Great British Brands - 2019

GREAT BRITISH

BRANDS 2019

150 British

success stories

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THE INTERNATIONAL EDITION 23/11/2018 10:29

Experience the power of extraordinary.

The new Continental GT.

From the first 1919 prototype to the new Continental GT – Bentley has been perfecting performance to deliver the ultimate grand touring experience. To experience it for yourself on a test drive call 0845 689 1624 or visit BentleyMotors.com/Continental The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2018 Bentley Motors Limited.

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The new Continental GT fuel consumption, mpg (l/100km): WLTP drive cycle – Low 12.7 (22.3); Medium 20.3 (13.9); High 23.9 (11.8); Extra high 24.1 (11.7); Combined 20.8 (13.6). Combined CO2 – 308 g/km. NEDC drive cycle equivalent – Urban 16.6 (17.0); Extra urban 30.4 (9.3); Combined 23.2 (12.1). Combined CO2 – 278 g/km.

Model shown: Continental GT.

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Great British Brands 2019

Contents Regulars 6 8 10 408

FOREWORD EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS INDEX

Features 12

16

22

28

33

38

45

LUXURY’S DECLINE AND FALL Stephen Bayley on the changing nature of luxury A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS Emilia Wickstead epitomises all that is great about British brands, says Alice B-B STAND UP AND BE COUNTED Britain’s fashion talent deserves shouting about, says Sarah Mower BRAVE NEW WORLD Marigay McKee on the shifting retail landscape THE MILLENNIAL MILLIONAIRE Rosamund Unwin investigates how a good idea and a laptop can lead to riches galore IT TAKES TWO How heritage brands stay relevant,

by Charlotte Metcalf BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT Emma Crichton-Miller and Nick Curtis on the artistic names to watch

FROM ABOVE: Alexander McQueen; Backes & Strauss; Boodles

The Brands 52

Fashion & Accessories

78

Jewellery & Watches

98

Iconic Destinations

110

Beauty & Wellbeing

134

Men’s Style

162

Shoes & Leather Goods

184

Sporting

206 Land, Sea & Sky 220

Designers

252

House & Home

298

Art & Culture

312

Property & Investment

330

Hotels & Travel

ON THE COVER Jenna Coleman wears bespoke dress by Emilia Wickstead, emerald arrow head GYPSET hoop earrings

by Jessica McCormack and net and bows from V.V Rouleaux.

Photograph by Rachell Smith.

Fashion direction by Nicole Smallwood. Make-up by Naoko Scintu at The Wall Group using SUQQU. Hair by Paul Donovan at CLM Hair and Make-up using VO5.

Nails by Emma Welsh @ Frank Agency using Leighton Denny Expert Nails

344 Food & Drink 362

Brands to Watch

Editor Lucia van der Post Editor-in-Chief Lucy Cleland Managing Editor Charlotte Metcalf Copy Editors Candida Crew, Kate Patrick, Maggie O’Sullivan, Matthew Bell, Matt Forbes-Dale, Richard Hopton Fashion Director Nicole Smallwood Retail Editor Rosalyn Wikeley Creative Direction & Production Parm Bhamra Junior Production Designer Samuel Thomas Production Coordinator Jenny Rowe Editorial Assistant Clementina Jackson Online Editor Rebecca Cox Digital Assistant Ellie Smith Junior Online Writer Bella Lewis Digital Intern Kerri Stolerman Technical Manager Hannah Johnson Marketing Manager Gemma Cowley Senior Account Manager Felicity Reid Junior Account Manager Ellie Rix Credit Controller Penny Burles Accounts Controller Aimi Nicastro Sales & Office Manager Daisy Orr-Ewing Associate Publisher Maya Monro-Somerville Finance Director Jill Newey Publisher Julia Carrick Managing Director Jeremy Isaac

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Copyright © 2019 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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Great British Brands 2019

Foreword trade mission to New York. Partnering with GREAT again ensures that Great British Brands flies the flag globally, spreading this upbeat message throughout 2019.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Morgan Motors, Hackett, As British businesses come to terms Johnstons of Elgin, Theo Fennell, Brompton Bikes and Johnnie Walker with the implications, opportunities and uncertainty deriving from Britain’s departure from the EU, luxury itself is elcome to Great undergoing its own metamorphosis. Its British Brands very essence is changing as our social and 2019. This – our cultural norms and expectations evolve at fourth edition a rapid pace. While it was once perceived – takes a more as the most expensive or well-known global stance as we stride out of 2018 product, today it is about something far and into the year that takes the UK more intangible, based on creating an out of the EU. Not only will the book experience that touches the consumer and be reaching a wider international remains with them, through the product, audience than ever this year, our service and retail environment (both real editorial also looks beyond our and virtual). Brands must seek to engage island nation to examine how with their audience in new, innovative ways. our luxury Luxury is craft too – whether that’s industry is perceived from outside and how, the purr of an Aston Martin 5.9-litre V12 without the input of foreign influence, many engine or a witty bespoke commission of our brands would not be the thriving, by jeweller Theo Fennell, the ‘aura’ that innovative industry leaders that they are today. is created around the brand becomes We are especially pleased to be working hugely desirable. Japan, China and once again with the GREAT Britain campaign, the Middle East know all too well a brand that itself now carries a lot of value for the value of British luxury. They British business. Throughout 2018, the actively seek out the ‘Made in Britain’ campaign has run a number of activities tag as a mark of excellence and we are all – to support the British luxury sector as consumers – becoming far more invested overseas – from the GREAT Festival of in brands that are rooted in heritage and storytelling Innovation in Hong Kong to a luxury and are of such authentic quality that they can be passed down from generation to generation.

