight in ten consumers indicated that sustainability was important to them and more than half were willing to change their shopping habits to reduce their environmental impact.Many iconic British brands are already striving to become naturepositive. Waitrose is encouraging its suppliers to adopt regenerative and nature-friendly practices, and FatFace is planting 60,000 trees to meet its climate targets through the UK Woodland Carbon Code. The most exciting start-ups are also putting environmental objectives at the core of their business model, opening up new frontiers in bioengineering, circular resource use, green finance, and agrotechnology.

4

Finally, nature should be integrated into Human Resources departments.

Our hunter-gatherer minds were not designed for constant confinement in white collar or industrial environments.

Spending time back in nature is scientifically proven to reduce stress, fatigue and anxiety. Increasingly, firms are spending ‘away days’ in the natural environment in search of solace, respite and reflection, an inner quest that the ecologist EO Wilson dubbed biophilia.

The Treehouse hotel in London incorporates nature into its design as well as sourcing local produce, banning single-use plastic, and using composting and recycling schemes

The logical conclusion of this is ultimately to bring nature into the working environment by restoring habitats around offices and factories, building green roofs and walls, maximising daylight in interior design, and providing opportunities for staff to participate in naturebased activities like tree planting. It’s no surprise that Amazon’s Seattle headquarters is a quasigreenhouse with 40,000 resident plants, or that Facebook HQ has a rooftop park; green offices have been found to boost productivity and reduce days lost from staff sickness.

In short, the future of business belongs to the resuscitative rather than the extirpative.

According to the group Business for Nature, hundreds of companies have made commitments to reverse nature loss, and even more are taking steps to do so. The Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, which commits to reversing biodiversity loss by the end of this decade, has been endorsed by the heads of state and government from 91 countries, representing 37 per cent of global GDP and more than two billion people.

Those who continue to pollute and deplete without giving compensation will face consumer

and investor flight. By contrast, luminaries in the new nature-positive age will be rewarded with environmentally-conscious consumers, ESG-driven investors, and a more productive workforce – while accessing the new premium markets. This is on top of more predictable and stable supply chains, and the avoidance of the worst of the mounting costs approaching those who continue to plunder from nature.

These come in the form of resource scarcity, lost ecosystem services, and new regulation and pollution taxes. Already, land degradation and biodiversity loss are costing the world ten per cent of GDP per annum.

Free enterprise rests on the resources, services and protection that nature provides, and businesses hold the capital and innovation required to tackle our greatest environmental challenges. By understanding your impact and dependency on nature, and the associated financial risks, you can set informed targets and take meaningful action to help heal the natural world. Giving nature a seat in your boardroom is not just commercially astute, it’s the cornerstone of ethical and socially responsible business. n

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GBB 2022 / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

THE FUTURE’S HERE AI systems aren’t about ex machina humanoids

AND IT’S ALL

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

ABOUTAI

As Artificial Intelligence becomes ever more integral to our lives, brands must embrace it or be left behind.

The good news is that it can be used as a tool for sustainability, as well as increased profits, argues TABITHA GOLDSTAUB COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 45

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AI is, and where it’s going, is ultimately shaped by people. I find this hugely exciting and my own journey into AI policy started with a desire to help it be harnessed for good. What greater good could there be than helping in the fight against climate change?

AI is already automating everyday tasks at an unprecedented pace, but it is not a magic balm. It comes with risks, as well as rewards, and we have a duty to understand both sides of the coin. According to Jupiter research, global spending on AI by the fashion and luxury industries is predicted to reach $7.3 billion annually from 2022. And it’s not just about funny apps and sci-fi robots: AI is receiving massive investment because it can be used to reduce costs and increase profits. Many companies are already using AI tools to perfect design, personalise a product or shopping experience, connect bricks and mortar with online worlds, find new customers and chat with them in real time. And this is just the start. If it sounds like the dream to business owners, that’s because it is.

So what is the flip side of all this progress? When we receive beautiful, special or unique items, the luxury industry brings us great pleasure, but in doing so it is also damaging the planet. Half a million tons of nonbiodegradable microfibres have already entered the world’s oceans; textile dyeing is second to agriculture in polluting water, and the fashion industry is responsible for ten per cent of carbon emissions globally.

THE YES pulls products from retailer websites and Now that we know what harm some production shows them in a feed in methods have wreaked on the environment, many their own app. Over time consumers are more conscious in choosing where it will learn its users’ likes they spend their money. Yes, they want luxury, but through machine learning not at any cost. They are looking for ways to minimise the impact their spending has on the planet.

As a cohort, millennials and Gen Z are leading the battle t first glance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and luxury brands might seem unlikely bedfellows. Supposing against climate change. The first generations to be taught I made it a threesome with climate change? Would about climate change in schools, they have grown into any of them stay for breakfast? It’s not inconceivable. a defined consumer group and are extremely conscious about the impact of their spending. But spend they will.

AI technology (if used responsibly) is continually According to Bain & Company, the under-25s are set to proving its power to achieve positive change in all account for 40 per cent of the global personal luxury goods areas of our lives. And while the luxury industry market by 2035, and in the next four years will contribute is already embracing sustainability initiatives, 130 per cent of market growth. If this group is to be won I believe there’s huge scope for carbon over, a greater shift towards value-driven spending must be footprint reduction if they listen to the siren call of AI. The truly seductive aspect implemented – and fast. of AI for luxury brands is that it will also increase profitability.

In the McKinsey State of Fashion Report published last year, Definitions of AI are constantly being tweaked and refined, but in the it was documented that nine out of broadest sense its refers to technologies that strive to recreate human intelligence within ten Gen Z consumers believe brands machines. This may well sound like the stuff should demonstrate transparency of sci-fi dreams and multi-million-dollar robot around their environmental and films, but today’s AI systems aren’t ex machina social policies and 73 per cent would humanoids. They have narrower capabilities, pay more for sustainable items. able to perform only singular tasks. But if How can we achieve this? Let’s you’ve used a photo filter to see what you’d begin by looking at the demand to reduce waste. Hundreds of look like with pink hair or been guided (or thousands of tons of wearable bitterly disappointed) by Netflix’s viewing recommendations; if Google Maps has helped clothing find their forever homes you avoid traffic, or Instagram seems to know in UK landfills each year. Roughly what you want to buy before you do, then you’re speaking, that’s the equivalent of £140m worth of stock. The already interacting with AI. impact on the environment is We’re living in an era in which machines are taught to learn and adapt and there are infinite horrendous, as well as being a totally possibilities to their applications, especially if we unnecessary waste for the companies mix and match different AI technologies. What manufacturing those products.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE isn’t just about funny apps and sci-fi robots.

AI is receiving massive INVESTMENT because it can be used to reduce COSTS and increase PROFITS

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GBB 2022 / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AI technologies can step in here to help eliminate excess inventory as well as boost production for more popular items. This happens through machine learning, which can process the huge amounts of real-time data needed to discover which products in their line are clickbait, and which have the highest purchase rate at any given time. Access to these figures can speed up the supply chain process so resources can be sent to the most profitable places. This also works in reverse, reducing the overproduction of less popular items that end up in landfill. Online and offline stores can benefit in tandem by using the same data to adjust stock needs.

This same data can also be used for trend forecasting, aiding the design team by anticipating which styles will become hero products. Getting this right at design level results in a positive return on investment in AI technologies as it minimises potential overstock, streamlines production, optimises turnover and generates relevant sales.

This isn’t just the stuff of the future.

Brands like Stitchfix and THE YES are already ahead of the game. By harnessing data directly from users, they have fast, easy access to information that helps them plan styles their customers will love and calculate manufacturing quantities, as well as improve customers’ online shopping experience.

THE YES pulls items of clothing from brands’ and retailers’ websites and shows them in a feed within their own app. If users like the item being shown, they tap ‘yes’. If not, they tap ‘no’. Over time, the app will learn its user likes with the help of AI and machine learning. THE YES already counts Prada, Ralph Lauren and J.Crew among its clients.

AI technologies can also help reduce the historically labour-intensive

FROM ABOVE: TrueFit helps online shoppers find clothes that fit; Stitchfix uses AI to learn what their users really like, which helps them plan new styles and know what quantities to manufacture

aspect of garment production and support the human workforce. This can increase accuracy as well as take pressure off workers, freeing up their time to focus on value addition, as opposed to routine and often mundane tasks. When it comes to distribution, Yoox Net-a-Porter Group (Y NAP) and Amazon are already using software-controlled robots to navigate their giant warehouses, picking and transporting inventory faster and more accurately than humans, and enabling services like same-day delivery.

Although the technology is currently in its infancy, AI-powered image recognition can also be used to detect errors or anomalies in fabrics.

SoftWear Automation, an Atlanta-based robotics firm focused on sewn product manufacturing, uses automated, high-speed photography to take pictures of garments as robots work on them. The images are interpreted in real time by software that in turn directs the robots’ movements according to how the fabric stretches, and allows for adjustments to be made.

One of my favourite ideas for reducing carbon footprint is to use AI to find the perfect fit, thereby reducing returns – as well as being incredibly handy for the customer. I imagine it’s everyone’s dream to see what clothes, watches and jewellery look like on their bodies before hitting the ‘buy now’ button. Product returns cost UK retailers around £60bn a year and can account for up to ten per cent of business, with the carbon footprint of unnecessary deliveries and returns negatively impacting the planet. The technology doesn’t exist in its entirety yet, but if there was funding for AI to generate digital twins of our bodies, we could potentially eliminate those mistakes.

Indeed, with people unable to go out and buy – or even try on – clothes during the pandemic, the technology needed for virtual fitting rooms has accelerated. Companies like TrueFit already use behind-the-scenes data to help their customers find the perfect bra fit, and Virtusize helps brands build in virtual sizing tools to increase customer satisfaction and reduce returns. Israelbased Zeekit has used its AI to allow brands, including ASOS, Macy’s and Adidas, to hold virtual photoshoots. Here the AI is able to map clothes onto people’s bodies – these can either be models or potential customers who upload their own photos to an app.

The future of luxury goods lies with consumers who are looking for brands they can trust to abide by sustainable, conscious policies and help in the fight against climate change. Of course, they’re also looking for a personalised experience that offers high quality goods at the touch of a button. It may sound a tall order but brands can achieve it by embracing and investing in AI technologies.

Luxury brands are perfectly positioned to maximise how AI works for them, just as automotive and electronic industries have done. Now’s the time to tap into this new power, not only to economise, but also to deliver better products, better customer experience and reduced impact on the planet.

Start by asking yourself: ‘What have I always wished I could automate?’

Watch some sci-fi, let yourself dream and then start researching the practicals, such as the data you need and the people you’ll want on this journey. Ultimately, it’s about daring to think big and partnering with innovators who can help bring your dreams to life. n COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 47

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... ion

isrupt

PHOTOS: ©KASIA KILISZEK; COURTESY OF BURBERRY

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GBB 2022 / INNOVATION

PHOTOS: ©KASIA KILISZEK; COURTESY OF BURBERRY

Brands must innovate at pace to thrive in our disrupted times. Fortunately, the UK has some of the most pioneering thinkers and disruptors around, bringing new ideas to inspire, empower and make the world a better place, says JAMES BIDWELL

CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: Bristol Cloth is the UK’s first maker of locally grown, sustainable cashmere; In Burberry’s Shenzen store in China, they used QR codes on the product to unlock styling tips and exclusive content

e are undoubtedly experiencing some of the most disruptive and difficult times in living memory.

To quote Dr Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of England, in the first of his Reith Lectures last year: ‘We now live in a world where we face a series of crises – Credit, Covid and Climate.’ We are also seeing huge social and technological changes, all accelerated in our hyper-connected world.

Yet I feel there is good reason to be optimistic and for us to embrace disruption as a force for good. In my experience, for those who see and act on the opportunity, disruption can and does give brands a competitive advantage, galvanising teams to innovate and be courageous in their outlook.

The UK is home to some of the most innovative thinkers and disruptors on our planet, all bringing new ideas to inspire and bring about meaningful change. As a country, we’ve long been renowned for our innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. You only have to look at the UK’s leadership in developing the Covid vaccine or back at historical examples, such as when, out of the hardship of World War II, we challenged established thinking on healthcare with the creation of our much-loved and revered NHS. Fast forward to today, UK disruptors and innovators are stealing a march, with investment pouring into so many of our businesses at the intersection of technology and medicine. Even the UK’s traditional banking community is transforming and innovating with the growth and influence of a thriving fintech industry and the new frontier of climate tech is gaining traction daily – as it should.

Innovation is vital for brands to thrive. Gone are the five-year company plans we stuck to religiously and which determined steady, if unremarkable, growth. We now live in an age of shifting strategies, and for those who do not adapt and innovate, there is the ever-present danger of being left behind.

Yet innovation is challenging. I know from experience, working with companies large and small, that innovation is often risky and it demands a great deal to ensure that thinking stays fresh and alive. There is a reason that start-ups, rather than big corporations, are the early adopters and innovators.

For bigger, more global brands, there is the inevitable bureaucracy and a greater infrastructure to change; many fail to integrate new, agile thinking.

For those who do succeed, the rewards can be huge, as innovation at scale can have massive impact. But for it to work it must be genuinely transformative and have the support of the boardroom.

So, how can we ensure that British brands continue to innovate and thrive at pace? And what can British brands learn from the innovations of tomorrow?

As chair and co-founder of the next-generation strategy consultancy Re_Set and the global innovation platform Springwise, I connect daily with the latest innovations, inventors and thought leaders of tomorrow, giving me a unique COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 49

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GBB 2022 / INNOVATION CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Finisterre Biosmock is a climate-positive product; Cambridge-based Flourish adapted from delivering direct to restaurants to straight to consumers; a new way to shop – British architect Acme has worked with German supermarket REWE to design a rooftop farm where the produce is sold downstairs

dye studio; Bowmont UK, a cashmere farm; and bespoke cloth-maker, Bristol Weaving Mill. With most of the production now taking place within a 15-mile radius, it has reduced its carbon footprint and championed local, heritage, artisan craft.

Or take one of our great British brands, Burberry, which collaborated successfully with Tencent, one of China’s leading technology companies, to blend the digital and physical worlds of the customer’s shopping experience. It used QR codes on in-store products to connect with shoppers’ digital lives.

Once scanned on a smartphone, the code reveals styling tips and unlocks exclusive content, building a more personal and bespoke relationship with the customer, while making shopping with Burberry more relevant, convenient and fun.

One of my favourite British brands is Finisterre, set up over ten years ago by some Cornish surfers who wanted to create functional, sustainable clothing for people who love the sea, and rapidly gaining a loyal following – precisely because innovation is part of its DNA. This is a brand with a conscience, known for seeking out the alternative. Its Finisterre Biosmock, with its regeneratively-farmed insulation layer developed by Yorkshire-based HD® Wool Insulation, received a climate-positive award earlier this year. Innovation and sustainability are creating a highly successful brand for the next generation. Like my businesses, Finisterre is also a B Corp, committed to business as a force for good.

Restaurants and the food industry have undergone a Covidinduced renaissance. We have all benefited from our favourite restaurants pivoting overnight to offer an online delivery service or even establishing a shop. In a matter of days, forced to diversify, restaurants uprooted themselves from their traditional, physical settings to serve their communities in totally new ways. Restaurant suppliers also had to innovate at speed. Cambridge-based Flourish Produce originally supplied some of the most brilliant restaurant chefs with the freshest seasonal produce and took to delivering directly to consumers. Its business model has now completely transformed – and for the better. Innovation drives growth and builds resilience.

A European food innovation that caught my eye is the result of another collaboration: between British architects Acme and Germany’s second largest supermarket chain, REWE. A beautiful and impressively designed rooftop farm has been created, raising vegetables to sell in the store downstairs. By growing food on site the store both cuts its carbon emissions and reduces its reliance on global supply chains. Not only that, but as they roll out the concept, each store is designed to be an easy-tobuild, adaptable, modular system that grows and responds to the store’s

and encouraging perspective on what the future holds. Each day our innovation spotters publish new ideas from the UK and across the globe and perhaps the most potent impact of this network is seeing what we don’t know, what is new, rather than reinforcing the status quo.

Innovation at pace usually happens with collaboration, with looking beyond our own industry and geography for ideas, to expand our thinking and develop new models and ways of working. As a seafaring and historically connected nation, Great Britain is not only well placed but is more used to leveraging global thinking to drive success.

From a business point of view, large and small brands can learn and adapt from tapping into the smaller, inventive solutions that are being found in sometimes unexpected places.

Take Bristol Cloth, which makes the finest cashmere. Its story is a perfect example of innovation and collaboration at its very best. The UK’s first locally grown and sustainable cashmere is being developed through a collaboration between three companies – Botanical Inks, a natural

PHOTOS: JEVA GRISKJANE

Innovation is VITAL for brands to THRIVE. Gone are the five-year company plans we stuck to RELIGIOUSLY and which determined steady, if unremarkable, growth.

We now live in an age of SHIFTING STRATEGIES, and for those that do not ADAPT and innovate, there is the ever present DANGER of being LEFT BEHIND

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JAMES’ TOP FIVE INNOVATIONS

MAKE.WORK.SPACE The London-based design start-up creates tech-driven pods designed for our new world of hybrid working.

The sleek designs combine tech and wellbeing to create a serene environment, perfect for working or relaxing, for commercial use and home installations. makeworkspace.com

needs and changing times. I am sure UK supermarkets, who looked after us so brilliantly during Covid, will be piloting this type of model soon.

As we navigate these disrupted times, I believe the best leaders are those who adopt an agile and innovative mindset. They scan the horizon across industry and geography to discover ideas that will help them build the businesses of tomorrow. In the midst of all of this is, of course, climate change, and innovation is most certainly the way to create solutions for the biggest crisis of our time. That is a topic for another piece but back to Mark Carney who said recently that the transition economy ‘is the greatest commercial opportunity of our time’.

James Bidwell is Chair and co-founder of next generation strategy consultancy, Re_Set, and the global innovation platform, Springwise, both certified B Corp companies

CUBITTS This British eyewear brand developed The Speculator app which uses 3D face-mapping to offer a virtual fitting consultation and bespoke sizing and frame recommendations. It’s a good example of an innovation responding to our changing shopping behaviours postCovid – and giving customers an overall better experience. cubitts.com PAVEGEN A fantastic example of British technology, harnessesing the power of people, Pavegen creates smart flooring walkways that convert kinetic energy from footsteps to generate clean, off-grid power. It was recently in the news for providing the stage floor for the Coldplay concerts. pavegen.com LUSH This standout cosmetics brand is driven by its strong ethics and known for its innovative, outside-the-box formulae. Now on a mission to become a regenerative business, the brand has developed its first carbon-positive packaging, using regeneratively-farmed cork, a sustainable material that removes CO2 from the atmosphere. lush.com

PHOTOS: JEVA GRISKJANE

ANTI Anti is a new design company created with a singular purpose.

Each product they make is upcycled from an item that is rarely, if ever, recycled. The first collection comprises high-end designer lamps made from discarded umbrellas. Circular business models are here to stay and the smartest brands are transforming their economic models with this in mind. anti-waste.com n

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WE ARE LONDON

Brands need London just as the capital needs brands

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GBB 2022 / LONDON

PHOTO: UNSPLASH

Love it or hate, Britain’s global muscle would be gravely weakened without London. But our capital’s status cannot be taken for granted.

This is where brands’ symbiosis with the city can help, says PETER GRIFFITHS

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GBB 2022 / LONDON

s the future of cities in doubt? This question might strike most as astonishing, since for millennia, from Baghdad to Beijing, cities have been at the heart of empires and global powers; urbanisation has continued to accelerate.

But the pandemic has changed everything. So are we really witnessing the wane of Britain’s cities or simply a moment for reinvention?

Spoiler alert: we are experiencing both, but unevenly.

Cities are places where cycles of interest, investment and inflation give way to rest, reinvention and repeat. Yet the effect of the pandemic was to disrupt this cycle globally, putting many cities back on the starting blocks. Though they could have learnt so many important lessons from China and other Asian cities early on, UK cities found it easier to learn from places they can mostly get to by train, in Europe. It’s therefore no surprise that, apart from London, few UK cities have influence that extends much beyond Europe and parts of the USA. Global Britain gets almost all its reach from a capital that was once just a Roman outpost.

Depending on how you sample the data, London today is one of the world’s four most important cities. The others are New York City, Tokyo and Paris. Even if they don’t always occupy the top four spots in global surveys – London is mostly expert in being reasonably good at most things – no ranking is legitimate without their inclusion. Almost all the cities immediately below them are in countries where there is some ambiguity as to which city is their country’s main entry point. Madrid and Barcelona are both

fantastic metropolises, but the productive competition that has elevated them so high may also act as a ceiling. The non-contest between London and, say, Manchester, as the country’s prime city, is the key to the UK’s global brand power.

While residents of many British cities were posting hyper-local content on social media during the pandemic, London had comparatively little data on its own residents when borders shut. London, the world’s most global city, was focusing on its 20 million annual international arrivals and 300 million domestic visitors rather than on its residents. London’s city centre saw the most sustained footfall drop-off, not just because of missing tourists and office workers, but also because of a delay in focusing on residents.

This prompted Transport for London to target the UK market by messaging about the opportunity for safer, less busy journeys in the city. More recently, London’s £6 million ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign, described by mayor Sadiq Khan as the ‘biggest domestic tourism campaign’, brought 280,000 visitors to the capital.

Night tubes restarted and its transport network is now regularly at 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels on weekends (it’s only at 60 per cent during the week). It shows how joined-up transport infrastructure and communications are key to reactivating the city.

Even brands proudly rooted in the countryside benefit from London’s ability to touch almost every part of the globe, helping local brands translate their stories globally. Almost half of all creative sector jobs are based in and around London. The ‘Made in Britain’ brand is one that’s heavily supported by this concentration. So, when cities are struggling, brands

Even brands proudly rooted in the countryside benefit from LONDON’s ability to touch almost every part of the GLOBE, helping local brands TRANSLATE stories globally

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Ashley Chaplin, South Bank Bubbles, London. Taken from Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 13 (AA Publishing, £26)

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could re-emphasise the city stories they are attached to, consolidating brand messaging around a particular place or illustrating how cities are places of production that bring people together.

Brands are in prime position to support the unique layers of experience that ensure places are differentiated and memorable. They can help landlords and asset managers make space available for alternative activities so high streets aren’t all carbon copies with the same chains claiming prime spots. As Yolande Barnes, chair of UCL Bartlett Real Estate Institute puts it: ‘Clone high streets are just less appealing places to visit.’ Even in London, the high street ‘offer’ in many areas is not compelling, with leisure or cultural assets acting as more important draw cards.

Recent conversation about high streets has been dominated by the mission to create a balance between chains and independents, such as shrinking the size of shops to make store fronts more diverse, and improving the quality of public realm design.

It’s clear that a bigger range of activities and services in and around businesses improves the high street experience. Some of this is already happening: pop-ups; cooking schools in food stores; tailoring in fashion outlets; a stronger residential mix; power, WiFi and seating to activate unused areas. Brands can help landlords reconsider how floorspace can be repurposed, or blank windows reactivated to connect better with the street.

It isn’t unusual for a city to achieve a buzz of excellence at its centre, only to end up exporting capacities to where land is cheaper. There is perhaps an aspect of levelling up in this, but many brands still need urban centres like London as part of their journey towards greater success.

If national government moves its focus away from London, the capital might just get on with finding new ways to sidestep national policies. In time, some of these policies could then be rolled out to other UK cities.

For all London’s faults, it is possibly one of the world’s most important test beds. If the UK did truly manage to ‘level up’, an unexpected consequence could be losing London’s capacity to point to the future. And if London were to be unseated globally, whether through Brexit, levelling up or a combination of other plans, another UK city is unlikely to take its place, leaving the UK far less able show to show world leadership.

In that scenario, older, established brands would probably be okay, but newer ones would find scaling to a global level far more challenging.

Over time, the UK could end up hosting fewer of the world’s top brands.

This is not to say the UK would stop making good products, but that it would become relatively easier for other parts of the world to promote the quality of theirs. The current power of London as a global brand provides an alluring open door to the world for all UK brands associated with it.

There are mixed views about whether London will retain its shine in the face of Brexit and the government’s strategy for Global Britain. What is clear is that UK brands need London to be great, but also that London’s global status – stretching farther back than when it was the world’s largest city almost two centuries ago – is not guaranteed.

After all, Baghdad was once the world’s unrivalled intellectual capital.

Of course, other leading cities around the world are also being buffeted by national and global headwinds, undermining the capacity for new challengers to rise. This may give London time to play with. Perhaps time is all London needs to remind the world it is still at the centre of global power. The prime meridian at Greenwich writes London into every city’s story in a way that arguably no other city before it has achieved. Even so, while global power can be traced back to cities, no city has ever commanded it forever. So, while London’s survival as a national city is not in question, its status as a global city could be. n

The power of LONDON as a global brand provides an alluring OPEN DOOR to the world for all brands associated with it

PHOTO: LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

David Hopley, Sightseeing. Tower Bridge, London. Taken from the book Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 12 (AA Publishing, £25)

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ANNOUSHKA

Fine jewellery designed from the heart in 18ct recycled gold

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nnoushka brings a strong female voice to the traditional world of fine jewellery, designing versatile pieces for women who are increasingly happy to buy jewellery for themselves. As founder Annoushka Ducas puts it: ‘We create precious jewellery for remarkable women.’ Annoushka believes jewellery should last forever, something that is reflected in the timelessness of the brand’s designs and integrity of the materials it uses.

‘We believe in buying less and buying better and intend our designs to be worn, cherished, passed on for the next generation to enjoy,’ says Annoushka. ‘We have always been dedicated to sourcing responsibly, recycling gold already in circulation. Last year we moved our production to 100 per cent recycled gold and are in the process of onboarding with Positive Luxury. Our brand’s production will be in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 12, ensuring our supply

chain has minimal impact on our planet.’

Love and Commitment is the brand’s first collection to be made entirely of 100 per cent recycled gold. Focusing on white gold and white diamonds, the collection offers contemporary ideas for the wedding/engagement market and features Annoushka’s own unique stone setting on engagement, wedding and eternity rings as well as jacket and side rings. The collection also includes talismanic coloured gemstones, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

Annoushka has recently collaborated with British fashion designer Alice Temperley to create a capsule collection intended for the modern bride to wear on her big day and then enjoy ever-after. The collection is based on Alice’s own jewellery, with earrings, bracelets, charms and necklaces crafted in 18ct recycled gold, pearls and diamonds.

Last year Annoushka also worked with Fuli Gemstones, becoming the first designer to collaborate with a dedicated peridot mine.

Using stones sourced directly from Fuli’s Yiqisong Nanshan mine in China, the Radiance collection is an Art-Deco homage to and reimagining of Annoushka’s own engagement ring. The bold designs feature astonishing green peridot stones, pink sapphires and malachite, crafted into transformable statement pieces: a ring can becomes a pendant to be added to a choker or necklace for an elevated look.

Another coup last year was becoming the first jewellery brand to launch with Harper Concierge, offering customers within Greater London a new, exclusive and luxury service that allows customers to try before they buy with a guaranteed drop-off time followed by a one-hour appointment slot, all from the comfort of their home.

In 2019, Annoushka herself became a patron of Women Supporting Women run by the Prince’s Trust to support young girls and women from disadvantaged backgrounds. In 2020, Annoushka founded The Brilliant Breakfast to help raise funds for the initiative, and last year they held their second breakfast event, raising more than £800,000.

‘Despite global challenges, 2021 was an exciting year for us, particularly embracing the challenge of making our business as sustainable as possible,’ says Annoushka. ‘But we want to be the best and believe that the world should not have to be harmed in the name of luxury.’

Annoushka 41 Cadogan Gardens London SW3 2TB +44 (0)20 7881 5828 annoushka.com annoushkajewellery

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Annoushka’s designs are realised in recycled gold and ethically sourced gemstones that adhere to the United Nations Kimberley Process, put in place to reduce the flow of conflict diamonds

‘The world should not have to be harmed in the name of luxury’

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Design-led textiles crafted by artists showcasing traceable slow luxury

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raminta Campbell is an innovative Edinburgh-based textiles company that embraces traditional craftsmanship and timeless design in a powerful expression of Scotland’s natural beauty and weaving heritage.

Working with family-run artisan mills in Scotland and in-house weavers, the brand handcrafts its Signature Collection of luxurious

one-off British alpaca accessories at its flagship studio in Edinburgh. It also offers Minta, a contemporary limited-edition interiors line; Heritage, its newest limited-edition collection; and Custom, its tweed and tartan service that creates bespoke designs and upholstery for private and commercial clients across the world, including hotels such as The Fife Arms.

The brand’s mission is to create articles of beauty that stand the test of time, as well as

Araminta Campbell 29 Ocean Drive Leith Edinburgh EH6 6JL +44 (0)131 555 7935 aramintacampbell.co.uk aramintacampbell

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ARAMINTA CAMPBELL

helping to sustain the traditional skills, rural suppliers and talented craftspeople of the British Isles. At a time when origin, story and traceability have never been more valued, Araminta Campbell is a shining exponent, transcending fast fashion, preserving centuries-old Scottish craftsmanship and using ethically sourced, beautiful materials to create pieces that are designed to be handed down through the generations. ‘Our hero moment is to be re-establishing the value of textiles – once considered more valuable than gold – through our collections,’ says the brand’s CEO & Creative Director, Araminta Campbell.

The past year has seen the launch of Araminta Campbell’s new limited-edition Heritage collection reflecting those elements of the brand’s earlier work of which it is most proud. ‘Combining tartan design from our custom service, artisan Scottish mill-weaving from our Minta collection and handwoven, carefully sourced British alpaca from our Signature collection, Heritage is an ode to our brand and to Scottish textiles,’ she says.

Araminta Campbell herself grew up in Aberdeenshire and the colours and textures of the landscape surrounding her family home are a pervasive influence in her design work. The Heritage collection tartan has echoes of clear blue skies glimpsed through the dappled leaves of beech woodland – and the rest of the collection is similarly not only inspired but nourished by nature.

Araminta skilfully used a natural plant dyeing process to provide an evocative colour palette for the yarns used in the collection – delivering accessories for men and women that perfectly channel nature itself.

The Araminta Campbell brand claims to show how luxury and sustainability are not at odds with each other, but rather can support one another in a happy marriage. It can take up to three weeks to handweave a piece for the Heritage collection, a painstaking, detailed evolution – involving handweaving from finest, carefully sourced British alpaca – that would certainly appear to sit at the intersection between luxury and sustainability.

Only 12 of each design are made, contributing to a genuine air of exclusivity.

Araminta Campbell is a brand that delights in telling the story of how its textiles come into being. Its website is populated with richly detailed short films showing every inspirational blade of wheat and woven thread. It knows the birthplace and names of each alpaca whose fleece is used to make a piece within its Signature collection. It’s all about harnessing nature, with respect, beauty and care – a noble ambition that resonates with today’s conscious consumer.

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An innovative Edinburghbased textiles company that embraces traditional craftsmanship and timeless design in a powerful expression of Scotland’s natural beauty and weaving heritage

The natural beauty of Scotland inspires the palette of each Araminta Campbell collection

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BAMFORD

Celebrating 20 years of sustainability

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commitment to reducing its impact on the environment has always lain at Bamford’s heart. Its clothing uses the finest natural fibres and its skin and body care products employ natural active botanicals. Likewise, its wellness centre uses renewable energy and a biomass boiler to heat the building. It therefore comes as no surprise that the Bamford Home-grown Merino knitwear

collection, launched in November 2021, is a first-of-its-kind capsule range. Featuring a hoodie sweater, ribbed beanie and matching scarf, it is the first collection to be made from British Merino wool that is grown, sheared, spun, and knitted entirely in the UK. The trio of styles also signifies a milestone in the brand’s history as the first garments to use natural fibres sourced from its sister company’s farm, Daylesford Organic, in Gloucestershire. The

project is pioneered by founder of Bamford and Daylesford, Carole Bamford, globally recognised as a visionary in organic farming and sustainable living.

Bamford is the first brand to manufacture a knitted Merino collection with a supply chain that is entirely UK-based. While the average journey for a Merino sweater is 18,000 miles, Bamford’s Home-grown Merino wool travels no further than 639 miles from farm to shop, without taking to seas or skies. The brand has a fully traceable view of every kilo of carbon emitted from the product, right back to when the sheep were acquired at Daylesford farm.

Though the entire supply chain has been localised, the luxury quality that is the signature of Bamford knitwear has in no way been compromised. Bamford works with small family-owned businesses in England and Scotland, ensuring the highest quality knitwear while preserving British artisan craftsmanship.

Its design team regularly visits these suppliers by train to see first-hand the positive impact of this local industry, rooted in its communities.

Bamford’s discerning customers can be reassured that their garment has been created with the utmost care and consideration.

Bamford sees this sense of responsibility for safeguarding our environment and planet as the future of luxury. As Carole Bamford says, ‘Everything we do at Bamford is born out of my belief that we need to live more consciously: to slow our pace, be mindful of our footprint and take care of the earth that provides for us. In doing so we nourish and nurture our well-being too.’ This ethos is a way of life for the brand.

Bamford’s Home-grown Merino campaign video was presented at COP26 and spotlighted as part of the Regenerative Agriculture Practice, at an event co-hosted by the British Fashion Council and The Cabinet Office.

Bamford hopes that by amplifying the story of the Home-grown Merino collection, customers will be inspired by its ethos and see it as an example of innovating through better design, rather than just new design. Bamford takes its design platform very seriously and continues to work closely with its collaborators to champion the benefits of British wool as a sustainable fibre option.

Bamford’s hope is to inspire present and future generations of garment-makers and clothes-wearers alike to shop consciously and tread lightly. It will unveil the next iteration of the Home-grown Merino collection later this year.

Bamford 62 South Audley Street London W1K 2QR +44 (0)20 7259 4900 bamford.com bamford

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Bamford sees this sense of responsibility for safeguarding our environment and planet as the future of luxury

Bamford’s Home-grown Merino wool travels no further than 639 miles from farm to shop

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The Barbour jacket has been going strong for over 100 years, and is one of Britain’s best-known iconic products

BARBOUR

Celebrating longevity

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If a regularly used Barbour jacket is re-waxed at least once a year, it can last long enough to be handed down through generations

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ounded in 1894 in South Shields in the North East of England, Barbour continues to be globally renowned for its iconic waxed jackets. But for over 20 years, they have branched out from their countrywear roots into a global lifestyle brand sold in over 55 countries worldwide. Men’s, women’s and children’s collections now include shirts, dresses, knitwear, footwear, accessories and even designs for dogs.

In 2021, Barbour celebrated a centenary of re-waxing, representing 100 years of sustainability. Originally known as re-oiling, it was in 1921 that Malcolm Barbour, the second generation of the family, began offering customers this chance to extend the lives of their jackets. This philosophy and belief in making products that last has been passed down through the Barbour family and remains central to their ethos. Extending the life of a wax jacket is one of the most effective ways of minimising that jacket’s impact on the environment, so today re-waxing is more important than ever, as more customers look to make responsible choices. If a regularly used Barbour jacket is re-waxed at least once a year, it can last long enough to be handed down through generations. Customers can re-wax their jacket at home or return it to one of Barbour’s customer services departments across the globe. Over 100,000 tins of wax are sold annually and over 60,000 jackets are returned to Barbour for re-waxing or repair.

Introduced in 2019, Wax for Life, the name that brings together Barbour’s unique wax

services, goes from strength to strength. It includes Barbour Re-Loved, an upcycle/recycle programme, allowing customers to return any unwanted Barbour in return for a voucher to go towards a new one. The returned jackets are re-waxed, repaired and restored, so they can be re-loved in a new home. Wax for Life stations are found in Selfridges in London and Birmingham and will continue to be rolled out globally throughout 2022, with Nordstrom and Orvis in the US and Hirmer in Germany.

Collaborations continue to excite Barbour’s customers. Barbour x ALEXACHUNG is still flourishing and there is a new womenswear

collaboration with British interiors company, House of Hackney, fusing Barbour’s heritage with selected and distinctive House of Hackney prints. The new Modern Heritage womenswear collection is a blend of smart casual styles for customers spending more time at home for work and leisure. Outerwear and practical outdoor clothing remain at the heart of all Barbour’s collections, reflecting the trend for staycations and enjoying the Barbour Way of Life, spending time outdoors with friends and family.

Through The Barbour Foundation, Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour continues to give back supporting charitable causes, cultural and community projects and women’s groups, primarily in the North East of England. During the pandemic, the Foundation donated £1m to the Crisis, Recovery and Renaissance Fundraising Campaign to help Sage Gateshead, the renowned classical music venue. Other organisations supported include Maggie’s Cancer Charity, Newcastle University’s Future Fund and The Prince’s Trust Cheryl’s Trust Centre in Newcastle. Since its inception in 1988, the Foundation has donated £26 million, a heroic contribution towards the local community.

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FAVOURBROOK

Perfecting the biggest of occasions’ smallest details

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avourbrook prides itself on playing a small but vital role in the most magnitudinous days of its clients’ lives.

Whether dressing a groom or a racegoer attending Ladies Day or providing sartorial guidance for a young man on the eve of his first black tie occasion, looking after a client’s dressing needs is what inspires the Favourbrook teams. Its staff, some of whom have been with them for over 20 years, have decades of knowledge between them, enabling them to impart expert advice on morning dress and occasionwear. A client might require something special for a smart engagement that very evening or is perhaps to be married in morning dress eight months down the line. Whatever the story, every customer who sets foot in a Favourbrook store, undertakes a journey of some sort or another, and Favourbrook is delighted to accompany them, hitchhiking on their coat-tails, you might say.

Founded by designer Oliver Spencer, Favourbrook has its flagship store on London’s Pall Mall and a waistcoat and accessories boutique in Piccadilly Arcade. Favourbrook’s menswear blends classicism with colourful English eccentricity, putting a sharp, contemporary spin on traditional formalwear.

Its womenswear represents the culmination of an obsessive passion for fabrication, producing elegant, timeless investment pieces for all ages, from shantung silk cocktail dresses to intricately embroidered and embellished coats and jackets.

As a formalwear specialist, dressing grooms, mothers-of-the-brides and ladies attending sophisticated formal events is a very important part of Favourbrook’s business. It is often the groom’s first outing in morning dress, so guiding him through the intricacies of formal attire and watching his transformation from reticent newbie to confident, elegant gentleman never fails to bring a smile to the team’s faces. But the real joy is when that groom returns months later, with a marriage band and a phone full of photos and videos from the big day. Every time, it is a reminder of the magnitude of the occasion and Favourbrook feels honoured to have played its part in a small but significant way. It is grateful for the trust that customers place in its experience and expertise, that extends from its carefully sourced fabric suppliers to its craftsmen.

That gratitude was magnified in 2021 after the tumult of the lockdown. Favourbrook has always thrived on conviviality, social connection and the forging of new relationships, but the

pandemic made light work of these and Covid was a tough but ultimately necessary pill to swallow. However, Favourbrook is delighted that now normal service has resumed, it can continue to preach the joys of dressing up, after 18 months of most people living in track pants and loungewear. Favourbrook did occasionally wonder how ‘style’ would re-emerge from the imposed cocoon of lockdown but thankfully, its clients are thirstier than ever to entertain and look good while doing so. Both men’s and women’s eveningwear collections have been extremely popular, with autumn/winter’s velvet garments proving that texture and tactility are as timeless and sophisticated as ever. While Favourbrook can’t be confident that this decade will replicate the ‘roaring twenties’, its mission is to ensure that its customers feel every bit as flamboyant and ready for fun.

Favourbrook 16-17 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5LU +44 (0)20 7493 5060 favourbrook.com favourbrook

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For occasionwear for both men and women, look no further than Favourbrook

Favourbrook is delighted that now normal service has resumed, it can continue to preach the joys of dressing up, after 18 months of most people living in loungewear

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GENEROUS APE

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enerous APE may only be a year old this February, but its impact is already global. APE stands for Animals, People and Environment, and founder Hugo Empson’s vision was to launch an online platform where small independent, sustainable businesses thrive and work together to influence seismic change and make a positive impact on the world.

The result is a community of 150-plus sustainable style-led brands.

‘There is a rebellion against fast fashion and retail’s toxic relationship with the planet,’ says Hugo. ‘Our partnered brands are leading from the front and need all the support, infrastructure and incubation to amplify their businesses to the wider consumer. Big business can learn a huge amount from founders in the sustainable and ethical sector. Generous APE was created out of a passion for quality, style and design in conscious retail, proving that you don’t have to sacrifice stylistically to shop sustainably.’

Generous APE offers a unique route to market for both small and independent planet conscious brands, also providing crucial support and services for content and brand campaigns. This creates a captivating experience for customers, who trust in its curation of style and sustainability One of Hugo’s favourite companies on the

site is South African Afrosurf brand, Mami Wata.

‘It supports children through the surf therapy organisations, Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children. Reaching over 1,600 children a day through their programs and projects, they are also building surf communities to encourage tourism through surf camps and inspiring African

surf culture, celebrating the greatest undiscovered surf spots in the world along the coast of Africa.’

Likewise, Generous APE donates 10 per cent of its profits to like-minded causes, looking to partner with charities which cover all bases. The brand is thrilled to be part of the Buy an Acre scheme with the World Land Trust, which focuses on protecting endangered rainforests. So far, the brand has bought over ten acres. Generous APE also plants five trees per order through Greenspark, a sustainability impact platform.

The future is bright. ‘Having our own shops is right up there on our agenda,’ says Hugo. ‘We are focused on creating a community for both brands and customer, where we can learn to forge a much greener and conscious relationship between retail and our planet. At Generous APE, we are constantly thinking of new ways to innovate and inspire living a lower impact lifestyle, and creating a catalyst for positive change for the planet.’

Generous APE Charles Cottages Childrey Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 9UG +44 (0)800 246 5440 generousape.com thegenerousape

PHOTOS: UNSEEN LONDON; IDIOMA; BEEN LONDON

The new curated online department store for sustainable shopping

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Generous APE, founded by Hugo Empson (pictured opposite below), aims to be a positive force in the world of fashion and retail

Generous APE was created out of a passion for quality, style and design in conscious retail

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HANCOCKS

The very best antique and vintage diamonds, gemstones and jewellery

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ince 1849 Hancocks has been dealing in the finest jewellery, diamonds and coloured gemstones. Within its initial year, Queen Victoria granted the company its first Royal Warrant and the brand soon counted many of Europe’s principal sovereigns as patrons.

Fast forward 170 years, Hancocks remains a family-owned business, run from its prestigious home in Burlington Arcade.

It continues to honour its founder’s values of quality, craftsmanship and customer service. The company’s carefully curated collection of antique and vintage jewels is particularly sought out for its old-cut gems, especially diamonds, based on the belief that the older style of cutting produces a stone aesthetically superior to its massproduced contemporary counterparts.

All Hancocks-designed jewellery is handmade by craftsmen in London using time honoured skills. The company values the time and experience it takes to make a fine quality piece of jewellery, and supporting the jewellery trade and British craftsmanship is core to its ethos.

Despite the pandemic, in 2021 Hancocks continued to invest in and grow its business, prioritising not only its people and products but also its social and environmental

responsibilities. As such, all its signet rings and wedding bands are now made from 100 per cent recycled gold, its packaging is recyclable, and the old-cut diamonds in which it specialises are being remodelled. Using vintage and antique stones is far more sustainable and ecologically friendly compared with the environmental cost of newly mined and manufactured diamonds.

Hancocks’ wonderful handmade engagement rings combine antique cut stones with contemporary design and the finest craftsmanship to offer one-of-a-kind rings that honour the past while celebrating the present.

Its latest collection, Slinky Shoulders, uses narrow tapering shoulders of calibre cut coloured gemstones to provide a contemporary contrast to the traditional old stones they complement. Clients can also take advantage of the fully bespoke service, which enables them to create their personal engagement ring or jewel.

From the initial design stages through to the finished handcrafted piece, Hancocks uses its decades of expertise and wideranging resources to bring its customers’

jewellery dreams alive.

Guy Burton, Director of Bespoke at Hancocks, can also work closely with clients over weeks – or even months – to create or source the perfect jewel for them. This enables Hancocks to get to know its customers and understand what matters to them, including the causes and charities close to their hearts. In 2021 Hancocks supported a variety of charities, introduced by its clients, with donations, gifts and prizes, alongside its longstanding commitments to its own chosen charities. In addition, money raised through the sale of replica medals of the Victoria Cross (a medal Hancocks has been proud to make since 1856) will be donated to VC-related charities.

As Hancocks looks forward to the future, it will continue to support its trade and work towards greater levels of sustainability, while helping its valued clients to create their own magical bejewelled moments.

Hancocks London 52 & 53 Burlington Arcade London W1J 0HH +44 (0)20 7493 8904 hancocks-london.com hancocks_london

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Its carefully curated collection of antique and vintage jewels is particularly sought out for its old-cut gems

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Hancocks offers an outstanding range of antique finds, as well as unique in-house designs

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JOHN SMEDLEY

High-quality fine knitwear made in England

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ohn Smedley’s hero moment of 2021 was being awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment by His Royal Highness Prince Charles. This now sits proudly alongside the company’s Royal Warrant from Her Majesty The Queen, both testament to John Smedley’s commitment to creating fine knitwear of the highest quality, while protecting the skills of its craftspeople and being mindful of its impact on the planet.

Community is a value that underpins every aspect of John Smedley. Its own community of craftspeople is based at its historic Lea Mills home, but there are also the wider ones of sheep farmers, spinners and growers. In 2021 John Smedley worked hard to champion those communities via its partnership with ZQRX Merino, showcasing how these merino farmers are seeking to protect and nurture their flocks and land for generations to come. John Smedley also continued its support for British wool farmers and spinners, using their wool in its collections and drawing attention to fibres’ natural, sustainable qualities.

Last year, John Smedley went further afield to forge new partnerships with likeminded people. It developed the first ever

John Smedley tartan collection, inspired by the original Maclean family tartans (the Maclean family comprises the eighth generation of John Smedley family members running the business today). Working alongside the last remaining mill in the Scottish Highlands, the brand reimagined an age-old, traditional craft for a contemporary customer. The result is a beautiful tartan collection that combines community and family history with high-quality craftsmanship.

John Smedley has continued to build upon its ethos of making the highest quality products, encouraging its customers to buy better products designed to last. It worked alongside Katharine Hamnett again, having originally collaborated with her in the 1980s. This time John Smedley and Katherine Hamnett collaborated on a range of garments bearing the slogan ‘Choose Slow’, prompting the wearer to think about what the clothes were made from, where they were made and the people who made them.

Deepening its commitment to British design, John Smedley celebrated its fifth anniversary of a project with British menswear designer Lou Dalton and other designers, including Holly Fulton and Phoebe English, supporting them to bring their manufacturing back to the UK. To celebrate the project’s anniversary, John Smedley re-launched five of Lou Dalton’s best-selling styles across their retail and e-commerce stores in the UK and Japan.

Over the last year, John Smedley’s passion for craftsmanship has extended beyond the sphere of clothing via its partnership with The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, enabling it to reach out to and collaborate with like-minded artisans from other disciplines.

This resulted in a collaborative series of ceramic items with artist Matthew Foster. Inspired by the brand’s founder’s love of the colour blue, Matthew created a kaleidoscope of ceramic pieces in a spectrum of blue shades and reached new audiences by showcasing his craft via John Smedley’s London and Kyoto stores.

John Smedley Lea Mills Matlock DE4 5AG +44 (0)1629 534571 johnsmedley.com johnsmedleyknitwear

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Holding two Royal Warrants, John Smedley is committed to producing fine knitwear of the highest quality

Community is a value that underpins every aspect of John Smedley

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JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN

Representing the best of Scottish heritage, craftsmanship and innovation

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n 2021 Johnstons of Elgin, known globally for its fine cashmere clothing, luxury home accessories and fabrics, won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development. This award recognises organisations for developing products and services that have a positive impact on the environment, society and economy. The award highlighted the way Johnstons of Elgin constantly reviews each step it takes to ensure it holds true to its core values of sustainability and community, from grassland preservation in Mongolia (where it sources its cashmere) to the certification of the fibres it purchases for weaving, and the manufacturing processes used to create its luxurious finished products.

Johnstons of Elgin has always been focused on looking after its employees and adheres to the Living Wage, while being on a constant quest to preserve traditional skills and identify the craftspeople of the future as early as possible.

Its Schools Interaction Programme works with primary and secondary school children, helping them prepare skills for work and offering them an insight into the diverse career opportunities available within its business. Every year, students from the areas surrounding its Elgin mill and Hawick site take part in a tour to decide which aspects of the business they’re most interested

in. As part of the Career Ready Programme, the brand offers in-depth visits to a specific department in the business, followed by an opportunity to take part in a mock interview and mentoring and master classes. It also provides short internship opportunities for local students and support for class projects in subjects such as chemistry, languages, and marketing and PR. As an accredited Scottish Qualification Agency Assessment Centre, more than 100 of its employees have qualified through the Modern Apprenticeships programme at Elgin. It also has a Training School at Hawick.

Indeed, the brand has won several awards in recognition for its work in training, supporting, and developing young people, as well as for excellence in human resources. These include the Investors in Young People Award, PWC Family Business of the Year and HR Cherries Award.

Johnstons of Elgin is proud to have been the main employer in Elgin for the last 225 years.

Today, it employs over a 1,000 local people across its two Scottish mills, including some multi-generational families. Over 100 of its staff have served for over 20 years, and the current longest serving member of staff has been with the brand for over 46 years.

At the brand’s core is its ethos of ‘buy less

and buy better’. Luxurious designs for the home include indulgent cashmere fabrics and throws in beautiful hues and much-loved textural herringbone designs – and not forgetting the essential classic checks for which the brand is renowned. Cashmere and fine wool composites ensure fabrics and throws are durable, insulating and sensuously soft. All of Johnstons of Elgin’s products are made to last, and to this end the brand offers a mending service ensuring that its knitwear endures as long as the customer wants it. The company intuitively understands and believes that buying a luxury items is an investment, so by offering such a service it ensures its customers can buy with confidence and complete peace of mind.

With products that are nurtured and rigorously reviewed at every step of their journey, it’s only natural that the brand likes to see its products standing the test of time, guaranteeing luxurious comfort for generations to come.

Johnstons of Elgin Newmill, Moray, Elgin Scotland IV30 4AF +44 (0)3442 252 252 johnstonsofelgin.com johnstonsofelgininteriors

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Johnstons of Elgin’s luxurious fabrics have been made in the same mill in Scotland since 1797

Johnstons of Elgin is proud to have been the main employer in Elgin for the last 225 years. Today it employs over a 1,000 local people across its two Scottish mills, including multi-generational families

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NEW & LINGWOOD

Tradition re-imagined: luxury loungewear for the 21st century

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t’s more than 156 years since Elisabeth New and Samuel Lingwood founded a shop in Eton to cater for the sartorial needs of the boys of Britain’s most famous school. In that time New & Lingwood has gone from being a village shop to an international brand, with stores in London’s Jermyn Street and New York’s Lexington Avenue, and an online presence which projects its distinctive blend of classic and contemporary style across the globe. The brand’s continued success is built on its unerring ability to keep evolving, retaining its loyal client base whilst attracting a new raft of customers and admirers internationally.

New & Lingwood has expanded its range to become the quintessential destination for luxurious loungewear. The brand’s continued expansion is based on its unwavering attention to its clients’ requirements, continually asking itself the question: ‘What do our customers come to us for that is truly unique and suits their lifestyle?’

The answer to the question lies in the fact that New & Lingwood’s customers attach great importance to comfort, design, and quality. Accordingly, the company’s extended loungewear offering now includes new styles in slippers, silk pyjamas, and loungewear-inspired

tailoring for shirts, jackets, and trousers, in an array of new fabrics and prints. New & Lingwood has reimagined the relaxed, worldrenowned British aesthetic, while ensuring it preserves the characteristically elegant style of its seasonal collections.

New & Lingwood has stayed true to its roots by working with the very best British mills, weavers and tailors who have existed for centuries. 95 per cent of the silk used in New & Lingwood collections is made in the United Kingdom: ties, slippers, smoking hats and, best known of all, the dressing gowns.

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GBB 2022 / STYLE & JEWELLERY For smartwear to loungewear, you need look no further than New & Lingwood

New & Lingwood’s continued success is built on its unerring ability to keep evolving Customers wishing to acquire a New & Lingwood dressing gown can avail themselves of the online design service to create their own original piece. Alternatively, they can choose from the existing range. In either case, the customer will acquire a dressing gown boasting an aesthetic which is like an exclusive piece of art for each wearer.

New & Lingwood is committed to maintaining a strong physical and digital presence. This is reflected in the continued expansion of its digital marketing and online services and in the pop-up concept store on Chiltern Street in London’s Marylebone.

This will become a destination for distinctive British loungewear, complementing the three existing stores.

Freddie Briance, CEO of New & Lingwood, says: ‘With the expansion of our loungewear offering we wanted to ensure that our existing and potential customers could relate to our product in a post-Covid world.

We continue to build on our brand content showcasing the varied situations in which our customers can wear our product. We want to encourage people to be bold, be comfortable and to ultimately express themselves in any environment through their clothing.’

As New & Lingwood broadens its customer base both in the UK and the wider world, the brand will continue to adapt its content, showcasing its modern take on classic British style.

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REALLY WILD

Thoughtfully crafted designs for town and country

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n 2022, Really Wild celebrates its 20th anniversary. This is a real milestone for the British fashion house, founded by designer Natalie Lake, which has made its name with designs that are suitable for both an urban and rural setting. Bridging the style gap between town and country wardrobes, the collections combine Natalie’s love of the great outdoors with feminine tailoring and attention to detail. She has always wanted to create pieces that are made in limited numbers using the best materials, and with exceptional finishing. Twenty years on, the collections perfectly exemplify her achievements.

Since the company’s inception, Natalie has worked with British fabric producers – and it’s a commitment that she intends to honour long into the future. ‘It’s important to me to continue working with UK craftsman as I love to see their traditional skills in use today,’ she says.

‘Our knitwear and tweed are woven from the finest cashmere and wools at Scotland’s oldest mills and we are lucky enough to work with Liberty London to feature their iconic printed silks.’ She is confident that her approach is not only sustainable, but set to become even more popular too. ‘In the present climate, I think that we’ll see the growth of heritage manufacturing in the UK and Really Wild will

support that enormously.’

Natalie also feels that bringing a thoughtfulness to the production process is more relevant than ever. ‘We will continue to produce our designs carefully and thoughtfully.

We pride ourselves on taking time to ensure high quality, giving value to our collections and helping us connect with the environment,’ she says. ‘Our belief in the preservation of craftmanship and sustainable, small-scale production is the definition of modern luxury today.’ Of course, mindfulness is also important when it comes to purchasing too, with customers choosing Really Wild for beautifully crafted forever pieces.

Despite the current challenging retail environment, Natalie is seeing London’s Sloane Square boutique thrive once again. ‘Telling our customers the story of Really Wild and being transparent about our meticulous construction methods makes the shopping experience far richer. They want to know exactly where the coat they are buying has come from and we are 100 per cent committed to sharing this information with them.’ From softly tailored coats to pretty, feminine blouses, the pieces are versatile enough to be worn dressed up or down, for any occasion. ‘I love to create clothes that are perfect for easy living,

wherever you may be. Comfort in clothing with gorgeous textures and colours in natural fabrics that can be thoughtfully purchased for longevity,’ she says.

For Spring/Summer 2022, that means Seventies-inspired floral prints and silhouettes, and elevated off-duty designs that take centre stage, teamed with Liberty silk and cotton separates for a laidback look. Meanwhile, contemporary classics in primary colours sit alongside new romantic styles with an urban edge that can be layered for whatever the weather or occasion brings.

Over the last few years, Really Wild has re-evaluated its strengths and itself as a brand so Natalie and the team are now looking ahead to the next 20 years and beyond. ‘We aim to grow our collection and broaden Really Wild’s appeal to a new international audience who appreciate timeless designs with a contemporary touch.’

Really Wild 53 Sloane Square London SW1W 8AX +44 (0)1491 352600 reallywildclothing.com reallywildclothing

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Really Wild’s designs seamlessly bridge the style gap between town and country

‘We aim to grow our collection and broaden Really Wild’s appeal to a new international audience who appreciate timeless designs with a contemporary touch’

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STEPHEN WEBSTER

Stephen Webster (second from right) is joined in the family business by Amy, David and Anastasia

Ethical, rebelliously innovative and daring contemporary jewellery

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stablished in London in 1989, Stephen Webster is known for its instantly recognisable and powerful aesthetic.

Today the contemporary jewellery brand has over 100 points of sale worldwide, including the Stephen Webster flagship Mount Street salon and franchise stores in Seoul and Kiev.

At the core of the company’s ethos lies a deep respect for traditional British craftsmanship and goldsmithing, but the brand is also dedicated to cutting-edge processes and to the creation of daring, intricate designs. Taking influence from art, fashion, music, literature, and the natural world, Stephen Webster’s collections are always

fuelled by his own nomadic life experiences and cross-cultural references.

Rebellious yet ethical, the brand is environmentally conscious and committed to using materials that are always thoughtfully and responsibly sourced, and in 2021 Stephen Webster won the inaugural Grosvenor Sustainability Award, recognising the brand’s past, present, and future commitment to sustainability. During the pandemic, the company also raised over £12,000 for Mind, the UK mental health charity, helping to support those in lockdown.

Today the brand thrives under its founder and Creative Director, Stephen Webster, and

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At the core of Stephen Webster’s ethos lies a deep respect for traditional British craftsmanship now his daughter, Amy Webster. Last year saw Stephen Webster utilising fine British craftsmanship at its very best, as witnessed by the specially commissioned silver bar toolkit, The Winston Bar. Winston is the name of a rescue owl that inspired the creation. ‘Receiving a commission on such a significant scale and in silver, especially in 2021, is quite extraordinary,’ says Stephen. ‘These eccentric large-scale pieces for the home are almost a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is the kind of project we’ll spend a year working on, from the moment of conception with the client to the final finished piece.’

The client wanted a bar toolkit incorporating an owl with a six-foot wingspan. ‘We had to lay the huge design proposal out on the kitchen table,’ says Stephen. ‘Even he was a bit shocked when he realised the size but confirmed it was absolutely what he wanted, and the project was a pleasure from the start.’

The design depicts the rescue owl and its prey, presented as tools, intricately hung from the owl’s perch, and the owl’s head uncovers a cocktail shaker, a surprise showstopper. ‘This piece is a cross between sculpture and the high technique of silversmithing and toolmaking, as well as hand engraving, chasing, and enamelling – it’s a project of so many parts,’ says Stephen.

Stephen turned to the very finest craftspeople, some of whom he had known for 35 years or more. ‘I needed to pull in British craftspeople with skills beyond those you’d find within the jewellery arena,’ he says. ‘The end result of all their combined expertise and creativity was amazing. When the client saw the finished piece for the first time, he was speechless. The huge scale is one thing but when you begin to have a closer look at it, the detail is quite extraordinary – truly exceptional. In fact, I know The Winston Bar comprises better craftsmanship than many silver museum pieces so I hope – in fact – I’m sure it will end up somewhere like the Victoria & Albert Museum.’

Stephen Webster Second Floor 130 Mount Street London W1K 3NY +44 (0)20 7199 6463 stephenwebster.com stephenwebsterjewellery COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 83

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SUNSPEL

Beautiful clothing designed to be the foundation of the modern luxury wardrobe

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ashion trends have come and gone but Sunspel has remained true to its founding ethos for 161 years, through two world wars, the shift to fast fashion and a global pandemic,’ says CEO Nicholas Brooke of the British clothing brand’s resilience. In some ways the pandemic presented an opportunity.

Sunspel, known for its garments of sophisticated comfort and timeless elegance that form the go-to basis of the modern luxury wardrobe, was able to answer the immediate needs of the WFH community as well as taking a moment to work on its own future design direction.

‘The pandemic blurred the boundaries between loungewear and casualwear and encouraged us to re-evaluate the more formal areas of our collection,’ explains David Telfer, Creative Director, adding that the business would be extending its collection of modern tailoring into 2022.

Sunspel’s founding ethos, its commitment to high quality British-based manufacturing, has undoubtedly been enhanced over the years by its ability to be in tune with the zeitgeist.

With control over its own manufacturing – it moved to its Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire factory in 1937 – it can claim full traceability of raw materials and how they are grown and transformed into fabrics.

‘We’ve always had complete transparency in our supply chain, from our British factory back through to the source of our materials,’ explains Nicholas Brooke. ‘Cotton production is water intensive, so we source as sustainably as possible, from suppliers whose infrastructure is in place to minimise water loss and reduce the impact on the local environment.’

Flying the flag not only for ethical manufacturing but also for British artisans, Sunspel’s current winter collection includes knitwear and loungewear crafted by some of Britain’s most skilled traditional makers, and designed with the same expertise that first went into the classic T-shirt. Collection partnerships have been developed with like-minded British factory brands including Walsh trainers, Tricker’s shoes and Lavenham quilted jackets, which demonstrate British contemporary craft, style and quality at their best.

If Sunspel’s place in British cultural history did not already exist in the collective unconscious, the brand has recently engaged in high-profile collaborations that will have helped to cement it. British singer-songwriter Paul Weller, a Sunspel advocate, was invited to launch a capsule collection of staples that he felt were the foundation of his own modern-day wardrobe. He helped to hand-sketch the designs and select the fabrics, and described the collection as ‘well-crafted, well-cut clothes that people will look good in – and such good quality that they’ll also last!’ Meanwhile, film director Pablo Larrain chose Sunspel for being the epitome of classic, understated British tailoring. He dressed Kristen Stewart (playing Diana, Princess of Wales in his movie Spencer) in an off-white merino silk Sunspel rollneck.

As Sunspel moves into 2022 it continues to evolve and grow, speaking to customer passions of the moment with an expanded collection of modern tailoring and an unwavering commitment to British manufacturing tradition and responsible sourcing. With stores in London, Tokyo and New York, and global reach online, this progressive British brand is growing its footprint for at least the next 161 years to come.

Sunspel 13-15 Chiltern Street London W1U 7PG +44 (0)20 7009 0650 sunspel.com sunspelclothing

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Based in Nottinghamshire since 1937, Sunspel can claim full traceability of its supply chain, from raw materials to finished collections

Flying the flag not only for ethical manufacturing but also for British artisans, Sunspel’s current winter collection includes knitwear and loungewear crafted by some of Britain’s most skilled traditional makers

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TURNBULL & ASSER

A shirt in every wardrobe, for every generation

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urnbull & Asser is the quintessential British shirtmaker which has dressed heads of state, style icons and stars of stage and screen in British-made shirts since 1885. It provided James Bond with his famous cocktail-cuff shirt in 1962’s Dr No; and, as Prince Charles’s favourite shirtmaker, they were awarded a royal warrant in 1980. The Jermyn Street mainstay is immensely proud of its British heritage, although its definition

of Britishness constantly moves with the times, to take into account the brand’s progressive creativity, innovative spirit, eccentricity and strength of character. Turnbull manufactures all its elegant and timeless shirts and ties in its English workshops in Gloucestershire. This minimises its carbon footprint and enables it to work with local artisans, echoing the generations of dedicated craftsmen who have been passionate about the brand throughout its history.

In 2021 Turnbull partnered with The Deck, the first womenswear tailor on Savile Row, to create a capsule of four women’s shirts. Inspired by style icons of the past and present, the shirts are crafted with exceptional details inspired by timeless, classic menswear pieces, making them suitable for any occasion.

Passionate about supporting the arts, Turnbull converted its Mayfair-based Davies Street store into a gallery space, entitled The Room. Here it hosted artists like Walter & Zoniel, Carl Koch, Fred Baier and the Canopy Collective, enabling Turnbull to have a more open discussion with the arts community and celebrate a field that has inspired its collections for years. Turnbull also supported artist, Eloise Moody, with Turnbull shirts in creating her piece, The Drift, at London Wetland Centre in Barnes, exploring the relationship between people in London and the fluid migratory behaviour of birds.

Turnbull also collaborated with multidisciplinary artist Harriet Smith, who used a traditional weaving technique to create new, exclusive patterns to inform a collection of shirts and nightwear in Turnbull’s autumn colour palette.

Building on its commitment to craftsmanship, Turnbull & Asser stretched its craftsmen’s skills with its latest eveningwear collection. The diverse and elegant pieces include a teal softtouch velvet suit, silk embroidered shirts and a limited-run of sterling silver hand-painted cufflinks, designed and created in Birmingham’s renowned jewellery quarter.

While Turnbull has continued to devote its passion and craft to offering expertly crafted more traditional products, it has also responded to its customer’s desire for self-expression by offering a more contemporary wardrobe to suit their evolving needs. Importantly, it is also focusing on the environment, so in 2021, Turnbull developed its Re-purposed project.

The new venture, available this year, comprises an evolving capsule that will re-use excess fabrics from core lines, then re-purpose them into new limited-edition pieces, according to season and available materials.

For Turnbull & Asser 2022 is looking to be an exciting year. It will continue to inspire its customers by interviewing people of the moment to create compelling content for its Off the Cuff blog. It will also continue exploring and developing the highest quality fabrics and use of bold colours, stripes and checks. The brand is growing globally, constantly expanding and evolving its wardrobe of classic pieces for the modern man

Turnbull & Asser Jermyn Street St. James’s London SW1Y 6PF +44 (0)20 7808 3000 turnbullandasser.com turnbull_asser

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A heritage brand that looks forward with a contemporary vision, Turnbull & Asser enjoys a peerless reputation

The Jermyn Street mainstay is immensely proud of its British heritage, although its definition of Britishness constantly moves with the times

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VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

Buy less, choose well, make it last

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ince the inception of its couture service over 25 years ago, the British design house Vivienne Westwood has pioneered craftsmanship and quality in a trailblazing combination with avant-garde design. Despite changing fashion, Westwood and her long-time design partner and Creative Director, Andreas Kronthaler, have always designed clothes for those who strive to buy less, choose well and make it last.

This ethos is epitomised through the bespoke,

bridal and made-to-order collections, found at Westwood’s 6 Davies Street boutique in Mayfair.

For over 20 years, the boutique has served as the brand’s laboratory of couture creations and is home to the atelier’s bespoke and experimental designs. Recently the store underwent a renovation project and Westwood’s discerning clients can now visit the heart of the brand, and be cocooned in comfort, with a welcoming fireplace, art-lined walls, and intimate basement space available for private appointments with the atelier’s expert couturiers.

For the Westwood house, working towards a more sustainable way of producing fashion means looking forward to technological advancements and innovative ideas that can reduce the waste and harm caused by the fashion industry in its current form.

Beyond that, it is also about looking back to a traditional, smaller scale means of garment manufacture, which has always had much less of a damaging impact than the hyperglobalised, mass production and consumption model of today. Vivienne has long championed craftsmanship and heritage, and ever since the house’s seminal collections in the 1980’s, the brand has been informed and influenced by traditional British textiles and timehonoured Savile Row tailoring. Nurturing truly bespoke craftmanship, Westwood aims to utilise more environmentally sustainable forms of production, while helping to support and sustain traditional skilled jobs and the communities around them.

The bespoke, made-to-order and bridal collections at Davies Street are designed, sampled and hand-crafted locally in England, using traditional tailoring techniques combined with historical and experimental pattern cutting.

Informed by Vivienne’s unique style, each gown within the bespoke collections is handcrafted and designed in partnership with the client.

The Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood ready-to-wear collection, available at 6 Davies St and key Westwood flagship stores globally, is the design house’s unisex concept collection. The collection combines couture techniques with traditional British tailoring, but simultaneously challenges these to create a look that is quintessentially Vivienne Westwood. The collection works as a laboratory of design ideas, resulting in feminine, avant-garde and elegant silhouettes, often subverted and genderless. The line focuses on innovative designs and luxurious fabrics, with an emphasis on sustainability.

Vivienne Westwood is one of the last independent global fashion brands in the world.

It strives to be more than just a producer of clothes and accessories. It uses its powerful and internationally respected brand voice to raise awareness of the environmental impact of overconsumption. While urging people to buy fewer clothes but of higher quality, Vivienne Westwood always succeeds in creating collections that meet the high standards demanded by the buy less, choose well, make it last mantra.

The brand’s aim is to make beautiful, quality products while respecting the people who make them and the planet we live on.

Vivienne Westwood 6 Davies Street London W1K 3DN +44 (0)20 7629 3757 viviennewestwood.com viviennewestwood

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OPPOSITE FROM TOP: Andreas Kronthaler at the 6 Davies Street boutique; inside the shop THIS PAGE: Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood SS22

Vivienne Westwood always succeeds in creating collections that meet the high standards demanded by the buy less, choose well, make it last mantra

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CROCKETT & JONES

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CUTLER AND GROSS

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DUKE + DEXTER

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EDWARD GREEN

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FAIRFAX & FAVOR

p102

JOSEPH CHEANEY & CO

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PADFIELD

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TUSTING

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SHOES & ACCESSORIES

CHURCH’S

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CHURCH’S

The world’s foremost English shoemaker

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hurch’s historical involvement in the manufacture of handmade shoes can be traced back to 1675 and Northamptonshire, a county that’s been at the centre of Britain’s flourishing leather and footwear industry since the Middle Ages.

But it was two centuries later, in 1873, that Thomas Church and his three sons – Alfred, William and Thomas Jr – founded the ‘modern’ Church’s company, consolidating the production, which had traditionally been carried out in the workers’ homes, into a modern factory in Northampton, where the firm’s worldwide headquarters remain today.

In just a few years, Church’s was transformed from a craft workshop into a benchmark firm for industry-leading top-quality footwear. It is interesting to note that Church’s was the first footwear manufacturer in the country to introduce the concept of ‘left’ and ‘right’ shoes,

since most others companies at that time still sold ‘straights’ – shoes that could be worn on either foot.

With the dawn of the 20th century, Church’s began exporting to new markets like the United States, Canada, China, and South America, appointing distributors in many European countries. The company opened its first UK retail store in 1921 and in New York in 1929, opening in Europe and Asia over the next 30 years.

Church’s now operates from three Northamptonshire factories and has continued to receive numerous plaudits, culminating in the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2009, reinforcing Church’s status as a leading international brand.

In 1999, the Prada Group procured

Church’s, with the mission to optimise its business opportunities while fully respecting its English values and identity.

The last ten years have seen Church’s expand its retail footprint to 62 stores throughout the world’s major cities, including four stores dedicated exclusively to the women’s collection.

For Autumn/Winter ’21, they launched the new Royal Collection with a luxurious, modern aesthetic designed to convey the elegance and majesty of their craftsmanship. Only the finest leather is used, from the world’s best tanneries and Church’s most highly skilled craftspeople are entrusted to cut each piece of leather by hand. Each style in the Royal Collection boasts intricate details, for which Church’s is renowned. It is this high standard of design and craftsmanship that makes Church’s the world’s foremost English shoemaker.

The manufacture of Church’s shoes is still inspired by its history, heritage and handcrafting techniques: the welted shoes are hand-made by dedicated specialised craftsmen, using a process that can take up to eight weeks and involve over 250 detailed manual operations.

Church’s also offers exemplary aftercare to its clients, with full refurbishment facilities available in the Northampton factory, utilising the same top quality materials and craftsmanship as in the original manufacturing process. With proper care and attention, Church’s shoes can – and do – last a lifetime.

Church’s shoes are beyond fashion. Their beloved men’s styles such as the Oxfords and brogues never date, although colours and details may vary from season to season, according to contemporary trends.

However, next to the traditional collection, Church’s offers a gentle evolution of design and style to appeal to new and discerning customers throughout the world.

This enables the brand to develop, innovate and grow its position as the world’s leader of top quality Goodyear Welted Footwear.

Church’s St. James Rd Northampton NN5 5JB +44 (0)800 378 1973 church-footwear.com churchs

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Church’s timeless designs are worn all over the world – including by the likes of Italian model Giacomo Cavalli (pictured left)

‘It is this high standard of design and craftsmanship that makes Church’s the world’s foremost English shoemaker’

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Crockett & Jones has been making fine leather boots and shoes in Northampton since 1879

CROCKETT & JONES

The heritage brand launches online and supplies shoes for Bond

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stablished in 1879, Crockett & Jones is famous for producing some of the finest shoes and boots in the world, manufacturing in the traditional way from its factory in Northampton.

It achieved a huge landmark in 2021 by bringing e-commerce capabilities online, so now global customers can have their favourite Crockett & Jones products with just an easy click. This was a project that it did not approach lightly, undertaking an extensive nine-month development period prior to delivering a fully transactional platform for its men’s, women’s, belts and accessories

collections, while continuing to represent the heritage of the brand with transparency and authenticity. As evidenced by the performance of the new site, this e-commerce strategy is proving a huge hit in volume of sales and reaching new audiences.

Crockett & Jones has also continued to develop and to widen its portfolio with new launches and forward-thinking innovations.

After over two years of development between MD Jonathan Jones and the brand’s tanners, a Superflex sole was introduced, the most flexible yet, and applied to a trio of loafers, launching in spring 2022. They additionally launched a

collection of hiking boots, ready to be worn in the wild, regardless of destination. This new series comprised of the new rough-out suede Grizedale boot and two styles with rugged, water-resistant teak-oiled sides – the low-ankle Chepstow and the high-leg, supportive Islay boot.

‘Sometimes there are small perks of running our family shoe manufacturing firm. One of those is testing our developments out in the field, pun intended!’ says Managing Director, Jonathan Jones. ‘I have been wearing Crockett & Jones shoes for 50-plus years, and even I have been surprised at how well they have

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This e-commerce strategy is proving a huge hit in volume of sales and reaching new audiences

performed. My feet remained dry, and when the leather gets sodden it dries out remarkably quickly at room temperature. I had no choice but to add them into our collection.’

Crockett & Jones has also launched The Black Editions, a series of cleated-rubber styles bigger, bolder and blacker than ever before. In addition to this is the new Cocktail Collection, which celebrates the ability to socialise in style once again, It includes Black Watch tartan slippers – a classic, leather-soled Albert for him and a tasselled, feminine pump for her – plus green velvet evening slippers and glossy patent Kensington loafers.

Last year brought eagerly anticipated (and much delayed) Bond film, No Time to Die. An exclusive collaboration with filmmakers EON Productions saw the launch of a limited-edition James shoe in box calf leather, inspired by Bond’s famed tuxedos. They also supplied two further styles for the production, in which Daniel Craig wears the timeless Highbury style in a number of scenes and then the Molton, when the story takes Bond off-road in Norway.

The strategic partnership and the success of the film helped to reach the attention of customers old and new, heralding a strong finish to the year.

‘Business is still tough,’ comments Marketing Director, James Fox, ‘but we are pleased to have fully opened both our online and offline doors and to see the many faces of our customers, day in and day out.’

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CUTLER AND GROSS

Proudly independent, forward-thinking British eyewear with an unrivalled heritage

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or over 50 years now, Cutler and Gross has been at the forefront of optical design, as a trailblazer, disrupter and pioneer whose legacy has been much imitated, but never surpassed.

A brand built on friendship, it was established by opticians Mr Cutler and Mr Gross in 1969. What began in London’s Knightsbridge as a small but innovative bespoke service soon became a fully fledged Mecca for artists, rock stars, writers and royalty.

By making glasses fashionable, Cutler and Gross altered the faces of generations. The duo didn’t just make glasses – they were optical architects in pursuit of a product so intrinsically iconic that no external logo or branding was necessary. ‘People who need glasses don’t have to feel separated from glamour,’ said Tony Gross.

‘It’s nice if glasses can be sexy and mysterious. If you’re wearing Cutler and Gross glasses, you’re the only one who knows’.

Last year was challenging and certainly accelerated changes that were already happening in the industry. Owning its own factory in the Italian Dolomites, a region renowned for optical manufacturing excellence, allowed a degree of control, enabling the brand to shape its own destiny. Leveraging the capabilities of its bespoke design studio and factory, it was able to make

the most of its outstanding craftspeople to maintain and continually push the quality of design the brand is renowned for. Passionate about continually investing in-house, this is a vertically integrated brand that does not outsource its processes. It controls its own image, communication, design, distribution, and

production, allowing it to focus on delivering exactly what it envisages direct to its customers, without compromise.

Having a vast design archive that spans half a century, the brand is able to evolve each frame to suit the faces and lifestyles of today’s discerning customers. Authentic, specific details and sculptural contours are reinterpreted but never lost. It is a methodology that guarantees the brand DNA will always remain. Bringing heritage to life takes time – months in fact – involving 42 separate steps – all of which are guided or completed by experienced hands Some of the Cutler and Gross technicians have worked for the company since the 1960s.

The mastery of such an intricate process, which they have honed over decades, affords them the title of experts in frame-making. No two frames of the same style number will ever be identical, but this is the Cutler and Gross way; it gives every pair of glasses a certain unmistakable character.

Cutler and Gross 16-18, Propeller Park 400 N Circular Business Park London NW10 0AB +44 (0)20 8451 0331 cutlerandgross.com cutlerandgross

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Royalty, rock stars and trendsetters flocked to the very first Cutler and Gross boutique in Knightsbridge in 1969

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Having a vast design archive that spans half a century, Cutler and Gross is able to evolve each frame to suit the faces and lifestyles of today’s discerning customers

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Duke + Dexter’s innovative designs are all created in its Hackney design lab

DUKE + DEXTER

The London footwear label rewriting the rules

Duke + Dexter is a big believer in making the most of what you own – with a focus on the planet-friendly ‘buy once and buy right’ mantra

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uke + Dexter challenges every expectation of what a British shoe brand can and should be.

Designed in London and handmade in England with sustainably-sourced fabrics, this men’s footwear label strikes a balance between progressive style and great British charm. Since launching in 2015, Duke + Dexter has expanded from its London roots into a global community, working with athletes, musicians, designers, photographers and pioneers to come up with extraordinary collaborations.

Durability and comfort have always been at the core of Duke + Dexter’s designs. The brand is also a big believer in making the most of what you own – with a focus on the important planetfriendly ‘buy once and buy right’ mantra. In line with this, the brand releases its effortlessly cool styles in limited runs to ensure it eliminates nearly all waste.

Alongside countless awards, Duke + Dexter has gained a great celebrity following over the past seven years. Its shoes are worn by the likes of Ryan Reynolds, David Beckham, George Russell, Michael B. Jordan and Rihanna.

It’s therefore no surprise that it sells to over 120 countries, and is stocked in leading department stores including Harrods and Selfridges in the UK and Nordstrom across the pond in the USA. It’s been an action-packed year for Duke + Dexter – starting with the launch off its new Sean slipper. The long-awaited answer to the question of what you wear at home, each pair is built on the brand’s custom white sole that is purposefully designed to be ultra-lightweight, non-marking, and can be worn both indoors

and out. With a sole that’s more akin to a sneaker than a slipper, the shoe is not only super cosy and comfy but relevant and modern.

An Italian mesh upper offers breathability and makes sure that your feet don’t get too warm – even with their ultra-cosy full shearling lining.

They also joined forces with Fracap in 2021, a distinguished brand that has made hiking boots for over a century. Combining Fracap’s historic know-how with a freshness from Duke + Dexter’s own design lab in Hackney, each pair of the resulting collaboration’s hiking boots is finished in leather or water resistant-suede, and

sports custom Vibram (recycled plastic) soles, biodegradable leather uppers and traditional hiker eyelets. Perfect for going anywhere, in any weather, and looking great while doing it, the shoes, handmade in Italy, are as good for tackling the Dolomites, as they are on the streets of Dalston.

The next big thing for Duke + Dexter is its new Dex sneaker – the first sneakers to feature the label’s all-new branding: Duke + Dexter plus (+). ‘Dex is an evolution for us,’ says Archie Hewlett, CEO and founder. ‘Its style takes cues from retro sneakers, but everything about it still feels relevant today. We’ve put community at the heart of this sneaker, wanting to create a style that we can all wear together, in our own way. Dex does this and more – it offers incredible quality to go with its own identity, but still feels like a blank canvas for someone to put their own spin on.’

Passionate about British craftmanship, Duke + Dexter makes shoes that are made to last – to match the pace of the wearer’s lifestyle and live up to their reputation of quality beating quantity. And, as the brand goes from strength to strength, it’s inspiring to see how it remains true to its values.

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EDWARD GREEN

Shoes that embody timeless quality and quintessential British style

Edward Green is helping to keep the traditional Northamptonshire shoemaking industry thriving

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One client recently had the shoes her husband wore at their wedding repaired for their golden wedding anniversary

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ship builder in Virginia, USA fixed a sign above his door which read, ‘We shall build good ships here.

At a profit – if we can. At a loss – if we must. But always good ships.’

It’s an appealingly straightforward, humble sentiment and very much the same ethos that inspires the Northampton shoemaker, Edward Green, which has been in business since 1890. The company concentrates on what it has always done best: making top-quality shoes in the time-honoured method, helping in the process to conserve and develop Northampton’s historic shoe-making tradition. So, after what’s been an extraordinary couple of years for so many businesses, Edward Green is proud to have pulled together, adapted and kept the flame of British shoemaking very much alive.

It’s been a time of great uncertainty, but after a difficult period for footwear, the market is showing signs of bouncing back. Online sales have been robust, especially in the United States and it’s particularly gratifying to see life returning to traditional bricks and morter retail in the West End and Jermyn Street in London.

And while menswear is constantly evolving there will always be a place in anyone’s wardrobe for a pair (or three) of beautifully-made Goodyearwelted shoes.

With the arrival of hybrid-working and a softening of formal menswear codes, the Edward Green collection is moving with the times. A new range of boots has been introduced made from Yorkshire-tanned waxed suede – a leather that ages handsomely and works with a more casual workwear-

inspired style. Next spring, Edward Green will introduce the Modern Classics – a capsule of signature styles with updated detailing and cut from a beautifully pliable matt calf. Unlined styles are very much to the fore, complementing the ubiquitous unstructured jacket the totem of today’s more relaxed style of dressing.

The company has always worked closely with its retailers, who are an integral part of Edward Green’s operation, showing flexibility whenever possible for the benefit of all in troubled times.

As a result, in many ways, they have emerged from this difficult period with those important relationships strengthened.

Edward Green takes pride in the fact that so many of its customers have a tangible connection with the company. One client recently had the shoes her husband wore at their wedding repaired for their golden wedding anniversary. One of the reasons that clients feel so passionate about the shoes is that they appreciate owning an object made with real care and authenticity, something built to last. Paradoxically, we live in age which is focused on sustainability yet surrounded by a throw-away culture, the curse of built-in obsolescence. Edward Green’s shoes are the polar opposite of that: they are made to last and to age handsomely but also to be repaired. Fitted with a new pair of oak bark-tanned leather soles they will give years of continued comfort and pleasure.

Quality endures.

Too often it is felt that manufacturing has left Britain, outsourced to far-flung parts of the world but in Northampton’s shoemaking quarter, Britain still possesses a genuine centre of global excellence. As 2022 breaks, it feels as if the tsunami has passed and a new dawn is emerging on the horizon.

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FAIRFAX & FAVOR

Footwear and accessories with a philanthropic twist

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hether through its impressive charity initiatives or providing employment opportunities at the Norfolk store, giving back to the community has always been a core focus for footwear and lifestyle brand Fairfax & Favor.

The company was co-founded by childhood friends Marcus Fairfax Fountaine and Felix Favor Parker in 2013. They financed 400 pairs of handcrafted Spanish leather boots from their dwindling wage packets and sold them throughout the land at country fairs. Today the impressive company has a multi-millionpound turnover.

Over the last eight years, Marcus and Felix, together with their staff and customers, have consistently and creatively raised funds for a number of different charities. Most notable of these is an ongoing partnership with Breast Cancer Now – over 70 per cent of the Fairfax & Favor customer base is female, as well as two thirds of the team, so it seemed the perfect fit, with the company raising nearly £430,000 over the last seven years. In 2021, its bestselling Amira boots were re-designed in a special limited-edition pink colourway, along with accompanying suede tassels and boot socks, with all profits from their sale

donated to the charity. During the pandemic, they also launched a campaign in aid of NHS Charities Together and became the ninth highest fundraiser, donating nearly £120,000. This was derived from ten per cent of its online sales in April, and 100 per cent of profits from the May to July sales of limited-edition products.

It wasn’t just charitable collaborations that came to the fore at Fairfax & Favor during the pandemic: its sense of fun and adventure shone through in a dedicated Facebook club.

Established two years ago, its Facebook club now has over 62,000 members – and really came into its own as a great way to connect with and be part of a community during such isolating times. Benefits for members include 72-hour early access to products, which if they sell out, sometimes never officially end up being released to the public.

With a spirited take on British culture and heritage, design inspiration comes from themes such as equestrianism, military tradition and explorer style, which intertwine classic country looks with a modern city aesthetic to appeal to both men and women. The Autumn/Winter 21 collection features boots that are equally well suited for pounding the streets of London as they are strolling through the rolling green

fields of the Cotswolds. New styles include the soft suede Belgravia ankle boot (it’s lined with comfort memory foam to take the wearer effortlessly from day to night); the Brompton, pull-on, over-the-knee boot; and The Soho, their first pointed toe boot.

The collection also saw the launch of the Verbier, Fairfax & Favor’s first après-ski inspired boot with an all-terrain sole, waterproof nubuck exterior and faux fur inside. The everpopular sheepskin-lined Boudica boot has been revamped, making it suitable for all environments. The men’s offering has also been relaunched. Together these comprise the most comprehensive and ambitious range yet from this fast-growing, philanthropy-first brand, which successfully delivers versatile high-quality footwear and accessories that last a lifetime.

Fairfax & Favor Narford Hall, King’s Lynn Norfolk PE32 1JA fairfaxandfavor.com fairfaxandfavor

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Fairfax & Favor intertwines classic country style with a modern city aesthetic

Fairfax & Favor has consistently raised funds for a number of charities. Most notably an ongoing partnership with Breast Cancer Now – raising over £430,000 for the charity

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GBB 2022 / SHOES & ACCESSORIES Cheaney shoes and boots are handcrafted and built to last. Its collaboration with Barbour saw old wax jacket fabric stitched into the side panel of a Cheaney shoe

JOSEPH CHEANEY & SONS

Transforming rich heritage into contemporary footwear for modern lives

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or over 135 years, Joseph Cheaney & Sons has been producing some of the finest, handcrafted English shoes in the same Victorian factory, in a small village on the outskirts of Northampton. A dedicated team of craftspeople work collectively, making some of the most celebrated footwear in the world. From the initial cutting of premium calf leather to the intricate stitching and final polish, the entire process is all still undertaken meticulously by hand.

As a business, Cheaney remains committed to the traditional shoemaking processes,

which are fundamental to the production of Goodyear-welted footwear. While innovative investments are continually pursued, it is this 150-year-old process that is still executed today. This technique is not only a universally accepted indicator of quality shoemaking, but also a unique feature that allows footwear to be repairable multiple times over, prolonging the life and service of the shoe.

Crafting footwear that offers a modern reaffirmation of its rich heritage and identity, the styles are timeless but contemporary, rebuffing a trend-led aesthetic. It is this dedication to evergreen fashion and an emphasis on longevity, repairability and craft that sets Cheaney apart.

In early 2021, Cheaney launched its Eco-Aware collection, building upon the inherently sustainable characteristics of its main collection and encouraging customers to leave less of a carbon footprint. The new range uses natural raw materials like the chrome and metal-free leathers sourced from acclaimed English tannery CF Stead.

The cork bottom filler is renewable, and the soles are made from Vibram Ecostep recycled rubber. Cheaney also celebrated Pride Month by presenting its Union Jack embellished Lyall derby brogue boot in a prominent digital campaign.

Also in 2021, after 12 months of meticulous planning, a capsule collection for men and women was released in collaboration with fellow Great British Brand Barbour, makers of the iconic wax cotton jacket. Exclusively available at Selfridges in London, the Barbour x Cheaney Re-Loved collection celebrated the legacy of both brands, weaving each other’s company stories into the very fabric of their products. Customers’ well-worn but muchloved Barbour wax jackets were donated to Cheaney, then cut and stitched onsite into the side panels and pull tabs of its shoes, thus taking an old garment at the end of its cycle and repurposing it to give it new life, rather than throwing it away.

Of the unique partnership, Cheaney’s joint managing director, William Church said, ‘The collaboration brings together the best of British craftsmanship, heritage and innovation and we are incredibly proud to have partnered with Barbour on this project.

Repurposing yesterday’s Barbour jacket into today’s shoe demonstrates a new level of sustainability in what Cheaney is able to achieve.’

Joseph Cheaney & Sons 21B Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6HP +44 (0)1536 760383 cheaney.co.uk josephcheaney

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It is this dedication to evergreen fashion and an emphasis on longevity, repairability and craft that sets Cheaney apart

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‘Together we can celebrate and be the champions of British craftsmanship.

Together we can be the homegrown heroes’

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GBB 2022 / SHOES & ACCESSORIES The Somersley tote (left) and zip pouches are skilfully made in England from British tanned leather

PADFIELD

Beautifully crafted, responsibly made leather accessories that are truly British

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he UK once boasted around 4,000 tanneries; today only 23 remain.

As British brands looked abroad in search of lower costs, a once thriving local industry became a shadow of its former glory.

When Padfield founder Loren first discovered just how few of her favourite British brands manufacture their accessories from start to finish on our shores, she began a journey to meet and work with local people and local workshops.

Britain has a wealth of farmers caring for pasture-reared free-range cows, of fabricators creating the finest of tools and of artisans who have honed their skills to produce work of the highest standard. Today, Padfield draws deep from this talent pool to offer a range of beautifully crafted accessories, all skilfully made in England from British tanned leather.

By rooting her brand on British soil and choosing local craftsmanship, Loren knows that Padfield is playing an invaluable part in safeguarding the future of British artisans and manufacturing; doing so responsibly while offering excellent value.

Padfield crafts small batches on demand.

This approach is taken across the entire collection, from the stylish Somersley tote (left)

and Somerset bags to the perennial unisex small accessories, including laptop covers, cosmetics pouches, wash bags and card holders.

While Loren’s commitment to celebrate British craftsmanship is unwavering, she knows that its survival will not be possible without customers who are increasingly conscious of the provenance of the products they buy and the brands they support. ‘In choosing to buy truly British-made, it will ultimately be these customers who save our tanneries and British craftsmanship,’ she says.

‘Padfield is thankful for the relationship it has with its customers,’ Loren continues. ‘They are attracted to us for the style, quality and value we offer. The fact that everything is Britishmade is the icing on the cake. It is through conversations with our customers that we move forward, refining and expanding the Padfield collection. The arrival of the new Sloane bag – with a softer silhouette – and the compact new Somerset clutch are a direct result of listening to their needs and wants.’

Then there is the environmental benefit of minimising the brand’s CO2 footprint. To offset this further, for every handbag sold, Padfield plants a tree in a UK forest. In partnering with Creating Tomorrow’s Forests, Padfield is supporting its transformative work creating green habitats across the UK. ‘If brands do not strive for more than maximising profit, then we will lose what remains of a precious part of British heritage,’ says Loren. ‘Together we can celebrate and be the champions of British craftsmanship.

Together we can be the homegrown heroes.’

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Tusting’s timeless styles are all made in Britain and carried by the likes of the Duchess of Cambridge

TUSTING

The global, intelligent leather-goods brand

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t’s almost 150 years since Alistair Tusting’s great-great grandfather founded a small leather tannery. Today, Tusting’s unshakeable commitment to genuine, no-shortcuts quality continues to impress every customer. Five generations of experience and dedicated craftsmanship underpin Tusting, conferring heritage and authenticity on every bag it creates in today’s world of instant digital brand-making.

Tusting produces a generous choice of luggage, business and handbag styles, designed to appeal to all ages. An unrivalled standard of customer service is rewarded by committed brand loyalty. The consummate British-

made elegance offered by these pleasingly bling-free bags is complemented by extra services for customising a purchase, whether monogramming or the highly specialised facility to emboss personal messages inside the bags – even in the client’s own handwriting.

Such individual touches make Tusting a great destination for gifts that are, by definition, one-of-a-kind.

Building on gains made from an alreadystrong online presence and community contribution during the turbulence of 2020, 2021 saw sales soar for Tusting, driven by successful collaborations with Barbour, India Hicks and The

Merchant Fox. Nor did it go unnoticed when the Duchess of Cambridge, on her first official visit after a summer break from royal duties, paid Tusting the compliment of carrying one of its Mini Holly handbags.

Smallest of its collaborations, but certainly the most environmentally significant, was with iconic British outfitter, Barbour. Tusting created fully-fashioned holdalls, totes and backpacks from redundant Barbour wax jackets, as part of Barbour’s Re-Loved programme. Salvaging fabric and fittings from jackets already a generation old, Tusting created new products designed to last another lifetime - or even

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Five generations of experience and dedicated craftsmanship underpin every bag created by Tusting

two. All were produced in Britain with minimal ‘manufacturing miles’.

Tusting products are inherently sustainable, thanks to responsibly sourced, natural materials and the greater longevity that derives from the highest quality components and construction.

But the brand also assists customers in their own search for sustainability by offering a full repair service. This can lengthen the useful life of bags, often adding another ten years of hard use to a much-loved briefcase each time it is refurbished. Tusting continues to strive to improve its own environmental guardianship.

Customers worldwide, who discovered Tusting during those long days of pandemicenforced lockdowns at home, have proved to be enthusiastic ambassadors for the brand’s

craftsmanship and 100 per cent British manufacturing. They have driven new sales around the world, including – in defiance of Brexit – Europe. This small but perfectly formed British brand is now getting more of the global recognition it rightly deserves.

As Alistair, now the fifth generation of Tustings to be at the business’s helm, says, ‘We are all in this together and it’s a work in progress for all brands – few have nailed it. The key is to keep looking for ways to be better and to help each other: lots of small gains can make as valuable an impact as a single big win.’

Whether taken out for a quick coffee with a friend or on a trans-continental road trip, Tusting bags talk. Inherently self-assured, they are always going somewhere.

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BOLIN WEBB

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DR SEBAGH

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GUAVA & GOLD

p118

HAI BEAUTY

p120

PENHALIGON’S

p122

SALON64

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TEMPLE SPA

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THYME

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YARDLEY

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YOUTH & EARTH

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

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AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES

A world-leading luxury wellbeing brand, specialising in therapeutic essential oil blends

Still priding itself on the consumer feedback that it receives daily, Aromatherapy Associates now has a feedback tree in its head office, as a daily reminder of the difference it makes

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Aromatherapy Associates’ signature blends are made from carefully selected essential oils

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he last couple of years has changed the way people access their moments of self-care. This has accelerated Aromatherapy Associate’s determination to reach the next generation in a digital world, while continuing to support those with next to no access to the internet at all.

Wellbeing lies at the heart of everything Aromatherapy Associates does, so it was important for the brand to adapt its consumer experience to deliver a new era of wellness. It developed its digital platforms to offer expert advice to guide consumers through their needs, from the comfort and safety of their own home.

‘We brought our existing spa consultations into the virtual realm, by introducing our online Wellbeing Consultations,’ says CEO Anna Teal.

‘This enabled us to keep connecting with our consumer at a time when they needed us most.

We developed weekly content, with everything from blogs to how-to videos, and advice from experts across the health and wellness industry.

This helped our customers navigate their way through the pandemic.’

Aromatherapy Associates is loved by a fastgrowing global community that recognises its generous, open-hearted spirit and commitment to excellence. These remain unchanged since 1985 when founders Sue Beechey and Geraldine Howard began creating therapeutic blends, based on their customers’ needs, from a humble kitchen table in London.

Still priding itself on the consumer feedback that it receives daily, Aromatherapy Associates now has a feedback tree in its head office, as

a daily reminder of the difference it makes. It includes comments like, ‘Your oils have turned my bath into a ritual I swear by,’ and, ‘After having a mental breakdown – I’ll be honest – I turned to your products as a last resort to get some sleep. Your sleep mist changed my life, and I can’t thank you enough.’

Beyond cherishing its customers with solace, wellbeing and reassurance, in 2021 Aromatherapy Associates also proved to be much more than a beauty brand. Via its grassroots charity partner, Beauty Banks, the brand provided care packages to key workers across UK hospitals and donated

bath and shower products to those without access to their basic rights to be clean. ‘For me personally, the proudest moment of the year was seeing the faces of men and women across the country knowing that our product donations had made a difference to their day,’ says Anna.

The winner of Great British Brands’ 2021 Sustainability Award, Aromatherapy Associates squared up even more heroically to the monumental challenge of climate change in 2021. As a patron at the British Beauty Council, Anna showed exemplary leadership by playing a fundamental part in publishing the Courage to Change report. The report aims to kickstart conversations and collective action on sustainable beauty, at what Anna considers to be this critical time of ongoing climate emergency.

‘We issued the report through the pandemic period because the climate crisis isn’t going away,’ says Anna. ‘Regardless of whether there’s a pandemic or not, the challenge remains that a climate emergency has been declared and there is still insufficient action being undertaken to really make the strides that could be made with a more concerted and collective effort.’

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BOLIN WEBB

Bringing design excellence to performance shaving

Bolin Webb products take inspiration from classic and modern supercars

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‘My ambition was to develop a shaving razor that was comfortable to use and appealing to the eye’

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hrough a decade of design excellence, Bolin Webb has inspired the grooming world by bringing new shapes and colours to everyday shaving, turning a repetitive bathroom routine into a pleasure for men through a selection of well-formed and eye-catching tools.

Featuring performance razors and accessories, the products take inspiration from both classic and modern supercars. The innovative designs were conceived by founder Derrick Webb: ‘My ambition was to develop a shaving razor that was comfortable to use and appealing to the eye. I envisioned a handle that was curved, balanced and colourful. Our first razor, the R1, was the result, something that you would like to see on your bathroom shelf as well as use.’

Bolin Webb first launched its razors in London in 2011. The young brand brought to the world a unique selection of grooming tools fitted with Gillette blades that were design-led for handling and performance, capturing the same bold colours and evocative emotion found in automotive design. It has since extended its range through a collection of razors and accessories for shaving.

Design excellence is a bold ambition.

Studying the detail of how someone shaves, or how an accessory is to be used, brings innovation and performance together. Robust product development must choose the right materials, and work closely with manufacturing to test feasibility before bringing an idea successfully to market. This takes time and team work.

As a British brand, the drive was always to leverage the best of British product design and manufacturing. Production continues in Birmingham, Britain’s centre of automotive competence and capability. Razor-filled paint racks can be seen at Bolin Webb’s production partners, in between Rolls-Royce trim and McLaren brake callipers. Quality and finish are paramount.

Since its launch, Bolin Webb has embarked on a global journey, working with retailers from San Francisco to Shanghai, selling in some of the best stores in the world. China is now the brand’s biggest market. Along the way, the

brand has collected several design and brand awards, taking accolades from the prestigious Red Dot award in Germany to GQ Best Razor, to name but two.

To mark its ten-year anniversary in 2021, Bolin Webb launched the limited edition R1 British Racing Green Razor set – which celebrates Britain’s automotive heritage and ties in with the brand’s design inspiration. The same year also saw the launch of its first collaboration razor, the R1 Mr Slowboy. Perhaps the most striking model yet, the classic R1 top panel on the shaving handle was used as a canvas for ‘The Man from Mayfair’ – a character illustration by the London-based Chinese artist.

The last two years have given many a new perspective on their daily shaving routine.

Despite changes to work and social patterns, men can still experience the pleasure of a clean shave or a neatly-trimmed beard. Bolin Webb has always been drawn to the saying, ‘Enjoy the shave, feel the difference’. In 2022 and beyond, it expects to encourage more men to enjoy their shave, feel the difference of a Bolin Webb razor and continue to bring design excellence into a morning routine.

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Award-winning, pioneering and with a philanthropic heart, Dr Sebagh, headed up by Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh and Melissa John is a truly brilliant British brand which will also have a new London home at Chandos House later this year

DR SEBAGH

Pioneering skincare by worldrenowned cosmetic doctor

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ushing the boundaries of bespoke results-driven skincare, the awardwinning, cutting-edge brand Dr Sebagh is leading the charge thanks to its quality and integrity.

Co-owned by Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, internationally renowned cosmetic doctor, and businesswoman and philanthropist Melissa John, the products are loved by beauty insiders, celebrities and influencers worldwide.

With over 25 years of facial surgery experience, Dr Sebagh’s game-changing approach to ‘AgeingMaintenance’ – a term he coined to describe his vision – continues to influence both the brand’s unique formulations and the clinic’s pioneering treatments. John puts their success down to Dr Sebagh and his chemists, who continually work at bettering the products, adding the maximum concentration of ingredients for ‘skin efficiency’.

This approach has paid off. The Dr Sebagh Advanced Ageing-Maintenance range continues

to win countless awards for excellence. These include Deep Exfoliating Mask, Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream and the multiple-prize-winning Self-Tanning Drops. The award-winning superserums are a firm favourite. In 2020, their deeply nourishing Lip Balm was hailed as the very best and, in 2021, the innovative Retinol Night Repair won an award for Best Overnight Serum. The brand is sold in 34 countries, spread over six continents and products are sold globally online via the brand’s website.

It’s all about tailoring a ritual to suit the skin’s individual needs. ‘To achieve the best possible skin, feed it using the same knowledge and awareness you use to feed your body,’ advises Dr Sebagh, who was the first to advocate mixing different serums to create a personal skin care regime as part of the Dr Sebagh Serum Bar. ‘One of the biggest mistakes is to be influenced by marketing without knowing enough about ingredients and your skin’s needs.’