New luxury taps into consumers’ emotions. The interest in experiences over acquisition means customers want to feel that they are getting something special, nor will they pay a high price for it just because it has a famous logo; there has to be intrinsic value. Transparency, provenance, sustainability and trust must also play their part.

So let us celebrate the brands within these pages who are true advocates of a British luxury philosophy and make Britain the creative and cultural powerhouse that is has always been and will – despite these turbulent times – continue to be.

W

Julia Carrick OBE, Publisher 6 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK /GBB

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COSMIC COLLECTION

LONDON

ST MORITZ

ZÃœRICH

NEW YORK

BEVERLY HILLS

MIAMI

TOKYO

OSAKA

A S P R E Y. C O M

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Great British Brands 2019

Editor’s Letter

H

ere we are with our fourth bumper edition of Great British Brands, our annual digest of what is happening in the world of all things deliciously, beautifully British. We’re still in that slightly strange territory of not quite knowing what Brexit will bring and yet, judging by the resilience, enterprise and sheer doggedness of the best of our luxury goods companies, we feel that somehow they will continue doing the things that they do best.

This year our esteemed panel of writers – some with an international eye – take a look at just how luxury is evolving in the face of all the challenges around them.

As the pace of innovation hots up so do our brands have to be ever more fleet of foot if they are to survive.

Stephen Bayley perceives a shift in the consciousness of the seeker after über luxury – a growing sense of antipathy to what he calls the ‘global glitter of shops and showrooms filled with expensive statusrelics none of which we really want’. In its place is a longing for quieter, less obtrusive forms of luxury, the arrival of what one might call a new sophisticated austerity (p12).

These same concerns are furrowing the brows of the owners of bricks and mortar stores the world over who are having to face up to the changing retail landscape. If anybody knows this world well, on both sides of the Atlantic, it is Marigay McKee, former director of merchandising at Harrods, then President of Saks Fifth Avenue and today retail consultant at MM Luxe Consulting.

She casts her stringent eye over the current scene in New York and London and suggests ways in which physical stores cannot merely survive but also prosper in the years ahead (p28).

Sarah Mower, chief fashion critic of Vogue.com, thinks that the British gift for innovation, the sheer creative

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Jenna Coleman wears bespoke Emilia Wickstead; Mulberry; Gieves and Hawkes; Maelstrom ring by David Morris

talents found in our vast pool of home-grown designers and our long history in craft and tailoring will see us through the current shifts and changes in the world but wishes that we were rather better at celebrating what it is we do so well (p22). And if heritage brands want a reboot, where do they look? To the out-of-the box collaboration, of course. Charlotte Metcalf investigates what magic brands like Huntsman and Reebok or de Gournay and Aquazurra can conjure up together (p38).

And what about new brands and wealth generation? Rosamund Unwin examines the rise of the millennial millionaire for whom great riches have been amassed through a good idea and a laptop (p33).

Between them Emma Crichton-Miller and Nick Curtis have identified some of the great new names to look out for from our deep pool of cultural talent, where so often Britain has much to offer the world at large (p45).

And finally – our front cover.

We are thrilled to have our very own Jenna Coleman, beguiling star of Victoria and The Cry, wearing a bespoke creation by Emilia Wickstead – two British talents we have every reason to be very proud of.

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Special Editions,

Morganite and Diamond Necklace

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Great British Brands 2019

Contributors SARAH MOWER

Great British brand: Fortnum & Mason.

I challenge anyone to walk in and not come out with a jar or box of something.

Great British icon: Grayson Perry. You couldn’t find a better symbol of British eccentricity and creative intelligence.

Great British Institution: BBC Radio 4 for state of the nation understanding.

Great British shop: Liberty. It’s a landmark, central to the great British history of arts and crafts; a place of pilgrimage.

MARIGAY MCKEE

STEPHEN BAYLEY

Great British brand: Range-Rover, obviously. There have been some peculiar aberrations (the new Discovery is, artistically, a complete dog), but – on the whole – a masterclass in value creation.