There have been great moves to embrace sustainable practices. The team has been working with the organisation, AimHi Earth, part of the Eden Project, which encourages people to think nature-first. An example of this is Dr Sebagh’s #boxfreebeauty initiative, offering customers the option to buy products without packaging.

‘We pack them in biodegradable wrap and opt for smaller packages,’ Melissa John explains.

‘We hope that the changes we continue to make with the packaging of our brand will make it as eco-friendly as possible.’ Furthermore, the majority of their products are in glass bottles – and the brand is trying to persuade stores to go box-less.

In June 2021, they bought Chandos House, built in 1774 by Robert Adam. Currently undergoing extensive renovation, this grand London townhouse is due to launch in autumn 2022. ‘I am very excited to finally house our brand and clinic in a home built 250 years ago with an ethos and attention to detail that mirrors our own,’ says John.

In the meantime, the philanthropic work continues, which includes fundraising for the RAF Benevolent Fund. This year, it added The Access Project, supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities, End Hunger UK, which combats food poverty, and local homeless charity The Passage. Going forward, Dr Sebagh’s hope is to connect with a charity supporting medical professionals’ education. ‘Now more than ever it is vital to help others when we can,’ says John.

Dr Sebagh Chandos House 2 Queen Anne Street London W1G 9LQ +44 (0)20 7580 3343 drsebagh.com drsebagh

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‘To achieve the best possible skin, feed it using the same knowledge and awareness you use to feed your body’

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GUAVA & GOLD

Exotic fruits and flowers that prompt soothing tropical memories

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ounded by former barrister, Clare Price, and now in its third year of business, Guava & Gold is a multi-awardwinning independent luxury bath and body collection. With precise brand positioning and a relentless focus on both the consumer experience and customer service, the brand has made considerable waves in the immensely competitive personal care sector.

Clare’s goal was to create an elegant capsule collection of products with ethical credentials, which capture unforgettable, exotic holiday memories in a bottle, inspired by the heady atmosphere and scent of the tropics.

To that end, Guava & Gold’s products were created exclusively for the brand, collaborating with an international fine fragrance house and drawing on over a century of its experience and know-how. Today, the gloriously fragrant collection is elegantly presented in beautifully decorated bottles, which have fast become welcome stylish additions to many a bathroom shelf.

Guava & Gold’s exquisite phthalate-free perfumes are drawn from natural oils, like lemon and bergamot peel, and extracts like pink peppercorn. They are then blended with luxuriously scented fruit and flowers, including

pink magnolia, sweet vanilla orchid and orange and plum blossom.

All the products use only kind-to-skin ingredients, carefully selected for the health of skin and hair. These include manuka oil, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties; sweet almond oil, which can boost collagen production and keep skin hydrated; grapeseed oil, a natural moisturiser which helps to maintain soft, radiant skin and hair; plus moisturising shea butter and vitamins.

‘Fragrance has an astonishing ability to conjure up a precious memory and I wanted our products to transport people to a moment of sheer bliss that can be revisited again and again,’ says Clare. Guava & Gold products reflect the sparkle, colour, vibrancy and fun of a tropical beach holiday, evoking sheer joy.

In 2021 this was put to the test when the brand hosted the first ever Guava & Gold staycation at the ME London Hotel for a select group of highly respected beauty influencers. Their enthusiastic response was testament to how good the products make people feel about themselves.

Guava & Gold botanicals are all ethically sourced and bottles and packaging can be recycled. To further limit its impact on the environment, they plan to move to bio-polymer

bottles, which are made from sugar cane extract, and to incorporate water-free products in the collection.

Guava & Gold has won a loyal following amongst the rising number of consumers concerned about brands’ sustainable and ethical principles. In 2021, the brand generated more than 141 per cent growth in sales revenue within just ten months and with two months of its financial year still to go, including the crucial Christmas trading period. As well as selling more products directly to consumers, it expanded its network of retail partners, increasing sales in both the USA and Europe.

Clare’s philosophy has always been to go beyond being a mere brand and to donate to as wide a range of charitable causes as possible.

Her philanthropic ethos resulted in the brand supporting several causes in 2021, including homeless charities and support for those with Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Guava & Gold guavaandgold.com guavaandgoldofficial

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Guava & Gold’s kind-to-skin ingredients are carefully selected for the health of skin and hair

An elegant capsule collection of products with ethical credentials, which capture unforgettable, exotic holiday memories in a bottle

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HAI BEAUTY

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PHOTO: © MILLIE PILKINGTON

A beauty brand taking the realm of sweat by storm

Grace De Alvaro (below centre) founded Sports HAI to create a beauty brand whose formulae endure on the skin, even when the wearer is working out, dancing or even swimming

PHOTO: © MILLIE PILKINGTON

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t’s HAI (pronounced ‘high’) time a brand tackled the growing demand for clean formulas that solve the skin, beauty and hygiene issues caused by sweat. Founder and sports enthusiast Grace De Alvaro started Sports HAI with a mission to do just that, creating luxurious skincare that doesn’t block pores or budge even after the most high intensity workouts.

However, since embarking on her journey, Grace realised her brand’s reach was much bigger than anticipated. ‘Athletes were sending me selfies in clubs after dancing all night, and yacht-side pics after swims and a full day in the sun, flabbergasted the products stayed put. That’s when I realised “sweat is sweat” and some of us sweat quite a lot when not working-out at all.’

Fresh from winning the Influential Businesswoman Award by Acquisition International last year, Grace is now working on Sports HAI’s expansion. ‘We want to help anyone who is overheating and sweaty and wants a clean, high-performance formula that works.’

Brand team members Gina Ciampa, Head of Marketing, and Marina Doherty, Head of Sales, echo this sentiment noting fans have raved long and hard about how their products perform even through hot flushes and extreme heat.

Grace’s team also includes Margaret Dabbs; new partner Ian Richardson, known for his extensive entrepreneurial experience and success with Aromatherapy Associates (he’s no stranger to sweat, having run 12 marathons in only four years); and Stratos Chatzigiannis, a growth investor and entrepreneur with experience in start-ups.

To champion Sports HAI’s evolution and innovation, Grace called upon industry expert Laura DiGirolamo. ‘The industry has yet to fully explore the science, physiology and psychology of sweat giving us space to create really unique and efficacious products,’ says Grace. Laura’s international reach has proved vital in helping her creating the brand’s new ground-breaking range of products due to launch in 2022.

Sports HAI’s current homeruns include SPF-50 Protection, winner of ‘Best SPF – Sport’

by Attracta Beauty Awards 2020, and a recently launched revolutionary non-greasy hyaluronic

for parched skin. The formulation can increase hydration by 130 per cent – 60 times more than standard hyaluronic. Results can be seen immediately, penetrating the skin deeply, giving 72-hour hydration. These tried and tested formulae helped to create Sports HAI’s fan base of top athletes including Ruth Osborn of the 2021 British AIDA Freediving World Championships team.

There are some things about Sports HAI that will never change: ‘We believe what you put on your skin should be as healthy as what you put in your body,’ says Grace. This commitment has seen its products used across the globe, from England’s polo fields to yachts in Spain.

Also, high up on the agenda is Sports HAI’s support of mental health – an issue Grace says is very prevalent in sport and sweaty situations.

‘There’s a natural connection between sweat, stress, and mental health and our 360-degree commitment to a healthy mind, body and soul will always anchor Sports HAI with meaningful purpose that goes beyond the product.’

‘Take the Sports HAI road’ is the brand’s tagline for when you find yourself in a sweaty situation. And if their action-packed past year is anything to go by, it will be a path well-travelled.

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PENHALIGON’S

The 151-year-old scent brand that continues to delight and entertain

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enhaligon’s is thrilled to have opened its boutique doors again and is once more back in full swing. There’s a line-up of exciting new fragrances which includes an array of new characters and an exotic home collection, which has a firm emphasis on entertaining with a flourish.

William Penhaligon created his first fragrance, Hammam Bouquet, in 1872, inspired by the Turkish Baths where he worked as a barber on Jermyn Street in Westminster, London. The exotic fragrance caused a stir and his customers clamoured for more. When he inherited the business from his father in 1901, William continued to dazzle, and was commissioned to create Blenheim Bouquet for the 9th Duke of Marlborough just a year later.

Fast forward 151 years, with two Royal Warrants and a clutch of globally renowned fragrances, Penhaligon’s mission continues to be to delight and entertain. Indeed, given its name has been synonymous with entertainment of the senses for the last 150 years, it comes as no surprise that in 2021 Penhaligon’s made the decision to bring cheer to its community through fragrance and storytelling.

And so, as 2021 dawned, it drew the curtains back on a dark stage. Then, in a theatrical flash of magic and magnificent cartomancy, it breathed new life into Penhaligon’s fragrance profiling. Ever concerned with providing an exciting level of spectacle for its customers, and inspired as ever by the irrepressibly exuberant, flamboyant spirit of William Penhaligon, Penhaligon’s created an entrancing new experience for 2021. This time, it teemed with all the adventure and phantasmagoria of a mystical Tarot reading.

The experience itself is simple: pick a card, any card, based on your natural inclinations and what draws you in. This well-known process is then repeated, with questions posed along the way. First, you’re asked to describe yourself. Are

you adventurous, captivating, graceful or fun-loving? And thus it continues with a set of fun and intriguing questions: ‘Which garnish graces your tipple?’ or ‘Which hat tickles your fancy?’ At the end of the experience, Penhaligon’s has gleaned enough of an informational nugget to ensure the customer (or the intended recipient – you can of course choose to do it as a gift for someone else) doesn’t leave empty handed, and two carefully selected samples will duly arrive on their doorstep.

In-store, customers are invited to step over to Penhaligon’s Perfumers Organ. Here, swathes of scent waft enticingly beneath totally blank glass cloches, waiting to be sniffed. This is the blind profiling service, in all its glory. Nothing is given away, no name, ingredient or story that could trigger a perfumed preconception and sway a decision. Customers create their own connection to the scent blindly and instinctively, finding the perfect match without being influenced by anything other than the pure emotion conjured in the moment as the fragrance intertwines with the soul.

Penhaligon’s promise for 2022 is that it will continue to thrill and entice with more entertaining ways for customers to find that ideal and elusive fragrance suited perfectly to them.

Penhaligon’s 1 Cathedral Piazza 123 Victoria Street London SW1E 5BP +44 (0)20 75906110 penhaligons.com penhaligons_london

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Penhaligon’s brings a sense of drama and entertainment to finding your perfect scent

Customers find the perfect scent match without being influenced by anything other than the pure emotion conjured in the moment as the fragrance entwines with their soul

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SALON64

BY THE 64 GROUP

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amed after the year 1664, when ‘salons’ – traditionally places for conversation and exchanging ideas – were first held by French hostesses to prepare clients for the evening ahead, The 64 Group is rewriting the rules of what to expect from a hairdresser today.

Founded by acclaimed hair stylist Ricky Walters and located in the heart of creative Soho on Bateman Street, SALON64 is a hair and beauty salon during the day before transforming into an exclusive private members’ space, CLUB64, at night.

Conceived as a modern take on a speakeasy

with marble fire pits creating ambience throughout the 2,000 sq/ft two-storey space, clients can meet with friends at the coffee bar, charge phones at a flip-up workstation, and refresh and re-do make-up in between meetings – all while having their hair cut, coloured and blow-dried by award-winning stylists. There are also secluded treatment vaults for those wanting more privacy while they enjoy their beauty session.

Fast forward to the evening and CLUB64 members are met with expertly made cocktails and a tranquil spot to unwind in, serving as the perfect precursor to an evening out in Soho.

The space itself can be hired for a private party, complete with hair stylists, make-up artists, mixologists and champagne on tap.

During the pandemic and what has been a testing time for many, SALON64 has always been the light at the end of the tunnel for the community: a trusted, safe place that not only provides excellent hair care services but also acts as the social hub we all want to escape to for some much-needed pampering, indulgence and fun.

To encourage clients to feel comfortable about venturing out in London once more, SALON64 opened a garden terrace in 2020,

PHOTOS: MATTHEW PULL

Reinventing the hair industry as we know it

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GBB 2022 / BEAUTY & WELLBEING SALON64 is your one-stop-shop before a night out in Soho

PHOTOS: MATTHEW PULL

In the heart of creative Soho, SALON64 is a hair and beauty salon during the day before transforming into an exclusive private members’ space, CLUB64, at night

continuing to offer its services al fresco while still keeping clients safe. It also adapted its way of working in the Zoom-era, offering free hair styling and maintenance advice online, as well as being a friendly face to speak to over a virtual coffee. Nurturing and appreciating the special stylist-client relationship, SALON64 has welcomed its regulars back with open arms since restrictions were lifted, creating a reimagined space where everyone wants to be.

This year, Ricky proudly takes The 64 Group one step further on with the launch of its long-anticipated professional product line.

Created following requests from clients who want to take a part of the salon home with them, SALON64’s product launch has been carefully curated with both hair needs and the environment in mind. Fronting the collection

– which features the finest natural ingredients to support hair health every step of the way – is the premium Liquid Gold shampoo and conditioner, containing real gold to strengthen hair and bring it back to its healthier self.

With a passion for reinventing the hair industry as we know it, SALON64 continues to be the hot topic of conversation amongst London’s elite and A-listers.

‘We have grown so much in such a short time,’ says Ricky. ‘We are more than just a salon; we are the 64 community. Whether you’re a client of the salon, a member of the club, or a soon-to-be user at home of our haircare line, you are part of the 64 community of creatives. The 64 community is rapidly expanding and a force to be reckoned with.’

You now know where to start your next night out in Soho.

Salon64

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GBB 2022 / BEAUTY & WELLBEING Founders Mark and Liz Warom have created a brand that makes a real difference to your skin and wellbeing

TEMPLESPA

A vibrant skincare spa brand with wellness at its core

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ward-winning spa and skincare brand TEMPLESPA started 22 years ago. Today it is still operates from West Sussex, led by Mark and Liz Warom.

Wellness is TEMPLESPA’s heartland: a culture of time outdoors with loved ones, sharing experiences, nurturing luscious botanicals and abundant antioxidants alongside nourishing and hydrating ingredients.

This winning formula inspires TEMPLESPA’s loyal customers who can discover the brand in spas, airlines, hotels, and through a network of over 4,000 independent lifestyle consultants.

Harrods is the only department to stock TEMPLESPA exclusively and has its own treatment rooms.

‘We create skincare products and experiences that make a real difference to your skin and soul health,’ says Liz. ‘TEMPLESPA believes that your body is a living temple.

Honour it, enjoy life and live it to the full.’

Not only is healthy skin a natural barrier and protective shell but the outer layer most visible to others – a barometer for self-esteem and confidence. TEMPLESPA wants you to look the best for the age that you are: healthy, energised,

content to age well and feel the best version of yourself.

Wellness is also vitally important to a busy working day. Wellness in The Workplace sessions to promote its own staff’s health proved so successful that they are now offered through its Spa to Go network, a great way for organisations to show care and concern. Since 2018 TEMPLESPA has supported mental health charity, Mind, raising a staggering £178,000 in 2021, via its bestselling Repose relaxing night cream.

TEMPLESPA makes 90 per cent of its products in the UK, representing the fusion of modern science with ancient expertise and practices, formulated by eminent doctors, herbalists, professors of biochemistry and dermatology in Switzerland, Italy and England.

Advanced formulations combine botanically derived extracts, pure essential oils and science-led active complexes, giving noticeable, long-lasting results. Ingredients are chosen for their performance, results and overall benefits, while those with a low or zero environmental impact are favoured.

One example is In The Beginning, a ‘desert island product’ you can’t live without. A

concentrated balm for that ‘just had a facial’ feeling, its buttery-crystalline texture melts as you massage, delivering rich vitamin E to your skin. Formulated with olive, calendula, basil, clary and lavender to ensure a nutritious, intense cleanse, it leaves skin glowing with vitality.

TEMPLESPA strongly believes that testing on animals is unacceptable, and the founding principle of cruelty-free skincare remains constant. Liz says, ‘We have never tested any ingredients or finished formulas on animals, nor hired others to do so. We applauded the 2013 ban.’

‘From our skincare products to the wellbeing experience of a TEMPLESPA facial or massage,’ she says with pride, ‘we live, breathe and love what we do.’

Templespa The Old Barn Toddington House Toddington Lane Littlehampton, BN17 6JX +44 (0)1903 719429 templespa.com templespa

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‘TEMPLESPA is inspired by its warmth, vibrancy and love of living life to the full’

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THYME

Conserving the land’s beauty through generations of love, for generations to come

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hen Caryn Hibbert opened a cookery school as the founding ingredient of Thyme in 2007, her mission was to inspire a slower pace and a reconnection to nature and the land. Thyme has evolved considerably since then, but this ethos has never faltered.

Caryn and her husband Jerry moved to Southrop Manor in 2002 and soon after acquired the adjacent derelict buildings.

Caryn began a slow, thoughtful restoration with her father Michael Bertioli, a physicist and engineer, building on their mutual passion for architecture, conservation, sustainability and design. Today, Thyme is an entirely family-run, hugely sought-after destination in the heart of the Cotswolds, renowned for the high quality of its sympathetic restoration, totally in tune with the surrounding environment. Thyme comprises 31 bedrooms dispersed across its houses and cottages, the Ox Barn restaurant

Bertioli Beauty harnesses the power of nature

and Baa Bar, Swan pub, Cookery School and Meadow Spa, plus boutiques and Tithe Barn for events and exhibitions.

In the last two years, Covid not only disrupted business for Thyme but radically compromised people’s connection to nature and consequently their mental and physical health. In 2021, in an effort to improve people’s well-being via breath and smell, Thyme’s sibling brand, Bertioli, launched Bertioli Beauty with a new collection of products. Rooted in a love of nature and a belief in the beauty of simplicity, Bertioli Beauty harnesses the power of breath, scent and nature to nourish mind, body and planet. The products are designed to help people switch off their automatic stress responses, calm down and engage instead in the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

‘We describe this process as the “healing circle”’, says Caryn. ‘Imagine you are standing in a wild meadow of long grasses, flowers and herbs, their fragrance filling the air to create a scent that embodies that place. Enveloped in these healing botanicals, you naturally take a deep breath, drinking in the scent of nature. Your body will react as contentment floods through it, instilling a sense of calm and focus. Switching off the body’s stress response has profound effects on our wellbeing and understanding how to do this gives you a powerful tool for life. Immersing ourselves in nature, scent and conscious, deep breathing can trigger this phenomenal wellbeing response and inspire a deeper connection to the natural world.’

The collection comprises eight products.

The breathing balm, applied to wrists, chest or neck, encourages deep breathing and calm. The hair and body bars reduce plastic waste and are made using a unique, condensed, entirely soap-free formula, delivering highly effective but gentle cleansing and conditioning for hair and body. These are complemented by the super conditioning bar for deep nourishment.

The products are now positioned in the bedrooms at Thyme, encouraging guests to engage in conscious breath work for a more positive mindset.

‘We are at a moment when we and our planet need help,’ says Caryn, ‘and Bertioli Beauty products inspire a love of nature. Those who engage with nature are more likely to take action to protect it, preserving wild spaces.

We hope using our products can consolidate the understanding that in nurturing nature we nurture ourselves.’

Thyme Southrop Manor Estates Southrop, Gloucestershire Gloucestershire GL7 3NX +44 (0)1367 850174 thyme.co.uk thyme.england

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‘Bertioli Beauty products inspire a love of nature. Those who engage with nature are more likely to take action to protect it, preserving wild spaces’

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YARDLEY LONDON

A flourishing floral story

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ounded in 1770 in the reign of George III, Yardley London’s proud British heritage stretches all the way back to the 1600s, when King Charles I granted Mr Yardley a concession to make lavender-scented soap for the unclean masses.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries the business continued to grow, and during the 1940s it was producing make-up in its Basildon factory and advising women to put their best face forward every day while helping with the war effort. In 1956, it launched refillable lipsticks

– an innovative and forward-thinking concept for the time. In the 1960s, British model Twiggy became the brand ambassador and fronted the campaign for a pioneering range of false eyelashes. Today, the oldest fragrance house in the world continues to flourish.

It was in the 1930s that Yardley London became renowned as the pioneer of its English Lavender fragrance, when the house commissioned scientists to scour the globe for the finest varieties. In fact, Yardley London discovered the beautifully scented Lavandula Angustifolia in

the fields of southern England. A version of the original lavender fragrance it created has been modernised for today’s consumer and remains the brand’s signature scent. Today, that fragrance uses over 400 litres of lavender fragrance annually and a Yardley English Lavender product is sold every minute around the world.

Over time, the brand has received six royal warrants and Yardley London continues to launch prize-winning fragrances and win significant beauty awards for its bath and body products.

In 2020, its 250 For Her eau de parfum, launched in order to celebrate the brand’s 250th anniversary, was shortlisted for a Pure Beauty Award. The fragrance, alongside 250 For Him, was launched in collaboration with the Look Good Feel Better cancer charity to provide regular cash donations from sales, in line with Yardley London’s unwavering commitment to giving back. Yardley London is also proud to continue supporting British manufacturing and generating millions of pounds in commerce for the British economy.

Evolving to meet its consumers’ needs, the Yardley London fragrance portfolio now offers a broad range of olfactive choices for women of all ages and tastes with the ever successful Traditional Florals, the new Contemporary Florals and the Flowerful Collection. There is also a gentleman’s fragrance range and a luxury bathing collection, Flowerazzi, and a new collection of hand washes, inspired by botanical ingredients. The majority of its product range is now suitable for vegans and contains up to 98% naturally derived ingredients. Yardley London’s annual gift range comprises luxurious, but affordable treats for any occasion, which aim to surprise and delight the recipient.

Committed to reducing its impact on the environment, Yardley London is now including recycled plastic in its packaging and has removed plastic entirely from its cartons and gift set packs. It also uses Forest Stewardship Council-sourced cartons and only recyclable materials where possible.

While continuing to trade successfully from its traditional shops and store outlets, the brand is building its appeal among new audiences increasingly via e-commerce and creating new, relevant content for its social media platforms.

It has a fine tradition to build on and as it continues to evolve, the world’s oldest fragrance house is confident it will continue to delight customers for many more generations to come.

Yardley London 102a High St, Eton Berkshire SL4 6AF +44 (0)1753 753420 yardleylondon.co.uk yardleylondonuk

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Yardley London’s signature floral scents have delighted people for over 250 years

A Yardley English Lavender product is sold every minute around the world

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YOUTH & EARTH

The secret to maintaining a healthy, active body and mind

Youth & Earth’s formulas are all third-party tested for quality and consistency

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Natural anti-ageing supplements that combine cutting-edge science with age-old wisdom to slow down ageing at a cellular level

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or Youth & Earth founder Ed van Harmelen, the pandemic was an opportunity to learn more about what people look for in health supplements.

Taking part in wellness entrepreneur Liz Earle’s ongoing #wellbeingwednesday series on IGTV led to discussions around how our bodies change as we age and what supplements are needed to top up natural levels of various molecules. ‘This played a key role in developing an in-depth idea of what our customers require in their quest for a happier and healthier lifestyle, and tailoring products directly to their needs,’ he says.

Specialising in natural anti-ageing supplements that combine cutting-edge science with age-old wisdom to slow down ageing at a cellular level, Youth & Earth is the largest supplier of NAD+ boosters in Britain and Europe (NAD+ molecules deplete in our bodies as we get older). In response to questions from the community after Ed’s chat with Liz, and following ‘biohacking’ professor Dr David Sinclair discussion of his daily supplement stacking routine, it became clear that customers were after something new to help combat symptoms such as tiredness, wrinkles and the slowing of the metabolism: a Resveratrol-only supplement.

Resveratrol is a molecule produced by the body that activates Sirtuins but depletes as we age. When Sirtuins ‘awaken’ they anti-age from the inside by mimicking calorie restriction and kickstarting the metabolism. This works to delay ageing, by improving cardiovascular functions, and regulating inflammation and the body’s stress response. After producing a

Liposomal Resveratrol product (which is more bioavailable than isolated Resveratrol, meaning a larger proportion enters circulation and has an active effect), Youth & Earth sent out a survey to its repeat customers.

It saw an overwhelming response: people were looking for other liquid, non-capsule supplements that were easy to consume, with high bioavailability. The company’s offering now includes a large range of these, with more to follow soon. ‘The formula is driven by plant-based ingredients – liposomes come from sunflowers – allowing the body to

adjust and combat the symptoms of ageing gently,’ says Ed. Providing customers with complete transparency has always been a priority for Youth & Earth, which is why the company endeavours to ensure all new supplements have clear third-party test results available on its website. It has also started working with the University of Edinburgh, which recently opened a specialist Youth & Earth Lab where PhD students and those studying for a master’s degree focus on research and development within the supplement and healthcare space, with specific interest in NAD+ boosters. As part of its aim to leave the planet a better place, Youth & Earth’s packaging continues to be plastic-free and recyclable.

Among all these developments over the last tumultuous year, the Youth & Earth team is delighted to have been recognised with a number of wellbeing awards, including winning Best Healthy Ageing Supplement at the Beauty Shortlist Wellbeing awards. Ultimately, by producing cutting-edge products designed to help sustain a fit and active lifestyle, Ed is determined to ensure that we can increase our physical and mental energy as we age, leading to longer, healthier lives.

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CADOGAN

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ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA

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THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE ESTATE

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SAVILE ROW

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THE SHARD

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ICONIC DESTINATIONS

ASPREY

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ASPREY

An innovative and immersive retail experience with a wealth of heritage

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ast year was a stellar year for Asprey.

Celebrating 240 years as a top British luxury lifestyle house, the heritage company opened its new flagship store at 36 Bruton Street, Mayfair in October. Simultaneously incorporating elements of inspiration from the British outdoors and a contemporary London mansion, Asprey 240 showcases its distinct collections and hero products in a cinematic, exhibition-type format

Now entering its 241st year, Asprey’s exquisite jewellery and covetable bags, plus silverware, scarves and fragrances, are as in demand as ever

that appeals to all five senses.

Once inside Asprey 240, visitors encounter far more than a repository of exquisitely made goods: this is a piece of retail stagecraft, designed to be subversive, indulging and calming; each of the rooms is like a chapter in an un-put-downable novel.

Asprey’s chairman John Rigas and Robert Storey conceived the design ideas. Storey, an alumnus of London’s Central Saint Martins, is

lionised in interiors circles for his work creating ‘immersive artistic experiences’.

‘The way we’ve designed the space here is such that one minute you are in a square room, next a more rounded one,’ explains Robert. ‘We wanted to showcase the products as beautiful artefacts, unique and handmade by different craftspeople. That means displaying them in a way that feels exhibition-like, but with a strong feeling of tactility. Each room is its own world.’

Asprey 240 is where you’ll find the exquisite jewellery and silver for which it holds a Royal warrant, plus its leather goods, accessories, watches, clocks, china, crystal, games, silk and accessories. It’s also where you’ll soon discover the new Asprey Digital Studio and Asprey Upstairs, a private tearoom and champagne bar for visitors to enjoy.

Last year also saw Asprey’s exclusive collaboration with Formula 1. Connected by British heritage, innovation and craftsmanship, the collaboration celebrated both Asprey’s 240th anniversary and the revolutionary development of the F1 car for 2022. The collection includes a handcrafted sterling silver replica and sculptural models of the new 2022 car, as well as a range of collectable silver goods and silk products. Fine jewellery items such as cufflinks are set to launch later this year.

Asprey’s commitment to environmental and social governance has been of paramount importance in recent years and another successful collaboration has been with the Turquoise Mountain charity, founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2006, to produce a range of boxes made in Afghanistan from precious stones. The collaboration provides an exceptional platform for artisans who, despite the challenges of their environment, are still able to produce pieces of exquisite quality. The range includes hand-carved and hand-polished green nephrite, variegated green onyx, pink onyx and lapis lazuli.

The best of British design coupled with expert artistry from a talent pool of international artisans is what has always set Asprey apart as an authentic British luxury house. Now, exciting collaborations, innovative experiences and the new flagship store perfectly demonstrate its ability to reinvent itself with a pioneering spirit in the modern-day world. Here’s to another 240 years.

Asprey 36 Bruton Street London W1J 6QX +44 (0)20 7493 6767 asprey.com aspreylondon

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Asprey 240 showcases its distinct collections and hero products in a cinematic, exhibition-type format

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From pedestrianisation to exciting new boutiques and amenities, Cadogan is nurturing a thriving community in the heart of Chelsea

CADOGAN

Preserving Chelsea’s rich heritage and its vibrant community

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adogan is a dynamic property manager of prime residential, commercial, retail and leisure space. At the strategic heart of this 300 year old family business is an unwavering long-term commitment to the careful curation of the estate’s 93 acres, spanning Chelsea and Knightsbridge, and to its community.

In response to the pandemic, Cadogan’s immediate priority was to support the neighbourhood and maintain the vibrancy that makes it so special. A business community fund was created, providing over £20 million in aid

to commercial occupiers, as well as support for the NHS, culture and the arts – sectors that have long-enriched the neighbourhood. This included protection and restoration of heritage art buildings and projects with the British Fashion Council to create grants to safeguard future creative talent.

More than 900 outdoor seats were introduced across the neighbourhood. With this additional seating, the success of the trial pedestrianisation of picturesque Pavilion Road, home to artisan food, fashion, beauty and fitness, convinced the council to approve permanent pedestrianisation.

Duke of York Square also welcomed additional seating, allowing the Square’s five restaurants to

extend their capacity throughout summer. This too remains in place, which, together with the Fine Food Market alternating between the Square itself and the green opposite the Saatchi Gallery, enables the community to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings year-round.

This occupier and community support, combined with animating the area through initiatives such as outdoor seating, events and installations, was recognised when Cadogan was awarded Best Covid Response – Commercial Property in the Property Awards 2021.

Cadogan has also welcomed a host of exciting new retail openings over the last year.

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Cadogan’s Chelsea 2030 strategy reflects both local and global approaches to tackle the climate emergency, promising Chelsea a greener, more sustainable future

On Sloane Street, Surrey’s chic Beaverbrook country house hotel launched its first London Town House, made up of two beautifully restored Georgian houses overlooking leafy Cadogan Gardens, while on King’s Road, Copenhagencool Ganni, womenswear boutique Rixo and jewellery designer Daniella Draper opened their doors, further cementing Cadogan’s ambitions to recapture the road’s independent spirit.

Chelsea also welcomed new flagships for both Ralph Lauren and Balençiaga, as well as Europe’s first standalone Soho Home Studio in Duke of York Square.

Other experiential retail concepts animate the neighbourhood too. On Pont Street, Anya Hindmarch opened The Village, comprising five neighbouring stores and the Anya Café, which

creates sensory and memorable experiences that cannot be replicated solely online.

Looking ahead, Chelsea will see the first Costes Townhouse outside Paris opening on Sloane Square. Exciting plans for Sloane Street will be revealed shortly, with significant investment into one of the world’s most famous luxury shopping destinations, including the first street-wide loyalty scheme.

Cadogan is also focused on minimising its environmental impact, ensuring sustainability is integrated into every aspect of the business.

With ambitious targets, Cadogan’s Chelsea 2030 strategy reflects both local and global approaches to tackle the climate emergency and societal issues, promising Chelsea a greener, more sustainable future.

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THE ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA

PHOTOS: MARC BRENNER; TRISTRAM KENTON; KARLA GOWLETT

Making a difference through opera: the ENO is for everyone

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Filming of Breathe lullaby; HMS Pinafore 2021; Handel’s Messiah, broadcast on BBC Two in April 2021; ENO’s home at the London Coliseum

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The ENO always aims to be different and surprising in its approach, reimagining and reframing how opera is traditionally perceived

PHOTOS: MARC BRENNER; TRISTRAM KENTON; KARLA GOWLETT

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taging opera of the very highest standards, while ensuring as many people as possible can experience it, meant that 2021 was a non-stop year for the English National Opera.

Apart from adjusting to being back on stage at the opera’s London Coliseum home, the ENO was also focused on taking its work beyond these walls.

ENO Breathe was a breakthrough programme to give crucial support to people recovering from Covid during 2021. Developed in partnership with respiratory specialists, the six-week online programme focuses on breathing retraining through singing for sufferers experiencing breathlessness and resulting anxiety. The programme now works with 58 NHS post-Covid assessment clinics across the country, helping over 800 participants.

The findings from this programme continue to contribute to the worldwide effort to combat Long Covid.

As well as utilising its expertise to help the wider community, the ENO is also focused on bringing opera to more people than ever, fulfilling its founding principle of being the national opera company for everyone. Following the televising in 2020 of the world’s first drive-in opera, La Bohème at Alexandra Palace, the ENO continued creating work for broadcast.

Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem were beamed around the country for free on BBC Two, reaching a million households between them. At the end of 2021 the ENO worked with Sky Arts on Anyone Can Sing, to be screened in spring this year, and undoubtedly attracting

a new generation of opera stars.

The ENO has always aimed to remove barriers to enjoying live opera. To this end, it was the first opera company in the world to introduce free tickets anywhere in the auditorium and for any performance for under 21s. It also significantly expanded its offer of discounted tickets for under 35s, while tickets for everyone else start from as little as £10.

This investment is crucial to the ENO’s ethos of helping new audiences experience the arts.

Another hero moment was the launch of Finish This... last September, when the ENO’s Learning and Participation department invited

primary and secondary school pupils to complete an unfinished musical composition.

This project was a fun challenge that also supported the curriculum, providing valuable resources for teachers, and giving schoolchildren the opportunity to expand their appreciation of culture via music and storytelling.

Finally, the ENO joined forces with Netflix to create the world’s first ‘Tiktopera’, a shortform opera based on the series Tiger King.

The story was set to a series of songs from Bizet’s Carmen and performed by a 40-person professional chorus and full string orchestra. The curtain rose on the ground-breaking piece in November and the opera was posted in full on TikTok and YouTube. It achieved 15 million views in just seven days, sharing the ENO’s flair for innovative creativity with a huge new audience.

The ENO always aims to be different and surprising in its approach, reimagining and reframing how opera is traditionally perceived.

This year will see the ENO take this forward to even more people, demonstrating the broader role that arts organisations can play in their communities and the wider world.

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THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE ESTATE

250 years of history redesigned for the 21st century

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he Knightsbridge Estate occupies one of the most prestigious sites in London, the three-and-a-half-acre block that overlooks the junction of Sloane Street and Brompton Road, the bustling heart of Knightsbridge.

To the east stands Harvey Nichols, to the west Harrods. The site has been an important part of the capital’s urban landscape since at least the latter half of the 18th century.

The extensive redevelopment and modernisation of the site by its owners The Olayan Group is now reaching completion.

Masterminded by asset and development manager Chelsfield and architects Fletcher Priest, the redevelopment of the northern end is a mixed-use scheme that preserves the distinctive character of The Estate while delivering a brand new building meeting the needs and standards of modern occupiers.

It was an enormous and complex project on a constricted site in a conservation area in one of the busiest parts of London. The proximity of a network of subterranean tunnels and shafts belonging to London Underground provided a further, unavoidable complication. The pandemic imposed its own constraints on the developers’ freedom of action, not least the provision of a safe and regulation-compliant working environment, but despite these difficulties, the project is now coming to a triumphant conclusion.

Once completed, the development will offer seven flagship stores, a new roof-top restaurant and ground-level café, a Grade A office building, and 33 luxury apartments set around a private courtyard. These apartments will only be offered for rent, thereby increasing – albeit at a very high level – the local stock of rental property and contributing to its thriving community. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea planners were very supportive of the plans, a rarity for a scheme of this size.

The public benefits of the scheme

are noteworthy. Enormous effort went into achieving maximum authenticity in the restoration of the 19th-century period facades that wrap around the development, a defining characteristic of the area. This included sourcing stone from the original quarries and accurately matching brick clays.

An essential element of the scheme was the relocation of the entrance to Knightsbridge underground station. Moving it 100 yards to the west on Brompton Road created a modern, more spacious station with, for the first time, step-free access to the platforms, while returning the ground floor of the building on Sloane Street to its original purpose as an eye-catching retail space. The widening of the pavement at the station’s entrance improves access and safety, especially at peak times.

The new retail spaces are served by subterranean service bays. This reduces traffic congestion, noise, and pollution in the area, while simultaneously improving efficiency and security for the retailers, a fine example of the all-round benefits of thoughtful, practical design, greatly increasing the amenity value of the scheme.

The Knightsbridge Estate is proud to have played such an important role in revitalising this historic and worldrenowned part of London. Ultra-modern office, retail and residential space combined with greatly improved Underground access and painstakingly authentic restoration will benefit locals, residents and visitors alike.

This sense of community goes to the heart of the modern, rejuvenated Estate.

The Knightsbridge Estate 50 Hans Crescent London SW1X 0NA +44 (0)20 7290 2388 theknightsbridgeestate.co.uk theknightsbridgeestate

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The new Knightsbridge development will offer seven flagship stores, a roof-top restaurant, café, state-of-the-art office building and 33 luxury rental apartments

The public benefits of this scheme are noteworthy. Enormous effort went into achieving maximum authenticity in the restoration

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SAVILE ROW

The historic street housing the finest bespoke tailors in the world

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ince Henry Poole & Co established itself on Savile Row in 1846, the small street in the heart of London’s Mayfair has earned a mighty international reputation for offering the finest craftsmanship from the best bespoke tailors in the world.

The word ‘unique’ can be wrongly used but in this case, it applies to Savile Row because there is no other street like it anywhere in the world. Many of its historic buildings still only permit tailors to take up residence if they are continuing the tradition of hand-tailoring garments on the premises. This is partly what

gives the Row its unassailable authenticity.

Visitors immediately sense that behind all those discreet, historic façades, there is the continual buzz of artisans and craftsmen at work.

Despite its long history, Savile Row constantly adapts to change. When working from home did away with the need for office wear, some were gloomy about the future of the formal suit – but Savile Row tailors knew better. Every Savile Row tailor will tell you that collectively they are a resourceful lot, and never more so than during lockdown, which saw the Row taking giant innovative strides to benefit and reward the loyalty of its customers. For

example, Huntsman worked with telepresence Ohmni robots, used in virtual surgery, that have the necessary levels of precision to undertake virtual fittings. One of Huntsman’s most ambitious tasks to date has been perfecting its cloth library, sharing over 11,000 cloths online from different merchants, enabling customers to design their own jackets from home. It has also adapted its innovative online service to include virtual shopping platform HERO, so customers can connect with shop assistants live. Meanwhile, the concierge service Toshi arrived on the Row, collecting suits and taking them to customers, waiting outside to return

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Great innovation and creativity has allowed the Row to remain relevant and prosperous – with orders pouring in post-pandemic

them after they had been tried on.

Today, the tailors’ optimism and resilience are being rewarded by a surge in demand, as clients flock back to the Row, grateful to be casting aside their throwaway casual wear for a beautiful, enduring heirloom.

Indeed, every Savile Row suit is made with such experience, craftsmanship and care, that it will last a lifetime and be passed to the next generation. Plus, the pure wool and tweeds favoured by the Row are renowned for being environmentally friendly.

Dugdale Bros & Co, which has supplied Savile Row with cloth from its Huddersfield mill for 125 years, now has a residency on the Row, beneath The Service. The Service is a coffee shop, exhibition space and marketplace, but more than that, it offers a window into Savile Row’s authentic soul. Here you will find tailors

discussing their craft over coffee or popping downstairs to choose a bolt of cloth from Dugdales. Its popularity is proof that Savile Row is as thriving and busy as ever.

Savile Row has recently welcomed The Savile Row Valet, a pop-up that can alter suits for the next generation and offers pressing, dry cleaning and repairs, equipped to deal with all the Row’s exquisite finishing details like bespoke buttonholes.

The tailors are united in their commitment to excellence and the continuation of their craft. Yet all are distinct, with rich and varied histories. Henry Poole is known for inventing the dinner jacket in 1865, when the Prince of Wales and future King Edward VII (known to his family and friends as Bertie) asked Henry Poole to cut a short coat he could wear at informal dinners at Sandringham. Henry COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 145

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Poole accordingly shortened the traditional tailcoat and presented the evening jacket to the Prince of Wales in celestial blue. It was soon popularised in America as the tuxedo.

Dege & Skinner has an unsurpassed reputation for uniforms and made Prince William’s and Harry’s dress uniforms for their weddings. Huntsman, of course, has been immortalised by the Kingsman films, and is sought out for its morning suits (both Jack Brooksbank and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi donned

a Huntsman morning suit when marrying Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice respectively).

Cad & The Dandy started in the City and remains popular for a sharper, younger look and now has a ready-to-wear collection within its new store at 7-8 Savile Row in collaboration with Arthur Sleep, the first-ever British shoemaker to make shoes on Savile Row and London’s first shoe-making factory in over a century.

Hackett took over the Hardy Amies store and launched its bespoke line, J.P. Hackett, and has a ready-to-wear collection exclusive to Savile Row. Anderson & Sheppard has a reputation for more flamboyant partywear, like the pink velvet suit that Daniel Craig wore on the red carpet – and the great American author Fran Lebowitz has suits made there too.

Chittleborough & Morgan’s signature is the stitching it puts inside jackets, from Welsh dragons to the Suffragette colours it embroiders inside womenswear. Norton & Sons takes a more minimal approach, more akin to a Bond Street atelier, and famously only ever displays one immaculately dressed mannequin in its window, while inside there is just a blue sofa and walls hung with very good art. Richard Anderson makes jackets with plentiful, clever pockets for the intrepid traveller. Edward Sexton continues to champion the famous Tommy Nutter look, who was known for dressing the Beatles and launching the new bespoke movement.

Finally, and most recently, there is The Deck, launched by Daisy Knatchbull, the first ever shopfront on the Row to cater exclusively to women. Savile Row might look elegantly restrained but it is bursting with innovation and variety to suit all ages and genders.

In June 2022 Savile Row is hosting its eagerly anticipated Concours on Savile Row, which will see tailors partner with a car marque, for example Henry Poole with Land Rover, Hackett with Aston Martin, Huntsman with Bentley and Norton & Sons with Lotus.

Travel restrictions might have prevented international trunk shows during the pandemic, but Savile Row is testament to the fact that quality and fine craftsmanship will always be in demand. The concentration of extraordinary talent and ideas in one tiny area of London gives the Row its energy and reputation, which are guaranteed to survive – along with its superbly crafted handmade clothes – for generations to come.

Savile Row Savile Row London W1S +44 (0)20 7788 7712 onsavilerow.com

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Savile Row has housed Britain’s finest tailors since the mid-19th century

The small street has earned a mighty international reputation for offering the finest craftsmanship from the best bespoke tailors in the world

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THE SHARD

The iconic landmark inspiring hope across London

The Shard acted as a beacon of hope across the city during the pandemic.

The building lit up in blue in solidarity with the NHS staff and key workers

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Shard lit up in blue in support of the NHS and keyworkers; Peter Pan-inspired afternoon tea; WE by Jaume Plensa, a new sculptural installation in Shard Quarter

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he most beautiful building on London’s skyline, The Shard, with its spectacular views, is home to spacious offices, award-winning restaurants and a fabulous fivestar hotel – plus the highest viewing gallery in Britain. The tallest building in Western Europe, it is a ‘vertical city’ which thousands of people work in and enjoy – and where millions can come and soak up the glorious 360-degree panorama for up to 40 miles. On a clear day, you can see as far as the Thames Estuary, where the river meets the sea.

Opened to the public in 2013, this ambitious monument was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, whose vision was a building of ‘lightness and transparency’. He took inspiration from the spires of London churches and the masts of tall ships depicted by the 18th century Venetian painter Canaletto to create this dramatic sculpture emerging from the River Thames. It’s ever-changing play of light, due to the weather and different seasons, across the impressive eight glass façades, adds to its awe.

As such an integral part of London, it is no surprise that The Shard acted as a beacon of hope across the city during the pandemic.

The building lit up blue in solidarity with the NHS staff and key workers, while also dazzling blue to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the NHS in July 2020. The Shard Lights 2021 – centred around a theme of ‘Togetherness’ – at Christmas were switched on by representatives from the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. The

View from The Shard partnered with the Blue Light Card to bring family fun to those in the emergency services, from face painting to balloon modelling.

Throughout October 2021, the Shangri-La Hotel supported Breast Cancer Awareness month, launching with a special evening featuring The Shard lit up pink. The hotel offered a pink-themed afternoon tea, too, with a percentage of proceeds going towards Guy’s Cancer Centre while Aqua Shard served a Peter Pan-themed afternoon tea in support of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

Furthermore, The Shard introduced a charity

initiative, working in partnership with Team London Bridge, to facilitate Gift Back 2021, with office workers invited to donate a gift to a range of charities.

In recent years, The Shard has featured in London’s New Year’s Eve countdown, as well as marking the country’s significant moments, with the building illuminated in the colours of the England flag in a show of support for the England men’s football team ahead of the Euro 2020 final. Alongside these stunning lighting displays, the building has seen the launch of a new sculptural installation for the London Bridge community by worldrenowned Spanish sculptor, Jaume Plensa.

‘WE’ comprises two striking sculptures facing each other, as if in dialogue, celebrating the diversity of London.

As The Shard continues its lofty reign over the city of London, this architectural icon triumphs in its vibrant, innovative and intelligent approach towards the metropolis below. As the late Irvine Sellar, developer and joint owner of The Shard, put it: ‘Today, The Shard is a living, dynamic building, full of energy and a beacon for modern London.’

The Shard 32 London Bridge Street London SE1 9SG the-shard.com TheShardLondon COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 149

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BERNARD INTERIORS

p154

ELICYON

p156

HELEN GREEN

p158

HUNTSMORE

p160

KATHARINE POOLEY

p164

LAWSON ROBB

p166

LOUISE BRADLEY

p168

MARTIN KEMP DESIGN

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NINA CAMBPELL

p172

RANDLE SIDDELEY

p174

RIGBY & RIGBY

p176

ROSENDALE DESIGN

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SIMS HILDITCH

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WARD & CO

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DESIGNERS

1508 LONDON

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Mandarin Oriental Residences, Los Angeles; The OWO Residences

by Raffles; Carlton Tower Jumeirah, guest bedroom and restaurant

1508 LONDON

Transformational interiors and architecture on a global scale

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ince it was set up as a collective in 2010, interior and architecture studio 1508 London has garnered a reputation for creating exceptional spaces around the world, first for private clients, and then cutting-edge residential developments, hospitality projects and superyachts, too.

The increasing number of important widespread global commissions – from the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Residences in Los Angeles, the first new-build in Beverly Hills’s famed Golden Triangle for around 40 years, to the Four Seasons Goa – has resulted in

the London-based company expanding to open offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sao Paulo and, most recently, Miami this summer.

‘It’s important to understand 1508 London’s ethos, which is perhaps different from other practices,’ says the company’s CEO and partner Stuart Horwood. ‘Our foundation is as an open, expansive company and we are not led by one design style. We invest a lot of time in understanding our clients’ every need in order to best tailor a design to meet their exacting specifications.’

Each of the 100-strong team brings

their own strengths and experiences, led by eight design principles. Partner Hamish Brown describes the collaborative approach as working around three core parameters: the vision, which is driven by an overarching concept; a sense of place, where proportion, form, order, symmetry, and materiality are all considered within the site context; and being transformational. In other words, the company’s ability to interpret the brief and, crucially, deliver what the client wants.

‘However, if we analyse our common threads, it would be quality of materials, attention to detail and immersing ourselves

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in the local vernacular, but most of all, in our clients,’ says Hamish.

1508 London has worked on projects all over the world, which all look completely different. Private clients remain at the heart of the studio, and projects currently include villas in Italy and the south of France as well as the complete renovation of a 20,000 sq/ft Georgian townhouse in central London which, when it’s sold, will be one of the most expensive properties in the capital.

With buildings that have incredible period features, the challenge for the design studio is to subtly to weave in 21st-century details that enable modern ways of living. Some rooms will have contemporary furniture, others contain more antiques, so the trick is finding the right

balance so that it doesn’t become a pastiche of the past, or too disparate.

Chartered architect and studio director of 1508 London, Laura Lockwood, has deliberately scoured the globe for the greatest design talent, all of whom are able to bring a wealth of experience to the company’s projects.

‘In order to work at the highest level, it is important to have huge experience and deep knowledge of design and different types of projects,’ she confirms.

There is also a separate, dedicated team for large-scale commercial schemes such as The OWO Residences by Raffles in Whitehall, the Four Seasons in the Middle East, part of Saudi Arabia’s push for tourism in the region, and The Rosewood Hotel in Doha.

‘We invest a lot of time in understanding our clients’ every need in order to best tailor a design to meet their exacting specifications’

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BERNARD INTERIORS

Innovative design studio taking a creative approach to every generation

Bernard Interiors sympathetically restores and reimagines period buildings for the present day, adding ‘a new layer of history’

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‘Our role is both to create beautiful environments and to respect the building’s heritage’

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ver since launching from Jen Bernard’s kitchen table at the height of the 2008 global recession, Bernard Interiors has grown apace.

Personal, polished, passionate and professional are its four key values – an approach which has seen this awardwinning design studio complete projects from private residences across the globe to hotels and luxury later living developments.

‘We create timeless environments that facilitate our clients’ lifestyle or business aspirations. The goal is simple: to exceed expectations,’ says Jen. The brand is obviously achieving that goal.

It has recently expanded and purchased its current HQ, The Church. Renovated in the style of a New York loft, Jen says, ‘our new base serves as an inspirational and innovative platform to promote creativity for our 22-strong team.’

Such creativity can be seen in Bernard Interiors’ impressive approach to retirement villages, which the brand works on to provide five-star facilities for those who wish to downsize, while remaining connected to their local communities. ‘I am passionate about combining high-end residential healthcare and hotel design to defy the preconceived ideas of design for later living,’ says Jen. A prime example of this is Stanbridge Manor, a Tudor manor house, previously used as a boarding school, which Bernard Interiors sensitively redeveloped. The result is a stylish venue at the heart of the Audley Villages Stanbridge Earls Retirement Village in

Hampshire. The design studio’s clever touches can be seen from the get-go – starting with the stunning Venetian marble chequered floor tiles at the entrance, which are sympathetic to the style and period of the building.

Jen explains her approach to this historical site: ‘The feeling of grandeur, elegance and modern living strikes you as soon as you enter Stanbridge Manor. Dating back to the days of Saxon Royalty, the building has links to King Alfred the Great and Florence Nightingale, whose father bought the site at the end of the 18th century. While being passed down through relatives, new wings were added to

the property and it began to transform into the Tudor manor house it is today.’

But the project wasn’t easy. ‘A listed heritage property inevitably carries certain limitations on what can be changed from a design perspective,’ says Jen. ‘However, it was vital to create a seamless flow as the original layout of the building was “pocketed” and very restrictive. Just like the carefully chosen flooring, it was imperative that all the artwork and furnishings worked with the original wooden panelling throughout the building.’

One way of tackling this hurdle was to connect the areas using a common blue theme rather than individual colours for each room.

This was to create flow and unify the different pockets of space, while still allowing each room to maintain its own identity.

Despite the challenges, Jen relishes this type of project. She says: ‘Our role is both to create beautiful environments and to respect the building’s heritage. We don’t aim to mimic the existing style of period, we aim to provide a new layer of history for people to enjoy. We look forward to showcasing further British heritage projects like this in 2022.’

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ELICYON

Interior couture celebrating design, craftsmanship and innovation

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licyon is a multidisciplinary Kensington-based design studio, passionate about creating exclusive interiors that reflect high levels of craftsmanship. The company ethos is to nurture talent and create a framework in which upcoming designers thrive.

When Charu Gandhi founded Elicyon in 2014 she chose London as her base, instinctively believing the city would be the perfect setting for a creative hub at the epicentre of British design, with its long history of honouring craftspeople, from joiners to goldsmiths.

‘London’s historic craftsmanship legacy plays such a role in how British design is perceived everywhere,’ says Charu. Today, she continues to be passionate about materiality, texture and craft, so Elicyon works in collaboration with a community of likeminded craftspeople, artisans, manufacturers and artists.

Last year was an exciting one, with projects as far afield as Jakarta. Elicyon completed Project White, an outstanding monochrome lateral apartment at One Hyde Park, designed with pops of vivid colour and unusual textures, and containing an important collection of modern art. This year, Elicyon will be working with Northacre on the hugely anticipated No.1 Palace Street, near Buckingham Palace, where Elicyon will be responsible for dressing all the communal spaces. Elicyon will also be completing a large private residence in Marylebone and continuing to work with Omniyat on super-prime residences in Dubai’s One Palm, after designing seven apartments and completing a 20,000 sq/ft apartment with an extensive roof terrace.

‘I believe we improve our clients’ lives, quite simply by creating their dream homes that facilitate their varied lifestyles,’ says Charu. ‘We are often privy to very significant family events and moments, and we celebrate these. They could be anything from a birth to a marriage, so we might design the perfect nursery or create a beautiful room in which multiple generations of a family can come together. We treat clients’ aspirations as our own, weaving them into the fabric of their homes.’

Charu has a deserved reputation for being a driving force for change in the design world.

She is on the founding committee of United in Design, a charitable platform set up in 2021 to address the lack of diversity in the industry.

Charu is part of its mentor programme, hosting coaching sessions for her mentees throughout the year. A qualified architect by trade, she has also been a partner on the RIBA Future Architects student mentoring scheme, sharing her invaluable experience with those starting out in the profession.

Elicyon has also worked with the London Mayor’s fund to offer internships to schoolaged children from less fortunate areas of the city, offering them an education on the industry and how to run a business, with the aim of inspiring and encouraging a career in design.

Charu concludes: ‘As a studio, we are most proud that despite another turbulent year, we have remained a full team and continued to execute complex projects internationally, even if we haven’t always been able to be present on the ground. We’re excited to be refreshing our brand with a new website in 2022 and we’ve never been busier or boasted a stronger team than the one we are today.’

Elicyon Ltd Avon House Avonmore Road London W14 8TS +44 (0)20 3772 0011 elicyon.com elicyon

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Elicyon strives to create bespoke items for clients and meet their personal needs such as a carefully designed drinks cabinet

‘We treat our clients’ aspirations as our own, weaving them into the fabric of their homes’

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HELEN GREEN DESIGN STUDIO

The British design studio championing a responsible approach to interiors

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s the world reflected on what’s close to our hearts during the pandemic, Helen Green Design was also doing some soul searching by reviewing its company values. The result is a return to its core ethos – but combined with important social issues. This means creating the same luxurious, yet liveable, residences synonymous with the design studio while being mindful of the environment and all the challenges and opportunities it brings.

Founded by the late Helen Green in 2002, the studio has built up a reputation for its current yet timeless interiors. ‘Helen was modern, progressive and moved with the times,’ says Alexandra Jurkiewicz, creative lead of the design studio, ‘and she was also one of the few female entrepreneurs at the time.’

Her legacy remains, with the studio, which is mainly managed by women, embracing the new post-Covid trend of ‘informal luxury’.

The team is also passionate about looking after the planet. Taking a more sustainable approach plays a significant part in the studio’s designs, with the company wanting to inspire others in the industry to pursue environmentally-friendly ideas. ‘Instead of waiting for change, we decided to be the change we want to see,’ explains Alexandra.

In August 2021, the studio published its Sustainability Pledge on its social media channels. This public commitment not only outlined Helen Green Design’s beliefs but cemented its values, motivating the team to develop this side of the business. The high standard of design still remains with a focus on ethical practices.

From day-to-day choices to big projects, taking a conscious approach is often at the forefront of the team’s decisions. They try to always make sure that their actions are ethical. For example, says Alexandra, if faced with a choice of two fabrics, she will go with the one with the lesser carbon footprint.

She is also happily prepared to consider a wallpaper made from recycled bottles. The studio also champions British craftmanship and the majority of its products are made here in the UK. For example, its sun loungers are made of British oak in Yorkshire rather than the usual tropical teak that has to be shipped in from abroad.

The studio has many exciting future plans.

These include The Green Book, a directory of British artisans, craftspeople and makers that share its core values. The company will also be hosting Green Table events, inviting its network of craftspeople, designers and innovators to

collaborate in improving its processes with the environment in mind.

Alexandra admits that incorporating sustainable practices into the studio’s designs will be one of Helen Green Design’s biggest challenges in the years to come. However, the studio remains firm in its belief that it can achieve considered interiors that are also kinder to the environment, and has already received excellent feedback from clients and suppliers who share its ambition for positive change.

With a diverse portfolio that ranges from Chelsea townhouses to five-star hotels, the design studio is currently working on a villa in Vienna that Alexandra cites as its most eco-friendly project to date thanks to its growing focus on being environmentally responsible. In between its elegant interiors, the studio continues to push forward with its green endeavours and aims to help change the design industry from the inside.

Helen Green Design 29 Milner Street London SW3 2QD +44 (0)20 7352 3344 helengreendesign.com hgdstudio

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Helen Green Design Studio combines its core value of liveable luxury with a new focus on sustainability

From day-to-day choices to big projects, taking a conscious approach is often at the forefront of the team’s decisions

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HUNTSMORE

A design and project management practice specialising in period homes

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pecialising in period, listed and historic homes, Kensington-based Huntsmore takes projects from the initial design and planning stage through to the delivery of the build.

The company, which was founded by director Eamonn Agha, concentrates on properties predominantly in Kensington, Holland Park and Notting Hill. The in-house design and management team comprises RIBA architects, interior designers and chartered construction managers, who all adopt a personal approach, working collaboratively with clients and taking time to understand how they use their space.

Blending traditional and contemporary British design with detailed construction knowledge, the result is truly exquisite homes.

The latest of these includes the complete end-to-end design and project management of a supersized rear extension and refurbishment in Queen’s Park. The semi-detached property had an existing extension, but the layout was far from practical. Huntsmore sought all the planning permissions needed to build an entirely new rear extension, as well as reconfiguring the upper parts of the house and commissioning bespoke joinery for nearly every room. After overseeing the tender process to select a suitable contractor,

the company was appointed project manager.

The result was a contemporary extension with floor-to-ceiling windows of more than four metres that cleverly and beautifully juxtaposes with the original Victorian property.

The company has recently achieved listed building consent on a complex reconfiguration and refurbishment of a Grade II-listed apartment in Holland Park. It formed part of the raised ground and lower ground level of an impressive Italianate villa. However, it was terribly arranged, with a long, narrow kitchen squeezed into what once would have been a hallway corridor leading onto the back garden. ‘Our architect redesigned the entire

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space, reinstating many of the building’s original features and openings which had been closed off by the previous owners,’ recalls Eamonn. ‘We designed bespoke joinery throughout, including the kitchen, bedroom wardrobes and fireplace alcoves. It was truly stunning.’

Huntsmore has also been expanding and building its bespoke joinery and kitchen offering.

This is an in-house design and build service that spans the concept, manufacture and installation of beautiful handmade cabinetry. ‘Increased client demand for sustainable luxury and quality British design and manufacturing has seen this arm of the business grow,’ says Eamonn. ‘Our woodwork and joinery design are classically British and everything is manufactured in our workshop in west London.

All our clients so far have been delighted.’

One of the key considerations for the team is always how it can improve clients’ lives – and a way of doing this is by maximising the space, flow and natural light in a period property. At a Kensington townhouse, a state-of-the-art audiovisual and lighting system is currently being installed to futureproof the building as much as possible. ‘For another project, we have called upon our team to help redesign how the building is powered, removing all gas and converting to electricity,’ continues Eamonn. ‘Emphasis on the environment, not just in how the buildings are run, but also how they are built and the construction processes used are very important.’

With the end result loved by clients, Huntsmore’s considered approach has won fans across London.

As well as looking at space, flow and natural light, Huntsmore also futureproofs its period projects

Blending traditional and contemporary British design with detailed construction knowledge, the result is truly exquisite homes

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KATHARINE POOLEY

PHOTOS: JAMES MCDONALD

Creative design with a focus on sustainability and philanthropy

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Katharine Pooley’s visionary designs set her apart as one of Britain’s foremost interior designers

PHOTOS: JAMES MCDONALD

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s the owner, founder and creative visionary behind the unstoppable upward trajectory of her eponymous interior design studio, Katharine Pooley has built an unsurpassed reputation for exquisitely crafted, residential and commercial interiors worldwide. Over the 18 years since she founded her design business, Katharine Pooley’s designs have been constantly impeccable and seamlessly delivered.

Every project showcases the finest British craftsmanship and sets new standards of luxury and comfort. Today, Katharine is one of the most respected, creative and original British designers working worldwide. Named as British Interior Designer of the Decade, International Designer of the Year, Asia and Entrepreneur of the Year, her Chelsea-based studio is globally recognised for creating innovative designs and award-winning spaces.

The scope and detail of her projects are truly unmatched, with hotels, châteaux, yachts, ski chalets, castles, beach villas, palaces, historical houses and private estates all currently underway. Designed with the support of her studio of 49 talented designers and interior architects, Katharine’s extensive travels and prodigious work ethic ensure that there is hardly a corner of the world where she has not sought inspiration or, in turn, created an inspiring design.

Although motivated by travel, architecture, fashion, literature and art, Katharine views Mother Nature as her greatest inspiration. ‘The beauty and diversity of our environment is a

constant solace and incitement,’ she says. ‘My aesthetic is a juxtaposition of so many different and evolving passions, but my appreciation for the natural world is the seed of every design.

Its beauty is infinite and extraordinary.’ As a result, sustainability has naturally become a central pillar of her design process.

Katharine experienced a personal epiphany trekking out across the vast plains (and summiting the highest mountain) of Antarctica, where she found the empty wilderness completely awe-inspiring and life changing.

‘I realised how small and insignificant I was among this vast expanse of ice and rock,’

she says. ‘Nature always seem so inherently powerful, but we now understand it is terrifyingly fragile. A happy equilibrium is entirely dependent on our respect and choices. I think of this breath-taking beauty often when designing for my clients.’ Katharine believes it is imperative to place sustainability and localised sourcing at the centre of all decisions and to prioritise suppliers with a similar ethos. By embracing this aspect, as well as her philanthropic projects, Katharine aims to create an ethos of luxury living with a conscience.

Katharine is an ambassador for The Childhood Trust on its ‘Decorate a Child’s Life’ programme, a member of the Board of Trustees for The British Forces Foundation, an ambassador for the charity Lady Garden, a trusted ambassador for Al-Johara and has been a member of the Board of Trustees for Kings College Hospital for 16 years.

As a member of the steering committee for United in Design, Katharine applies the same drive and determination with which she undertakes her design projects to her many charitable pursuits.

Katharine is currently working on many international projects including the magnificent Château de la Croix des Gardes, set imperiously 700 feet above the Mediterranean and overlooking the bay of Cannes; an impeccably detailed super-yacht for a returning client; a ground-breaking large residential development in Monaco; a beautiful and ornate architecturally awe-inspiring villa in Kuwait; a sleek and contemporary private residence overlooking COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 163

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these valuable, historically rich, intricately honed, manufacturing skills are protected and nurtured,’ says Katharine. ‘Even with the best of intentions, unless they are supported by us all, they will sadly die out.’

Positioned on the corner of a pretty Kensington cobble-stoned street, a traditional, honey-toned brick mews house, edged with Virginia creeper, has been transformed into a light-filled, family home (pictured). Set across five floors, the final design embraces classical detailing and luxurious finishes.

Pretty fabrics, hand-painted wallpaper and mementos from the family’s travels add interest and layers of detail to a calm and peaceful design. Stand-out features include: beautiful, botanical, wallpapers from De Gournay and Fromental, hand-embroidered cushions in the bedrooms, hanging clover-shaped lanterns in the orangery and a scattering of antiques and artworks. The finished interior is gentle, serene and peaceful, not unlike the atmosphere on the quiet, geranium-pot-filled mews outside.

The core creative principles by which Katharine designs and lives are clear. By never compromising on quality, authenticity or originality, she ensures her work remains at the cutting-edge of British and global interior design. She is a beacon for British design and her exceptional designs continue to promote the highest standard of craftsmanship and sustainability. As Katharine puts it so well: ‘True luxury is the subtle balance of absolute comfort, environmental awareness, intelligent design, and unforgettable beauty.’

Katharine Pooley 37 Ixworth Place London SW3 3QH +44 (0)20 7584 3223 katharinepooley.com katharinepooleyltd

PHOTOS: JAMES MCDONALD

Discovery Bay in Hong Kong; a palatial villa steeped in history on the island of Malta and a luxurious and cutting-edge chalet in Zermatt, Switzerland.

Katharine’s projects all differ widely and her clients are all highly individual. However, be they royalty, business leaders, philanthropists or private family figures, they all have the same keen understanding and appreciation for craftsmanship. They value, above all, a unique viewpoint and, of course, unsurpassed beauty. For this reason, they come to Katharine who, through the painstaking work of her team, instructs hundreds of artisans to create ‘one-of-a-kind’ unforgettable designs for each and every client.

Very unusually, almost every piece of furniture, joinery and soft furnishing in a Katharine Pooley project is designed and created from scratch. All finishes and fabrics are hand-selected and often woven or constructed manually by Europe’s most eminent and talented craftspeople, makers, artists and artisans. Through Katharine’s patronage and investment, a great number of British craftspeople are enabled to grow, develop and pass down their techniques to the next generation. As outlined in HRH the Queen’s speech to Parliament last summer, the promotion of apprenticeships and the training of young people in specialist skills and crafts are of critical importance at this time.

‘I take great pleasure in the small part I, and my wonderful clients, play in ensuring

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Almost every piece of furniture, joinery and soft furnishing in a Katharine Pooley project is designed and created from scratch

Craftsmanship and sustainability lie at the heart of Katharine Pooley’s projects

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LAWSON ROBB

Curated design for interiors and yachts with a one-of-a-kind identity

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nternational interior and yacht designer Lawson Robb has had one of the most exciting years on record. The innovative course it set under the direction of new creative leads George Wolstenholme and Lena Cottray has refreshed its internal operations, design processes, output and, most importantly, client experience. Projects are optimised from start to finish by a steadfast and absorbed team in direct contact with clients

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A living room in a project in Palma; a townhouse in London; the superyacht Phi

or their representatives. In its most recently delivered projects, the company’s friendly and approachable set-up and enjoyable, personalised process have been cited by clients as key factors in ensuring projects’ ultimate success.

‘We take pride in building a strong yet relaxed relationship with our clients,’ says Lena.

‘It makes the projects all the more enjoyable and honest for both parties, which ultimately

leads to the best design outcome, one that is truly tailored to the clients’ needs.’

Other undeniable moments of pride in the past year have emanated from Lawson Robb’s yachting division. Winning an International Yacht & Aviation Award for the interior of Project Haze was a highlight not only for the accreditation, but for recognition among the ‘new-generation’ of superyacht clients.

‘Haze is a new breed of superyacht from a new division of Palumbo Shipyard. These are just the kind of projects we are proud to be part of, and are motivated to be part of in the future,’ says George.

The company’s second superyacht delivery, Phi, is considered special for numerous reasons: for the vision, trust and relationship with the client, the achievement of the wider team that brought the project together and for the intricately detailed interior that Lawson Robb designed and produced. As this project sees the light of day in 2022, it will become clear why it is being billed as one of the most important launches of the year.

As the brand develops, so does its impact on aspects that may seem outside the scope of interior design. Expertise it can offer from an architectural, M&E and technological integration point of view is often something that goes unmentioned when projects come to fruition. In a recent London townhouse, for example, the background detail contributed

by Lawson Robb was of vast benefit to the international clients and the integrity of their project.

‘We feel that the more we push ourselves and align with like-minded forward-thinkers, the more our clients, their projects, and any communities that have developed processes and technologies as part of the delivery, will benefit,’ says George.

Lawson Robb’s approach to interior design is to create spaces with a one-of-a-kind identity, rejecting changeable trends and focusing on a personal design experience based on myriad resources brought together in a visually cohesive way.

As part of its delivery process, it now has a ‘creative agency’ style offering, whereby the story and identity of a scheme can be translated into anything from branded stationery and accessories to project books, websites and staff uniforms. Clients clearly see the value of adding this extra flourish to their land-based and yachting projects, to elevate the level of curatorial consideration.

Lawson Robb 29 Milner Street London SW3 2QD +44 (0)20 7351 9383 lawsonrobb.com lawson_robb

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Louise Bradley is continuing to introduce smaller designermakers to her clients for which they are particularly grateful

LOUISE BRADLEY

Timeless interiors with a contemporary edge

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aving launched her design studio in 1991, Louise Bradley went on to work with clients across the globe, from private homes to residential property developers and commercial projects.

Last year, she celebrated 30 years of her London Design Studio and marked the occasion with her first coffee table book, Interior, featuring a selection of the dazzling projects that have won her international recognition. From an impeccable country estate in Surrey to a stunning retreat in the Swiss Alps and an opulent villa in Kuwait – all of the homes featured are in Louise’s unmistakable relaxed luxury style, and offer an

insight into the design process honed by her over three decades.

‘Reaching our 30th anniversary felt like a huge achievement for both me and the team,’ says Louise. ‘What we’re most proud of is that, despite everything, we have continued to create elegant and functional homes for our clients; homes that exceed their expectations and enhance their day-to-day lifestyles.’

As Louise is only too aware, the past 18 months have been an adjustment period for many, requiring them to adapt to a new way of living, and this has been reflected in the running of her own business too. ‘We have tried in many

ways to help the wider community and those within the design industry. For our projects, we have been prioritising pieces made in the UK and we have also commissioned smaller workshops and individuals on design collectibles for our clients, supporting both old and new artists and artisans.

‘We have also focused on working with British craftspeople, something we’re continuing to do in order to strengthen the British design industry in the coming years, and to champion the best in design – often testing the limits of craftsmanship and technological advancements.’

Alongside this, Louise Bradley has further

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expanded its focus on sustainability, designing new furniture pieces for the LB Collection that have a focus on longevity. The new Signature Collection has been designed with timelessness in mind, using materials such as recycled glass, organic fabrics and antiques to reduce the environmental effect the Studio has within the industry.

‘Our clients have also been particularly vocal about how grateful they are for being introduced to smaller designer-makers and for discovering new sustainable materials and finishes for their projects, therefore evolving their lifestyles and creating more environmentally conscious homes – something that many of our clients are passionate about.’

The company has made a considered effort

internally to address its environmental impact, reducing its waste by switching its packaging and brand materials to fully recyclable options.

It has also donated several computers and software to schools in and around London to support the local community and further their learning. ‘We are dedicated as a studio to continue to develop these strategies,’ says Louise.

Louise believes that the focus of an interior design studio should be on improving its clients’ lives and lifestyles through the comfort and functionality of their homes. To that end, she and her team always endeavour, she says, to ‘deliver seamless spaces that enhance the time spent within them, whether this be for relaxing or entertaining’.

‘We endeavour to deliver seamless spaces that enhance the time spent within them, whether this be for relaxing or entertaining’

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MARTIN KEMP DESIGN

An evolving synergy of style, harmony and detail for 2022

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artin Kemp Design is an independent design studio responsible for some of the world’s most sophisticated spaces, from classic restorations to modern minimalism.

Unfettered by an in-house style, it creates inspired interiors for those who truly seek the exceptional. As the studio approaches its tenth anniversary, it does so with a spirit of renewed vigour and a determination to grow stronger and continue to flourish.

It’s fair to say that with many of the studio’s projects being so extensive – often involving hundreds of manufacturers from the construction industry and fine artisans – in terms of the wider community and throughout the pandemic, it has been able to continue to support many craftspeople in their endeavours to construct some extraordinary homes and estates, unabated. The studio was touched to be thanked personally by one local delicatessen who stated that, without the proximity of its project and the many orders of food by everyone working on site, it would certainly have had to close. That is fine testament to how the supply chain can work, with successful enterprise trickling down to support everyone from clients to

designers, electricians to embroiderers, cafés to taxi drivers, ultimately enabling everyone to deliver exceptional craft while supporting business and society throughout a pandemic, recession or unforeseen events.

The team continues to deliver grand projects for its discreet client list, working internationally at the very highest level.

Examples include a complete refurbishment of a palatial, Grade I listed mansion overlooking The Mall, undergoing restoration from the ground up, working closely with The Crown Estate and English Heritage. This substantial project ranges from detailed restoration of historic features from custom ironmongery to mahogany doors, replacement mouldings and new services throughout, plus contemporary additions including a sub-basement and entirely private roof terrace.

Further afield, the studio has just completed a vast new-build, a retreat in the French countryside, for another exceptional client. Using references to local vernacular with the optimum levels of finish throughout, it is reimagining – in contrasting traditional and modernist styles – a continental estate, comprising multiple villas. It is also engaged in a major development overlooking the port of Monaco, a substantial apartment complex

where the bedrock is being excavated to make room for three private subterranean spas, one of which is designated for exclusive use by the penthouse.

Next year marks the completion of a four-year build of a sensationally stylish American refit, adding significant volume to the family home, bringing much needed light and practicality.

A growing family deemed such improvements necessary, and Martin Kemp Design was commissioned to blend expert space planning and high style with the usual attention to detail.

An additional chance was granted during lockdown for Martin Kemp Design to focus on the development of a further arm to its business. The plan is to embrace an ethical stance within the super-prime market, exploring sustainability, minimising production, transport and packaging and providing further security to local communities. Full details of this exciting, new brand development are to be announced shortly.

Martin Kemp Design Greencoat House Francis Street London SW1P 1DH +44 (0)20 7183 3885 martinkempdesign.com martin_kemp_design

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Martin Kemp Design continues to deliver grand projects for its discreet client list, working internationally at the very highest level

From Mayfair townhouses to new builds in the French countryside, Martin Kemp Design is sought out globally

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Nina’s impressive 50-year career spans interior design, homewares, fabric and furniture

NINA CAMPBELL

The influential interior designer celebrates her 50th anniversary

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t’s been a big year for design doyenne Nina Campbell. As well as continuing to create stunning homes and launching two fabric collections, she has just celebrated the 50th anniversary of her brand. One of the world’s most respected interior designers with an unparalleled list of clients, Nina is renowned for her contagious wit and brilliant sense of style.

Using a rich and elegant colour palette, she combines her creative wisdom with her classic, contemporary flair, while retaining both a sense of fun and practicality.

Nina’s interest and love of design started at the age of 19 when she went to work for John Fowler

at the prestigious design studio of Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler. Looking back, she reflects, ‘In some ways, it seems like yesterday that it all began. However, it also seems like it’s been more than 50 years. There have been so many changes in the industry over the last half century but the one thing that is so important to me is that quality and craftmanship remain.’ She soon set up her own decorating business, and one of her first commissions was to design a castle in Scotland, before she caught the eye of club owner Mark Birley who asked her to redecorate Annabel’s.

Nina was able to expand the business into a design studio, shop and furniture showroom, as

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well as designing her own signature products.

One of those products was her exquisite fabric collection, now internationally distributed by Osborne & Little, including the recently launched geometric-patterned Turfan and the Persianinspired Macaranda collections. Her shop at 9 Walton Street has remained a firm favourite for the last 40 years. It stocks a range of home accessories, such as Nina’s popular hearts design on a range of fine bone china.

‘The past year has been an incredible lesson in resilience, but the great British spirit has kicked in hugely,’ says Nina. ‘I have found that British craft is stronger than ever which makes me so happy.

We have found some incredible new people to work with, as well as continuing to collaborate with people with whom we’ve worked for years. The

hurdles and restrictions presented by travelling abroad have made us look even deeper into the abundance of beautiful products available in the UK, which has been so exciting.’

Over her impressive career, Nina has decorated some of the world’s most sumptuous hotels as well as family homes from the Swiss Alps to the East Coast of the United States. Clients include Rod Stewart and the Duke and Duchess of York.

‘While interior design doesn’t necessarily transform people’s lives in the heroic sense of the phrase, I hope we give our clients a haven and a home they feel happy, joyful and secure in as well as deeply comfortable,’ says Nina. ‘We also want our clients to feel they have had a huge part in creating their houses with us on a collaborative journey.’

One of the world’s most respected interior designers with an unparalleled list of clients, Nina is renowned for her contagious wit and brilliant sense of style

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Many of Randle’s 2021 projects were about integrating the garden with the house to enhance family living

RANDLE SIDDELEY

Transforming and enhancing living by integrating indoor and outdoor spaces

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andle Siddeley established his business over 40 years ago and now works with a team of 80. No challenge is too small or too daunting, as shabby urban courtyards or muddy fields are reincarnated as magical green oases, lending the houses they adjoin new-found stature and beauty.

Bringing the outdoors inside and making the most of all outdoor space has been more important than ever during lockdown.

Increasingly, clients have turned to landscape architect and garden designer Randle Siddeley to come up with clever solutions for their outside spaces. So, 2021 was a busy year in

the UK for Randle, after finishing his huge Hong Kong project – the first of its kind in the world – creating six complementary but different gardens for a luxury development overlooking Discovery Bay. Many of his 2021 projects were based on the concept of integrating the garden with the house to extend and enhance family living. His most recent project, Riverdance, is a property stretching for 50 acres along the banks of the Thames. The client, who had lived in the house for 40 years, wanted to give the grounds a new lease of life by breaking up the more formal areas so they could be enjoyed by her children and grandchildren. Randle set

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With his talent and reputation for transformation, Randle is increasingly in demand for his creative solutions about keeping the existing formal gardens but planting wilder-looking plants and grasses, reducing the hedgerows to open up views and connect the house to the wider landscape.

Another project was at the 2,000 sq/m ultra-contemporary retreat in a Conservation Area of Hampstead. The house is a tribute to innovative technology, sustainability, design and engineering, set over three floors with most of the living space below ground. The concept for the green roof was to integrate and meld it into the overall design of the gardens, providing visual continuity between them and the house. Randle planted the upper garden to look like a lush woodland, creating a fun space for the family, with recreational pavilion and children’s play deck above the tree roots.

Access to this is via a series of floating steps interspersed with generous landings. There is also a sunny southern garden, accessed from the lower ground floor, where the interior and exterior are most closely related. Here, Randle installed a sophisticated fire-pit and banquette seating to provide a great entertaining space.

In Islington, Randle is working to bring the inside out at a client’s home, transforming the garden into an all-year-round dining and entertainment area, with integrated heating and an outdoor kitchen.

Randle’s ‘On Location’ Instagram posts have become increasingly popular as he’s discovered and shown people the best outdoor dining options, like Guy Ritchie’s Cashmere Kitchens.

He has also responded to the trend for growing vegetables, and has designed and planted herb and vegetable gardens for several clients.

Never have the outdoors and nature been more prominent in the British consciousness. With his talent and reputation for transformation, Randle is increasingly in demand for his creative solutions and pragmatic approach that have enabled him to help people transform their outside spaces to create their dream homes.

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RIGBY & RIGBY

International design studio, caring for clients and communities

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espite challenges across the globe, 2021 saw the award-winning multidisciplinary design and delivery company Rigby & Rigby continue to build an international presence that positions the studio as one of the most forward-thinking and dynamic in its industry.

Rigby & Rigby’s interest in the well-being of its clients is embodied within the design of each project. Starting from a predominantly minimalist aesthetic, the studio designs spaces that are both luxurious and functional, with a client-led approach of investing more to create less: the result being more meaningful and holistic spaces.

The architecture and design of Rigby & Rigby’s projects showcase not only artistic excellence, but also thoughtful elements to optimise a healthy living environment. A prime example of this is Lancelot House, a 17,000 sq/ft mansion in the heart of Knightsbridge, which has become the first WELL-certified and AirRated residential project in the UK. WELL accreditation is an internationally recognised standard of excellence in design and construction. It assesses a residential dwelling through ten benchmarks: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind and community. Every element

is carefully considered and the optimum benefits available within each category are promoted. The AirRated accreditation, meanwhile, is designed to provide clients and their families with the safest, purest air possible, eradicating viruses, natural allergens and pollens. This means that the refined design of the space is matched by optimal indoor air quality for healthy living.

As a member of the Considerate Contractor Scheme, Federation of Master Builders and Total Care scheme, Rigby & Rigby takes its responsibilities seriously in providing immaculate levels of care, service and finish. Standard practice on and around its

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construction sites includes litter collecting, continual cleaning and tidying of the adjacent streets, and ensuring there is immaculate hoarding around each property. Tasks are regularly carried out for neighbours for free, such as pruning back an overgrown tree, or rebuilding a dishevelled shed.

Prior to one demolition the team meticulously moved a magnolia tree from the site to a nursery, where it is being looked after until the courtyard garden is replanted at the end of the project. Communities can also feel safe and protected with the help of Rigby & Rigby’s security team, which patrols out of hours to contribute to the Neighbourhood Watch effort.

Rigby & Rigby continues to support its

own teams to live healthy lifestyles through a progressive wellness fund which allocates £150 per team member per annum to spend on a service or product that promotes all-round well-being. It also operates a healthy cycleto-work scheme. This is just the beginning of an ongoing movement within the Allect Group, of which Rigby & Rigby is a founding member alongside Helen Green Design and Lawson Robb.

The aim is to continue to push boundaries, to drive innovation through research-based methodology, and to ensure that Rigby & Rigby’s contribution to the design industry produces excellence not only within design but for the environment, its own team and its clients’ wellbeing.

The architecture and design of Rigby & Rigby’s projects showcase not only artistic excellence, but also thoughtful elements to optimise a healthy living environment

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Lancelot Place in London; a modern mansion project in Ullenhall; two views of Lancelot Place, London

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‘Our concepts are thoughtful and refined, with a unique design ethos bedded in research that allows each project to have its own identity and personality’

Light plays a huge role in Rosendale Design’s interiors, as good lighting is key for creating a harmonious space

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ROSENDALE DESIGN

Holistic interior architecture for residences, hospitality and retail

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ounded in 2014 by Dale Atkinson, Rosendale Design has quickly become one of the UK’s leading interior architecture studios, specialising in the design and management of luxury hospitality, retail and residential spaces.

With a rich history of working with celebrities, restaurateurs, hoteliers and property developers, the multidisciplinary practice caters to all aspects of design, from furniture to lighting and products.

Strong links to a talented global network of artists, craftsmen and manufacturers, all dedicated to innovation and quality, results in a holistic approach to design that always takes into account the physical and cultural context of a project. ‘Our concepts are thoughtful and refined, with a unique design ethos bedded in research that allows each project to have its own identity and personality – this is extremely important for both us and the client,’ says Dale.

Over the years, the studio has been entrusted to oversee designs of listed and protected buildings, and in conservation areas. It has worked on various projects that fall under protection

by Historic England, including Somerset House which holds a Grade I listing. One recent major commission was the redesign of the Stafford Hotel, in London’s St James’s. The studio worked carefully to celebrate the existing architecture

and rich history of the building, developing a residential aesthetic that will stand the test of time while evoking a quintessentially British style.

Standout features include custom fabric headboards and upholstered chairs that nods to the antique furniture found throughout the rest of the hotel. The jewel in the Stafford’s crown, The

Park Suite, has been created from transforming a pair of smaller rooms into a luxurious maisonette with a sitting room decorated using British wallpapers and fabrics. This leaning towards homegrown brands is underpinned by working with specialist British craftsmen who make bespoke furniture.

Rosendale Design is a diverse studio employing interior designers, architects, engineers and lighting specialists from around the world. As a result, the studio is able to look at a project from all angles, and offer a turnkey service, saving clients’ money by not needing to employ additional contractors. Lighting in particular is important, as the way a space is perceived relies heavily on the quality of light and the visual layering of key elements. The studio understands the properties of light and the way it behaves – as well as all other elements of design – and is able to provide thoroughly considered, original interiors for all kinds of projects.

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SIMS HILDITCH

Interior design for elegant, contemporary English living

Sims Hilditch believes in the power of intelligently designed, characterful and beautiful interiors that radically improve the quality of its clients’ lives

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Sims Hilditch oversaw the impressive redesign of this Grade I-listed Regency townhouse

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ounded by Emma Sims-Hilditch in 2009, Sims Hilditch is one of the most highly regarded interior design studios in Britain, known for championing the ‘new English’ look in decorating. And while Sims Hilditch is often the go-to for those investing in the country house market, its style translates equally well to contemporary apartments and townhouses in urban locations.

Sims Hilditch believes in the power of intelligently designed, characterful and beautiful interiors that radically improve the quality of its clients’ lives. However, in 2021 the studio observed a major shift in the type of service it clients required. Rather than cosmetic changes to finishes and furniture, clients wanted to give their properties a thorough overhaul to preserve the integrity of the building for the next generation.

As you would expect, this is a process that involves detailed spatial planning as well as kitchen, bathroom and joinery design. The Sims Hilditch studio in Gloucestershire is uniquely placed to offer a fully comprehensive, end-to-end design service that truly reflects a client’s individual requirements, including bespoke furniture design and advice on procuring art and antiques. It also knows when

to draw on other specialists such as structural engineers and architects.

‘We are always proud of Britain’s traditional heritage,’ says Louise Wicksteed, Sims Hilditch’s newly appointed Design Director. ‘Much of our time is spent working on historic buildings, some of which have been in the same family for up to five generations. We also have the privilege of working with some of the most eminent British architects of our time, creating new country houses and estates continuing the tradition of great British design.’

This year Sims Hilditch looks forward to coming together with London art gallery Philip Mould & Company to create a stand for the prestigious cross-collecting fair, Masterpiece London. The team also recently launched its first ever furniture collaboration – The Sims Hilditch Collection, which includes a sofa, armchair and ottoman, with British furniture maker George Smith.

Another first for them is beekeeping. The preservation of nature and natural materials is something the design team considers carefully when designing for clients and without bees, it says, much of this would be compromised.

With this in mind, last year the design studio engaged the help of a local beekeeper to help install four bee hives in its grounds

and is currently working on a plan to plant a wildflower meadow to foster a food-rich environment for the bees. Everyone at Sims Hilditch is actively involved, which will not only be beneficial to the bees, but to the team too since beekeeping is known to be excellent for teambuilding and mindfulness.

‘The aim is to be an example of what is possible for a business to achieve in terms of taking accessible and tangible steps to create a pleasant work environment, as well as a small contribution to aiding the dwindling bee population in the UK,’ says Louise.

‘We live in an ever more connected world that brings increasing opportunities to work with like-minded brands – it is an exciting time for our business, and we look forward to new opportunities ahead.’

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WARD & CO

Creating distinctive interiors with integrity and imagination

As a family business, Ward & Co offers a unique proposition. Sarah and Rosie’s relationship allows for maximum collaboration and agility

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From elegant apartments to island villas, Sarah and Rosie Ward aim to deliver projects of real longevity and authenticity

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ard & Co is an award-winning London-based interior design and interior architecture firm, run by mother and daughter duo Sarah and Rosie Ward.

Originally established in 1986 as ‘Interiors by Sarah Ward’, the studio rebranded to Ward & Co last year in celebration of Rosie’s long-standing contribution to the business. The firm’s design experience spans both the commercial and residential sectors, having delivered interiors for boutique hotels, restaurants and clubs as well as an impressive range of residential projects in the UK and abroad, from historic country estates and modernist developments to coastal retreats and alpine escapes.

Over the past 35 years, the studio has gained a reputation for delivering classic contemporary designs with bold flair, offering an authentic and highly personalised approach to interior design. The team’s respect for culture and context is consistently considered, enabling them to deliver impressive spaces which stand the test of time. Under Rosie’s guidance, the look and style of the brand has evolved, progressing down a more contemporary path whilst also incorporating new ways of living as a result of the pandemic.

As a family business, Ward & Co offers a unique proposition. Sarah and Rosie’s relationship allows for maximum collaboration and agility and clients enjoy the combined expertise, insight and imagination of these two Creative Directors. First and foremost, Sarah and Rosie are always conscious of the brief

when it comes to improving their clients’ lives.

In order to deliver functional yet aspirational spaces, the duo takes the time to understand fully how each client lives and how they will use the space. They take into account family and staffing arrangements, working habits, likes and dislikes. Culture, passions and lifestyle are also incredibly important and always feed into the team’s designs, whether it be dedicated space for private artworks or supercar collection, or the desire for a spice kitchen or prayer room. By investing heavily in their clients’ physical and emotional needs, Ward & Co is able to deliver concepts that are perfectly

tailored to each client’s needs and lifestyle, to continue to make their clients’ lives easier and more joyful.

This year, the studio has forged partnerships with leading industry suppliers such as Muse Design, becoming the exclusive UK stockist for this Far East-inspired lighting, accessories and accent furniture brand. Ward & Co is also a passionate supporter of local artisans, working closely alongside some of the industry’s finest British independent craftspeople, artists and designers to deliver projects of real longevity and authenticity. Similarly, eager to share their invaluable experience and break down difficult barriers, Sarah and Rosie now hold regular mentoring sessions, coaching budding interior designers and helping them to study and hone their craft via practical and real-life experiences.

Over the past 12 months, Ward & Co has celebrated wins domestically and overseas, including an elegant apartment overlooking Covent Garden’s famous piazza, a breathtaking villa in Antigua, a farmhouse in Suffolk and townhouses in Marlow and Kensington. The studio is now looking ahead to expanding the team to enable it to deliver more projects than ever before.

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JOHN D WOOD & CO.

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KNIGHT FRANK

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NATIVE LAND

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OCTAGON DEVELOPMENTS

p194

THE OWO

p196

PDP LONDON

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ST EDWARD

p200

PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

CHELSEA BARRACKS

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CHELSEA BARRACKS

Europe’s most sustainable development in London’s most desirable neighbourhood

Chelsea Barracks offers a stunning mix of green space and the most exciting of contemporary living in the heart of Belgravia

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Designed to stand the test of time, Chelsea Barracks creates a new legacy for London

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helsea Barracks provides the best of both worlds: a city home with an abundance of green space and the facilities of a country estate. The most prestigious 12.8 acres in the world, it represents a historic collaboration between world-renowned architects, best-inthe-business landscapers, top interior designers and exhibits the finest British craftsmanship. It’s the pinnacle of British luxury, made up of a rare collection of apartments, duplexes, penthouses and townhouses, set around strikingly beautiful garden squares.

Situated in the heart of Belgravia, Chelsea Barracks is not only the most significant development in Central London for decades, combining state-of-the-art contemporary living in an historic setting, but also the most sustainable development in Europe. Owned by Qatari Diar Europe, a global leader in sustainable real estate, the development has recently been awarded a LEED Platinum certification – the benchmark for green building certification. It is one of only 16 developments in the world to reach this status.

Every detail at Chelsea Barracks works to support this green approach – starting with a historic location where residents are able to meet most, if not all, of their needs within a short walk or bike ride from their home. Then there is the 40 per cent of the site which is dedicated to seven publicly-accessible garden squares for the local community to enjoy. Inspired by the evolution of London’s Great Estates and Belgravia’s formal Georgian squares, in addition to nearby Chelsea Physic Garden, they have been planted with native species, culinary and medicinal plants.

This includes Mulberry Square, which has been re-imagined as a communal kitchen garden with colourful cut flowers, vegetables and herbs.

Emulating the rich heritage of the former Barracks, everything is built to stand the test of time while having a sleek sense of modernity.

Each element of the classically-inspired townhouses represents the ‘Best of British’, with nods to Georgian design, Belgravia and the historical Barracks. A work of art, they gleam with white Portland stone, chevron flooring hewn from solid oak, and fireplaces crafted from black Port Laurent stone. It’s a celebration of British craftsmanship – handmade using quality

materials with a particular focus on British oak, patinated steel/bronze and marble.

Such an impressive attitude is also identifiable in The Chelsea Barracks Collection, an exclusive collection of refined, British-made furniture and homeware, all designed by interior design specialists Albion Nord, and seeded throughout the two dressed townhouses at the development.

Beautifully-crafted by British artisans, the bespoke heirlooms each convey a story or reference to the rich history of the development and local area.

Adding to the excellence is the Garrison Club, a carefully-conceived suite of lifestyle amenities, reserved for the exclusive use of residents. Complete with all the advantages of a private club, the offerings include a high-tech spa and gym, private cinema, billiards room, residents’ lounge and business suite with two boardrooms. There’s also the Garrison Chapel, which has been carefully restored to become an art gallery and community gathering place.

Designed to stand the test of time, Chelsea Barracks creates a new legacy for London. It’s a huge responsibility but it has succeeded and triumphed in doing justice to the prestigious surrounds of this iconic estate.

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JOHN D WOOD & CO.

Celebrating 150 years in the property industry as prime estate agents

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ohn D Wood & Co. was established

by John Daniel Wood, who opened the doors to its first office at No 6 Mount Street, Mayfair in 1872. Today there are 27 offices situated across London and the south of England, and an international department with 3,000 affiliated partners across the world.

In 1930, headquarters moved to Berkeley Square, where an office remained until the late 1980s. Commercial and development work became a significant part of the company’s business in the 1950s and 1960s, and in 1966 the company took the important step for its London

residential market by opening its Chelsea Green sales office, where Andy Buchanan, its current longest-serving employee of 49 years, still works.

To date Andy has sold property on 142 of Chelsea’s 145 streets, with clients including a famous American pop singer, British New Wave band members from a well-known Eighties group, a member from arguably the most famous British rock band of the 1960s, an ex-US Secretary of State, members of the Royal Household, and many others who shall remain nameless. A past client said, ‘Nobody keeps a secret like John D Wood & Co.’ The company is proud of its reputation for confidentiality and discretion.

In 1982, the commercial side of the company separated, and in 1987 the Residential & Agricultural arm, called John D Wood & Co., was floated on the London Stock Exchange and grew, embracing new technology. Countrywide plc acquired the company in 1997.

In 2015 the International Department was established and the following year the head office relocated to Oxford Street. A programme of expansion began, including the incorporation of Faron Sutaria, providing brand presence in eight new locations. In 2019, the head office moved again to Elizabeth Street in Belgravia, and in 2021 John D Wood & Co. was acquired by Connells,

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the largest property firm in the UK. In 2022, its milestone 150th birthday presents the opportunity to look back at historical highlights, like the sale of Dorchester House, Park Lane and the National Sporting Club in Covent Garden and of impressive country estates like Donington Hall and Leeds Castle. Birthday celebrations will take place throughout the year and include adapting the logo to feature the date the business was established, in typeface similar to John Daniel Wood’s signature.

There will also be a series of competitions, kicking off in January, when the first 150 landlords and vendors to instruct a John D Woods & Co. agent will be entered into a prize draw to win dinner at the Dorchester Hotel. The company will also support its local communities

by sponsoring key events.

John D Wood & Co. is primed to continue its discreet success in being one of the most authentic and approachable agents to help clients buy and sell their homes on and off-market. It remains committed to offering a bespoke service, a strategic approach to marketing, and local expertise that has been trusted for generations.

As it starts to celebrate its 150th birthday, Polly Ogden Duffy, Managing Director of John D Wood & Co., says, ‘Our values, high standards and first-class levels of service remain at the forefront of our approach. We are a trusted and respected brand, proud to consider our clients as clients for life and we will continue to do the business proud for the next 150 years.’

A past client said, ‘Nobody keeps a secret like John D Wood & Co.’ The company is proud of its reputation for confidentiality and discretion

s

John D Wood & Co. is celebrating 150 years of consistent success in the prime property market

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Knight Frank provides personalised advice on all areas of property

KNIGHT FRANK

Providing personalised, clear and considered advice on all areas of property

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ounded in 1896, with its headquarters in London, Knight Frank is one of the world’s leading independent real estate consultancies. With 384 offices across 51 territories, employing more than 16,000 people, it offers a worldwide service that is locally expert and globally informed.

Acting with integrity by continuously thinking about the bigger picture, Knight Frank provides personalised, clear and considered advice on all areas of property. Last year it celebrated its 125th anniversary, which gave new momentum to its lifelong dedication to building trust, meaningful collaboration and action in shaping the built

environment and its impact for good. This celebratory year saw the launch of new global values where the whole firm came together across the world to launch the future vision.

The brand believes that its determination to give the best experience is what has led it to be recognised as an innovative business leader in exceptional customer service globally.

This is certainly no run-of-the mill estate agency. It differs from its competitors in that it is uniquely built around a partnership structure that means that as the UK’s leading independent agency, it is not answerable to shareholders, banks or holding companies. Thinking beyond

the transaction also enables Knight Frank to concentrate on the quality and impartiality of the advice it gives to clients. Its priority, it says, is to build long-term relationships by over-delivering to clients, whether they be developers, landlords, tenants or homeowners.

And it’s not just about marketing residential or commercial properties: Knight Frank offers an end-to-end service, from valuing, project management and consultations, to new developments, rural properties and industrial warehouses.

Knight Frank Finance’s years of experience and relationships with more than 200 lenders means

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Knight Frank offers a worldwide service that is locally expert and globally informed

it can assure clients they are getting the very best deal available. Clients will also benefit from access to The Buying Solution, an independent buying agency, to help secure their dream property.

Through its specialist in-house research team, Knight Frank also offers exclusive market news and opinions, plus the latest financial data and podcasts. This is supplemented by flagship reports such as the Wealth Report and Country View.

In 2021 Knight Frank won five customer experience awards, including Overall Winner, in the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards, an ethical awards scheme run by the Institute of Customer Service and accredited by the Independent Awards Standards Council. The awards recognise organisations who are ‘striving to enhance customer experience in many innovative ways’, which is more relevant than ever as we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis. The brand also received awards for Customer Centric Culture, Customers at the Heart of Everything, Customer Experience in the Crisis, and Learning and Development.

‘A true partnership is a balanced one and we are committed to making our business inclusive and diverse, giving individuals the opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the value they bring,’ says Knight Frank. ‘ We empower everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourage them to think differently about how we can make a positive impact as a firm and in shaping the future of real estate, the built environment and its impact on the communities it serves.’

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Native Land possesses unparalleled experience of operating in the London property and now further afield, with an unerring ability to spot potential, predict and act on trends, and manage risk

NATIVE LAND

Working to find intelligent, sustainable solutions in both the London property landscape and further afield

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ative Land strives to create authentic urban homes that both respond to and enhance their neighbourhoods, via clever, sensitive design and meticulous planning. Since 2003, Native Land has delivered a £3bn portfolio of projects, developing and pro-actively managing its sites for the long term and helping to secure London’s future as a world-class city. Drawing on the best experience available, the company achieves optimum results by forming enduring working relationships with the leading consultancies and practises in the fields of architecture, planning,

landscape design, branding, marketing and communications. Native Land possesses unparalleled experience of operating in the London property and now further afield, with an unerring ability to spot potential, predict and act on trends, and manage risk.

Last year, which was a challenging year for most companies, Native Land enjoyed several notable achievements and standout moments.

Firstly, it delivered OneThreeSix, an office building within The Portman Estate that was let in its entirety on completion to Smart Pensions.

As the first major step into the work-place sector, Native Land was immensely proud of

this achievement, particularly during a time when there was much uncertainty about the return to the office. In addition, OneThreeSix is one of the first all-electric powered office buildings in central London, which will be operationally carbon zero from day one, with electricity from renewable sources. As part of the same building, Native Land has just launched a collection of 25 exclusive apartments, TwentyFive W1, which are now available for viewing.

In addition, Native Land is immensely proud about the announcement that its Bankside Yards development is to become the UK’s first fossil

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Native Land’s Bankside Yards (far left) development will be the UK’s first fossil fuel-free major regeneration project

fuel-free major regeneration project. After many months of work, Native Land and its partners set out the sustainability strategy for this vast £2.5bn mixed-use regeneration scheme, which will be served by a low-temperature, all-electric energy network on a scale not yet seen in the UK. The process will balance thermal energy across all of its eight new buildings and 14 restored railway arches. Each building will extract or reject energy into a single thermal network serving the entire development, thereby significantly reducing operational energy.

Bankside Yards will additionally connect London’s South Bank with Bankside for the first time in 150 years. It will include offices, amenities, bars, restaurants and cultural space, and a five-star urban resort hotel. The development will also deliver more than 700 apartments, including homes for private sale and to rent. Native Land is hugely proud to be pushing its sustainability agenda and being a leader in innovation in the building environment.

Finally, they are working hard to complete the fit-out of New Eidyn, as part of the wider lifestyle destination, St James Quarter in the heart of Scotland’s capital. Here, it will be delivering 152 premium residences with unique views across Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth, with access to some of the best lifestyle amenities that the city has to offer. Working with leading interior design studio Hudson & Mercer, Native Land looks forward to the apartments being completed in autumn 2022.

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OCTAGON DEVELOPMENTS

Combining aspirational design with architectural expertise

Beloved for its neo-Georgian style, Octagon diversified significantly in 2021 with modernist additions to its portfolio

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‘Looking ahead, we have good reason to be optimistic’

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n periods of change and uncertainty, we naturally pivot towards the familiar. For respected and established brands like the award-winning developer of luxury new homes, Octagon, 2021 proved to be a year of record success, as both domestic and international buyers continued to reassess their living arrangements, seeking out a property to suit their ‘new normal’.

‘The UK property rush of 2020 was well documented,’ says Tim Banks, CEO of Octagon, ‘however, clients in the luxury market take a little longer to consider major purchasing decisions such as a new property. Consequently, it was 2021 rather than 2020 that was the year of tremendous activity for us. Last year, we saw enquiries, reservations and completions reach their highest in our 40-year history.’

Combining aspirational design with more than four decades of architectural expertise, Octagon specialises in building prestigious houses, mansions and apartments in premier locations in London and the Home Counties.

While best recognised, and perhaps best loved, for its timeless neo-Georgian architectural style, Octagon saw notable diversification of its architectural portfolio in 2021. Significant projects over the past year included both a contemporary glass-cube property on the river Thames and an ultra-minimalist modern property built in black brick with matching mortar.