Great British Icon: Shakespeare, obviously. A man who knew the minds of princes and paupers.

Great British institution: The London Library. The smell, the veneration of books, the atmosphere of absolutely settled calm, magisterially vintage loos.

Great British shop: Tanner’s of Shrewsbury, an almost perfect wine merchant.

EMMA CRICHTON-MILLER

Great British brand: Burberry for its iconicity.

Great British icon: The Queen. I just adore her.

Great British institution: English breakfasts and roast dinners.

Great British countryside: The Cotswolds.

Great British band: Elton John, which shows my age but he is an icon and I grew up listening to him.

Great British shop: Harrods, it’s world-class.

Great British idiosyncrasy: School dinners, especially treacle pudding and custard.

Great British brand: Land Rover. Having accidentally ended up with a 20-year-old one, I find I have also unwittingly joined a nationwide fan club.

Great British icon: The Oak Tree – think of Tacita Dean’s amazing photograph of Majesty, the Fredville Oak, in the RA’s show.

Great British institution: The Royal Society – right there at the beginning of the Enlightenment, 1660.

Great British band: The Aurora Orchestra.

Great British shop: John Lewis – we must rally round in its hour of difficulty!

NICK CURTIS

EMILIA WICKSTEAD

ALICE B-B

RACHELL SMITH

CHARLOTTE METCALF

ROSAMUND UNWIN

Great British brand: Penguin classic paperbacks.

A thoroughly democratic product.

Great British icon: Spike Milligan. Changed the face of UK comedy and did it entirely on his own.

Great British institution: The National Theatre.

Denys Lasdun’s love-it-or-hate it building continues to evolve and mature. I love it.

Great British countryside: Ramsgate. Beautiful architecture and the UK’s only Royal Harbour.

Great British shop: Forbidden Planet. Because sometimes my inner comic nerd needs feeding.

Great British brand: Marmite. And Tom Davies – he is a master spectacles maker.

Great British icon: Frolics, picnics, break-ups and make-ups – it all happens in Hyde Park.

Great British institution: Wherever I am, sipping a G&T makes me feel like I’m home.

Great British countryside: The M40. It feels so symbolic: leaving the smoke behind as a patchwork of green unfurls ahead.

Great British idiosyncrasy: Talking about the weather.

Great British brand: Floris – one drop of Rose Geranium bath oil is still worth five of any other.

Great British institution: Institutions are what we’re best at so to pick one is impossible.

Great British countryside: The South Downs in Sussex with views of the sea on a sunny day.

Great British band: Rolling Stones – forever.

Great British shop: Fortnum & Mason – it shouts Christmas and festivity all year round.

Great British idiosyncrasy: Ceaseless apologising especially when unnecessary.

Great British brand: Fortnum & Mason.

It is so British, old world and wonderful.

Great British icon: The Queen.

Great British institution: Claridge’s. I love the Art Deco features and the powder rooms that are still original and take you to another time and place.

Great British countryside: Hampshire, for long walks, shopping and local country pubs.

Great British shop: Floris on Jermyn Street, which has been there since 1730. Incredible!

Great British idiosyncrasy: Chivalry.

Great British brand: Alice Temperley, classic with a twist.

Great British icon: Tower Bridge, my studio is close by, so I see it often and think how wonderful it is.

Great British institution: The University of the Arts, I studied photography there and had the most amazing experience.

Great British countryside: The New Forest.

Who doesn’t love seeing wild horses?

Great British shop: Woolworths. It’s such a shame it has gone but who didn’t love it as a child?

Great British brand: Erdem.

Great British icon: Kew Gardens.

Great British institution: The London Library.

(Cicero wrote that, ‘If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need’.)

Great British countryside: Argyll in Scotland.

Great British shop: Hatchards and Rigby & Peller – books and bras!

Great British idiosyncrasy: Saying something is ‘interesting’ when you mean it is awful; saying someone is ‘fun’ when you mean they’re annoying.

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Great British Brands 2019

OPINION

LUXURY’S D E C L I N E

A N D

F A L L

We’re sated by stuff. What we really yearn for is the simple, the quiet, the wellmannered – a sort of sophisticated austerity. STEPHEN BAYLEY explains

M

Photography by ALEXANDRA DAO

y favourite painting is in Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery. Giovanni Segantini’s The Punishment of Luxury is a How do we unpack this basket of meanings? The actual basket Symbolist curiosity of 1891, combining I am looking at contains pink YSL studded goat hair ankleboots, a crisp Alpine realism with muffled jewel-encrusted Montegrappa Sylvester Stallone fountain pen, evidently Indian mysticism. The subject is the not intended for actual writing (but on sale at £50,691), a Royal Oak souls of loose women, floating detached above a snowy meadow in the Engadine. Offshore Tourbillon Audemars Piguet Watch (£314,615) and a more modest, but nonetheless satisfyingly sinful, box of Charbonnel and Suffused with a melancholy eroticism, Walker truffles (£15). The thoughtful might see in these luxury goods which I was very alert to as a boy, it was originally called The a hint of morbid vanitas beneath the surface brilliance.