At-home facilities are growing in scale and ambition too: one of Octagon Bespoke’s clients is currently looking to install a saltwater wild swimming pool alongside ground-breaking wellness facilities and adjoining indoor tennis

and squash courts.

Broadoaks Park, Octagon’s flagship development of 125 homes in West Byfleet, saw a steady flow of new residents and sales in 2021, cementing its place as Surrey’s newest country estate. At the heart of the 25-acre site is the Grade II-listed Broadoaks Mansion and its characterful outbuildings, all of which are being converted into residential properties and providing the source of inspiration for the exterior design of the 115 new-build properties. This year will see the fourth phase launched, providing a collection of large, detached five-bedroom houses.

Located near Octagon’s headquarters in Hampton Court is Chapel View, an exclusive

collection of nine two-bedroom apartments. 50 per cent of the apartments were reserved within weeks of the collection’s launch, undoubtedly spurred on by Octagon’s excellent reputation on its home turf.

Continuing Octagon’s architectural and geographical expansion, Hadfield Place in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, is set to be a major development in 2022. Comprising five unique dwellings with handsome wood lap and flint exteriors, and characterful interiors to match, the properties offer the ultimate in luxurious country living.

The brand saw demand grow rapidly for its Octagon Bespoke service, making 2021 one of the most exciting years in the company’s history. Octagon Bespoke provides one-of-akind custom homes, combining classic elegance with the finest contemporary materials.

‘The new standards of luxury property, inspired by 12 months being cosied up at home, have inspired a new swathe of clients to seek the very finest homes,’ says Tim. ‘Looking ahead, we expect demand to continue to accelerate, as clients push the boundaries in what they want from their home.’

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A true cultural and historical landmark, the Old War Office is transforming into a flagship Raffles hotel, branded residences, and a collection of restaurants

THE OWO

The new destination brand transforming one of London’s greatest landmarks

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The unwavering attention to detail in each residence is extraordinary

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he most exciting opening of 2022, The OWO is setting the benchmark for hotels and luxury living in London.

Set in the former Old War Office in Whitehall, directly facing Horse Guards and a stone’s throw from St James’s Park, the building is being transformed into a fabulous Raffles hotel, a collection of 85 Rafflesbranded residences, 11 restaurants and bars, and an immersive spa.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts has been leading the charge since the Raffles Hotel in Singapore opened in 1887. Stephen Alden, CEO of Raffles & Orient Express, says, ‘I am delighted that a property of such magnificent stature will be the first to bear the Raffles name in one of the finest cities in the world. As a London landmark of true cultural significance, The OWO will be warmly embraced by our well-travelled guests.

The partnership also provides us with an ideal opportunity to blend Raffles’ own distinguished British ancestry with an experience of London that reflects our guests’ contemporary lives.’

The Grade II*-listed Old War Office has an illustrious history. Formerly the site of the original Palace of Whitehall, this architectural masterpiece was home to monarchs between 1530 and 1698.

It was also witness to world-shaping events during the times Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and Lord Kitchener held office. It was John Profumo’s base when he was Secretary of State for War and inspired Ian Fleming to write the Bond series after working for Britain’s Naval Intelligence Division.

Today, as the property enters its new dawn, the original features remain. The ornate mosaic

floors, detailed architectural mouldings and grand ceiling heights have been retained. Former mailrooms have been incorporated into a selection of residences and repurposed as spacious home offices. Similarly, all the interior materiality was chosen to complement the building’s historic elements: oak doors have more depth and are heavier, with oversized bronze door knobs reminiscent of early 20th-century style.

The 85 branded residences, including two with private turrets, went on sale in June 2021. The first Raffles-branded and serviced residences in the UK and Europe, they range from studios to five bedroom apartments. Designed by 1508

London, there will be bespoke handcrafted kitchens (complete with Gaggenau appliances) from British brand Smallbone of Devizes, Waterworks brass ironmongery and onyx marble. The unwavering attention to detail in each residence is extraordinary, demonstrating the years of craftmanship that have been applied to every aspect of the majestic building. To cement its support of British talent, fit-out contractors Ardmore assigned 850 workers to the site and offered 100 apprenticeships for young people working in construction as plumbers, electricians and carpenters.

The amenities are superb with 30,000 sq/ft of dedicated spaces exclusively for residents. These include a 16-seat cinema for private screenings, games room, gym with three studios and a treatment suite. There will be seven lounges to boot, from meeting rooms to private dining, and underground parking with number plate recognition.

Once complete, The OWO is set to become the hot new cultural destination for London. Not only an outstanding hotel, it’s a chance to own a spectacular living space and piece of London’s rich history – all within walking distance of the capital’s highlights.

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PDP LONDON

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n a year when the world has focused on two things - the climate crisis and the pandemic – architects are able to play a key role in shaping the future of our cities. PDP London has focused on the need to embrace and restore, producing high quality, sustainable and responsive designs that adapt to our changing world.

In 2021 PDP London took deep pride in working on projects with exemplary sustainability credentials, ensuring continued use and longevity for beautiful heritage buildings. Its designs provide flexibility and adaptability for the future, and it has collaborated on forward-thinking initiatives to promote climate resilience, while above all else, supporting communities. Equal satisfaction comes from its certification as a Carbon Neutral Plus Organisation, offsetting twice its carbon footprint.

PDP London recently completed Auriens Chelsea, a flagship later-living development in the heart of London. The spaces adapt to the changing needs of those living there as they grow older, emphasising community and companionship, values even more appreciated during the pandemic. ‘PDP London brought to life our vision to make Auriens the gold standard for later living with thoughtful design and meticulous detail,’ says David Meagher, CEO of Auriens Group. ‘Subtle yet essential details enable us to offer residents a homely environment which is

adaptable and caters to their every need.’

Chelsea Barracks, awarded a LEED Platinum certification for neighbourhood design, features 13 townhouses that are a 21st-century evolution of the Georgian archetype. Designed for longevity and flexibility, these energy-efficient, comfortable and future-proof homes have access to extensive amenities and public spaces. With areas of green roofs and carefully integrated bird- and bat-boxes, the aim is to increase biodiversity in this central location, while mitigating storm-water runoff and

the urban heat island effect.

Demonstrating the variety in its project portfolio, PDP London also won two New London Awards for its Low Line Commons regeneration initiative – a 3.5km green corridor along a Victorian railway viaduct through central London, aiming to increase environmental resilience.

Although British, PDP London’s outlook is international, with studios in London, Madrid and Hong Kong.

International projects currently under construction include The Landmark on Robson, Vancouver – two residential towers atop a threestorey podium, linked by amenity spaces and a landscaped deck. There’s also Daimyo Garden Square in Fukuoka, a 24-storey commercial tower with a retail podium and offices, and the future Ritz-Carlton Hotel with landscaped terraces that open up towards a 3,000 sq/m public courtyard on the lower levels. Watch this space for more of PDP London’s game-changing creations in 2022.

PDP London 5-6 Eccleston Yards London SW1W 9AZ +44 (0)20 7730 1178 pdplondon.com pdplondon

PHOTOS: © ADAM PARKER; © SIM CANETTY-CLARKE; © HOSHING MOK

Responsive architecture, urban and interior design for people and place

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: South Bay Palace private residential apartment in Hong Kong; Auriens Chelsea, a luxury later living development; the swimming pool at Auriens Chelsea

High quality, sustainable and responsive designs that adapt to a constantly changing world

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The new development at 9 Millbank includes five painstakingly renovated apartments

ST EDWARD

The Heritage Collection: world-class apartments, unrivalled in London

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verlooking Lambeth Bridge, Parliament and the River Thames, developer St Edward has created The Heritage Collection, five superlative Grade II-listed homes at Westminster’s 9 Millbank. Situated within the former Imperial Chemical Industries’ (ICI) headquarters, each exquisite property captures essential British heritage, celebrating a bygone era of craftsmanship and style.

Millbank took its name from a 14th-century mill serving Westminster Abbey and the banks holding back the Thames. Constructed between 1927 and 1929, the neoclassical Portland stone building of

9 Millbank stood as a physical symbol of ICI’s global influence. Upon its impressive façade are four sculptures by sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger, representing the construction, marine transport, agriculture and chemistry industries in which ICI operated. The imposing entrance features immense doors reminiscent of the celebrated Ghiberti gates of the Baptistery in Florence. Cast in bronze sprayed with Silveroid, a copper/nickel alloy, each weighs 21 tons and has six panels illustrating the progress of industry under the application of science. The building was incredibly advanced for its time: the first in the world to be lit by ‘artificial daylight’; employees

breathed air freshened by an ozone plant and enjoyed central heating and cooling in summer.

Throughout The Heritage Collection St Edward has respected the original hierarchy and proportions, transforming larger rooms like boardrooms and directors’ dining halls into grand entertaining spaces, whilst secretaries’ offices and postal messenger rooms have been repurposed as impressive bedrooms and bathrooms. Artisans were commissioned to restore or replicate the 1920s features: marble lines the walls and floors of hallways and staircases; doorways, doors, dados and panelling are of limed Austrian oak; metal door furniture, balustrades and lifts of Silveroid.

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Each exquisite property captures an essential British heritage, celebrating a bygone era of craftsmanship and style Carved architraves, hand-cut timber panelling, ornate decorative plasterwork and cornicing, all subject to enhanced protection by Historic England, have been painstakingly repaired.

The five apartments have been designed by London-based interior design studio, Goddard Littlefair. The Conrad, a former boardroom on the sixth floor, is now a dramatic double-height reception room with windows overlooking the river. Flooded with natural light, this space includes a spiral staircase to a mezzanine library. St Edward has paired the architecture with a classically British palette of colours, materials and artwork in homage to London’s reputation for quality craftsmanship. Herringbone parquet flooring and monochrome tones are offset by aged oaks, rich leathers and beautiful silks.

A private colonnaded terrace, accessible from all principal rooms, offers river views towards Parliament and the City. Beneath it sit busts of eight influential scientists from Alfred Nobel to Joseph Priestly, discoverer of oxygen.

Starting from £18 million, The Heritage Collection includes The Conrad, The Astor, The Walpole, The Gainsborough and The Somerset.

Amenities include a gym, swimming pool with spa and treatment room, cinema screening room, meeting rooms, secure underground parking and 24-hour concierge.

Executive Chairman, Paul Vallone comments: ‘Working closely with the best historic building consultants, craftsmen and designers, St Edward is able to offer The Heritage Collection of five world-class apartments unlike anything else in the city, to a global audience seeking the quintessential London home.’

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ARCHIVE BY SANDERSON DESIGN

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BASED UPON

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BEAUMONT & FLETCHER

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BROOK + WILDE

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CATCHPOLE & RYE

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CLIVE CHRISTIAN FURNITURE CO

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THE CONRAN SHOP

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DAVID HUNT LIGHTING

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DAVIDSON

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DEIRDRE DYSON

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EAST LONDON PARASOL COMPANY

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GP & J BAKER

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HADDONSTONE

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JENNIFER MANNERS

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LIFE KITCHENS

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RIVIERE

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ST JAMES INTERIORS

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WARNER HOUSE

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INSIDE OUTSIDE

AND SO TO BED

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AND SO TO BED

The home of luxury beds and mattresses

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nd So To Bed has been selling the world’s finest luxury beds, mattresses and bedroom furniture for nearly half a century, with a curated collection that consists of its own designs as well as those from leading brands such as Tempur, Vispring, Aireloom and J. Marshall. The company has 20 showrooms nationwide, each with a dedicated Mattress Studio where master sleep experts prescribe the ultimate bed design to ensure that customers have an optimum night’s sleep.

Based on the understanding that everyone’s sleep needs differ, the company offers a large range of custom-made, bespoke and madeto-order furniture – whether it’s a specific size, fabric or paint finish that’s required. The result is a truly personal experience and a bed that perfectly suits each individual. Creating a first-class retail experience is at the heart of its ethos, with high quality products matched

by equally excellent service at every step, including the prestigious ‘white glove’ delivery and assembly that ensures that everything arrives with the utmost care.

This year And So To Bed launched an innovative new product, the Pure Luxe Hybrid mattress, which combines supreme comfort and quality with convenience and hygiene.

In a fast-paced world, ease of living is at the top of everyone’s agenda so this delivery – vacuum sealed in a compact box within a 48-hour time frame – and hassle-free installation suits customers’ desire to reduce stress in a challenging year. This sumptuous mattress, which is simply unrolled, not only makes life easier for users but also helps protect their health.

Harnessing the capabilities of HEIQ ViroblockTM, a ground-breaking Swiss antimicrobrial technology, it offers daily protection from contamination by microbes and germs while you sleep. This technology has been certified as safe and sustainable as all its ingredients are cosmetic grade, bio-based and recyclable. Already proven to be a popular choice, it is expected to continue to sell well in a sales environment increasingly conscious of health and wellbeing. ‘We’re proud to be pioneers in antimicrobial protective bedding,’ says Alexandra West, Marketing Manager at And So To Bed, ‘and to provide reassurance to customers, at a time when protecting our home from germs has never been more important.’

During the pandemic and multiple lockdowns, the team has ensured that every aspect of the buying journey was as safe as it could be. From virtual consultations and showroom tours to maintaining social distancing and wearing PPE during deliveries, staff always made sure that customers felt comfortable throughout. Last year, several members of staff also took part in fundraising events, ranging from the IT team who did a coastal walk to the Managing Director running the London Marathon to raise money for the Orchid Cancer charity. The company also offers an eco-friendly recycling disposal service, a mindful and easy way for customers to remove old beds and mattresses and feel reassured that they won’t end up in landfill.

From Victorian-inspired bedsteads to simple contemporary styles, the And So To Bed collection of luxury beds are heirlooms, all handmade and handfinished by artisans who are devoted to their craft. And, when paired with the ultimate mattress, practically guarantee a good night’s slumber.

And So To Bed Ltd 591-593 Kings Road London SW6 2EH +44 (0)7785 116123 andsotobed.co.uk andsotobed_uk

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And So To Bed’s exemplary range means everyone can find the perfect bed for a good night’s sleep

‘We’re proud to be pioneers in antimicrobial protective bedding and provide reassurance to customers, at a time where protecting our home from germs has never been more important’

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ARCHIVE BY SANDERSON DESIGN

The rebellious disruptor boldly reimagining heritage designs for today

As the ultimate disruptor, Archive by Sanderson Design breaks all the rules. The heritage designs have been reimagined in bold, energised colours to create flamboyant, lively interiors

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Sanderson delved into 160 years of design heritage to create a collection that’s both historic yet undeniably modern

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n 2021, Sanderson Design Group took the bold step of announcing the online launch of its new brand, Archive by Sanderson Design. It was a hero moment for Lisa Montague, Chief Executive Officer of Sanderson Design Group, who said, ‘We are thrilled to launch this heritage-powered and fashion-forward brand, the first directto-consumer brand in the e-commerce space.

We’re doing this through our own website and also via an exciting, exclusive collaboration with Selfridges. We believe that Selfridges, as a leading international fashion retailer, is the ultimate retail partner for us, with a target audience that represents new customers for the Group.’

Sanderson Design Group also forged an exclusive retail partnership with Selfridges itself, launching the range at Selfridges’ flagship store on London’s Oxford Street, as well as on its website.

Archive is the intrepid rebel in the Sanderson Design Group. It’s the result of having delved deep into Sanderson’s rich archive to unleash 160 years of daring design. These were then used to create an emporium of pattern and colour that transcends style and genre.

Archive isn’t for the faint-hearted or for anyone who chases the latest trend. Instead, it is guaranteed to charm design explorers, collectors and curators, and all those who are proud to champion British eccentricity and bold, idiosyncratic design.

For Archive’s first launch, the design team had the glorious task of cherry-picking some of the archive’s most iconic and memorable

prints, from the Arts and Crafts era to the swinging Sixties. From there, the team put together an eclectic mix of prints, giving them new life with vibrant colourways. ‘One thing we are most proud of is creating a platform for these designs to shine,’ says Lisa. ‘They have been hidden away in our archive for years and now is their moment to be rediscovered and shown in all their beauty to the world, telling as yet untold stories of the past and making them relevant to today’s home.’

As the ultimate disruptor, Archive by Sanderson Design breaks all the rules. The company’s heritage designs have been

reimagined in bold, energising colours to create flamboyant, lively interiors.

Embracing the pattern clash is all about channelling a unique sense of style, as well as pushing boundaries, and Archive’s ethos is rooted in there being no rules – it’s down to individual taste and what designs feel right in someone’s own personal space.

Archive believes in empowering its customers to express themselves via their interiors, and to use their space as a means of truly expressing their flamboyance and individual sense of style.

Archive’s sustainability promise stems from a belief that quality design transcends time, so special pieces are to be loved, enjoyed, re-imagined and passed on. Sanderson Group’s ‘Live Beautiful’ strategy means preserving heritage and craftsmanship for future generations, while demonstrating respect, care and compassion for our fragile planet and every individual on it. It has also committed to become net carbon zero by 2030, and to be the employer of choice in the design industry.

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BASED UPON

Artists and adventurers with an eye for depth, beauty and meaning

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Baby, 3,600mm x 1,300mm; Amma, 1,500mm diameter; Fragmented Crack, 1,500mm x 1,500 mm; A Life in Work, 4,000mm x 2,000mm

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‘It’s about bringing the same level of care and attention that we bring to an artwork to all aspects of our making process’

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ased Upon creates very special things.

It’s also something of an enigma. ‘We are not so concerned with how we are labelled,’ says its co-founder, Ian Abell. ‘It’s more about what, how and why we make.’ Perhaps ‘atelier’ gets close or you may give the collective endeavour a single anthropomorphic identity as ‘an artist’.

It is the sum of its parts: an aggregation of the talents of its artists, designers and engineers at any one time. Many of its current tribe joined as apprentices over a decade ago and have never left.

After riding the storm of pandemic uncertainty, the team is once again thriving and is busier than ever. It is currently completing its largest ever sculpture at 16 metres high for a high profile project in Abu Dhabi. At a smaller scale Based Upon is continuing its partnership with Rolls Royce, creating artworks inside the Phantom Gallery for Rolls Royce clients who desire the ultimate in bespoke. Its collaboration with Steinway and Sons, developed over 3 years, has resulted in a new piano, which will unveil in early 2022 and builds on the success of Based Upon’s much loved piano, The Baby.

Based Upon undertakes some epic works. Completed last month, A Life in Work was three years in the making. It is a vast engraving in bronze depicting the story of a father whose heroic efforts built a family

empire. Layered within a collage of metals it is a work of legacy, allowing the family to honour and remember him as it hangs in their family office in Dallas. At four metres by two metres it depicts 100 years of history, capturing narrative details within a rich tapestry which balances detail with abstract essence.

It is the latest in a series following the ten-metre-high bronze A Grain of Rice, which HSBC chose to commemorate its 150th year, and the impressive engraved history Based Upon created for Tiffany & Co.’s 175th anniversary.

Similar works grace private collections in Los Angeles, Mumbai, Moscow and London.

An immersive piece, Amma, delighted viewers internationally in 2021, showing at the Eye of the Collector art fair in London

during the summer and was also at Volte Art Projects, Dubai, in the winter. The work honours ancient landscapes and uses light and sound frequencies to return the viewer to a peaceful state of rest. It takes about three minutes of sitting with the work to reach a deep meditative state without a need for meditation experience: a gift indeed at these turbulent times.

It is also breathing life into its Conscious Making manifesto. Abell says, ‘It’s about bringing the same level of care and attention that we bring to an artwork to all aspects of our making process and to who we partner with.’ Their current Conscious Making offset project is supporting a biodiversity regeneration project in Catalonia. Its aim is to heal the land and those who visit and is under the guardianship of some of the disciples from Based Upon’s ‘Last Supper’ sculpture. ‘It’s a special place,’ says Abell, ‘it resonates with something beyond the norm.’ A bit like a Based Upon creation then.

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Handcrafted sofas and chairs designed to last a lifetime and beyond – but which are also supremely comfortable

BEAUMONT & FLETCHER Traditionally handcrafted furniture built to last

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Beaumont & Fletcher pays little attention to fleeting trends and fads. Instead, it focuses on creating timeless pieces of furniture that sit effortlessly in traditional and contemporary homes alike

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wisely bought sofa or chair should last a lifetime. At least that is the ethos at Beaumont & Fletcher, which has been making traditionally handcrafted furniture at its English workshop for over three decades.

‘I have never thought of sofas as disposable items of furniture. To me, they are investment pieces, which should go on to become future heirlooms and be enjoyed by generations to come,’ comments owner and Creative Director, Jana Durisova.

‘A sofa can be reimagined in so many different ways during its lifetime,’ she continues.

‘Just because your style changes shouldn’t mean a well-chosen piece of furniture no longer has its place – it can easily be given a new lease of life and new look with a different fabric to suit your evolving tastes.’

Since the Chelsea-based interiors company opened its doors more than 30 years ago, the emphasis has always been on quality. Each piece of Beaumont & Fletcher furniture is handcrafted from start to finish, using the highest quality materials.

Every artisan who works on their upholstered furniture expertly blends materials, scale and finish to give both form and function, with an unwavering commitment to quality and longevity.

The all-important frame is skilfully built from seasoned beechwood, which is glued, screwed and dowelled together for strength, ensuring a lifetime of use, and the legs are integral to the frame itself. English webbing is nailed to the

product’s frame before steel coil springs are individually tied by hand for lasting tension and comfort. The sprung frame is then traditionally upholstered with cotton, lambswool and horsehair, while pillows and cushions are filled with the finest feather and down.

Beaumont & Fletcher pays little attention to fleeting trends and fads. Instead, it focuses on creating timeless pieces of furniture that sit effortlessly in traditional and contemporary homes alike. As well as its beautiful collection of furniture, they also create the most stunning couture fabrics and handembroidered cushions, inspired by nature,

history and art, which grace properties around the world, and even the occasional film set.

And it has an enviable reputation for its lights and mirrors, which are hand-carved in small Italian workshops.

Though the business continues to thrive, the last few years haven’t been without challenges.

‘There was a great deal of uncertainty when we first went into lockdown,’ says Jana, ‘but despite inevitable delays due to supply chain disruption we continued to deliver for each of our clients. I’m hugely proud of that.’

‘We have a brilliant team who were able to work from home and quickly adapted to the new norm. The real heroes, however, were based in the workshop and continued to make our furniture despite the barriers they faced.

Fortunately, each piece is upholstered by just one person from start to finish so social distancing wasn’t too much of an issue.’

Meticulous crafting, hand finishing, stitching and attention to detail, ensure each and every Beaumont & Fletcher sofa or chair is of unparalleled quality. But, as Jana points out, they are also created for maximum comfort and support: ‘luxury is only luxury if it is comfortable’.

Beaumont & Fletcher 261 Fulham Road London SW3 6HY +44 (0)20 7352 5594 beaumontandfletcher.com beaumontandfletcher COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 211

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GBB 2022 / INSIDE OUTSIDE FROM LEFT: The new Perla mattress; the Dawson bed design which promises ultimate comfort

BROOK + WILDE

Purveyor of products for the best British sleep – and bedrooms

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company that makes an important contribution to our physical and mental wellbeing, Brook + Wilde produces home and bedroom products that not only ensure a great night’s sleep, but come highly rated (and reviewed) for their impeccable quality, craftmanship and innovative detailing.

Its award-winning track record of excellence has caused Vanity Fair to rave: ‘Like the brand’s magnificent mattresses, Brook + Wilde’s new bed linen sets add five-star comfort to your bedroom’; while GQ more pragmatically writes, ‘It’ll save your sleep and would well save your relationship.’ A customer wrote in to ‘complain’ about her new bed’s ‘ridiculous level of comfort’; and Woman & Home said the comfort its testers experienced was ‘off the chart’.

Brook + Wilde has spent the past 12 months dreaming up what founder-entrepreneur Andrew Tyler describes as ‘the most comfortable luxury mattress in the world’. The beautiful-looking Perla – coloured silver, cream and grey in homage to a pearl – is engineered using Brook + Wilde’s trademark technology, with 7,000 springs and 14 layers crafted from fine natural materials including silk, cashmere, blended alpaca, bamboo and lambswool, to give a deeply sumptuous sleep.

The Perla also reinvents and enhances Brook + Wilde’s signature ‘wave technology’ to include zone-profiled specialist lumbar support foam sections, to ease tired joints and alleviate pressure in all the right places.

‘With so many layers of luxury, the mattress is a mountainous 32cm deep,’ says Andrew, ‘which gives a feeling of cradled comfort that is unsurpassed.’

Tyler and his business partner Jonathan Coulson are proud of having forged ahead with this new development during a challenging period, while maintaining consistent quality at every stage of production and delivery across the rest of their business. ‘There is also the knowledge that we bring wonderful products to people’s homes – beds and mattresses that have a dramatic effect on quality of sleep and general wellbeing,’ adds Jonathan. ‘We’re proud of providing this to so many people.’

Brook + Wilde’s product offering goes beyond beds and mattresses to include chairs, rugs and linens. New additions launched across all its categories during the past year include the 800 thread-count Sandringham Bed Linen collection and a set of opulent, handcrafted bed frames, the Regency Collection.

The two founders have consciously adopted a drive to reduce the business’s carbon

footprint and have made sustainable timber and reforestation part of their business model.

‘Every year we support a third-party non-profit organisation to plant thousands of trees and we use sustainable timber for our bed frames,’ explains Andrew. ‘We also aim to work to a zero waste-to-landfill policy. We donate nearly-new mattresses to the British Heart Foundation and recycle old or used mattresses rather than send to landfill. Our packaging is made from recycled materials which are themselves recyclable.’

Brook + Wilde has set itself on an admirable course by setting high standards and insisting that every new product it introduces must meet them. Not for nothing are some commentators saying that its mattresses are the best you can buy in the UK right now, and that its pillows are fit for Claridge’s.

Brook + Wilde 5 St John’s Lane London EC1M 4BH +44 (0)808 169 9070 brookandwilde.com brookandwilde

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‘Beds and mattresses that have a dramatic effect on quality of sleep and wellbeing’

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Tony O’Donnell’s fascination with Victorian baths turned into Catchpole & Rye, a sought-after, thriving bathware brand

CATCHPOLE & RYE

Transforming raw metals into heirloom bathroom products

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he Catchpole & Rye journey began in 1990 when Tony O’Donnell undertook the renovation of a Victorian claw-footed bathtub he found in a cottage he had purchased.

The mission led him through the salvage yards of Kent and France, revealing a forgotten heritage: that of Victorian plumbing products. Ten years later he and his wife Elaine converted a former Kentish dairy into a bathroom manufacturing workshop to create their own modern classics.

Today Catchpole & Rye is a thriving brand, designing classic baths, basins and other

sanitaryware at its 40,000 sq/ft facility in rural Kent, and transforming metals like copper, brass and iron into modern masterpieces.

The brand’s extensive workshops enable an in-house team of skilled craftsmen to produce and finish every piece to the highest standard.

‘We are finding that more and more UK-based customers are insisting upon British manufactured products,’ says Tony O’Donnell.

‘The recent difficulties created by Brexit and the vagaries of international transport have highlighted the benefits of buying the best homegrown products. We remain in control of both supply and quality at all times, and are in fact

experiencing increased demand. In response to this we have extended our CNC engineering and electroplating facilities and expect our brass foundry to come online in 2022.’

Catchpole & Rye works with residential and commercial clients, including architects and designers, from all over the world. Projects range from Barbadian mansions to Parisian apartments and grand English restorations.

A true hero moment emerged in 2021 when George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations TV programme on Channel 4 chose to catalogue the transformation of the disused Cornish Bank premises at St Columb Major into

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an extraordinary family home featuring a Catchpole & Rye bath. The owners championed the use of local tradespeople and resources, and sourced British-made products. Catchpole & Rye upcycled scrap metal from the old bank vault to create the unique double-ended Vingt Neuf bathtub, which now sits in pride of place in the owners’ bedroom. The programme also filmed at the Catchpole & Rye foundry and showroom in Pluckley.

The artisanal nature of the Catchpole & Rye business means that creativity is championed and innovation is constant. A collection of

traditional lighting is now in the works, and the Empress and Victoria collections of British-made ceramic sanitaryware have been expanded. New versions of the popular Pyrford marble washstand are now being produced in green Verde marble and other finishes, with the addition of a hammered metal shelf that comes in a choice of nickel, copper or brass. As well as adding to a sensational look, the metal shelf is also a practical place of storage for bathroom accessories and towels – proving how, with a bit of ingenuity, beauty and function really can work hand-in-hand.

The brand’s extensive workshops enable an in-house team of skilled craftsmen to produce and finish every piece to the highest standard

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Clive Christian Furniture prides itself on adding the extraordinary to everyday life, when it comes to its designs

CLIVE CHRISTIAN FURNITURE CO.

Brilliantly British design to last a lifetime

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move away from the ‘off the shelf’ kind of company, Clive Christian Furniture focuses on ‘delivering exceptionally inspired opulence to the world’s most outstanding homes.’ Renowned for its statement kitchens and interiors, the company brings together the finest materials, traditional craftsmanship and an entirely bespoke approach to creating exceptional places in which to live – be it with understated elegance or a dash of eccentricity.

For the last 40 years, they have been creating some of the world’s finest spaces,

combining creativity, innovation and the very best of British artisan skill. Provenance, craftsmanship and the use of authentic materials play a big part in its ethos. Indeed, the brand uses traceable materials with a documented source of origin and, most importantly, designs products that stand the test of time.

Recently, Clive Christian Furniture has been taken to new heights. In January 2021, Oli Deadman took over the reins as head of design, shortly after new owner David Dare came on board. The result is the launch of their first outdoor offering, the Garden Kitchen. Created

at the request of an existing client passionate about yachting, the design cues, engineering and details of this statement outdoor kitchen are all inspired by superyachts. And it fits in seamlessly with how entertaining has changed significantly over the last 18 months with al-fresco dining being increasingly popular.

Not stopping there, 2021 provided a sneakpeak at the New Classical Collection, launching this spring. Although a change in tempo for the brand, Oli says, ‘It was essential that we remain true to the material heritage and craft nature of Clive Christian Furniture while devising a contemporary lifestyle kitchen.’

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Provenance, craftsmanship and the use of authentic materials play a big part in its ethos

Using specialist, sustainably sourced finishes, a newly-engineered interior and art-like design flourishes, the final product is a simplified design, yet one richer in character, detail and materiality.

At the same time, Clive Christian Furniture has been one of the first premium brands to focus on ‘conscious luxury’, establishing partnerships with Renovation Angel in the US and The Used Kitchen Exchange (UKE) in the UK. This partnership with UKE allows and encourages clients not simply to rip out and replace the old with the new, but to sell the existing kitchen on and either donate or use the sale value against the cost of the new kitchen. On average, for each kitchen sold, its re-use saves six tons of carbon, equating to around one year of being carbon neutral for a family of four.

Closer to home, Clive Christian Furniture has always looked to the immediate area when it comes to supporting local business and hiring locally too. In 2021, they launched their new Apprentice Academy, which saw them hire four local students. Currently employing over 60 people from the community, the new recruits joined the growing team, developing skills in veneering, marquetry, leatherwork, cabinetry and woodworking.

So, as Clive Christian Furniture enters its new dawn, it’s clear to see that it remains unwavering in its signature materiality, craftsmanship and unparalleled design prowess.

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THE CONRAN SHOP

The home of iconic designs and future classics

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A Conran Shop exclusive, the PP225 Flag Halyard Lounge Chair in Olive by Hans J. Wegner; the shiny new retail space in Dongtan, Korea; another exclusive, the PP126 Rocking Chair in Soaped Oak & Walnut by Hans J. Wegner

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As The Conran Shop adapts, grows and evolves, it is driven by Sir Terence Conran’s founding vision of championing plain, simple and useful design objects from established designers and emerging talents

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ounded by Sir Terence Conran in 1973, The Conran Shop has established itself as a brand synonymous with all areas of contemporary design, fast becoming the favoured destination for the greatest in furniture, lighting and gifting. Its diverse and finely considered product offering is presented throughout 12 international locations, as well as online, delivering to over 200 countries globally.

Fast approaching its momentous 50th anniversary in 2023, The Conran Shop continues to innovate and collaborate on exclusive editions of world-famous designs. Its latest offering was unveiled in time for the 19th London Design Festival and featured four staggering pieces

by Hans J. Wegner alone. The Danish design legend’s exclusive collection premiered the PP225 Flag Halyard Lounge Chair in stunning olive hues, while the PP126 Rocking Chair was awarded a decadent soaped oak and walnut makeover, both by PP Møbler. At the same time, Wegner’s shimmering L037 Pendant Light was dressed in brass by Pandul, while five leatherclad CH24 Wishbone Chair configurations were completed with gratifying oiled walnut and soaped oak framing by Carl Hansen & Søn.

The Conran Shop is equally delighted to pursue its partnerships with other industry leaders like Knoll, Cassina, De La Espada, and many others, offering fresh takes on timeless classics by Warren Platner, Alexander Girard, Neri&Hu, Ilse Crawford and Pierre Jeanneret.

Its own-brand edit also continues to blossom with new additions from Matthew Hilton, including the Michelin Man-inspired Arbor Sofa

and streamlined Domus Desk, and a complete re-engineering of Magnus Long’s award-winning Cross Leg Chair.

An unabating leader in shaping future heroes within the design sphere, The Conran Shop’s partnership with New Designers continues to thrive thanks to invaluable support from The Marandi Foundation. Its annual New Designers awards scheme scours the entries in search of a design that demonstrates growth potential within the industry and reflects Sir Terence Conran’s fundamental ethos. For the most recent awards, judges considered an impressive 97 entries before selecting a shortlist of 12. Judged by the

likes of Lord Norman Foster, Anya Hindmarch and New Designers 2019 winner Huw Evans, the Designer of the Future award was given to Cameron Rowley for his forward-thinking One Step Ladder, marked by an exclusive mentorship and product development opportunity.

While The Conran Shop nurtures new talent, it also paves the way for new business, from expanding its professional service and Marylebone retail space to opening its hotly anticipated second location in South Korea, which recently opened in Dongtan, a rapidly growing area to the south of Seoul. Situated on the ground floor of the futuristic eight-storey Lotte Department Store and designed and realised by the in-house Creative Team, the new shop represents a condensed version of the award-winning Gangnam flagship.

As The Conran Shop adapts, grows, and evolves, it is driven by Sir Terence Conran’s founding vision of championing plain, simple and useful design objects from established designers and emerging talents across the globe, creating unbeatable shopping and cultural experiences from London to Tokyo. Long may it continue to inspire the design community with enduring classics, while propelling us forward into a bold new future of design.

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GBB 2022 / INSIDE OUTSIDE Each David Hunt Lighting product is hand crafted and finished using traditional hand finishing techniques in its Shipston workshop

DAVID HUNT LIGHTING

Bespoke lighting made in the Cotswolds by a talented team of craftspeople

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avid Hunt Lighting traces its roots back to its founder John Hunt, a master of brass, born in 1687. More than three centuries later, the family-owned company has built an exclusive partner network of the finest lighting showrooms in the UK over the last two decades. At the same time, the brand has enhanced its range of bespoke services, using many of the techniques mastered at the original David Hunt Lighting factory.

The past 18 months have been uniquely challenging for individuals and small businesses alike, and David Hunt Lighting has certainly been no exception. The artisanal nature of its business and products means that some members of its team are jointly responsible for up to eight separate processes during the creation of a single light, and so none of them were able to work from home during the numerous periods of lockdown.

However, the entire business quickly pulled together to transform the Shipston-on-Stour workshop into a safe and socially distanced environment where its craftspeople could confidently return to work.

Working hours were also modified where necessary for staff members, to ensure that those who needed to were able to adjust

their work-life commitments during such a difficult time.

Indeed, it is entirely thanks to the team’s steady resilience and unwavering passion for their craft that the brand has not only been able to weather the recent economic storm, but has actually continued to thrive despite the numerous difficulties of the past couple of years.

David Hunt Lighting has just finished participating at Focus/21 at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, where it now also proudly hosts its London-based showroom. It was also privileged, it says, to have been asked to assist with the Design Havens for Heroes campaign last year, whose mission statement is ‘to bring together the community of talents from the interior design field in order to create havens for accredited NHS key workers who have been working on the front line during the crisis’.

This sentiment resonates strongly with David Hunt Lighting’s Creative Director, Hollie Moreland, who is passionate about positive action, whether via charitable acts, conservation or just raising public awareness.

Recently, she started a small but nonetheless inspiring campaign to donate the cost of her morning coffee each week to a different charity; by week four she had donated to

Women for Afghan Women, Doctors Without Borders, Fareshare and The Woodland Trust, which helps to create, protect and restore native woodland.

Conservation is also a key area of awareness for David Hunt Lighting at large: over recent years the team has internally audited the company’s entire packaging procedure to make sure that even as a smaller manufacturer, it is doing as much as it can to minimise its environmental impact and encourage eco-friendly and sustainable behaviour towards consumables.

‘Small acts over time add up to big differences,’ says Hollie.

As these last years have shown, a small heritage business relies on the resilience, creativity and adaptability of its staff to succeed. No wonder David Hunt Lighting believes its talented craftspeople were its heroes of 2021.

David Hunt Lighting Third Floor, Centre Dome Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 7225 9166 davidhuntlighting.co.uk davidhuntlighting

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‘David Hunt Lighting believes its talented craftspeople were its heroes of 2021’

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DAVIDSON

DAVIDSON furniture gives a home distinction and luxury without limits

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Hanover cabinet, interior by Elicyon; the Eclipse Home office; the Chrysler dressing table, interior by Elicyon

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DAVIDSON designs are timeless, transcending fashion trends, combining contemporary style and traditional techniques

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AVIDSON’s vision has always focused on being London’s leading luxury furniture brand. A privately owned family business, all its pieces, both freestanding and fitted, are handmade to the highest quality by skilled artisans. Dedication to British craftsmanship lies at the heart of its philosophy, combining classic elegance with the very latest in contemporary design, making DAVIDSON a leading player in today’s luxury furniture market.

Established in 1986 by Richard and Deirdre Davidson, the company draws on a fountain of knowledge and passion for design dating back to Richard’s early career as an antiques dealer.

Surrounded by wonderful 18th century English furniture created by master cabinetmakers of the era, he learned what makes true quality.

The eldest daughter and Managing Director, Alexandra Davidson, now leads a passionate team with a company culture built on respect, strong communication and friendliness. Under her direction, and with her experience, passion and drive complemented by an intuitive grasp of aesthetics, DAVIDSON is the go-to destination for British luxury furniture. Alexandra sees DAVIDSON moving away from bespoke furniture in 2022, ‘concentrating on what we do best, which is designing beautiful furniture that can be customised to different size and finish options’.

Take the Wanderlust Collection of dining, breakfast and occasional tables, in 12 colours, three sizes and six shapes, some inspired by Art Deco, others with edgy, contemporary cool with stark, angular lines. Sales director and younger daughter Claudia Davidson notes, ‘Vibrant

colours draw inspiration from iconic parts of the globe, which evoke strong reminiscences in our team. This fun collection was designed through lockdown so Wanderlust was relevant at the time since we were all unable to leave our home!’

DAVIDSON designs are timeless, transcending fashion trends, combining contemporary style and traditional techniques in a vision of low-key luxury.

Refined elegance wins over flashy opulence; understated sophistication over extravagance.

Beautiful finishes range from hand-tinted sycamores, cool anegres to striking macassar ebony. Decades of experience and partnerships with superb craftsmen maintain impeccable

standards, as well as preserving heritage techniques that might otherwise be neglected.

Whether it’s a beautiful bookcase designed to complement its freestanding desks, or a complete fitted library, DAVIDSON works with interior designers, architects, project managers and private clients to deliver flawless results.

Commissions range from bars to drinks cabinets; bookcases to home offices; TV and media cabinets to home cinemas. For example, a full package of fitted and freestanding furniture may offer The Eclipse fitted home office all in complementing finishes or a luxury home bar with complementing dining table and chairs.

In 2021, DAVIDSON were proud to design three pieces for The House of Walpole, joining a range of the best possible brands in this showcase of British craftsmanship. As the official industry body for the British luxury sector, which is worth £48billion to the UK economy, Walpole’s mission is to promote, protect and develop luxury in the UK. Therefore, DAVIDSON is right where it belongs at the top end of luxury furniture.

Alexandra concludes, ‘This year sees the launch of our Buy Once campaign, urging people to invest in quality This is how we see the future of the luxury furniture market.’

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DEIRDRE DYSON

The rug designer making waves

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ine artist Deirdre Dyson has been designing her award-winning rugs and carpets for over 20 years. Every year she produces a new themed collection and her new one, ‘All at Sea’, is the result of the metaphorical and literal disconnect from ‘normal’ life that took place during the pandemic.

‘During one of the lockdowns I found myself marooned on a boat for nearly three months, as we couldn’t get ashore without isolating,’ says Deirdre. So, like Turner, Monet, Hokusai and other great artists before her, Deirdre’s

muse became the surrounding endless sea and served as the visual basis for the 2022 collection.

What began as a sailing holiday around the Guadeloupe Islands was taken off course by changes in lockdown restrictions. Deirdre decided to extend her time offshore rather than dock and quarantine. Adrift with time paused, Deirdre created her new collection. ‘Being on the sea can be both peaceful and threatening,’ she says. ‘The sheer moving volume is hard to comprehend, as is the hidden life below.’

The previous year, Deirdre explored the Greek Polyaigos Islands by boat and

was transfixed by the way the reflected sunlight and cliffs transformed the water and changed its colour. She began documenting everything as material for future designs.

Deirdre combined photographs from this Greek trip with what she saw in the Caribbean Sea. ‘I’ve always been fascinated by the light patterns the sun makes on shallow water,’ she says, ‘and the sea became my inspiration.

Creating the collection gave me something to concentrate on.’

The result is a beautiful collection of nine new carpets to choose between. ‘Graded Sea’ incorporates a rainbow of 21 different shades of

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Deirdre Dyson’s 2022 rug collection takes a prolonged stay at sea as its inspiration.

All rugs are hand-woven using the highest quality wool and silk

‘I’ve always been fascinated by the light patterns the sun makes on shallow water and the sea became my inspiration’ the ocean while Deirdre interplayed wool and silk to illustrate the reflection of colours in the sea created by the cliffs in ‘Golden Glints’ and ‘Sunlit’. ‘Shallows’ concentrates on the flow of water and ‘Sun Shaft’ depicts a tunnel of light.

The unusually shaped ‘Seashell’ is based on the idea of one shell multiplied concentrically, and demonstrates that carpets don’t have to be round, rectangular or square.

Throughout the collection runs a medley of blues, ranging from navy, indigo and cobalt to smoky and baby blue. White silk is used sparingly in some designs to recreate the flickering reflections of the sun.

Customers can see a selection of carpets at the Deirdre Dyson Gallery in Paris or in the heart of the Chelsea Design Quarter in London,

where they can have a one-on-one consultation with Deirdre or her team.

Every carpet is made to a customer’s specification in any shape or size, fitted or free-standing. All are Goodweave-certified and hand-woven by Nepalese craftspeople (observing social distancing), using only the highest quality Tibetan wool and pure silk in the full colour spectrum.

The carpets can also be produced in Britain, using a less expensive gun-tufted method.

A hand-knotted carpet usually takes between 14 and 16 weeks to weave because, as Deirdre explains: ‘Quality craftsmanship requires time and we use only the best materials and artisans to ensure our customers are investing in a contemporary, quality heirloom.’

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GBB 2022 / INSIDE OUTSIDE Parasols bring colour, glamour and fun to every kind of outdoor gathering

EAST LONDON PARASOL COMPANY

Beautiful, colourful and luxurious outdoor furnishings

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aunched in 2016, East London Parasol Company produces fabulous parasols, complemented by a range of matching bases, cushions, napkins and decadent handmade rattan chairs, beautifying outdoor spaces with colour and elegance.

In India, the parasol was considered a symbol of royalty, shading a Maharajah from the hot, tropical sun as he rode proudly in his bejewelled howdah high on an elephant’s back. Thanks to East London Parasol Company the ornamental, traditional parasol is flourishing again.

Patterns range from contemporary chevrons to William Morris prints, ornamented with key tassels or shaped valances. The bases are equally decorative and designed to complement the parasols. The carved wooden bases for the round canopies can serve as small cocktail tables, while the octagonal canopies require sturdier sandstone bases, made by seventh generation stone carvers in Rajasthan, India.

With outdoor entertaining reaching its zenith thanks to the pandemic, 2021 was a successful year for the company. Parasol-shaded setups brightened celebrations, parties and gatherings, transforming reunions into memorable, colourful occasions. Social media is testament to their popularity, with 60 per cent of their Instagram

feed comprising photos from happy customers.

Last year, East London Parasol Company began manufacturing in the UK, working with local carpenters in Hampshire who had previously been making stage scenery and needed to diversify in Covid times. The beautifully crafted frames are made from sustainable FSC-certified ash wood and the brass fixtures, pulleys and fittings are bespoke designs.

Each parasol is a labour of love. The handmade elements of the parasols are an essential part of

their appeal. Balinese artisans take six months to make the bamboo parasols using traditional methods, and the William Morris pattern is printed using 24 separate screens.

Founder, Lucy Ferguson, strongly believes in giving back, and has partnered with One Tree Planted, a not-for-profit charity with a mission to help global reforestation. The company plants a tree in India and Indonesia for every parasol sold.

2022 is set to be an exciting year with groundbreaking designs inspired by 1970s spirograph patterns, ikat weaving, Slim Aarons and Regency style. Expect to see a kaleidoscope of polka dots, stripes and pastels as the range expands. They have also collaborated with British artist, Harriet Popham, to create a design inspired by willowpattern and chinoiserie.

The ornamental parasol is a royal tradition reimagined for today. ‘My aim was to make something full of joy to put a smile on people’s faces and make them feel fabulous,’ says Lucy.

‘I wanted to inspire people to embrace colour and theatricality. And what is more cheerful and fabulous than a flamboyant sun parasol?’

East London Parasol Company eastlondonparasols.com eastlondonparasolco

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‘My aim was to put a smile on people’s faces and make them feel fabulous’

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GP & J BAKER

Exquisite fabrics and wall coverings inspired by the archive since 1884

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P & J Baker continues to create innovative collections and interior design solutions that exceed the expectations of its customers while maintaining the individuality and signature style of the brand. ‘We are thrilled that our most recent collections embrace the latest technological advances in fabric and wallpaper production while honouring our heritage of artisanal craftsmanship, including the centuries-old techniques of hand block printing and embroidery, says Ann Grafton, Managing and Creative Director. ‘The result is an extraordinarily rich diversity within our collections.’

GP & J Baker has long enjoyed an international reputation for excellence and supplying creative solutions for domestic, hospitality and contract projects. These include boutique hotels, spas, restaurants, cruise ships and superyachts.

A proud holder of a Royal Warrant since 1982, they have a track record of building longterm client relationships worldwide. This is partly because they take such pleasure in providing a bespoke service, tailored to each client’s needs.

During the last year’s challenging period, they developed a useful resource of virtual tools to support their customers. The resource includes an online virtual pattern book library containing hundreds of in-stock fabrics and wall coverings curated by colour and collections that can be accessed 24/7.

GP & J Baker’s extensive archive still inspires many of the authentic fabrics and wall coverings in today’s collections. Several of its iconic designs have been in production for over 100 years, each re-issue adding another layer to their charm.

The latest collection, ‘Ashmore’, was inspired by delightful references found in the archive including two 20th century designs painted by famed textile designer William Turner. Reimagined for today’s customer, ‘Eltham’ is a pretty, painterly

design featuring a variety of majestic birds in leafy branches taken from the Turner original of 1910.

Often dubbed as one of ‘The Turner Birds’, ‘Eltham’ was painted in the Arborescent style and printed onto a linen cloth using six sets of 81 blocks and was seen in many notable 20th century homes ‘Broughton Rose’ is based on ‘Guinea Fowl’, a 1918 Turner design. It features Helmeted Guinea Fowl, surrounded by a floral trail of anemones, convolvulus and Malmaison roses. Today’s design was inspired by the reverse of the original block printed fabric, with the bleed through of the dyes giving a wonderful faded, aged appearance.

An extensive range of fabulous weaves, supple velvets, luxurious textures and elegant linens have been designed to sit alongside the ‘Ashmore’ collection to create timeless interiors for both traditional and contemporary spaces.

With smart showrooms in London’s Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and Paris, GP & J Baker is dedicated to creating beautiful products and offering one resource to the international design community.

GP&J Baker Design Centre East Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XF +44 (0)20 7351 7760 gpjbaker.com gpjbaker

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GP & J Baker has long enjoyed an international reputation for excellence and supplying creative solutions to interior designers

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: ‘Eltham’ archive document alongside the new fabric; ‘Eltham’ curtains; ‘Eltham’ archive document

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HADDONSTONE

Aspirational architectural, garden and ornamental stonework

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his year marks Haddonstone’s 50th anniversary. A significant achievement for any business, and certainly this family-owned company can be proud of how far it has grown over that time.

Founded in 1971, Haddonstone originally produced a modest range of six home and garden cast stone designs before exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show the following year.

Fast forward half a century and with purpose-built manufactories in both Northamptonshire, UK and Colorado, USA, Haddonstone now produces over 1,000

standard designs, including fountains, statuary and sundials as well as planters, garden furniture and balustrading. This is in addition to offering standard and bespoke stonework for a broad range of impressive architectural projects.

The company has been involved in many high-profile projects, including the Royal Pavilion, the centrepiece of the Duchy of Cornwall’s Poundbury development in Dorset.

It has also supplied its stonework to numerous Royal Horticultural Society gardens, the Royal School of Music, National Trust properties, hotels, religious buildings and residential developments across the UK and globally.

The pandemic saw orders for Haddonstone’s aspirational garden designs increase considerably. Many clients rediscovered their love of gardening during the national lockdowns and Haddonstone’s beautiful stonework was chosen to add personality, charm and structure.

‘Haddonstone was created by my father, working out of our garage. Now, 50 years later, we’re an international company with clients around the globe,’ says the company’s Managing Director, David Barrow. ‘I’m exceptionally proud of Haddonstone; not only of what we’ve achieved over this time, but of

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the fantastic people who’ve made this company what it is and of what we’ll achieve together in the future.’

Despite the challenges of the past two years, Haddonstone has continued to develop the skills of its workforce and has recruited several new members of staff from the local area for both its head office and manufactory. The company has also significantly invested in its production facilities over the past year – visibly signalling its confidence in the future.

Haddonstone is also committed to supporting various charitable causes. A team takes part in an annual sponsored cycle event for the local Cynthia Spencer Hospice. Last year it supported Horatio’s Garden, a national charity that creates beautiful gardens at NHS spinal injury centres.

David is clearly positive about the future: ‘We are committed to supporting longterm sustainability across everything we do. We source the highest-grade, British natural limestone from an environmentally conscious supplier and sustainability policies are embedded across our production, including energy and resource conservation, reducing pollution and waste, recycling, and minimising our use of hazardous substances. We are also currently partnering with Cranfield University to assess cast stone manufacturing’s carbon footprint, implementing better efficiencies and working towards achieving carbon neutrality.

‘We are continually growing as a brand,’ he says, ‘and I look forward to Haddonstone’s next chapter.’

Haddonstone now produces over 1,000 standard designs, including fountains, statuary and sundials as well as planters, garden furniture and balustrading

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Haddonstone supplies the highest quality architectural cast stone components to clients worldwide; a craftsman at work; intricate architectural details, handmade by Haddonstone; the Armillary Sphere, exclusively designed for Haddonstone by David Harber

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Innovating a sustainable future for colourful contemporary handcrafted rugs

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onsciously embracing sustainable practices has not traditionally been a focus for the high-end interiors market, but Jennifer Manners Design set out to make this a key tenet of its business strategy last year – a decision which has paid off on several levels.

The brand, which specialises in exquisite handmade rugs, spent almost three years developing a proprietary process for softening and ‘de-shining’ fibres made from recycled water bottles. The result is a soft, inherently stain-resistant and bleach-cleanable yarn that mimics the look and feel of natural wool.

With this, the brand launched its awardwinning /re/PURPOSE PERFORMANCE rug collection, the very first of its kind – firmly putting eco-awareness on the agenda for luxury interiors.

The passion for this eco-centric approach began on a trip to India when the brand’s eponymous founder, seasoned traveller

Jennifer Manners Design Unit 104 Centre Dome Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 3903 0687 jennifermanners.co.uk jennifermanners

PHOTOS: DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN

JENNIFER MANNERS DESIGN

Jennifer Manners, came across the potential for repurposing tens of thousands of water bottles into fibres that could be used in handknotted and handwoven rugs. The team tried and tested a plethora of combinations to soften the fibre and give it a matte, premium feel, mimicking natural wools.

The result needs to be seen (and touched) to be believed. In a stunning example of what can be achieved within the circular economy, an average rug is made using over 7,000 recycled plastic bottles. The studio is continuing to explore how far the fibre can go, and has recently launched a collection of jute-effect rugs and carpets. Sisal rugs have long been synonymous with classic English country design but can be considered fragile as they break down and stain easily. The same look is achieved with the /re/PURPOSE PERFORMANCE fibres, but without all of the inherent stain and durability issues.

Every Jennifer Manners rug tells a story and is brought to life by artisans from Kathmandu in Nepal, and Bhadohi in India. It is a founding principle of the business to engage, inspire and – most importantly – empower these craftspeople. Unique patterns can be handcrafted for any style of rug – hand-knotted, flat woven, handloom or jacquard – thereby enhancing the individual character of any room for which the rug is destined. The weeks and months of meticulous work that go into weaving each item result in heirlooms that will last for generations.

Th e la un ch of /re/ P U R P OS E PERFORMANCE brought a Best Sustainable Product award at the designer trade show Decorex, along with accolades from The English Home 2022 Honours list. It also attracted collaborations with other celebrated British designers, including Salvesen Graham, Kitesgrove Design Studio, Henry Prideaux and Edward Bulmer. Jennifer has been invited to speak at five different design forums, heralding the sustainable era for luxury interiors and demonstrating the benefit of an innovative approach focused on collaboration.

Bringing British design to a modern and distinctive fibre is, believes Jennifer, one of the most exciting ways to marry luxury with sustainability going forward. What’s more, as she says, ‘The studio has maintained the same stringent handmade quality that is synonymous with our brand. We believe that, as long as we continue to marry design with function, it is even easier for consumers to make sustainable choices.’

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Jennifer Manners is setting a new pace for sustainable luxury with her innovative rugs

PHOTOS: DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN

‘Bringing British design to a modern and distinctive fibre is one of the most exciting ways to marry luxury with sustainability’

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Life Kitchens makes exquisite spaces designed with everyday reality in mind

LIFE KITCHENS FOR LIVING

Forward-thinking, crafted kitchens that put the customer at the centre

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ife Kitchens for Living is a fifthgeneration family company with its roots tracing back over 110 years. As part of the Danesmoor Group, Life Kitchens is built upon the robust foundations of design and manufacturing. With one of the most comprehensive product offerings in the industry and an ethos that puts the customer at the centre of design, Life Kitchens brings something truly unique to the market.

Throughout the challenges of the last 18 months, Life Kitchens has intuitively understood the part its British heritage and emphasis on quality craftsmanship plays in inspiring customer

trust. To this end, despite all difficulties, it has continued delivering a world-class design service and white glove installation. Life Kitchens is proud of how it has been able to carry on creating beautiful kitchens from its substantial UK manufacturing plant. From hand-finished joinery and state-of-the-art paint finishing to bespoke cabinetry and specially crafted work surfaces, everything is under one roof. Not only does this make it more convenient for the customer but it has ensured, from a supply chain perspective, that the company has remained in complete control over every element of production. Where other kitchen companies have been hit with stock

delays, Life Kitchens has continued to be able to serve its customers, proving that focusing on what you do best will generally bring success, regardless of prevailing conditions.

Throughout 2021, Life Kitchens continued to listen to market demands and, as such, continued to innovate, diversify its product ranges and deliver remarkable service. Launching new colours and cabinetry, Life Kitchens champions British manufacturing, with a passion for keeping everything as local as possible.

Life Kitchens has always been proud of its customer-centric design ethos. Every kitchen is tailor-made around the individual and how they

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live their lives. No two designs are the same.

As people have invested more time in their homes over lockdown, the kitchen has become an increasingly important family space. Playing home office, food preparation zone and social hub, the kitchen must work hard to be a flexible living space.

Now, more than ever, good kitchen design is paramount. Life Kitchens recognises this, and with its abundant wisdom and wealth of experience, delivers kitchens that make lives better.

As Director Oli Stephenson says, ‘We love getting to know you, hearing your stories, discussing your ideas. You’ll find us very easy-going and down-to-earth but uncompromising on nailing every last technical detail.’

Life Kitchen’s unique 4D virtual reality theatre allows customers to immerse themselves fully in their future kitchens before purchasing, and in this way Life Kitchens continue to disrupt and change the ways kitchens are designed. Whether it be changing island sizes and cabinetry colours, or switching brassware, hidden storage options and overall room layout, Life Kitchens is bringing the fun and enjoyment back into the design process, and all customers can enjoy this complementary service.

With the most established supply relations in the industry and comprehensive manufacturing capabilities in place, Life Kitchens is looking ahead to 2022 with confidence, certain of being able to support and inspire all its existing and future customers with the kitchen of their dreams.

Now, more than ever, good kitchen design is paramount.

Life Kitchens recognises this, and with its abundant wisdom and wealth of experience, delivers kitchens that make lives better

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RIVIERE

Handwoven in Nepal’s Kathmandu valley, Riviere’s rugs are heirlooms destined to be passed down through generations

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iviere was founded by Camilla and Leo Riviere in 2005. Handwoven in Nepal’s Kathmandu valley using traditional techniques, the rugs are made from the finest hand-carded and hand-spun Tibetan wool and pure Chinese silk, as well as mohair, nettle, linen and botanic silk.

Painstakingly crafted, each rug is unique and of exceptional quality.

‘When we founded Riviere, one aim was to support the rug trade and the people who make them,’ say Camilla and Leo. ‘We have an amazing team of weavers who love what they do, and it gives us a feeling of immense pride whenever we receive a rug commission as we know how important it is to the community in Nepal.’

Equally vital is the brand’s scrupulous approach to sustainability. ‘Ecological products and furnishings are very much at the forefront as we become more and more aware of the damage caused to our environment,’ says Riviere’s

Managing Director, Monique Stamp. ‘In a world increasingly dominated by synthetic materials, we choose natural materials, such as wool sourced from sheep reared in the Himalayas. Wool is one of the most eco-friendly fibres out there. It’s 100 per cent sustainable and 100 per cent renewable, with very little environmental impact.’

Riviere also seeks out new materials that both tread lightly on the planet and are positive to human health. ‘We’ve recently introduced Tencel silk – the yarn looks and feels similar to pure silk but is a biodegradable Lyocell fibre derived from wood pulp, transformed with high resource efficiency and low ecological impact, harvested from certified and controlled sources,’ says Monique.

Today, Riviere has more than 100 designs which can all be customised with a choice of colour, size, shape and materials. Working closely with some of the world’s leading interior design practices, the brand also offers a fully bespoke service, giving the interiors industry the scope to create truly original, one-off pieces for their clients.

Among the brand’s finest creations is the Caledonia Collection, produced in collaboration with O&A London. Inspired by the majestic Scottish landscape, there are five mesmerising designs. The O&A London design, combined with Riviere’s creative and highly skilled artisanal approach to rug making, allies for a collection of contemporary rugs of extraordinary beauty.

‘What defines our rugs is that they offer longevity, evolving with our clients’ homes and lifestyles so that hopefully they will be passed on to the next generation,’ say Camilla and Leo. ‘We like to say that our rugs are unique pieces of floor art; an heirloom that will continue to give its owners pleasure for years to come.’

Riviere 46 Lots Road London SW10 0QF +44 (0)20 3601 4600 riviererugs.com riviererugs

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PHOTO: INTERIOR BY O&A LONDON @OA_DESIGN_STUDIO

Leaders in innovative and sustainable rug design

PHOTO: INTERIOR BY O&A LONDON @OA_DESIGN_STUDIO

Among Riviere’s finest creations is the Caledonia Collection, produced in collaboration with O&A London

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St James Interiors’ products are award-winning and grace the homes of the great and the good

ST JAMES INTERIORS

Master joiners with traditional skills collaborating to enrich design

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xperienced and innovative master joiners who handcraft bespoke interior design pieces from the finest wood, glass, metal and leather, St James Interiors is a business that is getting itself noticed.

Its Dhan desk – strikingly carved in black gunmetal and named after founder Pritesh Lad’s father – won a Design et Al Award in 2021, the second year in a row that the business has been recognised with a high-profile accolade, after its signature Vithal Jesse desk won at the International Yacht & Aviation Awards. ‘With the design and creation of the Dhan piece,

we expressed our view of modern furniture and showcased how our technical ability and traditional skills come together to create a masterpiece,’ says Pritesh Lad. ‘We were very proud to have this recognised.’

From the London workshop, where its master craftsmen, designers and project managers are based, St James Interiors has used this period of uncertainty to strengthen and build relationships with clients and supply chains – continuing to grow and contribute innovative designs to homes, private residences, hotels, private jets and luxury yachts. ‘The type of client we work with has shifted and

now includes some highly recognised interior designers and architects, business owners and developers. It’s truly been a wonderful year for us, and we look forward to continued growth and collaboration.’

St James Interiors not only fulfils the needs of A-list clients but also has a social conscience, running apprenticeship schemes and completing works for local temples that look after the wider Brent community. At the same time, it works on some undeniably high-end projects, such as the design, manufacture and fitting of bespoke joinery for a palatial £30m home in Windsor, which

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included lifestyle elements such as a wine room, spa, multiple dressing rooms and bathrooms, a pool area and gym. ‘It was so wonderful to see the completed design,’ says Pritesh, ‘and we’re very much looking forward to hearing what the new owners think of it.’

St James Interiors is renowned not just for its artistic skills but also for being an agile collaborator, bringing years of experience in material choice and buildability that adds great weight to the design process and ultimately produces satisfied clients. ‘Our work is all about design, innovation, honesty and originality, so when we are working collaboratively, those are the elements we bring to the table,’ says Pritesh.

The brand has noticed a new consumer consciousness, with raised levels of interest

in where things come from and how they are produced. Clients are invited to visit the workshop to see first-hand how their work is being crafted, and the business has started using new materials, reflecting the worldwide shift to more sustainable products and new technologies used in joinery detailing.

St James Interiors was ahead of its time in investing in a wood burner that burns wood waste to create steam that heats the workshop, and effectively lowers carbon footprint by reducing the number of skips required. New electric forklift trucks and LED lights have been integrated into the business’s modus operandi.

‘It’s a constant evolution,’ says Pritesh. ‘We believe there should be real tangible benefit when implementing sustainable changes.’

St James Interiors is renowned not just for its artistic skills but also for being an agile collaborator, bringing years of experience in material choice and buildability that adds great weight to the design process

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WARNER HOUSE

Two centuries of creativity reformed for today’s interiors

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ounded in 1870, Warner House rapidly became one of the greatest and award-winning names in British textiles, in particular for fabrics woven from exquisite silk. They are proud to hold a Royal Warrant and have furnished institutions with their textiles all over the world, from the Palace of Westminster to the White House. To this day, their mission remains beautifully simple, to continue supplying

exceptional furnishing fabrics while preserving the brand’s charm and heritage.

Now an exclusively online offering, Warner House draws its inspiration from its extraordinary heritage, distilling its essence into a contemporary lifestyle collection. Iconic patterns are skilfully re-coloured and re-imagined for modern living, but always presented with the narrative of the original design, honouring its story.

The collection offers over 700 fabrics,

including printed linens and velvets, plains, cut velvets and intricate weaves, and an extensive range of over 500 wallpapers printed on top-quality non-woven paper. The revived collection showcases a myriad of beautiful designs including exotic botanicals, damask, animal print, ikats, historical toiles and more whimsical pieces. Most associated with Warner House is its quintessential English Chintz design, which still lies at the heart of its offering today.

The collection offers furniture and paint, too.

The vast hand-crafted furniture range includes sofas, chairs, ottomans and headboards, while the paint range has been curated to complement the fabric and wallpaper collections. The paint is sustainably produced in the UK, delivering rich depth of colour across a spectrum of shades inspired by hundreds of historic silk yarns. Warner House also offers made-to-measure curtains and blinds and beautiful home furnishing accessories, from cushions and lampshades to notebooks.

Available exclusively online, Warner House offers the flexibility to create personal statement pieces, from bespoke curtains and blinds to hand crafted furniture in a vast choice of fabrics and trimmings. The highly interactive website showcases the outstanding quality of its products and offers a stylish, user-friendly way for people to experience the exceptional interior design service built on two centuries of creativity. Customers love its mood boards, showing how to pull together a cohesive space and allowing them to see how patterns, texture and colour can live together in perfect harmony.

Unashamedly decorative and luxurious, the concept is cleverly put together to provide both standalone elements and coordinated collections. This approach makes it easy to create today’s lush, layered, interiors, celebrating creativity through pattern, colour and texture.

At the beginning of 2022, Warner House reveals its new archival design collection of printed linen mix fabrics and coordinating wallpapers. Complementary to the existing offering and drawing from historic documents, the collection of over 60 new prints features a mix of large and small-scale designs, in both bold and more muted palettes, to fit seamlessly into a range of interior styles.

This newest collection marks the beginning of exciting things to come from the brand this year, with the introduction of new product categories and strategic brand collaborations, which will further cement the position of Warner House as a luxury lifestyle brand for consumers to continue enjoying for centuries to come.

Warner House The Church Mobberley Road, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5NT +44 (0)330 055 2995 warner-house.com warnerhouse_1870

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Unashamedly decorative and luxurious, the Warner House concept is cleverly put together to provide both standalone elements and coordinated collections

Warner House holds a Royal Warrant for its exquisite textiles

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p244

ALEXANDRA LLEWELLYN

p246

COZE LINEN

p248

GEOFFREY PARKER

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HAND & LOCK

p252

HEIRLOOMS LTD

p254

LUCY VAIL FLORISTRY

p256

NAIM AUDIO

p258

NOSTARA

p260

OXWASH

p262

ZUMA

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HOUSE STYLE

ADDISON ROSS

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Based in the Cheviot Hills of Northumberland, Addison Ross ships its beautiful creations to fans around the globe

ADDISON ROSS

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ddison Ross is a family owned and run British luxury home accessories brand, specialising in beautifully crafted and stylish ideas for bespoke gifting in the home, from beautiful frames to exquisitely designed trays. The company has gone through many changes since its inception in 1978: at one point Addison Ross ran a successful gallery in Belgravia, creating handmade frames for up-and-coming artists, top West End galleries and interior designers.

Then a few years ago it succeeded in developing the complex technology that would allow its

website to offer a phone-to-frame service.

Now from its factory in the beautiful Cheviot Hills of Northumberland, the company ships its elegant designs – as well as a collection of clocks, boxes, trays, homeware and notebooks – around the globe.

There’s no doubt that having a successful online platform has helped Addison Ross to weather the recent pandemic; indeed, the business has seen its orders triple in the last few years. This, say David and Sarah Ross, is no small thanks to the hard work of all their staff: ‘While it has been a challenging time for so many reasons, we are very proud of how our team

pulled together to ensure that during lockdown, and with only a skeleton team working in the warehouse, we could fulfil our orders.’

David believes their company was able to play a part in helping families feel connected when various lockdowns forced them to be apart. ‘Sales of our frames, along with our phone-to-frame service, meant friends and family were able to send beautifully framed memories to each other, helping everyone feel a little less isolated,’ he says.

In an area where most of the work is seasonal, Addison Ross is proud to be an all-year-round local employer. ‘We strongly believe in investing

PHOTOS: CHLOË WINSTANLEY

Putting elegant design and top-quality craftsmanship in the frame

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‘The loyalty and dedication of our staff is something we are most proud and grateful for’

PHOTOS: CHLOË WINSTANLEY

in our employees and have created a happy, warm and welcoming working environment. We are excited about our 2022 expansion, which will see 10,000 more square feet being added to the factory and new staff facilities that will create further jobs for the local community as we expand the team,’ says David.

This community spirit was evident again more recently when Storm Arwen brought down 20 pylons, cutting off local power for the peak early Christmas buying period and the following week, which meant the company had to catch up with a backlog of orders and customer queries while the power was still off. ‘Customer service is our top priority so it was all hands on deck throughout the weekend and even night shifts to get our customers’ orders out as promptly as possible. The loyalty and dedication of our staff is something we are most grateful for.’

Last year saw Addison Ross introduce several new products, including additions to its popular scallop range with new tray colours, bins and frames, as well as a round tray design.

‘It has been brilliant seeing the new products that we launched last year do so well,’ says David.

‘Our expansion into America continues to be a success too which is exciting. We have excellent stockists such as Bloomingdales and Saks and our direct-to-consumer sales have also grown in the US. When it comes to homeware and entertaining at home, the American market loves British style – and we have a brilliant offer for them.’

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Alexandra Llewellyn’s games are a celebration of British craftsmanship and artistry

ALEXANDRA LLEWELLYN DESIGN

Games are a universal language – but an Alexandra Llewellyn is unique

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rom her famed backgammon boards and poker sets to exquisite games tables and card-boxes, Alexandra Llewellyn Design’s beautifully crafted, intricately detailed games turn play into something magnificent and treasured.

Founder Alexandra Llewellyn says, ‘I have adored games since childhood. My aim has always been to create peerless, handcrafted games that are beautiful objects in their own right, lasting for generations.’ Her creations harness and sustain traditional British craftsmanship, using materials that will still be around in decades to come.

Undoubtedly 2021 was its busiest year to

date: the company launched new signature backgammon collections, signed important partnerships and undertook more bespoke commissions than ever before. It developed the corporate arm of the business and unveiled a brand new website. ‘Never,’ Alexandra says, ‘has spreading love through games been more needed than in the past 18 months. Against a background of pandemic, I am so proud of our achievements at Alexandra Llewellyn Studio.’

None of this would be possible without the talented craftspeople it firmly supported throughout the pandemic, who work tirelessly to bring Alexandra’s designs to life. She adds,

‘We were very fortunate in that we didn’t have to furlough any staff. Instead, we redoubled our focus on quality, craftsmanship, and innovation, with some truly amazing results.’

‘Every day brings a new creative challenge,’ Alexandra says. ‘I am so happy that the artisans with whom I work share my passion.’ No challenge is too great for them; her designs become canvases for their meticulous marquetry, delicate hand-painting and bewitching print. This year marquetry artist Joe Geoghegan created everything from hippos to tarot cards from miniature pieces of delicate veneer, and master cabinet-maker Phil Rose crafted an ingenious

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‘My aim has always been to create peerless, handcrafted games that are beautiful objects in their own right, lasting for generations’

poker box with secret compartments.

There are many stand-out moments from 2021. Alexandra collaborated with Net-a-Porter on a range of butterfly-themed backgammon sets. ‘I have grown up with the phenomenal rise of Net-a-Porter,’ she says, ‘and it has been a real honour to work with such an iconic British brand.’ Launching Alexandra Llewellyn Corporate was an exciting moment, bringing several very special commissions from luxury watch brand Richard Mille. In addition, personal commissions for bespoke backgammon sets continued to flood in from all corners of the globe. A great lover of interpreting stories and understanding people’s characters, Alexandra loves the bespoke process, and delights in creating designs that are perfectly personalised to their owners.

Alexandra loves the opportunity to interact with her clients, and to involve them in the process of commissioning a bespoke item from her, either for themselves or as a gift – there has been real desire to understand the process and materials. It’s all worthwhile when the client sends a private message saying how much they are enjoying their Alexandra Llewellyn creation.

She says, ‘My brand is a celebration of the simple pleasure of playing games, and hearing about the happiness our creations bring to their owners keeps me continually inspired. For me, to create something beautiful and lasting, with love and thought, is the ultimate satisfaction.’

As Alexandra Llewellyn Design celebrates its tenth anniversary, its unique backgammon boards, poker sets and luxury games continue to bring delight and joy.

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COZE LINEN

Exquisite monogrammed linens

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family-run business, born from expertise passed down through four generations who have all worked in the textile industry, Coze specialises in exceptional linens.

Taking the lead from its parent company, which has been supplying high-end linens and textiles to some of Britain’s five-star hotels, including The Dorchester, The Ritz and Gleneagles in Scotland, it was first established by the Roston brothers in 2019. More recently, the pair has teamed up with talented interior designer Sophie Paterson (who is featured in 2020’s LuxDeco 100 and Country & Town House’s 50 Finest Interior Designers) on a series of exclusive collections.

New this year is a luxury range of hotelquality pillows, duvets and mattress protectors.

These join an already successful collaboration with Sophie on monogrammed linens, cushions, towelling, blankets and scarves, providing a bespoke design service with detail-driven interiors that meet the client’s needs.

Coze is a fierce advocate of outstanding, premium French duck down duvets, produced in the foothills of the Pyrenees, which the brothers regard as being the best in the world for their consistency. The best-selling Dechen for instance, is designed for all seasons; it has a

380 thread count, 100 per cent cotton casing, and comes in three different tog ratings, two of which can be put together using poppers as the weather changes. Meanwhile, the pillow collection focuses on a small number of high-end pieces, also made using natural Pyrenean duck down and 100 per cent cotton, that offer the ultimate in comfort for a peaceful night’s slumber.

Focusing on ethical sustainability, the company works closely with cotton farmers, who grow the seed and monitor its journey through to the final stages in a quest to produce the finest yarn available. The bed linen is made in India, one of the leading exporters of cotton, while super-soft towelling is sourced from the most renowned mills in Turkey. Traditionally made using a longer fibre, Turkish cotton has fewer joins, which means it provides the perfect balance between absorbency and lasting softness.

Then there are the wool blankets, skilfully woven in a historic 18th-century Yorkshire mill, and the cashmere blankets produced in Italy (the company is part of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, which offers a globally recognised credible standard). Coze’s commitment to the environment is also evident in its zero plastic packaging policy. Instead, the company

gift wraps every purchase in a re-useable cotton drawstring bag, tied with ribbon. It has also donated on average £3,000 per year to charitable causes such as Great Ormond Street Hospital, Cancer Research and the British Heart Foundation, to name a few.

While bricks and mortar shops struggled during the pandemic, online-only Coze was able to grow rapidly, and by more than 200 per cent in 2020 alone, as consumers carried on investing in their homes. Exceptional quality, together with accessible pricing, excellent service and a determination always to put the customer first has ensured that the business is still going from strength to strength – something which the owners hope will continue in the future, leaving a fine linen legacy for their grandchildren to inherit.

Coze Linen Unit 2 Elstree Distribution Park Elstree Way Elstree & Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 1RU +44 (0)20 3866 3939 cozelinen.com coze_linen

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Exceptional quality, accesible pricing and excellent service lie at the heart of linen company Coze

Coze is a fierce advocate of outstanding premium French duck down duvets, produced in the foothills of the Pyrenees, which the brothers regard as being the best in the world

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GEOFFREY PARKER

Adorning traditional board games with elegance and luxury since 1958

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ince Geoffrey Parker founded his eponymous company producing miniature leather-bound books in 1958, a lot has changed. Today Geoffrey Parker supplies beautiful, handcrafted leather board games to some of the world’s most prestigious homes, hotels, yachts, jets and businesses. Geoffrey’s grandson, Elliot Parker, now runs the company, following on from his father Max, and keeping Geoffrey’s legacy of luxury alive. Elliot has an unwavering dedication to the traditional techniques that go into creating high-quality products, and his commitment to craftsmanship still lies at the heart of the company’s ethos.

During the last few years Geoffrey Parker has gone from strength to strength. The new workshops were opened by HRH Princess Anne, and these have provided an opportunity to expand the team.

Recruiting new talent has enabled the company to hand down traditional skills to the next generation, keeping the industry and craft alive. It can take between five and seven years to train an apprentice, and requires

passion, talent and patience on the part of the apprentice to reach the exacting standard necessary to become a master craftsperson. The company’s clients include Harrods, Aspinal of London, David Linley, The Connaught, Annabel’s, Downing Street and The Royal Mint, while individual commissions range from royalty and

presidents to Hollywood A-list actors, rock stars, sports champions and novelists. The calibre of customer means that nothing short of perfection is expected from a Geoffrey Parker master craftsman.

Brexit provided the opportunity for the company to reduce its carbon footprint and support British manufacturing and local businesses by using British suppliers and manufacturers where possible, and 90 per cent of its supply chain is now UK-based.

Alongside all the internal changes at Geoffrey Parker, it has been an exciting year. Some of its products were featured on the television series Atlanta and the company produced a limited edition of James Bond backgammon sets for the 007 Store before the launch of the latest film No Time to Die. Geoffrey Parker is world-renowned for creating the most luxurious and valuable board games, some of which feature diamonds, and precious metals. Because the games are handmade, personalisation is available to every customer, making every Geoffrey Parker game truly special. Whether you’re commissioning a custom Poker case or Backgammon board as a gift, designing a coffee table containing a roulette wheel or a chess set for a man cave, the team at Geoffrey Parker will ensure it’s an unforgettable experience. Each commission comes with an invitation to the workshops to meet the craftsperson making your board and see the process first-hand. It also offers the opportunity to choose your colours and personalisation, including handwritten notes embossed in the leather or simply your initials.

To end the year on a high, the team launched a range of Backgammon boards in bridle hide, rich in character and charm, and ideal for settling down to with an old friend and a glass of whiskey by a fire. The new range is designed to develop depth and personality as it ages, like a fine wine. The more it’s loved and played, the more charm it develops. These boards are heirlooms, to be passed down the generations.

Geoffrey Parker The Workshop Top Road, Wimbish Essex CB10 2XJ +44 (0)1799 599100 geoffreyparker.com geoffreyparker_

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Geoffrey Parker can proudly say that 90 per cent of its supply chain is UK based

Geoffrey Parker is world-renowned for creating the most luxurious and valuable board games, some of which feature diamonds and precious metals

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HAND & LOCK

Historic embroidery atelier blending craftsmanship with creative innovation

Counting everyone from couturiers to the Royal Household as clients, Hand & Lock’s embroidery stays true to its craft

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Hand & Lock pushed the boundaries of its craft, exploring new and innovative technologies while retaining the ancient techniques on which it was founded

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ounded in 1767, Hand & Lock is a bespoke embroidery atelier that has been at the forefront of its industry for 250 years, specialising in a vast array of ancient and modern practices and disciplines.

Their core bespoke service encompasses a spectrum of skills – from traditional hand techniques to cuttingedge digital embroidery – that has seen it enthusiastically taken up by couture designers, Savile Row tailors, the Armed Forces and the British Royal Household, among many others. Everything, from hand monograms and bridal customisation to goldwork blazer badges and machine-embroidered logos, is produced at this central London atelier, and every commission receives the highest care and attention from a team of dedicated designers and expert embroiderers.

In 2021, the brand pushed the boundaries of its craft, exploring new and innovative technologies while retaining the ancient techniques on which it was founded. It continued to develop established methods to suit contemporary demand and style, working with fashion houses including Dior and Celine.

It also partnered with Coloreel, a Swedish textile innovation brand with ground-breaking technology that enables high-quality colouring of textile thread during the embroidery process.

As the first part of its ongoing plan to develop a more sustainable practice, Hand & Lock is developing these new methods to create heirloom embroidery pieces and add life to existing textiles. By creating limited production runs – only what is necessary – it

aims to minimise environmental impact.

Conscious of its wider embroidery community, Hand & Lock has loaded its website with a treasure trove of resources for enthusiasts, including toolkits, books, materials and videos, alongside feature articles on the embroiderers behind TV and film costume dramas, upcycling through the ages, and ways in which embroidery can boost your physical and mental well-being. ‘The last two years have brought new challenges, not only to the way we work as a team but also the way that we connect with our wider embroidery community,’ says Production Director Jessica

Jane Pile. ‘The relevance of embroidery as an art form, and way in which people can express themselves, have never been more apparent. In response to this, we developed online classes as part of the Hand & Lock School, which made our workshops accessible to embroiderers worldwide for the first time.’ Not content with just virtual events, this busy brand then hosted the Embroidered Arts Exhibition, its biggest embroidery exhibition to date. This sought to shine a light on embroidery artists from all over the world and provide them with a space to gain vital exposure. Sure enough, 2,000 people visited their work over the five-day period of the exhibition.

Aiming to inspire visitors of all generations, the exhibition was accompanied by workshops, classes and talks, and also provided a forum for the brand’s annual Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery. A global competition for professional and student embroiderers, providing them with new opportunities and exposure to a wider audience, the prize this year saw participants enter from countries as far-flung as Peru, Singapore and Australia, answering the brief: Digital Doppelgangers in a Virtual Universe.

Hand & Lock 86 Margaret Street London W1W 8TE +44 (0)20 7580 7488 handembroidery.com handandlocklondon COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 253

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HEIRLOOMS LTD.

Quintessentially British, sumptuous linens of exceptional quality

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eirlooms was established in 1984 to provide linens of lasting beauty. It has developed an enviable reputation for its quality fabrics and attention to detail that goes into every aspect of design and manufacturing. Rooted in the Sussex countryside, Heirlooms is a quintessentially British manufacturer, with an outstanding team of craftspeople who design and make beautiful linens for homes, boutique hotels, private jets, superyachts and palaces.

Knowing how fundamental sleep is to its clients’ wellbeing, Heirlooms is focussed on the comfort of its fabrics and sources a wide range of cottons, always exploring new weaving techniques to add extra elements of luxuriousness. Always on a journey of innovation, Heirlooms has continually researched into sustainable materials like beechwood, which can be woven into washable fabric resembling silk.

According to Heirlooms, selecting bed linen is about far more than the mattress and bedding sizes. Heirlooms undertakes a consultation process to understand every client’s vision, discovering their preferences to deliver the perfect cotton for their needs. This desire to pair its clients precisely with the right linen explains why Heirlooms has chosen to continue with its personal service rather than going into retail. ‘The fact we’ve worked on projects all round the world gives us the expertise and knowledge to do this,’ says Managing Director Ruth Douglas.

Throughout the difficult period of lockdown, the Heirlooms team continued working to deliver its projects, while also donating all it could, like gifting linen sets to charity auctions, manufacturing linens for a London women’s refuge or donating products to Stonepillow, a Sussex charity for the homeless. The production team reached out and donated fabrics to newly formed local sewing groups, which were able to manufacture items needed by key workers. At the same time, the

team was designing and manufacturing scrubs, masks and caps for local doctors’ surgeries and making nurses’ overalls and face masks for Chestnut Tree House, a hospice for children. ‘It was an honour for us to find some lovely, brightly patterned percale to make masks for the children too,’ says Ruth. ‘Through hard times we kept a positive attitude and I’m proud of the way the team engaged with the community.’

Over the last decade Heirlooms has become very focussed on sustainability through its work with the Royal Warrant Holders Association and some of the Prince of Wales’ initiatives. In 2020, Heirlooms engaged Planet Mark to assess its carbon footprint and set about reducing it.

What’s more, as a proudly British manufacturer, Heirlooms takes its social responsibility and the well-being of its employees very seriously and ensures everyone involved in the production process is properly remunerated for the considerable skills they bring to the company.

To anyone who has trouble sleeping, Heirlooms provides welcome relief.

‘Everyone deserves to have a good night’s sleep, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty,’ says Ruth, ‘and it’s amazing what a difference good quality, well-made bed linens can make. We like to think we help our clients by providing them with the best bed linen. They can then sleep well at night knowing that their dream linens are made with love and care.’

Heirlooms Ltd. 2 Arun Business Park Shripney Road, Bognor Regis West Sussex PO22 9SX +44 (0)1243 820252 heirlooms-linens.com heirloomslinens

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Heirlooms makes all its linens in its West Sussex workshop

‘Everyone deserves to have a good night’s sleep, and it’s amazing what a difference good quality, well-made bed linens can make’

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LUCY VAIL FLORISTRY

Pushing the boundaries of British seasonal floral design

Lucy Vail specialises in weddings and events, and sources flowers from her family-run flower farm

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‘Our brides and grooms have been more open to innovation, to sustainability, to British-grown produce’

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f you’ve ever scrolled Instagram or searched online for fabulous wedding floristy, you may well have landed upon award-winning Lucy Vail’s divine and original floral designs. Lucy set up her business, Lucy Vail Floristry, in 2015 and specialises in weddings, from the very lavish to the quietly intimate, as well as private and corporate events in the UK and beyond.

The company works closely with a number of top London venues, including Saatchi gallery, Claridge’s, Banqueting House and Guildhall, and is best known for pushing the boundaries of floral design, incorporating British flowers and natural architectural lines. From highimpact installations to beauteous floral ceilings, Lucy Vail is justifiably proud of the fact that no two projects are ever the same, each one interpreted with a fresh perspective.

Events are always bespoke, and Lucy and her team work closely with clients to choose the perfect seasonal flowers, vases, candleholders and floral props. Using contemporary and traditional methods, Lucy Vail then ensures that the flowers for every occasion it undertakes are nothing less than perfect.

The past few years have, of course, thrown up a few challenges. For Lucy it was important to stay focused and maintain the development and creativity of the business.

‘Like many, we are still managing the pandemic,’ says Lucy. ‘Pushing the boundaries with our designs and installations was key for us last year. A pivotal moment was an installation we did for one of our brides at the Saatchi Gallery in London. When you’re working somewhere that’s so renowned and

culturally exciting, it’s only right to meet that head on and live up to the space. So, for this installation we used more than 3,000 dahlias grown from British growers up and down the country. The wedding was unique and, for us, creating a stand-out moment for the bridal party and their guests was such a joy.’

The home-grown dahlias were something of a stand-out moment for Lucy herself. She has only recently turned her hand to floriculture, collaborating with her mother to create a flower farm, specialising in a wide range of flowers and foliage.

As Lucy points out though, it’s not just

about having a supply of magnificent blooms.

‘In 2021, we also took meaningful strides to begin offsetting our carbon footprint. We use solely British flowers during the months of March to November. Firstly, we’re able to avoid using freight to get our flowers from overseas into the UK and, secondly, we now use our own eco-bike system to deliver all our London-based orders. Family-run Floriston flower farm has also been an incredible way for us to develop local relationships, as well as relationships with fellow British growers.’

The pandemic did serve one useful purpose: it reminded Lucy and her team just how much they adore designing for weddings.

‘Weddings are at our core and it has brought us immeasurable joy to be able to work on them again,’ says Lucy. ‘The events may have been more intimate last year but that didn’t mean the drama and joy of the flowers had to be dampened – if anything we found that our brides and grooms have been more open to innovation, to sustainability, to Britishgrown produce – all elements that are key to who we are.’

Lucy Vail Floristry Unit C4 The Imperial Laundry 87 Warriner Gardens London SW11 4XW lucyvailfloristry.com lucyvailfloristry COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 257

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CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Uniti Atom Headphone Edition; Mu-So Wood Edition; Naim for Bentley in a car system

NAIM AUDIO

Where craft meets cutting-edge audio innovation

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he power of music to move us is profound and especially welcome now more than ever.

For 50 years, Naim Audio, based in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has innovated to bring listeners a deeper, more intense experience of their music, all wrapped up in exceptional designs crafted to deliver decades of entertainment. As the Naim brand has grown both domestically and internationally, the company has looked to address the differing needs of global audiences – not just the traditional base of specialist hi-fi fans, but anyone who loves music and appreciates great British engineering.

Their success is definitely a team effort, from the engineers who create ever-better designs, to the skilled craftsmen and women using decades of know-how to make products from carefully selected materials. Naturally, when the pandemic hit, Naim’s immediate (and continued) priority was protecting its staff. But other than a brief shutdown initially to introduce additional safety measures, the entire workforce remained focused on meeting the ever-increasing demand.

Teamwork, creative adaptability and a clear strategic vision have been key to working through a complex, ever-evolving situation and, despite everything, Naim has emerged busier than ever.

From a broader product range to a wider retail base, Naim continues to expand without compromising its core values or quality standards.

Three important launches in 2021 expressed this perfectly. The Uniti Atom Headphone Edition is the ultimate solo listening system: just add headphones and escape into your own world of high-quality sound, enjoying the music, radio and podcasts you love. It’s no surprise that this beautifully built, tactile product is already winning international awards.

The Solstice Special Edition was its first ever turntable and won Hi-Fi+ magazine’s Turntable of the Year 2021 award in December. It offers

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Naim’s partnerships are flourishing, with its superlative Naim for Bentley system continuing to win acclaim as the ultimate in-car audio-experience

incredible sound quality without the usual complications associated with performance turntables. Simple to set up and use, it’s all about hearing your vinyl collection as you have never heard it before.

Exclusively packaged as a deluxe collection, limited to 500 sets, the Solstice Special Edition combines contemporary design with a classic Naim look. The turntable plinth is crafted from 47 separate layers of wood and the cartridge – the reader of your records – sits in a solid aluminium housing machined from a single billet.

Naim also added to its multi-award-winning family of Mu-so wireless speaker systems last year with the stunning new Mu-so Wood Edition – everything you love about this music-streaming sensation but with a contemporary new look,

crafted from sustainable hardwood.

Meanwhile, Naim’s partnerships are flourishing, with its superlative Naim for Bentley system continuing to win acclaim as the ultimate in-car audio experience.

Finally, Naim Records – the brand’s music label – continues its mission to give independent artists the chance to express themselves with complete creative freedom: even more essential at a time when live performances have been a challenge. If you haven’t heard the incredible talents of Fable, Daudi Matsiko and Harry Jay-Steele yet, check them out now.

With more new premium products set for launch, and continued global expansion, it’s going to be a busy year for the sonic heroes from Salisbury.

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NOSTARA

A fine fragrance brand hitting all the right notes

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esigned and handcrafted in the UK, Nostara creates exquisite products that make a statement.

Developed by founder Nikki Holt and Marina Barcenilla, an awardwinning perfumer, every fragrance is bespoke, made using essential oils from around the world. Each one is designed to evoke emotion and reflect the beauty of nature – all inextricably linked to Nikki’s experiences and favourite places.

Founded in Somerset in 2017, Nikki had a strong vision from the start. ‘My goal was to create a range of natural soy wax candles and soy-based reed diffusers using essential oils, that not only look stylish but smell amazing – the sort of products I wanted for my own home,’ she says. Five years later – and despite the pandemic – the brand is going from strength to strength, currently focusing on introducing new products.

In 2021, Nostara launched its first eau de parfum and eau de toilette, Mimosa Flower and Leather & Vetiver. This marked a significant progression into fine fragrance for the brand.

‘These two fragrances are inspired by nature and are sure to lift spirits and transport you to a different place or time, making a lasting impression for all who wear them,’ says Nikki.

The success continued with the arrival of its first bodycare products. Offered in four different fragrances, which transport you across the globe, the washes and lotions are designed with the finest of ingredients.

These include rosehip oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and vitamin E, which are known to cleanse deeply, nourish and moisturise the body. The result is a bodycare range that offers you the experience of a five-star spa at home.

In the meantime, Nostara’s home fragrance range continues to soar. The candles and reed diffusers create an oasis of calm and turn the everyday into the extraordinary. The brand’s new fragrance Patchouli & Sandalwood has received rave reviews, continuing its line of magical scents.

Nostara uses local partners where possible – this includes the hand-pouring, which takes place in the South West. Their new products are no exception, and they partner with nearby artisan manufacturers for many of the key components of their perfume and bodycare products.

‘We are constantly amazed by the depth of manufacturing talent within our local area and the broader UK,’ says Nikki. ‘It makes us so proud to “keep it local” and partner with small businesses.’

This ties in with Nostara’s aim to incorporate sustainable practices – such as the use of natural waxes and essential oils. ‘We feel it is important to understand where materials are produced, how they are produced and how far they travel before reaching us,’ Nikki says.

‘This attention to detail helps us deliver the best products with minimum impact on our planet’. Post-recycled materials are also used for the packaging.

Nostara’s imaginative products have prompted a great response. Customers have been sharing how even a little bit of fragrancebased product has boosted their mood or helped them to unwind.

‘We’ve always been fascinated by the way fragrance transports us back to happy times or relaxes and comforts us. To know that emotions are stirred and people feel special makes us feel so proud,’ says Nikki.

Nostara The Orangery Yeovil Somerset BA21 3UJ +44 (0)1935 478949 nostara.com nostaraluxury

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Nostara’s evocative scents are all handcrafted in the South West, with the help of local suppliers

Each fragrance is designed to evoke emotion and reflect the beauty of nature

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Oxwash is revolutionising how we care for our clothes, helping them to last longer and stay in better condition

OXWASH

The on-demand, environmentally friendly laundry service

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n 2018, frustrated by the perpetually broken washing machines at his Oxford University college, Dr Kyle Grant founded Oxwash.

Armed with just a bike and backpack, he started collecting laundry from equally fed-up students. Kyle knew that just another laundry app wouldn’t cut it and, with co-founder and fellow student Tom de Wilton, set out from day one to clean up the traditional, environmentally hostile washing and dry-cleaning sector. The business quickly snowballed.

Re-engineering the cleaning process from the ground up, Oxwash developed an entirely new, hyper-local, tech-enabled service model, which

aims to be carbon-neutral by 2023. A fleet of zeroemission e-cargo bikes are used to collect and deliver laundry, saving an impressive 6,700kg of CO2 each year. Additionally, every average 8kg load of washing saves 32 litres of water and filters up to one million plastic microfibres.

In 2021, Oxwash embarked on a new project with Vanish, the well-regarded clothes care brand owned by Reckitt. The Oxwash ‘powered by Vanish’ partnership saw Oxwash use sustainable Vanish 0% in its London stateof-the-art washing facilities, known as lagoons, to help give old clothes a new life, preventing tons of clothing from ending up in landfill. Nine

out of ten pieces of clothing end up in landfill long before they should – up to 70 per cent of clothing waste could be prevented with better care. Vanish and Oxwash are on a mission to help clothes live longer by ending irresponsible washing and encouraging a circular economy.

Embracing ozone technology means Oxwash can sanitise fabrics at low temperatures, while achieving higher than medical-grade disinfection, which led to the company being chosen to sterilize items used during the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine trial.

Despite the pandemic, Oxwash grew exponentially in 2021, thanks to its dedicated

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team and a cohort of committed and excited investors. To date, Oxwash has secured over £4.8m million from the likes of Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Holly and Sam Branson, FMCG giant Reckitt and former Pinterest and Beyond Meat backers, Future Positive.

Come rain or shine, Oxwash prides itself on its excellent service, always collecting and returning on time. In 2021, Oxwash grew its community by over 200 per cent, as disgruntled businesses and consumers sought it out as an efficient, reliable alternative to their usual services.

Supporting hospitals, care homes and GP practices has always been a priority, and Oxwash will continue its support of the NHS, key workers and vulnerable individuals beyond the pandemic.

Circular fashion platforms represent the future

of the fashion industry, so in line with Oxwash’s commitment to environmentally friendly practices, teaming up with the likes of Hurr, Kidswear Collective and My Wardrobe HQ was a natural next step. Victoria Prew, CEO of Hurr said, ‘We’re thrilled to have partnered with Oxwash as our exclusive dry cleaning partner. The garment cleaning process is a key part of fashion rental and after years of searching, we’ve finally found an innovative, sustainable and tech-first wet cleaning business that really is the perfect partnership.’

Oxwash is an easy choice for consumers looking for a simple, sustainable way to clean their clothes and homeware.

Visit oxwash.com and enter the code GBB20 at checkout to get 20 per cent off your first order.

Embracing ozone technology means Oxwash can sanitise fabrics at low temperatures, while achieving higher than medical-grade disinfection

Oxwash Avro House, Unit AH003 Havelock Terrace London SW8 4AS oxwash.com oxwash COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 263

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Zuma is redefining our understanding of a Smart Home with its all-encompassing sound and lighting solutions

ZUMA

PHOTO (LEFT): PAUL CRAIG

Escape your world in immersive sound and light, reinvented for today

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Zuma re-imagines your home by creating a rich canopy of high fidelity audio, with circadian lighting to match, creating a completely immersive experience

PHOTO (LEFT): PAUL CRAIG

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uma is a British technology company that seeks to redefine the relationship we have with sound and lighting in our homes. Born out of ongoing frustration with existing Smart Home technologies – whether disjointed and cluttered ‘smart’ accessories, or time-consuming, complex and costly custom installations – three years of painstaking research, innovation and development have brought to life the vision of world-renowned designer and Zuma founder, Morten Warren.

‘The way we listened to music in our homes hasn’t changed in decades,’ Morten explains, ‘and for most of us, lights just turned on and off, or occasionally dimmed. Complex custom audio-visual solutions took up space, were expensive and convoluted to use, and most failed over time. As they move through life, humans are naturally enveloped by sound and light. But however speakers, soundbars and lights were arranged and combined, they never quite recreated this sense of full immersion where we most desired it: in our homes. Until now. At Zuma we are changing that.’

Morten’s 25-year pedigree in industrial design, working with leading global brands, has allowed him to assemble an expert team that combines technological innovation across audio, video, lighting and smart devices. From Zuma’s Shoreditch home in London’s East End heartland, his team set out to create a seamless integration of high-performance audio and tunable colour lighting, eliminating any need to have devices on display or unsightly cables

to distract from the ambience. From this amalgam of design and technology comes the Zuma Lumisonic, a beautifully designed recessed downlight with an integrated speaker, enveloping you in sound and light experiences in any room.

Zuma allows you to re-imagine your home by creating an audio canopy that is rich in detail, with lighting to match, completely immersing you in the experience – Morten likens it to ‘headphones for the room’. Listen for longer, with little room distortion or resonance fatigue. Enjoy your favourite music, concerts and movies as multiple Zuma devices fill the

room with stunning sound. Listen to rain and feel like you’re in the eye of the storm. Bathe in brilliant lighting you can tune to suit your mood. Turn a bathroom into a spa; a home gym into a spin studio; a bedroom into a rainforest; a family room into a cinema or concert hall.

The choice is yours.

Research has shown how influential an optimal combination of natural light and sound can be to mental and physical health, whatever our age. Zuma’s integrated Wellbeing mode can deliver the optimal atmosphere to suit any mood. Simply select a preset for a curated blend of light and sound experiences to enhance your daily life and routines – all with just one tap or voice command.

Morten and his team are excited to move into 2022, a year that will see the expansion of Zuma’s product range and international footprint. ‘Plus a wide range of new homes and developments that will be among the first to deploy Zuma,’ he says. ‘We wanted to offer people an alternative approach, simpler and, in our view, better. Zuma is a game-changer in the way we listen to music, watch films, or simply relax. Doing the Smart Home the right way.’

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E.J. CHURCHILL

p270

GREAT BRITISH RACING INTERNATIONAL

p272

HOLLAND & HOLLAND

p274

HOUSE OF BRUAR

p276

MUSTO

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WESTLEY RICHARDS

p280

SPORTING

ASCOT

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As well as Royal Ascot, the racecourse stages exhilarating races throughout the year

ASCOT RACECOURSE

Royal racecourse where tradition, glamour and sport rub shoulders

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ith a rich history, Royal Ascot sits proudly as the jewel in the crown of British horseracing.

Founded by Queen Anne in 1711, it is the most celebrated meeting and possibly the bestknown racecourse in the world.

Five days of unparalleled racing, high fashion, fine dining and pageantry, the Royal Meeting is renowned across the globe and creates an unforgettable experience in a unique setting. From the moment Her Majesty The Queen drives in the open-top Windsor landau up the straight mile to the stands at the start of each afternoon, Royal Ascot offers racegoers a bewitching experience.

The Royal Meeting apart, Ascot stages

top-class racing throughout the year, spread over 21 days. In high summer there is QIPCO King George Diamond Day, the highlight of which is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes and, in the autumn, QIPCO Champions’ Day, a feast of top-quality racing as the flat season draws to a close. During the winter months, Ascot stages a programme of competitive National Hunt jumps racing. In 2022 Ascot will be offering record prize money of £15.64 million, of which £8.65 million will be raced for at the Royal Meeting.

Racing at Ascot is inextricably entwined with the history of the turf. The rolls of honour of its most important races contain some of the sport’s most fêted champions: Yeats, Frankel, Black Caviar, Estimate and many others. On an

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autumn afternoon in 1996 the jockey Frankie Dettori rode all seven winners on the card – The Magnificent Seven – a feat unlikely ever to be repeated.

In 2021, more than £454,000 was raised at Royal Ascot for the armed forces’ charities in collaboration with Concessionaires and The Betting & Gaming Council through daily collections. Five hundred pairs of tickets were donated to local residents via a ballot, one of the many annual initiatives designed to engage with and recognise the community in the racecourse.

Beyond the Royal Meeting, over £35,000 was donated last year. Distributed via the Berkshire Community Foundation, it supported 18 different charities and 5,535 individual beneficiaries across the county. In addition, 21 race titles were given to local charities throughout the year.

A new partnership saw Ascot prevent over 1,200kg of food waste in its first month by donating it to City Harvest, London’s sustainable solution to surplus food and food poverty. This meant 2,926 meals could be delivered across the capital and south-east. By donating the surplus food for redistribution, 4,760kg of greenhouse gas emissions have also been prevented by virtue of the food not being sent to landfill. A further £3,000 was donated to homeless charities.

Ascot has something for everyone: the thrill of the races, high fashion, Michelin-starred dining, live music and entertainment, against the backdrop of the splendidly equipped modern Grandstand and immaculate lawns.