Punishment of Lust, but Victorian curators could not cope with Of course, there’s a socio-economic explanation to the rise the raunchy suggestiveness, so Lust became Luxury. of luxury, as well as to its own decline and fall. ‘Taste,’ Bernard Luxury is a huge, floppy, well-upholstered concept, bifurcating Berenson said, ‘begins when appetite is satisfied.’ Once beyond now. Like ‘sanction’, a word that can be used to mean quite the hard-scrabble subsistence, we acquire things opposite in that ‘to sanction’ something is both to give meaning and expression to our lives. to allow it and prevent it, luxury is acquiring The economists call these things positional opposite meanings. On the one hand, there goods. We call them luxury brands. is the familiar global glitter of shops and But the great European makers are showrooms filled with expensive status-relics, approaching a luxury crisis. Problems began none of which we really want. Personally, given in the Sixties when the banal Ford Anglia was a blank cheque I could start at one end of Bond offered in a ‘de luxe’ version. This signified Street and reach the other with the cheque still merely that it had a heater and a strip of intact. On the other, a new definition of luxury decorative chrome. Two generations later, that’s an emerging work-in-progress, but pushes he word ‘design’ became similarly abused the idea towards the immaterial. Perhaps even and, consequently, useless. towards Segantini’s mystical territory.

John Ruskin Unto This Last 1860-1862 Today ‘sensual purity’, according to The word has always had a troubled history.

Mercedes-Benz’s designer Gordon Wagener Etymologically, it is from the Latin ‘luxus’ represents ‘modern luxury’. I don’t think meaning abundance. (So when Toyota wanted anyone, even the experts, actually knows what that means. True, to create a luxury brand combining senses of rex-for-regality with the disciplined Germans have always been uneasy with luxury and sumptuous privilege, it coined the marvellous Japlish ‘Lexus’.)

BMW is no one’s idea of sumptuous decadence, let alone decay and In the 17th century ‘luxuriance’ meant ‘habitual use of what is corruption, but it’s a fine example of the current predicament. choice or costly’, something I think we might all recognise. Notions BMW’s reputation was built with a combination of exclusivity and of exquisiteness and indulgence were soon added to the meaning. quality which flattered the customer. Surely exclusivity and quality are By the late 18th century these were complemented by disturbing ideas part of any definition of luxury? But BMW’s success means that for of decay and corruption. So far as Edward Gibbon was concerned, many years its ‘exclusive’ 3-series has massively out-sold Ford’s plebeian luxury, and its close relation idleness, were responsible for no less Mondeo. And the arriviste Koreans are now at least the equal the than the decline and fall of the entire Roman Empire.

Germans in matters of quality. Where does that leave BMW? Or take Louis Vuitton. Demand for its products is slowing even in the once avaricious China where consumers in Beijing are now

‘Luxury at present can only be enjoyed by the ignorant; the cruelest man living could not sit at his feast unless he sat blindfolded’

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Like a rose will eventually decay, so luxury and its meaning is undergoing a radical transformation

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There’s luxury in simplicity like a beautiful bowl of peaches

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OPINION

sated and dizzied by handbag excess. So Louis Vuitton is opening stores in places we have never heard of: Xian Zhing Da, Wuxi, Jinan, Shenyang and Kunming. Wuxi consumers, we might guess, have a connection with Hermès’ nourishing domestic French culture which is as weak a current as their brand loyalty. Where will that leave Parisian chic?

Luxury is always perplexing. While the Utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham insisted that ‘necessaries come always before luxuries’, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright said he didn’t give a damn about life’s necessities, provided he had an ample supply of life’s superfluities. But he was being characteristically contrarian.

More certainly, how we define what’s necessary and what’s superfluous is a test of any culture’s maturity. Or any individual’s.

In that luxury involves privilege and pleasure, it’s a human fundamental, an appetite we all possess. At a certain stage of cultural development, there’s a need for stand-out: to signify promotion above mere mortals. The Roman vir triumphalis wore a purple and gold toga, laurel crown with red boots and sported a garishly painted face as he was drawn magnificently through the city.

To achieve the same ends (as well as to pull a bit of skirt), Gulf boys drive supercars noisily around Knightsbridge at the weekend.

Thus, a yellow Lamborghini Huracan is the equivalent of the Capuan Triumphator Arches, also built to receive fast-moving egos.

In Shenzhen there is a spa furnished with a hundred leather recliners with enormous plasma screens bolted to the ceiling above.

Dazed and pampered spa visitors dream of European luxury brands while, back at the factory, their colleagues industriously develop stratagems to destroy the European luxury goods businesses.

We are in a world where old European luxury brands are becoming a dressing-up box not just for heavyfooted Gulf boys, but also for crazy rich Asians careless of nuance, but demented by dreams of quickly and expensively acquired status. But consumer confidence is as fragile as consumer rationality, even in strong markets: recent research indicated that a surprising number of Chinese consumers thought Gucci was British. If you are Gucci, that may be not be good news.

Excess always occurs where new wealth is found. Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s Boeing 767-33AER was adapted to feature a banquet hall to seat 30, an interior fashioned with precious metals and fine woods, and perhaps most tellingly, a bedroom with a double bed. London newspapers reported that a Middle Eastern client rented a whole suite at a West End hotel to accommodate the bulging shopping bags acquired during a fitful orgy of consumption.

Great British Brands 2019

But modern Europe is now fatigued by its own luxuries, just as ancient Rome once was. Perhaps with the tacky ‘gout Rothschild’ in mind, a gold-plated Victorian bling, John Ruskin wrote: ‘Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness’.

But this weariness is itself an enjoyable privilege.

Advanced European taste is retreating from traditional luxury.

The designer Nicky Haslam prefers delightful simplicity: ‘a bowl of white peaches, a stack of books and a stash of candles’ are luxury to him and Terence Conran always believed vin ordinaire in unlabelled magnums makes it luxurious.

Meanwhile, recent research, from a survey of around 1.7 million people from 164 countries, found that earnings of around $60,000 was the ideal amount of money for happiness. But there is a stubborn resistance from old school spenders: Forbes magazine publishes a Cost of Living Extremely Well Index (CLEWI), a source of rich, if unintentional, comedy.

Forbes’ basket of ultraluxe goods includes an ebonised Steinway Model D Concert Grand, a Hatteras 75 yacht, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a pair of Purdey guns, one kilogram of Petrossian Oscietra caviar, Purity Doppio Ajour linen sheets, a Learjet 70 and an Hermès Clemence Jypsiere sac à main. What was that we were saying about weariness?

The more sophisticated you are, the more likely you will prefer simplicity... even austerity. Henry David Thoreau said, ‘Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes’. Thoreau, it must be explained, had his greatest thoughts while living alone in a wood cabin in the forest. If luxury is to do with privilege, then true modern privilege is to indulge in silence, space, fitness, cleanliness, appropriateness, tact and good manners.

This is why people travel first class on planes: you’d have to suffer from a severe delusional disorder to pay a premium of thousands to get a ‘free’ glass of champagne and a plate of gelatinous smoked salmon. What you’re paying for is to have pain taken away. This version of luxury is not a glut of positives; it’s more a lack of negatives. And meeting this new mood of sophisticated austerity is the creative and commercial challenge facing the luxury brand conglomerates, empires which, unless they evolve, may soon be as precarious as Rome itself became.

Coco Chanel always deserves the penultimate, mysterious word: ‘Luxury is a necessity that begins where necessity ends’.

Or as Manolo Blahnik puts it: ‘The greatest luxury is being free’.

Free, that is, from the pink YSL studded goat hair ankleboots and the ebonised Steinway. n

If luxury is to do with privilege, then true modern privilege is to indulge in silence, space, fitness, cleanliness, appropriateness, tact and good manners

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Great British Brands 2019

COVER STORY

A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS

Emilia Wickstead epitomises the very essence of a Great British Brand. Born in New Zealand, inspired by Italy and based in London, ALICE B-B meets the woman whose feminine designs are sought the world over Fashion direction by NICOLE SMALLWOOD Photography by RACHELL SMITH

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he’s the poster-girl designer for ladylike chic. This year alone, she has dressed royalty – both the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex, and Hollywood royalty Gwyneth Paltrow and Amal Clooney. And even today, sick as a dog, Emilia Wickstead is the epitome of elegance.

Most people with pneumonia would be snuggled up in bed, smothered in hot water bottles. But not Emilia Wickstead, who meets me in her Sloane Street shop, wearing her signature black pants, a houndstooth jacket and a sleek ponytail... not a hair out of place.

It’s this professionalism and unswerving drive that’s seen a little girl with a big dream become one of Britain’s most celebrated fashion designers.

‘There was a “fight for what you want” and “get up and do it” attitude growing up in New Zealand,’ explains Emilia. It helped that her mother was a fashion designer with her own business, so unlike most kids living in Auckland in the 80s, Emilia had access to fashion imagery.

‘In those days you couldn’t just buy international magazines,’ she explains. ‘So my mother would have British, American and Italian Vogue air freighted in every month.’ Emilia would pore over the glossy pages and pin favourite Steven Meisel shoots to her bedroom walls…

Wickstead’s trajectory was in motion.

Then, aged 14, Emilia’s mother married an Italian, so the family moved to Milan. ‘I felt very foreign because in those days Milan felt hard, obsessed by consumerism and totally different to New Zealand which is so free,’ explains Wickstead.