There is much to look forward to in 2022, with Ascot celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

From the moment Her Majesty The Queen drives up the straight mile to the stands, Royal Ascot offers racegoers a bewitching experience

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E.J. Churchill took advantage of the 2021 lockdown to upgrade its world-class shooting grounds

E.J. CHURCHILL

Balancing innovation and tradition in country pursuits

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he short window of downtime at the beginning of the 2021 proved invaluable in preparing the shooting grounds for the busy year ahead.

E.J. Churchill invested heavily in transforming both of its world-class shooting grounds, introducing sheltered stands, brand new walkways, and the latest technology in clay shooting.

Shooting is the main activity at these stunning Buckinghamshire grounds, but it never forgets that a visit doesn’t end when the last clay is hit and the final cartridge ejected. The indoor and outdoor dining areas have been significantly upgraded to

create a warm, welcoming atmosphere, where guests can relax and enjoy a delicious meal whether they have been shooting or not.

After being postponed last year, E.J. Churchill played host to its fourth World Championships.

With thousands of competitors travelling in from all over the world, the CPSA World Championships were a huge success. E.J. Churchill was immensely proud that its very own brand ambassador and coach, Mark Winser, became the World Champion.

The brand has also hosted a number of successful charity events with Red Bull, Grocery Aid, and Moto, helping to raise nearly one million pounds for worthy causes. Later this year in May,

they will host the shooting competitions of the Gratitude Games, set up to help raise awareness and raise vital funds to support the mental health of our emergency services and NHS in the wake of the pandemic.

It’s not just the Buckinghamshire ground that has been full steam ahead. The new North Yorkshire shooting ground, located on the Swinton Estate, achieved premier status within its first year, hosting the prestigious British Open, an event held in high regard within the shooting world.

Shooting is part of the fabric of Britain’s rural life from north to south, deeply embedded in its history and traditions. ‘The positive

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A day’s shooting provides a vital role in creating jobs and income in even the most remote areas of Britain. It also plays a fundamental part in the conservation and management of our countryside

impact that shooting has on rural economies is invaluable and hidden to many,’ says Rob Fenwick, E.J. Churchill’s managing director.

‘From gamekeepers to farmers, local B&Bs, pubs, schools, and other local people who all get involved on a day’s shooting, it provides a vital role in creating essential jobs and income in even the most remote areas of Britain.

Not only that but it plays a fundamental part in the conservation and management of our wildlife and countryside, woodland and moorlands.’

This year has also seen the first anniversary of E.J. Churchill’s flagship gun, the E.J. Churchill Hercules – which was showcased at the Tower of London, ADIHEX Abu Dhabi and at countless other shooting shows around the UK.

As the company grows, it is always looking at ways to reduce the impact of shooting on the environment. This year, fully biodegradable clays made from pine resin have been introduced. Additionally, all plastic wads and cartridges are recycled. These are fundamental improvements in the protection of the grounds and wider countryside. The introduction of fully electric buggies and electric car charging stations is further impacting on the reduction of their carbon footprint.

The shooting industry is evolving with the times and E.J. Churchill is leading the way with some exciting and innovative plans for the next year and beyond. These are really going to shake up the shooting world and the lifestyle which accompanies it, so watch this space...

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GREAT BRITISH RACING INTERNATIONAL

Boasting the world’s top horses, trainers and jockeys, British racing offers a thrilling day out

PHOTOS: © DOMINIC JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY; © ASCOT RACECOURSE

Your gateway into a world in which dreams come true

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This is a world of glamour and excitement, of dreams and ambitions, founded on centuries of sporting tradition

PHOTOS: © DOMINIC JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY; © ASCOT RACECOURSE

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acing in Britain has a long and distinguished history dating back to at least the 17th century when the Stuart kings began to take an interest in the sport. Its variety, its traditions and its accumulated practical expertise are unique. Its racecourses present top quality racing in beautiful settings, each one posing a different test for the thoroughbred and offering fresh delights for owners and racegoers alike. Newmarket, Goodwood, York, Epsom, and Ascot each has its own distinct character and long history.

Britain is also home to some of the world’s leading bloodstock sales: Tattersalls, founded in 1766, is its oldest bloodstock auctioneer.

This is a world of glamour and excitement, of dreams and ambitions, founded on centuries of sporting tradition. Great British Racing International (GBRI) is your gateway to this world.

GBRI is dedicated to promoting British racing to the international community.

A not-for-profit subsidiary of the British Horseracing Authority, the body responsible for administering and regulating British racing, it is funded by the industry to represent its interests abroad. Racing in Britain is big business, worth about £4.1 billion a year to the UK economy and employing, directly and indirectly, 85,000 people across the country. Foreign investment has long played a major role in British racing, and it is important that it continues if the sport is to prosper in years to come.

British racing presents the international owner with a chance to compete at the highest level. According to one American

owner-breeder, ‘British racing festivals are the global gold standard. The quality of racing and bloodstock on display will reverberate around the world in the pedigrees of future champions.’

This is partly the result of the talent, knowledge and experience on offer in the ranks of British trainers whose collective record far exceeds that of their European counterparts.

It is GBRI’s role to help aspiring owners with every aspect of their entry into the world of British racing. While buying the right horse and sending it to the best trainer is clearly important, much of the appeal of racehorse ownership lies in the exciting lifestyle that

goes hand in hand with it. GBRI never forgets that having fun in great style is a crucial part of the experience.

California-based owner Mariam told GBRI in June 2021, ‘Your hospitality is truly off the charts; it’s been a stellar experience and we haven’t even gotten to race day yet!’ Mariam was among the fortunate few from overseas who attended last year’s renewal of Royal Ascot, the jewel in the crown of British racing.

GBRI, working in partnership with Ascot Racecourse, provided expert assistance to ensure the travails of the Covid era were no barrier to a spectacular week topped by a visit to the Berkshire course to watch exciting young filly Quick Suzy run in the prestigious Queen Mary Stakes.

Quickly away from the stalls, Quick Suzy flew up the Ascot straight to snatch victory, sealing a truly memorable experience for Mariam. Her pride and joy in the winner’s enclosure was there for all to see. With GBRI’s help, her dream of becoming a part of British racing history came true.

Almost four centuries in the making, British racing is vibrant and exciting as it’s ever been – and GBRI is here ensure its future remains bright.

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HOLLAND & HOLLAND

Tradition and innovation combined to attain perfection

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ondon’s gunsmiths have a long and distinguished history stretching back to the earliest days of gunmaking.

Since 1835, Holland & Holland has been at the forefront of the industry, making the finest bespoke shotguns and rifles for its clients.

Its factory opened in 1893 on London’s Harrow Road. It is a purpose-built red brick building with a south-facing aspect to maximise the light in the workshops. It is here that Holland & Holland’s guns are made by gunsmiths employing both traditional and contemporary techniques. Time-honoured gunmaking skills

and state-of-the-art machinery combine perfectly to instil quality and artistry into every shotgun and rifle. For many owners these are not just guns, they are works of art.

Each element of the gun – the barrels, the action, the stock and the engraving – is a masterpiece in its own right, requiring many hours of painstaking work to achieve perfection. Kirsty Swan, who has been an engraver with Holland & Holland for 18 years, says that the standard Royal Scroll pattern takes 150 hours’ work to complete for each gun and the Classic Acanthus, 240 hours. It is truly a labour of love.

The prestigious Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds, located in West London yet set among 60 acres of stunning open countryside, boast some of the finest facilities in Britain.

The Grounds’ instructors have provided worldclass shooting tuition since 1939. Here, game and sporting shots of all abilities and experience will find something for them, whether shooting with a shotgun or a rifle. There is a wide variety of clay pigeon shooting and simulated game targets as well as the only private non-military indoor live-round facility in the UK, enabling rifle instruction with a moving target and live ammunition.

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GBB 2022 / SPORTING The artistry that goes into making each gun is embodied by Holland & Holland

Each element of the gun is a masterpiece in its own right, requiring many hours of painstaking work to achieve perfection Recently, Holland & Holland has been looking at the way it manages its land and has taken some initiatives designed to increase biodiversity while at the same time making the grounds more attractive. To that end, the ground staff have planted wildflower meadows and invited local beekeepers to place their hives on the grounds. This has resulted in the added bonus of further colonies of bees arriving to make use of some abandoned bird boxes. The upshot of this apian activity is that the Shooting Grounds are now producing their own local honey and helping the environment by increasing the pollinator population. Holland & Holland has also started growing produce on its allotment, the fruits of which are used by its

renowned chef, Joshua Hunter, in the restaurant.

This ensures not only that the restaurant serves really fresh seasonal vegetables but also reduces its carbon footprint.

The pandemic presented the company with several challenges and some changes had to be made. However, the training of new craftsmen and women is fundamental to the future prosperity of the company so all the existing apprenticeships, both in the factory and at the shooting grounds, were honoured. These employees have now taken up permanent positions with the company.

Perhaps the most exciting development in 2022 is that the famous Holland & Holland London Gunroom will be opening on the third floor of 36 St James’s Street early in the year.

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The House of Bruar showcases and champions the best of British clothing, fresh food and drink, natural fibre knitwear, rural art and handmade gifts

THE HOUSE OF BRUAR

Offering the best in rustic and contemporary Scottish design

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et in Highland Perthshire, The House of Bruar has always valued its loyal and hardworking team – and never more so than over the past few years. From the administrative department dealing with changes in manufacturing, shipping and buying, to those involved in shop floor merchandising, maintaining brand standards and exceptional customer service, The House of Bruar ‘family’ has faced every challenge thrown at it with poise and determination.

Despite the current climate, the brand has managed to introduce more choice by expanding

existing departments on its 100,000 sq/ft retail site. The traditional ladieswear department showcases the beautiful Autumn/Winter collection from the House of Bruar, together with the latest from Joules, Barbour, Adini, Seasalt and more that sit alongside an impressive range of footwear and accessories from across the world.

The relocated specialist fishing department accompanies the dedicated stalking section in the expansive menswear hall; more light and space has been brought to the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ jewellery shop; and last spring Bruar opened its comprehensive whisky shop, with everything from everyday tipples to the rarest Macallans.

A massive amount of hard work and innovation has also gone into building upon its already wellestablished mail order department, working with suppliers and manufacturers to support both their businesses and its own through difficult times.

Naturally, The House of Bruar continues its patronage of British companies, collaborating with Scottish textile mills such as Lochcarron of Scotland and Lovat Mills to create timeless classics alongside bold new contemporary designs in pure new wool tweed and plaid.

And we must not forget the knitwear collection which features luxurious cashmere, melange Shetland Fair Isles and pure lambswool styles.

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In 2021, The House of Bruar found many opportunities to engage with and support its customers. Creative Director Tom Birkbeck says: ‘We are lucky to work with some of the country’s best food suppliers, and with our on-site butchery and delicatessen providing next day delivery across the UK, we were able to provide quality produce throughout 2020 and 2021. It was also gratifying to see the generosity of our customers as they reached out to friends and family with gifts and hampers from our store, and we hope the special nature and quality of our products helped to lighten hearts throughout the last year.’

A great deal of focus in 2021 was on sustainability and reducing waste, from recycling packaging and cutting paper use to looking

at food waste in the food hall and restaurant.

Another cause close to the brand’s heart is educational support, whether through career development, donations to school programmes or supporting the small local community’s schools with materials and hardware.

‘While the last two years presented a unique set of challenges for us, we feel the business rose to overcome them with the support and loyalty of our customers and valued colleagues,’ says Tom. ‘We hope to use what we have learned in this period to bring an even higher level of quality and service to our patrons in the future.’

The House of Bruar ‘family’ has faced every challenge thrown at it with poise and determination

The House of Bruar

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MUSTO

Performance sailing clothing engineered for adventure

Tried and tested by the best, Musto’s technical performance wear is expertly made for everything the sea can throw at you

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‘It is the customers who test the limits, tackle all weather conditions and push the boundaries of our products’ capabilities’

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o perform at their peak, the world’s finest sailors need the best technical clothing. For 50 years Musto has made it, with customers at the heart of everything it does.

Its designers are fanatical about detail and style, precisely placing ergonomic panels on active jackets to using the best specialist fabrics. Working only with top manufacturers ensures Musto quality. British from its roots, Musto products are designed to protect wearers in all climates and terrains, anywhere in the world.

‘That’s why in 2021,’ says the head of brand marketing, Emmie Brown, ‘Musto kicked off with the campaign theme, WE MAKE THE KIT, YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN.’ Performance clothing is designed and engineered for the adventures customers undertake. ‘It is the customers,’ she insists, ‘who test the limits, tackle all weather conditions and push the boundaries of our products’ capabilities. With such a loyal following, we step up to their challenges.’

Musto has encouraged those followers to venture outside their comfort zones and set fresh challenges. FEAR LESS DO MORE was spearheaded by an international roll-call of offshore sailors and adventure influencers – like Vendée Globe winner Armel Le Cléac’h

and World Champion sailor Annette Duetz, who all trust Musto kit to take them from one achievement to the next. PERFECT PARTNERSHIPS again shone a spotlight on ambassadors, focussing on the relationship between co-skippers in the 15th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre. Musto lifted the veil on life onboard for the two-week race.

For UK sailors frustrated by race cancellations under Covid-19, Cowes Week 2021 was all-important, promising record entries. Musto made the experience even more special, with pop-up bars in partnership with a local brewery, prizes including the Musto Young Skipper’s Trophy, and relaxation zones for competitors.

In October 2021, Musto launched its new Evolution OSM Collection, designed in collaboration with key sailing ambassadors, 11th Hour Racing Team. Made entirely from a single fabric that easily breaks down and recycles at the end of its lifetime, this collaboration establishes a new base for future product development for the brand and helps launch its new sustainability initiative.

The year also saw Musto renew its relationship with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust for a further five years, making a 25-year commitment by the end of this new term. This

charity is close to Musto’s heart: its annual T-Shirt competition offers young people supported by the charity a chance to design the annual Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust T-Shirt, worn by all staff, volunteers and young people during their calendar of events.

Finally, for the second year running, Musto won the Clothing Innovation of the Year Award at the British Yachting Awards, scooping the prize with its new FlexLite Vapour Collection – a range of performance dinghy wetsuits in breathable neoprene, designed for inshore sailing, built with sustainable materials including recycled plastic bottles. Emmie Brown points out, ‘this is the first sailing apparel on the market to use aqua based glue, and that means protection for sailors and less harmful chemicals entering the water.

‘We call it the inside edge,’ she says.

‘Cutting-edge performance comes from within – it’s in our DNA at Musto.’

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WESTLEY RICHARDS

Leading maker of bespoke guns, handcrafted leather goods and adventure attire

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estley Richards & Co. is one of the oldest surviving traditional handmade gun and rifle makers in England.

Established in 1812 in the heart of Birmingham – and now the last remaining large-scale manufacturer near to the world’s original Gun Quarter – the company is behind some of the greatest designs in both military and sporting firearm history. Today, it has a reputation, not just for producing the highest quality guns and being at the forefront of firearm development, but for unparalleled levels of artistry. These range from elaborate engraving and decoration to the distinctive oak and leather cases, all produced at its Aston factory. Also made in-house is a collection of high-end artisanal leather goods, like travel bags, cartridge bags and accessories, which sit alongside luxury outdoor and safari clothing for men and women, made using the finest materials and with a signature fit.

Despite being a challenging period for international travel and outdoor pursuits, the retail business has grown by more than 40 per cent year on year. Contributing to this achievement is an expansion of the clothing range to meet the needs of style conscious adventurers, an increased

capacity for making exceptional leather travel goods and bespoke gun cases, and a record level of high-art gun and rifle engraving projects. All leather products are made to last three generations and although not often required, the company has always offered a repair service to its customers.

This year it has made clients more aware of that service, adding greater value to their overall experience.

The company has a four-year order book for bespoke guns and rifles and so in 2021, much like in 2020, there was uninterrupted gun making onsite. Developed on the back of its popular online journal The Explora, which is a haven for field sports enthusiasts and admirers of the finest guns, rifles, leather goods and sporting attire, Westley Richards launched the new digital The Explora Club. This rapidly growing initiative offers member exclusives, promotions, behind-the-scenes access and the very latest from the Westley Richards blog.

For the last 15 years, Westley Richards has continued investing substantially in the future of the industry with its apprenticeship scheme. Once taken on, apprentices spend five years learning the fundamental skills required to build the best guns and understand the

need for quality and all-round excellence.

Marrying new technology with traditional skills, gunmakers take anywhere between 400 to 650 hours to complete an individual gun or rifle, so training and apprenticeships are ever more essential to gun making’s future. In addition, as part of its commitment to making a positive social impact, the company is one of the sponsors of the Country Food Trust, a charitable organisation that acquires game meat to create free nutritious meals for those living in poverty.

Ultimately, fine gun making is the pursuit of perfection and Westley Richards takes great pride in ensuring that nothing leaves the factory workshops until it exceeds all expectations.

As founder William Westley Richards was once heard remarking, he wanted to produce ‘as good a gun as can be made’, and this statement, long ago adopted as the company’s motto, still applies today.

Westley Richards 130 Pritchett Street Birmingham B6 4EH +44 (0)121 333 1900 westleyrichards.com westleyrichardsandco

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Artistry combined with the highest quality gunmaking make Westley Richards as sought after today as it was in 1812

Westley Richards is behind some of the greatest designs in both military and sporting firearm history

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p284

LIGNUM SURF

p286

PRINCESS YACHTS

p288

ROLLS-ROYCE

p296

LAND, SEA & SKY

LAND ROVER

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LAND ROVER

The luxury SUV marque taking excellence to a new level

With the launch of the latest model, Land Rover is starting a new chapter for this well-loved car

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A picture of breathtaking modernity with a sleek and uncluttered design

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t’s arrived. The brand new generation of Land Rover’s flagship model: Range Rover.

Lighter, faster, more economical and now available with seven seats for the first time, the highly anticipated fifth-generation model has taken the world-leading SUV to another level, thanks to its all-conquering capability, honed by over half a century of manufacturing excellence. On top of that, it boasts extraordinary sustainability credentials.

Designed, engineered and built in the UK, the new model has been styled by design guru Gerry McGovern. The result is a picture of breathtaking modernity with a sleek and uncluttered design. With an incredible off-road ability and on road agility, it’s just as at home in town or scaling a mountain. All-wheel steering adds to the manoeuvrability while next generation air suspensions takes the rough and the effort out of off-road driving. A new twin-turbo petrol model will be the flagship of the range, providing sensational performance and the raucous rumble of a V8 engine.

Furthermore, Land Rover has gone all out to make sure the car is as sustainable as possible.

The new car offers mild and plug-in hybrid options; the latter allows for 74 per cent of journeys to be driven on emissions-free electric drive alone, allowing the flexibility of extended range with the petrol engine. Interiors are furnished with a planet-friendly material called Kvadrat, a remixed wool blend fabric. Then there are the Econyl yarns, produced using 40 per cent recycled industrial plastic, fabric off-cuts and reclaimed ocean plastics. Even the paint options have been created to mimimise

their environmental impact. All pave the way for the pure-electric Range Rover to join the line-up in 2024.

Amy Frascella, Director of Colour and Materials for Jaguar Land Rover, explains the vision: ‘The New Range Rover is the pinnacle of Land Rover Design’s Materiality strategy, which is to redefine luxury materials within the automotive industry. Materiality is our uncompromised vision of innovation in materials, processes, and technologies that promote social, environmental and economical values, and in line with changing customer values, we have developed curated interior

options for the new Range Rover that are more sustainable, more responsible and more progressive.’

The cabin inside is pure Range Rover. It’s a super serene drive with improved technology and a more modern design – think clean, elegant and an uncluttered dashboard with a panoramic driving position. There are hot massaging seats to boot. In the rear, it’s first-class travel all the way, especially in the four-seat version that treats passengers to aircraft-style luxury armchairs. The sevenseater hits all the right notes, too, even comfortable for those up to six foot.

This all plays a part in Land Rover’s aim to reduce the cognitive load thanks to the noisecancelling headrests, lack of endless buttons and the haptic touchscreen that allows users to feel what they see on screen. This means that you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed. A seamlessly integrated Alexa is on hand to help organise your music, navigation, traffic updates and smart home devices in one fell swoop. Just one more reason why Range Rover deserves to be heralded as one of the most legendary SUVs ever built.

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All Lignum products are crafted to be as sustainable as possible

LIGNUM SURFBOARDS

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self-labelled ‘wood head’ Alen Van Rooyen’s passion for surfing started as a child when his family settled in Italy. In the lulls between the swells, local surfers would pass the time talking about surfboard designs, which sparked his interest in learning how to make them. Having qualified as a traditional boat builder and machinist, he worked as a head carpenter on traditional tall ships and restored classic yachts in exotic locations around the world before setting up his own business, Lignum Surfboards, in south Devon in 2016.

Passionate about creating fine, handcrafted wooden surfboards, Alen harmoniously blends

traditional carpentry with the precision that modern technologies offer. ‘I aim to make boards that are as sustainable and long-lasting as possible,’ he says. ‘All the timbers I use are carefully selected from sources I know are focusing on earth-friendly approaches. I also spend a lot of time figuring out ways to make the boards even stronger but always without compromising on the performance of the final product.’

All Lignum boards are certified by The ECOBOARD Project, which promotes reducing carbon footprint, increasing the use (and reuse) of renewable, recycled and up-cycled materials, and reducing toxicity within the surfboard

PHOTOS: BRAHMA STUDIOS; ARC V LTD

Handcrafted wooden surfboards that blend traditional carpentry with modern technology

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Passionate about creating fine, handcrafted wooden surfboards, Alen harmoniously blends traditional carpentry with the precision that modern technologies offer

PHOTOS: BRAHMA STUDIOS; ARC V LTD

manufacturing process. For Alen, engaging with the wider community through projects that promote the use of eco-minded materials and ethical practices is paramount. For instance, last year he collaborated with a Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, London-based sculptural artist Ros Burgin, on ‘Lifelines’, which was designed to raise awareness of the current state of our global coral reefs.

‘Ros drew a map correlating to the locations of all the reefs known to us; I designed and built four custom longboards which each represent 90 degrees of the earth’s circumference onto which we projected the reefs,’ he recalls of the boards, which are now on display at Trinity Buoy Wharf, across the river from the O2 Arena. ‘Ros has given several talks around the subject of reef decay, due to the acidification of our oceans. Reefs are an important aspect of both surfing and the environment so this project was very close to my heart.’

Alongside surfboards and paddleboards, Alen also takes bespoke commissions for one-off items. Recent requests include applying a walnut burl veneer on a carbon ‘fuel tank’ for an electric concept motorbike called the ARC Vector (‘developing new ways to wrap complex compound curves with wood was just one of the challenges this job required,’ he says) and building a pair of carbon fibre wrapped flat water kayaks for a customer, to go with his two custom paddleboards. ‘Wanting to keep to my ideology of using ecologically sound materials, I built the kayaks around a wooden core and used a natural flax fibre cloth for the internal skin,’ he says.

Although last year the pandemic meant it was difficult to run his usual surfboard making workshops, Alen is hoping that they will be able to resume in 2022. ‘Ultimately, I want to help people realise their unique ideas – whether that’s teaching someone on a course or creating a dream design for a client – and enjoy the great outdoors on their boards, before handing them down to their children.’

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Princess Yachts’ fleet of unique designs has been delighting customers since 1965

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PRINCESS YACHTS

Luxury superyachts that are enjoyed worldwide – and handmade in Plymouth

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ention Plymouth and thoughts of an insouciant Sir Francis Drake playing bowls on the Hoe might spring to mind, along with Sir Walter Raleigh’s return to the harbour carrying samples of a strange vegetable called a potato, or the Pilgrim Fathers’ departure for the New World aboard Mayflower.

Fast forward four centuries, and Plymouth is still making significant contributions to maritime history – not least through the efforts of luxury yacht builder Princess, which has expanded from the small Newport Street industrial unit where it was founded in 1965 to occupy a site that now covers 1.1 million sq/ft in the city’s Stonehouse area.

Part of the giant LVMH luxury goods group since 2008, Princess currently employs 3,250 craftsmen, engineers, designers and administration staff, operates 13 offices across Europe and sells its boats around the world through an extensive global distribution network.

It’s a set-up that has made Princess Yachts Britain’s most successful builder of luxury yachts ranging in size from the sporty but beautifully appointed R35 dayboat to the 95-foot flagships in the maker’s ‘X’ and ‘Y’ class categories.

And much of that success can be put down to the bold re-branding embarked upon by outgoing Chief Marketing Officer Kiran Haslam and his team who, when he arrived in 2015, set out to shake things up in a way the yachting world had never seen before.

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Princess Yachts’ 50th anniversary in 2015 provided the perfect opportunity to launch new CMO Kiran Haslam’s advertising strategy

‘Prior to 2015, Princess was – quite proudly – the best kept secret in the superyacht world,’ says Haslam.

‘But, being close to the LVMH group, the way Princess is perceived and the message it conveys should be the absolute heart valve of the operation. And that was the specific challenge: to turn the firm from being just another boat builder into a true luxury brand, and the 50th anniversary [in 2015] presented a great opportunity to start doing that.’

Typically, according to Haslam, superyachts are promoted using ‘visceral, masculine images’ showing chisel-jawed men piloting boats at high speed while ‘wafer thin girls wearing oversized sunglasses sit on the foredeck.’

‘Those are the sort of cheesy, 1980s images that are still used so often to depict the lifestyle of the rich and famous,’ he says. ‘To me, it all seemed totally outdated. We needed to get away from all that, to become more gender neutral and to change our tone of voice so we were no longer telling people how they should be enjoying life, but asking them how they wanted to enjoy it.

‘We also began to emphasise the interiors of our yachts, working on our presentations to show them using high quality content of the type associated with brands such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton in order to bring Princess fully in-line with the luxury segment.’

The new approach quickly began to improve the brand’s ‘cool’ factor – and, suddenly, the Princess name appeared in a diverse range of publications, including Rolling Stone, and Wired; partnerships were formed with craftsmanship

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magazine Hole & Corner and the Ocean Photography Awards; and the annual NME Awards even benefited from being sponsored by the company.

Taking inspiration from the car industry, Princess also worked with art students from Plymouth College to create a ‘dazzle’ camouflage for the prototype of its R35.

The launch was subsequently teased through TV broadcasts featuring Japanese manga and anime-style illustrations, with the campaign culminating in a final Red Thread reveal film shot on the Colombian island of Santa Cruz del Islote.

Even more radical, meanwhile, was the creation of a marketing campaign for airing on connected TV (a first in the yacht world) and the appearance of Princess in an ad break during the season eight finale of Sky Atlantic’s Game of Thrones – a series seen in 170 countries that attracts an audience of tens of millions.

On Haslam’s initiative, Princess was also the first yacht brand to appear across UK cinemas in the trailer reel for the 2019 Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and even created its own cinematic film, a six-minute single, continuous shot that follows a ‘real life’ family as they enjoy a day aboard their Princess M-Class yacht.

‘The aim was to get away from the idea of yachts being purely ostentatious and to recognise the fact that, for most owners, the luxury is not about having to put on a tux to have dinner but to feel totally at home on their boat and to simply have time to lie around with their families and enjoy a beer. It’s all about taking a down-to-Earth approach,’ he concludes.

That same ‘down to Earth’ approach also prevails at the Plymouth yard where every Princess yacht is hand-built and, unusually, 80 per cent of the items required to complete each commission are made in-house – meaning everything from the moulding of hulls to the crafting of luxurious interior fittings is carried out by specialist teams drawn from the giant workforce that’s spread across six sites.

It’s a system that enables all of the larger models – and many of the smaller ones - to be ‘tailored to taste’ to meet the specific requirements of each buyer, meaning a remarkable 500 individual items are completed by the various Princess workshops each week, with every one starting life as a raw material such as resin, glassfibre, oak or walnut.

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‘The last intake saw a significant up-swell in the number of young women being accepted, with 25 per cent of the new arrivals being female’ ‘It’s that in-house production that sets Princess apart from other yacht builders,’ says Manufacturing Engineering Director James Smale.

‘It gives us a level of control that ensures an unwavering level of quality and enables us to stick to strict time frames.

‘We have always done things ourselves at Princess for two simple reasons – one is that we have had to, since we are based a relatively long way from most suppliers, and the other is that the remarkable heritage of boat building in Plymouth and the surrounding area means we have an incredible supply of really skilled craftspeople to call upon.’

At the heart of the operation are the Coypool joinery workshops, unofficially known as the ‘kit parts’ building, where the exquisitely finished interiors of every Princess yacht take shape.

A robotic army of seven CNC machines (for ‘computer numerical control’) run for up to 18 hours per day to enable the mind-boggling 40,000 individual pieces of timber needed for the larger models to be cut, trimmed, planed,

punched, shaped and smoothed to hairs-breadth precision before being set in individual racks where, between them, they create the ‘kits’ that will be used by the Princess cabinet makers to hand-build superb quality furnishings for models such as the 80 and 95-foot X and Y Class models.

The laser-accurate CNC machines are often able to produce even intricate components, such as louvred grilles, from single blocks of timber. Luxurious cappings of the type that are found , for example, on an X80, are shaped through a precision laminating process which International Sales Manager Bill Barrow describes as ‘engineering in wood’.

‘Veneers that are almost paper-thin are joined together and moulded into often very complex shapes,’ says Barrow. ‘But whether a part is large or small, it is treated with the same attention to detail to ensure it will fit perfectly when it is taken by the bench joiners to create one of the 110 furniture units that they complete each day,’ he adds.

The ‘units’ range from simple cabin lockers to

gleaming stateroom sideboards and elaborate dining tables, with all gloss-finish furnishings being treated to as many as eight coats of lacquer in order to ensure a surface that is both practical in use and beautiful to look at.

One of the reasons a Princess yacht can be so well appointed is that the firm has established itself as a world leader in maximising every available inch of hull inside and out – so a model such as the 29-metre X95 ‘Superfly’ (which Princess calls its ‘luxury SUV of the seas’) offers around 10 per cent more deck space and an impressive 40 per cent more interior area than traditionally designed yachts of the same length.

Those are the sort of numbers that have enabled Princess to sell more than 20 X95s since the model’s unveiling in the autumn of 2018, a quantity that very likely makes it one of, if not the, most successful contemporary superyachts on the market.

In 2021, Princess built and delivered more than 200 boats, ending the year with a packed order book that, by the close of September’s Cannes

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Princess employs 3,250 craftsmen, engineers, designers and administration staff, in 13 offices across Europe

Every Princess yacht has a well-considered, luxury interior

Covid ushered in new ways of showing clients around Princess’s luxury yachts

Yachting Festival, had seen deposits taken for 50 units of the recently announced Y72 model with first deliveries scheduled for later this year.

There is already sufficient work to keep the yard busy until 2024 – and it has a retail value of more than $1bn.

As impressive as the numbers are, however, many people might struggle to see the relevance of a company that makes very expensive toys for very wealthy people in a world that, we are told, is heading towards self-destruction as a result of global warming – which is partly caused by just the sort of gas-guzzling internal combustion engines that power superyachts that, in turn, are made largely from difficult-torecycle glass re-inforced plastic (GRP).

But it seems the times they are a changing – and the benefits of the success enjoyed by Princess Yachts reach far beyond the relatively small band of customers who can afford to buy and enjoy its products.

Haslam again: ‘One thing that we are especially proud of is our apprenticeship programme, which provides jobs for between 40 and 60 young people every year and recently won us a Royal Award,’ he says. ‘The last intake saw a significant up-swell in the number of young women being accepted, with 25 per cent of the new arrivals being female – a huge change from the small number we had only five years ago.

‘It’s also good to see that they are working across all areas of our business, but increasingly in the carpentry and engineering fields.’

They have joined Princess at an exceptionally exciting time, says Haslam, as the firm is on the verge of ‘re-inventing’ its manufacturing process by increasing the flow and efficiency of its many and various departments – and will soon be able to take advantage of Plymouth’s recently awarded ‘freeport’ status.

An important area of the yard, the historic, 18th-century Ropery buildings, will soon fall under freeport jurisdiction, which, says Haslam, has positive implications above and beyond the obvious tax and customs duty advantages.

‘The financial aspects are, of course, important – but what’s really exciting for us is the fact that the freeport will attract a huge amount of talent and many like-minded businesses and will undoubtedly become a melting pot of innovative suppliers,’ says Haslam.

And much of that innovation, he anticipates, will focus on improving the environmental image of boat building through the dramatically increased use of natural and recycled materials.

‘The industry has suddenly woken up to the amount we can do in terms of helping the environment. It’s something that has happened very quickly, largely as a result of developments in the car market,’ explains Haslam.

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GBB 2022 / LAND, SEA & SKY if they have already bought a Porsche Taycan or ordered a Battista electric hypercar, for example, they want to know what we can do to supply them with a boat that’s also kinder to the planet.’

To that end, Princess already has a partnership with Plymouth University that has seen the creation of the Marine e-Charging Living Lab project – the UK’s first marine charging network – and is working on ways of re-cycling GRP (used extensively in hull manufacture since the 1960s) to create everything from wash basins and worktops to doors and floors.

‘We are looking at the ecological aspects of everything from the materials we use to make parts to the way we run the yard,’ says Haslam. ‘There are around 27,000 components on a 50-foot boat, and that boat will have a life expectancy of 30 to 50 years,’ he explains.

‘That means we need to think about every aspect of every one of those components in terms of its long-term effect on the environment, both while it’s in use and after it becomes unserviceable.

As a result, we’re developing some very interesting new materials that will not only be suitable for boat building applications, but could also end up being used for other things – who knows, the next home you own could be partly built from re-purposed GRP hulls.

‘We’re also adopting a lifecycle analytics tool that will enable us to calculate the carbon impact of components, both in terms of where the original material came from to the energy used to process, move and store it and the chemicals or odours it might leak into the environment during its life cycle.’

Haslam emphasises, however, that a ‘green’ approach is nothing new for Princess – as far back as 2016, the firm set out to eradicate single-use plastics at all of its events and determined

CMO Kiran Haslam in conversation with International Sales Manager Bill Barrow

Today, real luxury means sustainability, and Princess is working hard to ensure its yachts are as ‘green’ as can be

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‘I don’t call it sustainability, I call it “regainability” – we have to actively search for a path back to a balanced planet, and that’s something that Princess is determined to play its part in’

to serve only sustainable foods. It has also funded an extensive and ongoing turtle tagging project in the Turks and Caicos islands, was the first boat yard to work with MarineShift360 (developer of the aforementioned analytics tool) and is well on the way to producing hybrid power systems for its boats in conjunction with engine manufacturer MAN. And something Princess is especially proud of, says Haslam, is its funding four years ago of the first eco-mooring project at Cawsand beside Plymouth Sound.

‘We established the first three eco-moorings there in 2018 using a system that protects the sea grass that, with conventional moorings, gets destroyed by the motion of a boat as it changes direction due to winds and tides,’ he explains.

‘The scheme was so successful that it will now be rolled-out nationally.’

Perhaps surprisingly, the changes forced by Covid have also provided Princess with a way to work in a ‘greener’ fashion when it comes to selling its products.

‘Until now, we had always been completely reliant on in-person relationships, physically meeting people face-to-face,’ says Haslam.

‘Inevitably, that meant flying staff all around the world on a regular basis, be it to a boat show in Europe or to a client consultation on the west coast of America. When Covid put a stop to all that, we had to find a way to show customers that we were still with them – and we achieved it not by the obvious route of staging virtual boat shows using lots of CGI, but by using our imagination.

‘That meant connecting directly with buyers via Zoom so that, if they wanted to, they could discuss their needs with our CEO Antony Sheriff; we sent out backgammon sets with playing pieces made from the same woods used on our boats; we created individual playlists for owners to listen to on board and made the greatest minds at Princess available for direct consultations – we even had sales people doing filmed walk-throughs, opening cupboards and disappearing down hatches so prospective owners could see every bit of what their boat would be like.

‘It’s a new world that we were forced in to, but we’re now delighted to be able to embrace it because it has shown us another way in which we can help to preserve the environment – and that’s something that is hugely important to our clients, because their own children are starting to insist that they ask the right questions about the things that they are planning to buy,’ concludes Haslam.

‘I don’t call it sustainability, I call it “regainability” – we have to actively search for a path back to a balanced planet, and that’s something that Princess is determined to play its part in.’ n

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ROLLS-ROYCE

The pinnacle of true luxury and bespoke engineering

S

ince it was founded in Manchester in 1904, Rolls-Royce has epitomised the very best of British style and engineering, forever associated with captains of industry, rockstars and royalty, a symbol of glamour, wealth, and the high life.

Last year was one of the most significant ones in the long history of the House of

Rolls-Royce, with the marque setting new standards in luxury manufacture. The first of three major announcements during the year was the unveiling of Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, a coachbuilt masterpiece, and the confirmation of coachbuilding as a permanent fixture within the marque’s future portfolio. Based on a privately commissioned model, Boat Tail represents a collaborative exploration of luxury,

design and culture between the marque and its commissioning clients. The creation tells the romantic tale of Rolls-Royce’s history, echoing a Boat Tail design but not explicitly mimicking it, fusing a historical body type with a thoroughly contemporary design.

In September, Chief Executive Officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös then announced the marque’s first fully electric car, Spectre, and with it the confirmation that by 2030 all RollsRoyce products will be fully electric. The announcement marks the delivery on a pledge made by the CEO to bring an electric car to the market this decade. It also fulfils a prophesy of the marque’s founder, Charles Rolls, when in April 1900 he speculated, ‘The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for now, I do not predict they will be very serviceable – at least for many years to come.’

A further major announcement was the unveiling of the eagerly anticipated addition to the marque’s Black Badge family, with Black Badge Ghost. Black Badge recasts the minimalist, post-opulent design of Ghost to characterise Rolls-Royce’s alter ego: assertive, dynamic, and potent. This is the purest and most technologically advanced Black Badge motor car yet.

In addition to this trio of announcements, Rolls-Royce continued to inspire and connect with clients around the world through its app, Whispers. Translated into many languages, it now caters to more Rolls-Royce clients than ever before.

The company’s many philanthropic endeavours through 2021 included its Wildlife Garden Competition, for which children aged five to 11 were invited to design new features for the Wildlife Garden at the Home of RollsRoyce in West Sussex.

The competition followed the hugely successful Rolls-Royce Young Designer Competition which set the challenge for children to design a Rolls-Royce motor car of the future – a welcome distraction from the pandemic. Seven global winners were picked from over 5,000 entries from more than 80 countries, each one receiving a professionally drawn version of their design.

In 2021, the marque was delighted to present a Greenpower car to St Saviour’s & St Olave’s School in recognition of the UK winner, 11-year old Sofia, and her Bumblebee 5000 design.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars The Drive Chichester West Sussex PO18 0SH +44 (0)1243 525700 rolls-roycemotorcars.com rollsroycecars

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Rolls-Royce testing has started on its first fully electric car, named Spectre; Boat Tail is a coachbuilt masterpiece based on a private commission; Black Badge Ghost is the marque’s most advanced car yet

By 2030 all Rolls-Royce motor cars will be fully electric

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p300

JORO EXPERIENCES

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KARMA GROUP

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THE LONDONER

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LUXURY FAMILY HOTELS

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ONEFINESTAY

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THE SAVOY

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HOTELS & TR AVEL

ICONIC LUXURY HOTELS

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FROM TOP LEFT: Cliveden House; The Mayfair Townhouse; Chewton Glen; Cadogan Gardens; The Lygon Arms

ICONIC LUXURY HOTELS

Individual hotels in sublime locations, collectively enriching lives with authentic experiences

I

conic Luxury Hotels is the umbrella brand for five of the UK’s most storied hotels.

Representing the best of city, country and coastal locations, Iconic Luxury Hotels includes 11 Cadogan Gardens in Chelsea and The Mayfair Townhouse in London; the historic Lygon Arms in the Cotswolds; Cliveden House in Berkshire; and Chewton Glen in the New Forest, close to the south coast.

Whichever you stay at, each hotel occupies a sublime location, each has a distinctly individual personality, and each offers effortless comfort and a truly authentic experience.

In 2021, some of the hotels navigated the pandemic restrictions to stage live events during a period when joy was somewhat thin on the

ground. Chewton Glen launched Summer Vibes, inviting non residents to join in for evenings filled with food, fizz and friends in the walled garden – a roaring success to be continued in summer 2022.

The Lygon Arms also hosted Broadway Unplugged, a free acoustic music event inviting the local community and guests to come together and enjoy local music al fresco in its beautiful Cotswolds grounds.

Meanwhile, 11 Cadogan Gardens was playing a central role in a number of charity initiatives, particularly those spearheaded by the community support group Kensington & Chelsea Foundation.

Last year, the hotel hosted mock interviews to help people prepare for a return to work, as well as raising funds for Give Where You Live, a campaign

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to support disadvantaged and vulnerable people in its community, for which guests were invited to add a donation to their bills. It was also the primary fundraiser for Christmas in a Box, a charity collaboration that provided over 8,000 boxes of Christmas lunch and gifts to families or older people who may have been struggling. The hotel was again to be found packing the boxes for people in need at Christmas 2021.

The Iconic hotels have come through a challenging period for the hospitality industry with armfuls of awards, including an AA rosette for culinary excellence at 11 Cadogan Gardens, a best new hotel on Condé Nast Traveller’s hotlist for Mayfair Townhouse, Travel + Leisure World’s Best awards for Chewton Glen and a Forbes Travel Guide recommendation for Cliveden. The Lygon Arms was named as The Good Hotel Guide’s Editor’s Choice in the historic hotels category for 2021. All the hotels, recognising the need

to support hospitality professionals whose livelihoods were disappearing, joined in with Hospitality Action’s fundraising Invisible Chips initiative, which gathered funds for workers in the sector.

The Lygon Arms, notwithstanding its historic status, is leading the way with modern sustainability initiatives. It has installed four Easee EV chargers to encourage a new generation of eco-conscious guests, while its own carbon footprint is minimised by sourcing 80 per cent of its produce from local artisans within a 50-mile radius – the shape of how luxury will be defined in the future, perhaps.

As Executive Director Andrew Stembridge sums up: ‘Luxury is created by multiple layers of craftsmanship, authenticity, innovation, service and passion. With a palpable sense of positivity in the air, we can all start planning to enrich our lives once more.’

Chewton Glen launched Summer Vibes, evenings filled with food, fizz and friends in the walled garden – to be continued in summer 2022

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Joro Experiences provides once-in-a-lifetime adventures in some of the world’s most beautiful and extreme locations

JORO EXPERIENCES

J

oro Experiences was founded in 2017 by Henry Comyn, Duncan Over and Justin Packshaw, united in their belief that travel can be a force for good, improve livelihoods and help conservation efforts across the globe, while linking into many of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Today, clients return to Joro Experiences again and again for sustainable adventures that no other company offers. From huge family reunions to complete cultural immersion – via audacious adventures and epic sabbaticals – the Joro team spends months planning each

exclusive trip with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring its clients have a positive impact on the places they visit. To this end, in 2020 Joro co-founded not-for-profit The Conscious Travel Foundation to help other travel businesses improve sustainability practices and create a community that’s passionate about safeguarding treasured, unspoilt destinations.

Despite the complex restrictions and unpredictability of travel in 2021, Joro continued creating extraordinary trips. Throughout the year, Joro reunited families through immersive desert island treasure hunts, facilitated the celebration of milestone moments in people’s lives on remote

mountain tops and went on helping its clients to travel more sustainably. At the end of every trip, all clients are given impact reports showing how Joro mitigates and offsets their carbon footprint. The reports also show how clients’ trips directly support projects, such as planting coral reefs in French Polynesia to aid marine and wildlife conservation. Other projects and social enterprises that Joro has contributed to include the Islas Secas Foundation and Green Apple Foundation in Colombia, the Soneva Foundation, Virunga in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Bisate reforestation project in Rwanda.

While continuing to create extraordinary

PHOTOS: KYLE DE NOBREGA

Travel as a force for good, combining passion, creativity and expertise

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Today, clients return to Joro Experiences again and again for sustainable adventures that no other company offers

PHOTOS: KYLE DE NOBREGA

holidays for its clients, 2021 was the year in which Joro really doubled down on its sustainability commitment, proudly becoming a carbon neutral company. It was awarded B Corp Certification, signed the Glasgow Declaration and established an accurate way to measure scope one, two and three emissions. It also sponsored an initiative to provide a step-by-step guide for its entire supply chain on how to reduce its carbon emissions.

Another of Joro’s biggest achievements last year was the start of chairman Justin Packshaw’s scientific expedition to Antarctica, which had been over two years in the making. Working with NASA, the European Space Agency, Stanford University, the University of Central Florida and more, the data gathered throughout the expedition will help support future space exploration and arm experts across multiple fields with better understanding of the impact of climate change on the natural environment and how extreme conditions affect humans. This expedition was a true test of human endeavour and has inspired clients to set audacious goals to improve their lives and wellbeing – including summiting Mont Blanc, embarking on epic multiyear sailing expeditions and learning to cook with chefs around the world – all of which Joro is helping its clients to achieve.

‘The more you experience a local culture and environment, the likelier you are to respect it,’ says co-founder Henry Comyn, of Joro’s passion for using travel as a force for good. ‘Travel has huge potential to educate clients about our fragile planet and enable them to leave a positive legacy.’

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Karma Beach at Karma Kandara, Bali; Pelikanos in Crete; founder John Spence; Le Preverger is a sprawling estate on the French Riviera

KARMA GROUP

A global travel and lifestyle brand with a hippy heart

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ounded by John Spence in 1993, after he bought his first piece of land in Goa, Karma Group is an international travel and lifestyle company with 43 resorts across Europe, Asia and Australasia. John’s self-labelled ‘Five Star Hippy’ model focuses on combining a stay in a high-end villa or hotel with access to top-notch amenities and curated experiences, from holistic healing retreats to hedonistic wine tastings. Clients can also purchase villas which are then managed by Karma Group. Properties are split across four boutique brands – Karma Resorts, Karma Estates, Karma Retreats and

Karma Royal – and include Le Preverger, a sprawling estate on the French Riviera that previously belonged to Laura Ashley; Karma Kandara, an award-winning blissful retreat on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, known as ‘Billionaire’s Row’; and Karma Bavaria, a chalet-style hotel near Schliersee in Germany.

During the pandemic, Karma Group supported all its 2,500-plus staff. It also provided around 900 weekly food parcels for villages in Bali and rolled out its own staff vaccine programme in Indonesia and India. ‘Over the years we have been blessed with fantastic loyalty and many of our staff have been with us

for over two decades,’ says John. ‘This was very much a chance to repay that loyalty in a personal way.’ They also set up Karma Mayday with HRH Prince of Wales Trust, sending desperately needed oxygen to India, and Karma Frontline, a partnership with Operation Recuperation in the UK, which gave away 500 holidays to frontline medical staff around the world.

Over the last year they have added to their portfolio with eight new properties. These include Karma Salford Hall, a Tudor manor in the Cotswolds; Karma Salak, a highland retreat in Java; and Karma Seven Lakes, a natural stone boutique hotel with a rooftop pool in

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an affluent neighbourhood of Udaipur. It also opened up new channels of communication with customers (including a weekly ‘Chairman’s Message’ from John) and launched Karma Concierge, a new UK-based service for clients wanting help arranging anything from catamaran charters to spa treatments on an upcoming trip. For those who become Karma Group members, the Karma Club offers extra benefits, such as rugby dinners in London with celebrity players and speakers, monthly drinks gatherings and tickets to music events.

Other new initiatives include Karma Nomad – where members can hire caravans or camper

vans and travel across Australia and New Zealand – and Karma Kasa, a network of new escapes that are geared towards domestic travellers across its portfolio, in response to global travel restrictions. ‘We want to make it as easy as possible for our clients to travel again by giving them the support they need,’ continues John. ‘After being stuck at home, holidays are something most people are looking forward to. They’ve spent time compiling bucket lists of places they want to visit and things they want to do. Hopefully we can provide some of those fantastic adventures over the coming years.’

John Spence’s self-labelled ‘Five Star Hippy’ model focuses on combining a stay in a luxury villa or hotel with access to top-notch amenities and curated experiences

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The Londoner is a welcome new addition to the capital’s hotel scene, spearheading the regeneration of the area around Leicester Square

THE LONDONER

The world’s first super boutique hotel

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n September 2021, a new hotel star was born in the city. The Londoner premiered on Leicester Square as the world’s first super boutique hotel. The size of a resort with the attention to detail of a boutique hotel, The Londoner features 350 bedrooms and suites, six restaurants and bars, two private screening rooms, a collection of inspiring event spaces and a stunning ballroom. All guests also enjoy access to three beautiful guest-only spaces at The Residence, as well as The Retreat, featuring a pool, cabanas, gym, hair and nail salon, gentlemen’s barber and superfood clinic.

The hotel’s opening coincided with a milestone birthday. Leicester Square itself had just turned 350 years old, stretching back

into an illustrious history that had seen eminent tenants such as Frederick, Prince of Wales, William Hogarth and Sir Joshua Reynolds take up early residency. Over time however, Leicester Square’s sparkle began to fade and its appeal waned. The Londoner is part of a great regeneration project, with the ambition of restoring the area to its former glory as the West End’s beating heart of culture.

The Londoner’s magnificent edifice fronts more than a luxury five-star hotel. The building is home to a spectacular living art gallery, comprising over 100 modern paintings, sculptures, murals and objets d’art. This meticulously curated collection, in tandem with live music and regular experiences, are

helping to redefine Leicester Square as a vibrant, creative hub of art and culture.

While The Londoner was partially conceived to bring prosperity to the area, it was also important that it fulfilled and exceeded its ambitions to be sustainable. To this end, the hotel secured an industry-first £175m Green Loan from HSBC UK to fund the building and implement sustainable technologies. This resulted in 30 per cent less carbon usage than regulations demand and helped The Londoner achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) rating, allowing guests to stay and meet at the hotel with clearer consciences.

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The Londoner’s magnificent edifice fronts more than a luxury five-star hotel. The building is home to a spectacular living art gallery

Yet there was another, Covid-shaped obstacle in the way, and opening in the midst of a pandemic presented many challenges.

But, as Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘Out of adversity comes opportunity’. With 16 storeys featuring bedrooms, restaurants, bars, a spa and event spaces, The Londoner was in a position to offer hundreds of jobs at different levels during a time when the market was uncertain and volatile.

From securing jobs to building relationships, The Londoner enjoys close ties with other great British brands, institutions and organisations.

Partnerships with those such as London Fashion Week, British Fashion Council and Royal Academy help strengthen and support the arts and culture community, building a bridge between people and their city. One of the highlights of 2021 saw The Londoner hosting the next generation of young influencers and trendsetters across various key industries.