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Jenna Coleman wears a bespoke dress by Emilia Wickstead, based on Emilia’s S/S’19 collection but adapted to emulate Britain’s rich heritage with its leafy fern green colour

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Great British Brands 2019

COVER STORY

Emilia understands the power of clothes: how to make the wearer feel sexy but subtle, feminine but in control.

And there’s always a curtsey to oldschool glamour

‘It wasn’t until I was 18 and moved to London that I felt free again.’ Emilia studied at Central St Martins, filling any spare time watching footage of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen shows, learning about how the British Fashion industry champions those who push boundaries.

Post graduation, Emilia began making clothes in her living room. Word of mouth meant that two years later, aged just 24, she had enough clients to open her first shop, an atelier in Belgravia. Everything was bespoke and made-to-order with seamstresses beavering away in the basement. ‘We couldn’t afford to

carry stock and we didn’t understand the concept of wholesale. But working in Britain made me feel like I could achieve anything I wanted. There is a freedom of thought and a freedom of creativity in this country that I felt from the moment I arrived.’

Doing her own thing, away from the traditional machinations of the fashion industry, meant she built up a loyal following organically. Emilia’s model was an old-school way of shopping; she hosted fashion shows for her clients rather than for press. They had a list of looks, would tick what they liked and then shop the next day. ‘I learnt how to produce garments, manage a team and make a business, but most importantly, by working in that shop every day for five years, I learnt what the customer wanted.’

And her customer liked what Emilia gave them. ‘When I design a collection, it’s not about sitting down and sketching a pretty dress,’ she laughs. Emilia is a mother of two, a wife and head of a successful fashion empire.

She acknowledges the pressure of combining these worlds, while understanding the power of clothes to make the wearer feel sexy but subtle, feminine but in control.

And there’s always a curtsey to old-school glamour. ‘I love the art of dressing up, I’m sure I’m from another age,’ says Emilia. ‘As a designer I’m lucky that I get to live in a fantasy world and mine is definitely a very glamorous one. But I’m from New Zealand, which couldn’t be more casual. I think it’s the perfect balance… a realistic balance.’

FROM TOP LEFT: Emilia’s moodboard for the creation of the Great British Brands dress which referenced 1980s power dressing with its strong lines and tailoring; Emilia Wickstead S/S’19; the hairstyle with the bows added drama to Emilia’s spring/ summer collection and was adapted for the cover by adding bows to a veil worn by Jenna

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Great British Brands 2019

COVER STORY

Then in 2012, Emilia was approached by the British Fashion Council to show at London Fashion Week. ‘I was excited beyond belief,’ says Emilia. ‘It was my ultimate dream to show at London Fashion Week.’ She was no longer a secret whispered among the ladies of Belgravia.

Suddenly Emilia needed to make a physical jump and moved her flagship to Sloane Street. ‘We took a huge leap of faith moving to this shop,’ says Emilia of her pretty pink store, ‘and it worked. All of a sudden we shifted into an international spectrum of clientele.’

Keeping her customers sated means that this year alone Emilia created four main collections, two of which were shown at LFW, and three further capsule collections, including swimwear with Matches Fashion, sportswear with Bodyism and table linen with Moda Operandi. But it’s not all as rosy as her chintz-inspired dresses. ‘When I became part of LFW, the pressure was extreme, because I always

want to do bigger and better things. Every season I get so excited about what I’m going to do next, I put my heart and soul into it.

It’s tiring and intense,’ she says.

But however exausting, one thing that will never change is the made-to-order and bespoke element at the heart of Emilia’s business. ‘We’re the only store on Sloane Street to offer either a completely one-off couture design or a variation of a current design that we can turn around in just 20 days.

And it’s all produced in the UK,’ she says proudly. An example of this is the dress Jenna Coleman wears for the Great British Brands cover. When it originally sashayed down the catwalk for S/S’19, it was a light apple green. But for the Great British Brands cover, Emilia reworked it in a shade of leafy fern. ‘I love that dress,’ says Emilia. ‘The rich green is a nod to English heritage. It’s a very strong sculptural cut, but very feminine in the way it shows off your shoulders.’

It’s almost impossible not to consider Emilia’s career from a macro viewpoint and observe where she sits within the fashion world; her feminine aesthetic, fulfilling clients’ dreams while creating fashionforward collections that appeal to the press and staying true to her couture roots.

This would all seem to point to a big job at a major fashion house. What, I wonder, would Emilia do if, say, one day Christian Dior came knocking?

‘Who knows what the future holds!’ she says laughing. ‘But right now I’m so immersed in the brand, I don’t even have time to read a book.’

Watch this space... But in the meantime, I suggest that Emilia reads as many books as she can, because I’ve got a feeling that this elegant, exacting, talented woman’s life might get a lot busier. n Fashion assistant: Daisy Bryson Photographer’s assistants: Richard Kovacs and Oscar Yoosefinejad Make up: Naoko Scintu at The Wall Group. Hair: Paul Donovan @ CLM Hair and Make-up. Nails: Emma Welsh @ Frank Agency.

Dress: Emilia Wickstead.

Earrings: Jessica McCormack.

Net and bows: V. V. Rouleaux

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STAND UP AND BE COUNTED

As a Brit working for an American company, SARAH MOWER has a unique viewpoint on the British fashion industry – she’s thrilled by what she sees, but says we ought to stop being so damn self-deprecating

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he British have entered a philosophical state of wondering what we mean to the world. The 48 per cent of the population who voted to stay within Europe harbours fears that we may lose our attraction as a vibrant, internationally integrated modern culture. The 52 per cent who voted to leave the European Union, including many in the Conservative government, believe that the ‘rest of the world’ outside Europe is just raring to buy into our stalwart British qualities when we go it alone. Beyond the hopes and the fears, and all our wildly divergent views about our national identity lies a complex and surprising merge of realities, however. As someone who’s English, but works for an American company, I can see things simultaneously as an insider and an outsider looking in. Fashion – I report on it as an observer – provides a window through which we can get quite a good look at what the world actually does think of us, and what exactly other nations are particularly drawn to buy from us.

Let’s get this perspective off on the right foot. How can fashion be relevant to a country’s prospects? It’s fair to say that hardly any of the British population – leavers or remainers – has the

slightest inkling that fashion and fashion exports are worth £32bn; a figure that outranks the UK’s automotive, telecommunications and pharmaceutical industries. The status of what we produce in the way of innovation on the one hand, and compelling classics on the other, is something the British don’t see – we are that selfdeprecating – but which others really enjoy. Yet the latest figures – you can take London Fashion Week as symbolic – prove how international interest has been climbing; unaffected by the all-consuming national bout of navel-gazing going in British politics.

Despite everything, the shows for spring 2019 attracted a 38 per cent increase in international press attendance, and a 30 per cent upswing in buyers from China, the USA, Japan and Korea.

The week was packed with the myriad talents London showcases – itself a snapshot of the international creative crucible it’s become.

Someone like Mary Katrantzou, who has grown up as part of the London designer boom of the last decade is emblematic: she is Greek, studied at Central Saint Martins (the world’s Harvard

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Great British Brands 2019

of fashion education), has a Chinese investor, Wendy Yu, and dedicated, high-spending clients from Texas to the Middle East.

Many of them turned out in Mary’s sparkling, embroidered gowns for her tenth anniversary show.

Mary started her business straight out of university in 2009 just as Lehmann Brothers was crashing. Her success – started on the strength of ten dresses characterised by her brilliant digital prints – proved how well the British training in bold innovation can make new products stand out, even against the starkest financial backdrop. Buyers jumped at Mary’s colourful, accessible dresses at a time when other designers had turned bland and cautious. Yet Mary Katrantzou’s success also challenges fixed nationalistic assumptions about what constitutes a ‘British brand’ today. It’s a phenomenon visible far and wide, and in multiple permutations, right across the British landscape of luxury.

One of the reasons press and buyers flooded into London in September was to see the much anticipated mega-show debut of the designer Riccardo Tisci at Burberry. The venue was vast; held in an ex-post office sorting office, nextdoor to the new US Embassy building in an area of Battersea which is now a citadel of newly built luxury apartment towers (largely bought by the Russian, Chinese and Middle Eastern super-wealthy who like owning square metres in London). Probably there’s no object to which the world ascribes more quintessential Britishness than a Burberry trenchcoat. A brand empire has been built on it. Nevertheless, Burberry is in fact as internationally based as were the show’s surroundings.

Riccardo Tisci and Marco Gobbetti, the CEO who hired him, are Italian; the in-house teams are talents of

FROM LEFT: Mary Katrantzou S/S’19; Holland & Holland A/W’18; Nicholas Daley’s A/W’18 Red Clay collection; Le Kilt S/S’19; Mulberry A/W’18

many nations, and Burberry itself is a publically traded company. Creatively, Tisci said that his viewpoint is determined to be thoroughly inclusive. He envisions a brand which is inter-generational as well as internationally appealing, across the world. ‘I want it to be for the mother and the daughter, the father and the son,’ he said.

Tisci’s bond with London is that he was educated at Central Saint Martins, too. Yet the most signal novelty on his catwalk wasn’t his reference to punk and street-style, it was his embracing of classics for adults. Suits and camel coats for business people; wardrobes for men and women who want their clothes to be appropriate for their smart lifestyles. Something well-cut, contemporary, not wildly ‘fashion’.

And strangely enough, the calm and the considered now reads as progressive; almost avant-garde.