Over Christmas, The Londoner continued the important work of supporting young artists, commissioning student Max Boyla from Royal Academy Schools to create a Christmas installation. The Unreachable Star was spawned from our post-pandemic world, portraying a wishing well in the form of a helping hand. Everyone has probably either accepted or offered a helping hand recently, so this installation was a powerful reminder that we can overcome anything together.

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LUXURY FAMILY HOTELS

Innovative and award-winning hotels for all the family

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: New Park Manor in the New Forest is a former royal hunting lodge; the swimming pool at The Ickworth; swinging fun at Woolley Grange; Luxury Family Hotels prides itself on creating lasting memories

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‘At Luxury Family Hotels, we pride ourselves on providing the perfect conditions for our guests to have magical moments and lasting memories’

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uxury Family Hotels is a collection of five outstanding family-friendly hotels – Fowey Hall, Moonfleet Manor, New Park Manor, The Ickworth and Woolley Grange – with distinct personalities across the southern half of England.

All five of the award-winning hotels are specifically set up for families, offering 90 minutes of complimentary childcare per night in the ‘Four Bears Den’, a Luxury Family Hotels staple. Excellent facilities range from indoor and outdoor swimming pools to games and cinema rooms, spas and restaurants with their very own kitchen gardens. The hotels’ mission is to give guests the freedom and opportunity to spend precious time with those who matter most.

‘At Luxury Family Hotels we pride ourselves on providing the perfect conditions for our guests to have magical moments and lasting memories’, says group Managing Director Simon Maguire. ‘The past two years have made families re-evaluate what’s important to them, and many have found our properties to be the perfect setting in which to reconnect and reset. In light of all the international travel restrictions, families have rediscovered the joys of the great British break, and our team has worked hard to provide a range of local, immersive experiences, unique to each of our properties, offering guests a chance to discover the amazing areas in which our hotels are located, on foot, by bike and by sea.’

The ultra-stylish Fowey Hall in Cornwall is thought to be the inspiration for Toad Hall in Kenneth Grahame’s classic, The Wind in the

Willows. Following a multi-million pound, top to toe refurbishment, the hotel reopened its doors in 2020 with a raft of new family-friendly facilities, with further developments to be unveiled this summer. Following the launch of Fowey Hall’s children’s library, all properties now house their very own literary havens, with books that guests of all ages can enjoy throughout their stay.

Moonfleet Manor is an extensive country estate overlooking Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, while New Park Manor is a former royal hunting lodge surrounded by the natural beauty and wildlife of the New Forest.

Woolley Grange is a secluded Jacobean manor house on the edge of the pretty wool town of Bradford-on-Avon. Summer 2021 saw the launch of its glamping suites, which completely redefine the experience of sleeping beneath canvas. The stunning suites come with master and twin bedrooms, fully plumbed bathrooms, woodburning stoves and private terraces and guests enjoy full access to all the usual facilities and also the pop-up restaurant, The Hideout. Due to popular demand, the offering will return – with some exciting new additions - from spring this year.

For stays a little further north, The Ickworth near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk is an Italianate palace (former seat of the Hervey family) within a stunning 1,800-acre National Trust estate.

2022 will see several further innovative projects. Simon says, ‘We continue to see exceptional demand for British staycations through this year, and as such we are continually investing in our offering to elevate the Luxury Family Hotels’ experience to even greater heights. From further property developments and refurbishments to brand partnerships and wellness offerings, 2022 is set to be our best year yet!’

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onefinestay’s handpicked houses are a home-from-home for discerning travellers

ONEFINESTAY

Unlocking the finest homes in the world’s most desirable destinations

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ounded in 2010, onefinestay was the first hospitality brand to capture the gap in the market for the rental of high-end private homes. Ever since, it has set the standard for luxury private rentals, offering a personalised service and a dedicated concierge as part of every stay. It remains one of the only brands to offer a range of beautiful villas, chalets and city homes, catering for virtually every type of stay.

With over 5,000 homes in over 50 destinations, the teams at onefinestay rigorously inspect every property to make sure it is fully equipped for a relaxing, genuine home experience. Homes are

handpicked for their character, sense of style and elegance, and often spectacular beauty.

Always asking ‘what next?’, onefinestay takes a highly selective, thoughtful approach to the homes it adds to its portfolio, curating with care so that all the homes complement each other.

Following a continual demand for private and safe travel experiences since the pandemic, the expansion of its villa collection, points to its dedication to broaden its footprint across the most desirable lifestyle destinations. With more to launch, onefinestay has expanded its reach to Santorini, Mykonos, Ibiza, Costa del Sol, Cannes, St Tropez, and Aspen, Colorado.

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Throughout the pandemic, onefinestay responded nimbly to people’s need for flexible, all-inclusive, longer stays with an enhanced monthly rental offering. No other premium rental company offers the same level of service, flexibility and attractive pricing on these types of longer stays. onefinestay also helped out heroically with the new online service NHS Homes, offering NHS staff and frontline healthcare professionals complimentary stays in London homes. onefinestay’s homeowners are house-proud, people who want to enjoy the benefits of shortterm renting with the assurance that someone is looking after their home as if it were their own.

Partnering with onefinestay provides homeowners with an opportunity to open their beautiful homes to appreciative, pre-vetted guests, who equally

value the time and attention put towards creating a stunning place to live.

Discerning guests choose onefinestay because they know that they will receive top quality service and a prime neighbourhood. Celebrities, highnet-worth individuals and busy global travellers are attracted to onefinestay because of its utter discretion and guarantee of total privacy. Plus, its concierge service goes a step further to offer every convenience from childcare or private chefs to booking theatre tickets or a table at a popular restaurant. Guests often describe their experience with onefinestay as checking into a luxury hotel and having it all to themselves.

Ultimately, the teams at onefinestay can match each guest to their perfect home, guaranteeing happiness every time.

onefinestay has set the standard for luxury private rentals, offering a personalised service and a dedicated concierge as part of every stay

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Always at the forefront of the luxury hotel scene, The Savoy has been welcoming guests since 1889

THE SAVOY

Where luxury is constantly redefined

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he Savoy has long been globally renowned as the home of British luxury hospitality, but the last year saw even more reinvention and creativity as the hotel emerged from the pandemic.

The hotel developed its Savoy at Home delivery service, allowing guests to enjoy a taste of The Savoy even while its doors were closed during lockdown. Beautifully prepared afternoon teas, Wellingtons, pies and signature cocktails were delivered across London and the south east.

In April, the hotel collaborated with Bowmore, Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, to transform

the world-famous Savoy Court into Solas, a glamorous al fresco dining destination. Solas, derived from Gaelic and Old French meaning light or celebration, saw Savoy Court reimagined with a sparkling central chandelier, delicious seafood menu and wonderful cocktails. Throughout the summer, it became a popular destination to gather for fun and post-lockdown indulgence.

The Savoy has a reputation for serving the best afternoon tea in London, a tradition dating back over a century. Afternoon tea is still served in the Thames Foyer under the glass-domed atrium, where a pianist plays in the gazebo to delight guests. When indoor hospitality

resumed, guests flocked back to sample the warm and friendly service, a choice of over 30 teas and delicious patisserie and tasty savouries created by Executive Pastry Chef Daniel Pearse, and his team.

Determined to continue reducing waste, in July The Savoy did just that and started a cocktail revolution by partnering with ecoSPIRITS, the world’s first low carbon, low waste spirits distribution system. Instead of glass bottles, ecoSPIRITS uses refillable, reusable, large format glass vessels. Combine this with hyper local ingredients, and a tree planted for every cocktail sold, and by the

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The Savoy has a reputation for serving the best afternoon tea in London, a tradition dating back over a century

end of 2021, The Savoy’s guests had created a forest of 1,600 trees.

Last year also saw The Savoy’s history come alive in an extraordinary way. Few people might know that the young Guccio Gucci worked at The Savoy as a luggage porter. Witnessing guests’ luxurious luggage and elegant clothes daily inspired him to start his own leather goods company in 1921. The rest is history, as Gucci went on to become one of the world’s most celebrated fashion houses. The Savoy and Gucci marked the fashion house’s centenary with the creation of the Royal Suite by Gucci, transforming its flagship suite and adorning it with art from Christie’s.

Another innovation for 2021 was the opening of The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay, offering relaxed, stylish all-day dining, with a menu showcasing the very best British shellfish and seafood.

The celebrated American Bar saw Shannon Tebay from New York join the team as the first American and second female head-bartender.

Shannon has a formidable reputation for her creative cocktails so The Savoy and its guests are enjoying seeing her show her creative flair in this historic setting.

In 2021, Reverie: A Savoy Christmas was full of fizz and glamour; guests could walk through a champagne forest down to a shimmering moon boat, with festive decor being inspired

by Art Deco illustrator Kay Nielsen. Throughout 2022, The Savoy will continue to offer guests the warmest of welcomes, the best service and the ultimate memorable experiences.

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p316

ARTISAN DU CHOCOLAT

p318

BERRY BROS & RUDD

p320

BETTYS

p322

THE CONDUIT

p324

THE COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY

p326

DOUBLE DUTCH DRINKS

p328

HAMBLEDON VINEYARD

p330

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL

p332

THE KING’S GINGER

p334

NICHOLSON GIN

p336

NO. 3 GIN

p338

PRESTAT

p340

TANQUERAY NO. TEN

p342

FOOD & DRINK

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12 HAY HILL

The Mayfair members’ club breaking ground in the business world

12 Hay Hill expertly combines business with pleasure, with fantastic working spaces alongside delicious dining and cosy spots to unwind with friends

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‘Members can keep up with the pace of change when connecting with remote clients and colleagues in stylish meeting spaces’

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ounded in 2015 as London’s premier business members’ club, 12 Hay Hill has pioneered ‘club-working’. A prime example of how the social club has evolved, it’s a modern way to do business in a rapidly changing flexible working landscape. Set in a striking building in the heart of Mayfair, this is the first members’ club to provide businesspeople with fivestar service and a high specification, curated environment in which to meet, entertain and conduct business. Some members even base their entire enterprise there.

With technology blurring the boundary between work and home life, the club is setting the bar high. They go way beyond the usual very British concept of the private members’ club as a destination for fun. This is even more of an achievement considering the challenge of the past two years. But they took the opportunity to grow and adapt as the members’ needs changed throughout the pandemic, providing a space to work – while taking all the measures needed.

The club was further enhanced by investment into virtual meeting capabilities and larger meeting rooms complete with fantastic A/V technology. This means that members can keep up with the pace of change when meeting remote clients and colleagues in super stylish meeting spaces, with floorto-ceiling windows and magnificent artwork.

The ground floor meeting room even sports a four-tier chandelier. The club’s director, Stephanos Issaias, explains: ‘club-working offers the exclusivity, leisure space and social

networking of a traditional private members club and combines these with an unashamedly work-friendly environment.’

From finance to fashion, their fast-growing membership comprises a diverse community of industry leaders, influencers and innovators.

With foreign travel curtailed in 2020, they saw a surge in international members, who are giving up their London offices in favour of a flexible workplace. The club has been hailed by members as a place to work, meet and impress ‘seamlessly’. This is also thanks to the various business lounges plus a large roof terrace with stunning views over Berkeley Square. The club’s

restaurant offers exquisite fine dining while the opulent bar is perfect for unwinding with clients, friends and colleagues.

In addition, there are events for members, featuring some of Britain’s finest thought leaders. They range from talks by business leaders and politicians to insights from top brands and lively discussion of cultural or business trends – such as the Davos Debrief in association with the FT which discussed the economic effects of Covid-19. It’s not all business though. They run a series of social events from wine and spirit masterclasses through to regular supper and cigar clubs, as well bringing exclusive events through partner brands such as Vacheron Constantin and Karnik Gallery.

The club prides itself on being a hub of inspiration. A central, comfortable and flexible environment in London’s most elegant neighbourhood, where great ideas are born and nurtured, deals are signed and businesses flourish. As the club concentrates on getting back on track after the pandemic, they are looking to adopt more sustainable practices in between continuing to adapt to client’s needs. They also hope to open a second site in the future.

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Innovation with style: Artisan du Chocolat’s whole fruit bar is the first in the UK to incorporate the cocoa fruit

ARTISAN DU CHOCOLAT

Redefining the taste of adventure in chocolate making

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ver since Gordon Ramsay first discovered Artisan du Chocolat on a stall in Borough Market, and famously ordered its now signature No1 Salted Caramels for Claridge’s, Artisan has been a firm favourite among leading British chefs. Today, it continues to feature at some of the UK’s best tables. Key to its success is an intriguing combination of British flavours and sophisticated European techniques and skills, in particular its ganaches, truffles and pralines.

Anne Weyns founded Artisan du Chocolat in 1999 to craft chocolates entirely for pleasure.

Still created with passion and manufactured entirely from an atelier in Kent, Artisan products have redefined modern luxury British chocolate.

In late 2020 Artisan du Chocolat was acquired by Mohamed Elsarky, the former Global CEO of Godiva chocolatier and now Chairman and CEO of Artisan. The brand is undergoing a renaissance, with new product ranges, creative collaborations and vibrant new packaging, to be unveiled in 2022.

Artisan’s creative and varied range is made in small batches with a hands-on, artisanal approach to the manufacturing process.

This ensures the production of exceptionally

high quality, beautifully crafted pieces with sensational flavours, many of which are handfinished and hand-decorated.

Artisan du Chocolat passionately believes that the cocoa bean’s quality and provenance are paramount to the quality of the product.

This belief has taken the brand deep into Amazonia to discover authentic cacao Fino de Aroma cocoa beans. These rich beans are cultivated from Criollo and Trinitario trees, from regions that produce only 12 per cent of the world’s cocoa supply. Here, Artisan has partnered with Casa Luker, a supplier who respects and cares for cocoa farmers.

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Still created with passion and manufactured entirely from an atelier in Kent, Artisan products have redefined modern luxury British chocolate

The growers and their families benefit from Artisan’s support, which strengthens their productivity and enhances the wealth, education and wellbeing of their communities.

Artisan also produces a 78.5 per cent dark chocolate from the El Rosario estate in Necocli, Colombia. Once a rundown and barren cattle farm, this 550-hectare estate was re-planted with 600,000 cacao trees. This dense, regenerated cacao forest is bringing hope to the local community with new jobs. It’s also now home to 139 (and counting) species of exotic birds. The chocolate is packed in recyclable, plastic-free board packaging.

Some of Artisan’s irresistible chocolates are crafted using cocoa liquor. This is a littleknown off-shoot of the cocoa bean and Artisan

sources it from Colombia and other parts of Latin America. The liquor allows cocoa artisans to be more creative, opening a new world of chocolate possibilities.

In September 2021, Artisan du Chocolat proudly launched its Whole Fruit Dark Bar. This was the first chocolate bar in the UK to incorporate the cocoa fruit. Normally, 70 per cent of the fruit is wasted, but this bar is made by upcycling the entire cacao plant, including its fresh, fruity pulp. High in fibre and vegan friendly, the Whole Fruit bar contains no refined sugars, lecithin or added flavourings. Reflecting its commitment to sustainably and ethically produced products, the bar also improves cocoa farmers’ quality of life by providing an additional stream of income.

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Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant. Today, it is overseen by Lizzy Rudd (right) as Chair

BERRY BROS. & RUDD

Three centuries of expertise in fine wine and spirits collecting

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ounded over three hundred years ago in the heart of London, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant. The family owners have a distinct perspective on business, working in a way that respects the past while looking ahead and protecting the company for the next generation and beyond.

This has meant remaining at the forefront of progress, from becoming the first independent wine merchant to open up an online shop, to expanding overseas. Today, the company, which is overseen by Chair Lizzy Rudd, has international offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and the USA,

as well as exclusive fine wine events spaces in London’s St James’s. It also holds two Royal Warrants for HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.

Over the last three centuries, Berry Bros. & Rudd has continually adapted and evolved to ensure its notable success – something that has never been more necessary than during the pandemic. Able to draw on strong relationships with producers, partners, colleagues and customers, the business implemented changes across all its services. These included the introduction of at-home virtual tastings – featuring the delivery of fine wine, glassware and

everything else needed for the experience – plus hosting events and webinars with producers and experts over Zoom to ensure that the wine community still had access to the company’s knowledge. It also launched an ‘At Home’ service of chef-prepared meals with accompanied bottles selected by three in-house Masters of Wine.

Berry Bros. & Rudd is a company built on relationships, and it’s the quality of these that has seen it become the go-to establishment for fine wine and spirit collectors globally. The buyers work in the most important wine regions, building an outstanding portfolio of producer partners and direct contacts with some of the best winemakers

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The buyers work in the most important wine regions, building an outstanding portfolio of producer partners and direct contacts with some of the best winemakers in the world

in the world. Some are long-established stalwarts of the industry; others represent the most exciting rising star talents. These include Château Les Carmes Haut Brion, which was singled out

by Bordeaux buyer Max Lalondrelle. Max supported the estate, helping it to build its reputation; as a result, Berry Bros. & Rudd’s customers have access to this hugely desirable wine. Another example is Leclerc-Briant, a trailblazing champagne producer focusing on organic and biodynamic viticulture. LeclercBriant’s emphasis on sustainability is closely aligned with the wine merchant’s own environmental ambitions.

With the future in mind, some of the most important decisions the company faces are around how to reduce its impact on the planet – which is why the business has a goal of being net carbon zero and plastic free by 2030. A

new state-of-the-art warehouse, set to open in the summer, will be carbon neutral by 2025, and it is introducing a cork recycling initiative.

The business also recently launched its first ‘capsule free’ wine bottle, the 2019 Own Selection Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This removes unnecessary packaging and reduces carbon emissions – ideal for wines that will be consumed shortly after purchase (capsules protect the wine for longer).

But the company’s mission to lessen its impact and promote best practice in the industry doesn’t stop there. It is working closely with its producers to highlight the excellent work they are doing to reduce their impact, support biodiversity and work more sustainably. This is bound to resonate with the company’s huge and loyal customer base, who rely on it for expertise in building fine wine collections that will bring them pleasure for years to come.

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BETTYS

Charming tearooms with Swiss-Yorkshire heritage and exceptional service

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n 1919 when Bettys first opened in Harrogate, it was exactly as Swiss-born baker and chocolatier Frederick Belmont had envisaged: customers were greeted by a tempting array of confectionery in the shop and served traditional English afternoon tea in the elegant café next door.

Over a century later, more than two million customers visit Bettys each year. In addition to the original Bettys Café Tea Room in Harrogate, there are now branches in York, Northallerton, Harlow Carr and Ilkley, serving handmade bread, cakes and chocolates from the awardwinning in-house bakery, the finest teas and coffees, and freshly prepared Swiss-Yorkshire savoury specialities.

As a business, fourth generation familyowned Bettys is used to weathering storms.

When it opened, World War I had been over for less than a year, rationing was still in force and it had been just a couple of months since the third

wave of Spanish flu was declared in Europe.

Bettys has always been proud to lift customers’ spirits by offering little comforting luxuries.

Then, as today, beautiful cakes and treats are a reminder that pleasure can be found in small things. Just as Bettys has survived depression, recession and war in the past, it has kept going in the face of the present pandemic-related challenges. While the shops and tea rooms were closed during the lockdowns, the online shop saw huge demand and sent out around 415,000 parcels of its signature Fat Rascal scones, chocolates and cakes to people seeking solace, if only for a few minutes, over a slice of cake and a cup of tea.

In 2021, it was honoured to win the Community Award at the Yorkshire Post’s Excellence in Business Awards, which celebrates those who have made a tangible difference during the Covid crisis. Staff rose to the challenge of supporting others by finding creative ways to fundraise, diverting food which would have gone to waste into the community, and delivering parcels of appreciation to frontline workers in hospitals and care homes across the county. Each year staff also nominate charitable organisations they’d like to support; in 2021 Bettys’ dedicated team members raised over £91K for charities close to their hearts.

From the outside, Bettys looks like a traditional business but it is constantly adapting – and that includes becoming certified as carbon neutral. It delivers around 2,000 parcels each month by electric vehicle, uses 96 per cent renewable energy and has predominantly Yorkshire-based suppliers that includes sister tea and coffee company Taylors of Harrogate.

Taylors is a founding member of the Ethical Tea Partnership (which works on long term programmes for a fair and sustainable tea industry) and was recognised by the UN at the recent COP26 in Glasgow with a Global Climate Action Award.

The impressive numbers over the last year speak for themselves: there were 5.9 million visitors to the Bettys website; 1.8 million visitors to the tearooms and nearly two million Fat Rascal scones and 800,000 fondant fancies sold overall. The cafés remain beacons on the high street, shining steadily in a world of constant change – and making each customer’s day a little brighter through excellent caring service and delicious, lovingly crafted confectionery.

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Bettys has been cheering its customers and renewing flagging spirits since 1919

Bettys has always been proud to lift customers’ spirits by offering little comforting luxuries

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THE CONDUIT

Gathering changemakers to solve real-world challenges

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he Conduit is home to a global community of people passionate about achieving positive social, environmental and economic change. The club was established in 2018, and its new home at 6 Langley Street, Covent Garden was recently opened by co-founders Paul van Zyl and Nick Hamilton (a human rights lawyer and financier respectively).

A haven of ethical hospitality to its 3,500 members, The Conduit comprises six floors of member spaces, a rooftop restaurant and terrace, bars, event spaces, a member-curated bookshop, podcast studio and workspaces for impact businesses.

The newly opened ground-floor restaurant, Warehouse, is open to non-members, welcoming diners to join the journey to help drive positive change as they enjoy seasonal, sustainable food.

The design and décor principles throughout The Conduit and Warehouse are anchored around supporting gifted artisans from the Global South and circularity through the use of upcycled and vintage pieces.

The Conduit’s aim is to accelerate crosssectoral collaboration and generate solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, including climate change, poverty, food security, global healthcare, sanitation and racial and gender equity. Its ethos is inspired by the African concept Ubuntu: ‘I am because we are’ and its core belief is that humanity’s greatest achievements come from cooperation and recognising our connections to one another.

Events and experiences have included speakers such as Al Gore, Muhammad Yunus, Christiane Amanpour, Alannah Weston, Richard Curtis and Afua Hirsch. The Conduit’s digital programming keeps the community connected wherever they are in the world, offering a diverse range of multimedia content.

The Conduit also implements strategic Impact partnerships with organisations that include Google and Unilever to inspire new ideas, come up with innovative solutions and amplify and accelerate corporate social impact and sustainability programmes.

In November, at COP26 in Glasgow, The Conduit hosted Conduit Studio from The New York Times Climate Hub. Throughout the conference, it broadcast cutting-edge insights and expertise in partnership with its Impact Partners Julius Baer, SYSTEMIQ and DLA Piper.

The Conduit’s community comprises changemakers from a wide array of backgrounds, including social entrepreneurs, investors, activists, academics and leaders from the not-for-profit space, government, INGOs, activists and the corporate world, with over 80 countries represented. Members come together to share skills, knowledge and resources, including capital investment. In 2021 it launched its Impact Champion Programme for a group of passionate and committed members who work with the community to deliver real impact around the areas they specialise in.

The Conduit’s vision as being a vehicle for positive change has been strongly reinforced since the club opened in Covent Garden with members able to meet, collaborate and participate in events in person as well as online. The Conduit is continuing to find new ways to catalyse its community in 2022, and is excited about the role it can play in the hospitality industry as the sector recovers and rises to the challenge of becoming more ethical and sustainable.

The Conduit 6 Langley Street London WC2H 9JA theconduit.com theconduitlondon warehouselondon

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Every year, The Conduit hosts over 150 talks, workshops and experiences with guests such as Leroy Logan in conversation with Afua Hirsh (left)

The Conduit’s aim is to accelerate cross-sectoral collaboration and generate solutions to the world’s greatest challenges

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As one of the leaders of the new English whisky scene, The Cotswolds Distillery has won critical acclaim from far and wide

THE COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY

Spearheading the emerging English whisky scene

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ounded in 2014 by whisky lover Daniel Szor, The Cotswolds Distillery is based in Stourton, a beautiful corner of the north Cotswolds where it welcomes 40,000 visitors every year. The company has been creating spirits for just under eight years, but it is already the recipient of over 100 prestigious global awards and exports a taste of the Cotswolds to 36 countries.

A leader in English whisky – a new entrant to the global market – The Cotswolds Distillery uses barley from local farms. The harvested barley heads to Britain’s oldest working

maltings in Warminster, where it is floor malted by hand using ancient methods (the wet grain is left on the floor to germinate for several days and turned every few hours) before being returned to the distillery. The result of this, as well as an unusual fermentation process and the double distillation, is the awardwinning rich and fruity Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky. It is loved by both connoisseurs and those new to the spirit, thanks to a balance and depth of flavour that belies its young age.

Having recently launched the Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt Whisky, a smooth and

elegant expression of the distillery’s character, the whisky portfolio has grown further to include the Cask Collection of four cask strength expressions and the Hearts and Crafts limited releases. The latter is inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, which, much like the distillery itself, promoted traditional craftsmanship.

Quality and flavour come above all else, and The Cotswolds Dry Gin continues to receive critical acclaim for its smooth taste and unmistakable pearlescent cloud that appears when ice or tonic is added – making it The Cloudy G&T. The cloud is caused by the high

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Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky is rich and fruity, loved by both connoisseurs and those new to the spirit thanks to a balance and depth of flavour that belies its young age

concentration of botanical oils in the gin; these include hand-peeled lime and pink grapefruit, which lend it bright citrus notes and a subtle hint of lavender, grown close to the distillery, that nods to its Cotswolds origin.

Provenance is an important part of the brand, and The Cotswolds Distillery wants to make a positive impact on the local environment and community. Last year, it worked with the Glorious Cotswolds Grasslands initiative to reseed the meadow adjoining the distillery with wildflowers. Plus, for every bottle sold from the Wildflower Gin Collection, a donation was made to the initiative. It is also proud to be contributing to the rural economy by providing employment across a variety of functions at the distillery, as well as two other outlets in the Cotswolds.

Last year, The Cotswolds Distillery was awarded a Best Told Story accolade by Visit England, in recognition of the great work the experiences team does in welcoming visitors to the distillery and sharing their passion for creating spirits with love and care through a variety of tours and masterclasses. It was also honoured to be included in a list of the world’s most admired whiskies, collated by industry experts. Crafting authentic Cotswolds spirits is what drives the team, and 2021 has been another impressive year of growth for this flourishing young artisanal business.

The Cotswolds Distillery Phillip’s Field, Stourton Shipston-on-Stour Warwickshire CV36 5EX +44 (0)1608 238533 cotswoldsdistillery.com cotswoldsdistillery COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 327

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Double Dutch is inspired by molecular gastronomy for its innovative flavour pairings

DOUBLE DUTCH

Premium mixers and tonics that combine full flavour with fun

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ouble Dutch is a drinks mixer brand that blends fusions of superb flavours, garnished with a strong belief in the importance of having fun. This female-driven company was founded

by Dutch twins, Raissa and Joyce de Haas, born and raised in the Netherlands, the birthplace of gin. Their business took off in their London university apartment while they were completing a joint (naturally) Masters in Tech Entrepreneurship.

‘We noticed that alcoholic drinks had become more vibrant and diverse than ever, while tonics and mixers had scarcely changed,’ Raissa says.

‘Joyce and I agreed predictable wasn’t good enough and set ourselves the challenge of shaking up the market.’ They experimented by pairing their own mixer innovations with a range of spirits, mainly at parties (of course), which led friends and family to dub them the ‘Tonic Twins’.

Joyce takes up the story: ‘Realising that a flavourful drink relies on the mixer as much as it does the alcohol, we took it upon ourselves to create a range of versatile products with new and unpredictable flavour pairings. That led to Double Dutch, a company whose mission is to ensure you never drink dull again.’

Success was immediate, with the 2015

Foodpreneur Award from Richard Branson and the honour of winning Best Adult Soft Drink at the World Beverage Innovation Awards the following year. Double Dutch now exports to over 40 markets. Next up in 2022, the USA. Double Dutch’s unexpected flavour pairings are designed to thrill the palate with new combinations using molecular gastronomy – otherwise known as the appliance of science to the understanding of food preparation. ‘Or for the drinks world,’ Raissa says, ‘you could call it molecular mixology.’

The result was the twinning of flavours like cucumber and watermelon or pomegranate and basil to make premium mixers that raise the bar

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‘We’ve dedicated our lives to creating Double Dutch. Our passion inspires our constant pursuit of new and exciting recipes’

every time – perfect to sip solo or versatile enough to savour with a range of spirits. Double Dutch’s flavour-led approach uses only the best ingredients, free from artificial sugars or preservatives; low in sugar, high on taste and quick to get the party started.

‘And we didn’t stop there,’ Joyce adds, ‘we’ve re-engineered ginger beer, created tonics to astonish, and last year we developed cocktail sodas – Bloody Mary Soda and Margarita Soda with Chilli and Cucumber – perfect if you’re not drinking and just as good with vodka and tequila if you are.’

‘Flavour isn’t enough though,’ she says. ‘As entrepreneurs, we must not leave the planet in a worse position than we found it. We engage with our supply chain to reduce our impact on

the environment.’

Last year was packed full: revenues more than doubled; distribution agreements made with PepsiCo in Belgium and Tesco in the UK; partnering with venues like Cliveden House, Chewton Glen, Soho House; an online subscription service allowing customers to enjoy Double Dutch easily every month; and an innovative mentoring scholarship programme for female bartenders and mixologists.

The twins’ ultimate vision? ‘We’ve dedicated our lives to creating Double Dutch,’ says Raissa.

‘Our passion inspires our constant pursuit of deliciously unexpected flavour pairings. Now it is time to tackle under-representation of females in the drinks industry and ensure Double Dutch achieves carbon neutral status in 2022.‘

Double Dutch Acre House 11/15 William Road London NW1 3ER +44 (0)203 744 0944 doubledutchdrinks.com doubledutchdrinks COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 329

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HAMBLEDON VINEYARD

Award-winning sparkling wines crafted

by England’s oldest commercial vineyard

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Ian Kellett and Hervé Jestin sample their wares; the Hampshire vineyards, winery and the final delicious product

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‘Our mission is to show British people that they can be proud of their own wines, that the quality is world-class, nothing less’

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ngland’s oldest commercial vineyard has been crafting exceptional wines for 70 years from the historic village of Hambledon, also known for being the birthplace of cricket. Hampshire, with its fine Newhaven chalk and cool yet sunny climate, yields the ideal terroir.

The vineyard was first planted in 1951 by Francophile Major-General Sir Guy SalisburyJones, who produced England’s first commercial range of wines the following year. Winemaker Bill Carcary joined the vineyard in 1966 and soon the wines were being served everywhere from embassies and the QE2 to the Houses of Parliament. In the mid-nineties, under new ownership, the vineyard sadly shrunk but in 1999 along came the passionate wine lover Ian Kellett. He acquired Hambledon and set about restoring it to its former glory, growing exceptional-quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Today, Hambledon Vineyard has Britain’s only fully gravity-fed winery (this is an operations system that uses gravity to move wine through various phases of production), which creates wines that are more sustainable and of the utmost quality. Grapes are 100 per cent estategrown on the property’s 200 acres of vineyards.

Winemaking is under the directorship of Hervé Jestin, a pioneering consultant winemaker and formerly a leading Chef de Cave in Champagne.

Last summer, Ian and his wife Anna fast realised that professional grape pickers, who usually came from Europe, had gone home. If nothing was done, the entire industry, and indeed the future of the sparkling wine industry, was in jeopardy. It was make-or-break. So, with just

a few days to harvest the grapes before they were spoilt by colder weather and rain, Ian and Anna took the decision to reach out to local and national media for help. ‘As the oldest commercial vineyard in the UK, we have always felt that we have a duty to protect our industry and lead it to the success and recognition it truly deserves,’ says Ian. ‘The quality of English sparkling wines has gone from strength to strength in the past decades, and we take pride in being one of this awakening’s most active stakeholders. Our mission is to show British people that they can be proud of their own wines, that the quality is world-class, nothing less.’

The media campaign ignited an outstanding response and drew attention to the plight of Britain’s wine industry at large. ‘We got calls from so many people in the region who wanted to help,’ says Ian. ‘Others wanted to live that convivial and unifying experience that harvest represents. People showed up, rolled up their sleeves and made it happen. Looking back, it was a miracle, and we are so thankful to our community for that.’ Hambledon was able to complete its entire harvest, a major achievement and one that Hambledon looks back on with pride.

Hambledon’s second major achievement of 2021 was installing a Biomass boiler, enabling it to use the wood left after pruning the vineyards during winter. ‘We’re so proud that the winery, offices, visitor centre and wine tourism facilities will soon be heated by renewable resources from our own vineyards,’ says Ian. Moving forward, the vineyard will continue to lead the charge to see British employers make long-term investments in its domestic workforce.

Instead of relying on labour from abroad, it hopes to see vineyards across the country building new skills and employment opportunities.

Hambledon Vineyard East Street Hambledon, PO7 4RY +44 (0)23 9263 2358 hambledonvineyard.co.uk hambledon_vineyard COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 331

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Only one in every ten thousand casks merits the accolade of the Blue Label, possessing the elusive quality, character and depth of flavour to deliver the remarkable signature taste

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL

Waves of flavour make Johnnie Walker Blue Label a masterpiece

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rom the world’s most recognisable name in Scotch, Johnnie Walker Blue Label is an unrivalled masterpiece – an exquisite blending of Scotland’s rarest and most exceptional whiskies.

The origins of Blue Label stretch back to 1867 when Alexander Walker, son of Johnnie Walker, created what he christened ‘Old Highland Whisky’. His intent was to create a blend that would combine flavours indicative of the ‘four corners’ of Scotland.

Only one in every 10,000 casks merits the accolade of the Blue Label, possessing the elusive quality, character and depth of flavour to deliver the remarkable signature taste: on the nose, waves of spice give way to vanilla

and honey; caramel and hazelnuts then course through dark chocolate on the palate, culminating in a luxuriously long, warming, smoky finish.

Today’s Blue Label is the jewel in the crown of whiskies from the House of Johnnie Walker. After maturing in oak for 30 years, it is bottled in distinctive bluetinted glass and individually numbered. Best reserved for extraordinary occasions, this truly outstanding whisky commands a premium reputation and value globally.

International awards abound, with Johnnie Walker Blue Label earning the Master title at the 2020 Scotch Whisky Masters.

Senior Brand Manager Ellie Deans says a year of

high-end partnerships ‘marks a new era for the luxury whisky’. Advertising across Vogue and GQ gave a platform to body positivity campaigner, model and Vogue contributor Charli Howard, and home-grown Welsh acting talent in Tom Rhys Harries.

The pioneering Scottish whisky also launched a first ever cultural partnership with Danish pioneer audio brand, Bang & Olufsen – an exclusive edition of Christmas gift packs containing a bottle of Blue Label and Beoplay EQ adaptive noise-cancelling wireless earphones.

Combining beautiful sound, rolling waves of flavour and matchless craftsmanship, the pairing with Scotland’s rarest and finest whisky provides an immersive experience without distraction.

Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, youngest ever Dragon on Dragon’s Den and host of The Diary of a CEO, one of Europe’s most popular business podcasts, hosted the exclusive launch at Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge. Ellie Deans reports that, ‘Lucky buyers were inspired by Steven Bartlett’s words through the superior sound of Beoplay EQ headphones, as they sampled the unrivalled flavour of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.’

On the environmental front, the Johnnie Walker brand is committed to improving the world we live in, starting with its home nation of Scotland. As 2021 began, it declared its vision of planting one million trees before 2025 across Alexander Walker’s ‘four corners of Scotland’, as part of its ongoing commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and restore natural resources used when creating its range of Scotch whiskies.

To date, 389,000 trees have been planted near two distilleries in the Scottish Highlands.

Over the lifetime of this project, these trees are anticipated to absorb over 69,000 tonnes of C02 – the equivalent of 10,500 flights around the world or driving almost half a million times from London to Edinburgh.

While a new year brings the excitement of new possibilities, Ellie says, ‘We are equally delighted to raise a toast – Slàinte Mhath – to the year that’s been.’ Please drink responsibly.

For the facts, drinkaware.co.uk.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Diageo plc Lakeside Drive London NW10 7HQ +44 (0)20 8978 6000 johnniewalker.com johnniewalker

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Johnnie Walker Blue Label earned the Master title at the 2020 Scotch Whisky Masters

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THE KING’S GINGER

A historic royal liqueur with a thoroughly modern environmental conscience

Delightfully warming, The King’s Ginger has delighted fans – both royal and not – for over 100 years

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It was originally blended by Berry Bros. & Rudd in 1903 for King Edward VII, who used it to keep the winter chill at bay

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he King’s Ginger is the perfect winter warmer, a ginger liqueur with a royal past and a thoroughly modern future. It was originally blended by Berry Bros. & Rudd in 1903 for King Edward VII, who used it to keep the winter chill at bay during long car journeys, it was soon adopted by his friends, becoming a fixture at Edwardian high society hunting and shooting weekends. It was the creation of The King’s Ginger which earned Berry Bros. & Rudd its first royal warrant in 1903. Now, the company holds two royal warrants, one from HM The Queen and the other from HRH The Prince of Wales.

The brand has immense pride in its past but is focused on its future. With this in mind, The King’s Ginger has gone to great lengths in recent times to assess and mitigate its environmental impact. Never has it been more important to ensure that every stage of the production process and supply chain has the future health of the planet in mind and that the brand is as socially and environmentally responsible as it can be.

In 2020, a new version of The King’s Ginger was released, its recipe tweaked to make it more appealing to modern tastes.

The new iteration of the famous liqueur is now presented in a redesigned bottle reflecting the shape of King Edward’s own portable hunting flask. Every element of the new King’s Ginger bottle is entirely recyclable.

The glass bottle is made from 40 per cent recycled content and the labelling is printed on 100 per cent recycled FSC certified paper.

Unlike many ‘recycled’ claims, which require no verification, the FSC Recycled label provides assurance that all the wood or paper in a product has been verified as genuinely recycled. Likewise, production of The King’s Ginger was recently repatriating to the UK, thereby reducing the average pack miles travelled by 91 per cent.

The King’s Ginger is proud to support The Prince’s Countryside Fund by giving it ten per cent of its profits. Established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2010, the fund exists to improve the prospects of family farms and the quality of rural life. The vision of The Prince’s Countryside Fund is of a confident, robust, sustainable agricultural and rural community, which is universally appreciated for its vital contribution to our British way of life and fit to support future generations. These aims resonate perfectly with the history and modern ethos of The King’s Ginger.

In 2021, the partnership between The King’s Ginger and the historic Mitre Hotel in Hampton Court – which reopened two years ago and was named Best New London Hotel 2020

by The Sunday Times – resumed, celebrating the shared royal historical connections of the liqueur and the hotel.

The annual collaboration centres on The King’s Ginger Winter Terrace where, during autumn and winter, mixed drinks, including King’s Ginger Hot Chocolate, Mulled Cider, and King’s Ginger Penicillin, a lifeenhancing combination of the ginger liqueur, lemon, honey and Islay whisky, were served.

These drinks are easy to imagine and even easier to drink.

Having recently updated itself for the 21st century, The King’s Ginger can now look forward to converting new generations of fans to this delicious tipple.

The King’s Ginger 3 St James’s Street London SW1A 1EG +44 (0)800 290 2440 thekingsginger.com thekingsginger COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK/GBB | 335

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NICHOLSON GIN

Handcrafted in London since 1736

Served in the most distinguished of venues, Nicholson Gin is truly a London original

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‘We are all extremely proud to be the new custodians of Nicholson Gin and look forward to making it a global brand once again’

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icholson Gin is one of the great spirit brands. It created the first London Dry Gin in 1736 and at its height, the company had a global reach, importing and exporting spirits to 130 countries, with its own brewery and a chain of 80 pubs.

The company was sold in the mid-1980s but in 2015 two descendants of the original family, Tim Walker and Nick Browne, bought it back and by 2017 Nicholson Gin was in production once more with its original London Dry. The last twist in this classic tale came in August 2021 with the acquisition of the Nicholson brand by Alex Johns, the new CEO, and Steve Goldman, the new COO, and a group of investors keen to make it a truly great British brand again.

‘The distillation is carried out by Charles Maxwell, a master distiller whose family have been involved in the production of Nicholson Gin for four generations,’ says Alex. ‘We have recreated our original London Dry, working with recipes from 1736 and adding a modern twist. The result is an exquisite London Dry flavoured with ten botanicals.’

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Nicholson Gin is now listed in several top British hotels, including The Goring and The Marylebone Hotel, as well as premium retailers such as Fortnum & Mason. ‘It is also the house pour at Lord’s Cricket Ground and we have achieved an overseas listing in Italy working with another heritage brand, the great Fernet-Branca estate,’ says Alex.

Nicholson Gin played a leading role in the cocktail boom of the Twenties and Thirties

and was featured in two of the most popular cocktail books of the era: Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and The Savoy Cocktail Book. With the cocktail craze currently at an all-time high, the team is busy recreating some of those original libations. ‘We plan to bring back our most famous cocktails such as the Hanky Panky, created by Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman, The Savoy’s famous bar-woman, for the actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, and the Gloom Raiser, once

served in The Savoy and the Waldorf Astoria.’

Top of the focus list for 2022 is a new range of environmentally-friendly packaging, a line of ready to drink beverages (RTDs) which will launch in the summer, as well as a carbon offset programme. ‘Brands must play an increasingly important part in helping the planet. We plan to be ahead of the curve and are looking at all sorts of innovations,’ says Steve.

The new team at Nicholson has been hard at work reimagining the bottle and the brand for its high profile relaunch in early 2022. Plans are in place to export to America, Spain, South Africa and Australia while in the UK, Nicholson will title sponsor The Cricketer Cup, the prestigious old boys public school cricket tournament, and support events such as Glorious Goodwood as well as music and food festivals.

‘We are all extremely proud to be the new custodians of Nicholson Gin and look forward to making it a global brand once again,’ says Alex.

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NO 3 GIN

Celebrating the pursuit of perfection

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ake London’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, add a team of spirit specialists and give them two years to create the perfect balance of juniper berries, zingy citrus peel and warming spices. And what do you get? Why, you get No 3 Gin, which, as producers Berry Bros & Rudd say, is ‘the world’s best gin’.

And the world agrees. No 3 Gin has been awarded World’s Best Gin four times since its launch more than a decade ago, including last year when it won World’s Best Gin for Pairing with Tonic at the People’s Choice Awards. It also won the Taste Master award for pre-bottled Vesper martini, created in partnership with martini maestro Alessandro Palazzi, head bartender at London’s legendary Dukes Bar. No 3 Gin is also proof that gin is so much more than just the ultimate aperitif. Last year, for example, it hosted its first No 3 Epicurean Experience – a series of intimate dinners in the private dining room at The Pem restaurant in Westminster, London. The dinners were built around exceptional food, exceptional drinks and an exceptional atmosphere. For the events, critically acclaimed head chef Sally Abé created a special three-course menu and No 3 Gin brand ambassador Ross Bryant personally developed three unique cocktails to perfectly match each delicious dish.

No.3 Gin, has been an offical sponsor of London Design Festival for three years. In 2021 they hosted their first panel discussion at the V&A with perfectionist from different fields who have made it their mission to uncover perfection in the everyday world. One panelist was New York based scientific photographer Justin Zoll – he spoke about microscopy and his partnership with No.3 Gin, revealing how he used science to transform the No.3 liquid into a visual masterpiece by freezing and magnifying it 40 times.

The icing on the cake in 2021 was winning the Belgravia in Bloom best display award for the No 3 terrace and

window takeover at the five-star Hari boutique hotel.

But, of course, the pandemic has made the past two years difficult for everyone and the hospitality sector has been particularly badly affected.

Mindful of this, No 3 Gin is a keen supporter of The Drinks Trust, a Londonbased community organisation that aims to help the local industry build back and surpass its former glory as one of the most illustrious scenes in the world.

In November, the Trust held its first Cream of the Crop auction to support the drinks and hospitality industry workforce by providing them with vocational, wellbeing, financial and practical support.

No 3 Gin also donates a percentage of its bottled cocktail sales to Hospitality Action, which offers vital assistance to all who work, or have worked in hospitality in the UK. Its range of support services help people get back on their feet after a setback and each year it assists thousands of people through challenging times.

‘The pursuit of perfection is never truly complete,’ says Brand Ambassador Ross Bryant. ‘We may have crafted the ultimate gin, but we’re not finished yet.

We are now in pursuit of the perfect martini, looking at every detail from the garnish, the glass and, of course, the mix. We will be working with the world-renowned glassware experts and fellow perfectionists, Nude, this year to design the perfect martini glass for the perfect No 3 martini. We will continue to pursue perfection,’ he adds, ‘with equal parts passion, precision and perfection’.

Berry Bros & Rudd 3 St James’ Street London SW1A 1EG +44 (0)776 6163741 no3gin.com no3gin

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‘We may have crafted the ultimate gin, but we’re not finished yet’

No 3 Gin has been awarded World’s Best Gin four times since its launch more than a decade ago

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PRESTAT

Delivering premium chocolates through constant innovation

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ounded in 1902 by Antoine Dufour, the inventor of the chocolate truffle, Prestat is the only sizeable artisan chocolatier in the UK to have complete control of the chocolate-making process from tree to truffle or bean to bar. The company is also one of only a handful of British chocolatiers to have been awarded two royal warrants.

Last year saw the appointment of Micaela Illy to the role of COO and the focus for the years ahead is fixed on two pillars: first, to foster and enliven the Prestat brand, leveraging its London-based history and masterful craftsmanship of chocolate truffles; and second, to uplift the company’s commitment to social responsibility and improve its environmental impact.

‘Sustainability is an integral part of Prestat’s business principles and plays a key role in ensuring our long-term business success,’ says Micaela. ‘We believe that our legacy is defined by our commitment to responsible operations, from how we set the bar for ingredients standards to the way we tackle food waste.’

The brand utilises only the finest cocoa provided by its sister company, Domori. Domori’s controlled supply chain works closely with farmers in Colombia, Ecuador to Ivory Coast to select only the best beans and with a network of NGOs, cooperatives and local authorities to guarantee the best working conditions and quality throughout the supply chain.

Prestat is also working on minimising its environmental footprint along the entire value chain. ‘We continue to challenge ourselves and try to re-think areas of our business where we can reduce our impact on the environment,’ says Micaela. ‘We are excited to announce changes to our packaging components, which will enable us to remove single-use plastic from most of our products by the end of 2022.

Furthermore, we are planning a major investment in our manufacturing facility with a focus on energy efficiency and the use of low impact materials. It is a long,

continuous journey of change to which we are fully committed.’

Another top priority for the brand is working with the community to extend its philosophy outside the factory. For example, it has long supported the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and its mission to foster British craftsmanship.

Whether it is treating farmers fairly, taking care of our environment or supporting worthwhile causes, the company is always looking for ways to do more. Last year alone it supported more than 20 different charities around the globe – including Plan Zheroes, City Harvest London, The October Club and Cancer Research.

‘We recognise that food waste is a worldwide issue,’ says Micaela, ‘so we decided to partner up with Too Good To Go, which connects businesses who have surplus food with consumers who want to buy it via an app. From helping alleviate food poverty to supporting children living with cancer in developing countries, giving something back is integral to our values.’

And Prestat is in no doubt about its continuing mission: ‘Our aim, as always, is to enrich human connections by creating premium uplifting chocolates for moments of shared joy, in an authentic, spirited, and ethical manner, safeguarding our British heritage of truffle making since 1902.’

Prestat 14 Princes Arcade London SW1Y 6DS +44 (0)20 8961 8555 prestat.com prestatfinesttruffles

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‘Our aim, as always, is to enrich human connections by creating premium uplifting chocolates for moments of shared joy’

Social and environmental responsibility are key focuses for Prestat in the coming years

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TANQUERAY NO. TEN

An ultra-premium gin with an explosion of fresh citrus in every sip

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n 1830, Charles Tanqueray began a journey to create unmistakable gin influenced by flavours from right across the globe.

Three hundred recipes later he landed on the perfect blend of four botanicals, which remains the unchanged recipe of Tanqueray London Dry Gin, its name reflecting both its distillation process and its origin in Bloomsbury, London. Today, Charles Tanqueray’s pioneering spirit lives on through the brand’s range of award-winning gins, and Tanqueray No. TEN adds an ultra-premium offer to his legacy.

Tanqueray No. TEN is inspired by Charles Tanqueray’s pursuit of perfection. It is distilled in small batches using a unique copper still called a Tiny Ten, which holds just 500 litres.

During the process, whole grapefruits, oranges, limes and chamomile flowers are distilled alongside the finest hand-selected botanicals to give a flavour that is unmistakably fresh, light and refined. Only the highest quality distillate is

used, giving the gin a smooth finish. The result is an explosion of fresh citrus with every sip.

Not surprisingly, the super-premium gin has been garlanded with many accolades since its launch in 2000. Indeed, Tanqueray No. TEN is the only gin in the world to have been inducted into the San Francisco Spirits Hall of Fame.

It’s also a firm favourite with bartenders and mixologists at the world’s top bars, restaurants and hotels. It is, after all, the essential ingredient for a perfectly balanced gin and tonic as its subtle flavours are complemented by ice, premium tonic and a wedge of pink grapefruit.

It is also eminently suitable as a base for top-quality cocktails, which many discovered a renewed interest in during the pandemic, inspired in no small part by Hollywood actor, producer and writer Stanley Tucci (pictured left) and his elegant cocktail videos.

Few embodied the quarantine spirit quite like Tucci and it was perhaps only a matter of time before the world’s favourite amateur bartender partnered with the world’s favourite ultra-premium gin. In an inspired pairing called ‘Tucci and No. Ten: Open for Orders’, the collaboration set out to show that, with the right ingredients, anyone can make the perfect gin-based martini.

In a series of short videos, Tucci mixes the perfect martini – Tanqueray No. TEN, dry vermouth, orange bitters, ice and a pink grapefruit twist, stirred rather than shaken – with Ago Perrone, the Director of Mixology at the Connaught Hotel, which recently came first in The World’s 50 Best Bars for the second year running. Also featuring alongside Tucci are renowned mixologists Claudio Lucolino, Pippa Guy and Jenna Ba as well as Marsha Rener, the head chef at London-based Lina Stores restaurants, who together share all the details on how to make a selection of Tanqueray No TEN cocktails, as well as delectable food pairing suggestions and inspiring hosting tips.

This is also a brand with a social conscience and it is a proud supporter of The Drinks Trust, which provides individuals with practical as well as financial and wellbeing support.

Charles Tanqueray set the standard for London Dry Gin. Now, nearly 200 years later, Tanqueray No TEN is doing the same for ultrapremium gin.

Tanqueray No. TEN Diageo 16 Great Marlborough Street London W1F 7HS +44 (0)845 6014 558 tanqueray.com tanqueraygin

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The world’s favourite amateur bartender partnered with the world’s favourite ultra-premium gin

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