This leads us to another sector in which a certain type of traditional British brand can quietly triumph. There’s a place – and a growing one – for wild young British designer fashion, especially in menswear. But equally, as people become more and more informed, so the value of the ‘classic’ is being reinvested with an aura of desirability. Increasingly, people want to know who made their clothes – and not only those with esoteric traditionalist tastes. In an era when realisation about the environmental and human impacts of the over-production of clothes is coming home to roost, the status of an interest in ‘craft’ has been COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK /GBB | 23

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transformed from fusty to fashionable. For as long as I can remember, it is Japanese buyers who’ve set the bar high for this kind of consciousness; Japan has led appreciation for those British companies which use traditional processes, from fibre to garment – and which have a real personality behind them. No wonder tweed and clothes made for traditional British country pursuits have become so fashionable in the past year. No doubt the emergence of a new generation of young British royals has helped modernise it too.

There are moral, human values as well as a tint of romantic escapism placed on patronising British weavers, knitters, hat-makers and shoemakers. The more characterful, specialised and particular the brand, the better. In the age of the internet, the connection between clothes and their provenance can be accessed within a click or two.

I am thinking of the appeal of a brand like Holland & Holland, traditional gunmakers established in 1832. They’re still gun specialists, but they now have an outdoor, everyday clothing collection for women and men.

Its designers are two aristocratic, elegant friends who live in Scotland, Stella Tennant and Isabella Cawdor, who not only appear in Holland & Holland’s campaigns (sometimes with their tribe of children), but are excited to talk about the cashmere industry in Hawick and the individual weavers they work with on the Isle of Harris. The resulting Holland & Holland imagery – photoshoots, videos, documentary material – on their website and Instagram creates an aura around the brand which has both a high-fashion appeal and down-toearth realness. What’s fascinating, though, is that Holland & Holland is owned by Chanel. That this most discreet of French luxury companies sees the business advantage in owning and upholding this tradition of provenance, British personality and authentic knowledge of a certain way of life speaks volumes for its validity as an internationally selling brand. It’s just one brand in a myriad culture of small British country-life businesses in the same vein, whose chances to show the world what’s special about them have been transformed by digital communications.

The truth of the matter is that most British fashion brands who make luxury or designer clothes and accessories are small and medium-sized (Burberry and Mulberry being a couple of exceptions). Yet as the world is turning, that’s a potential attraction, too. As the over-saturation of mega-brands breeds consumer ennui, the pleasure and one-upmanship in discovering and owning well-designed things which only the few know about, ahead of everyone else, is growing. To watch now are the micro-indy names of the London community who are melding tradition, sustainability and cool. Take Le Kilt, by young Sam McCoach, who sources all her kilts and knits in Scotland (she has a Le Kilt Mini collection for girls, too). Or Nicholas Daley, the young menswear designer with dual Scottish and Jamaican heritage, who uses British tweeds and hat-makers. Or Richard

Malone, the Irish designer in London whose fabulously cut collections – he has many customers in the art world – has made a point of forging long-standing relationships with women weavers in Tamil Nadu; thus supporting a skilled community in India. A lively relationship has sprung up between K-Pop stars and young British menswear brands in London. ‘Young music people, actors and actresses in Seoul know all about emerging British designers,’ says the Korean fashion consultant Inhae Yeo, whose website Oikonomos. co.uk tracks this growing two-way relationship. ‘Often they contact the designers via Instagram. They want original things to wear on stage and in video. Their style is hugely influential with young people throughout Asia.’

There are many small British businesses that rely on this growing connection with informed and increasingly adventurous CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Richard Malone S/S’19; fashion consultant Inhae Yeo, founder of Oikonomos.co.uk; Barbour’s S/S’19 Shirt Department campaign; Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council; Hackett A/W’18 Mayfair collection; JW Anderson and a look from his S/S’19 collection

PHOTO: REX FEATURES; SCOTT TRINDLE; NICK TYDEMAN

Great British Brands 2019

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Asian customers. Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council, observes, ‘We know that the new Chinese luxury consumer is curious about new, relevant, thought-leading businesses, a hallmark of British Fashion Talent. One common thread is that the customer is moving away from logo-led product towards more subtle, educated choices – we’re seeing this in both the discovery of formal wear and the tradition of bespoke tailoring, and the embracing of designer menswear brands like JW Anderson, Craig Green and A-Cold-Wall.’

In the end, Britain has three incredibly strong assets which it may not even wholly recognise itself.

One: the culture of design and individuality which comes directly from its art schools – a tradition within which copying is looked down on, and self-expression and innovation prioritised. Two: the strength of its heritage in tailoring and other crafts upholding unwavering standards of excellence. Three: the fact that people love to visit Britain. While it’s important to seize the opportunity to sell globally, it’s equally vital for British brands to stay right where they are, to identify as who they are, play up the things people like about us, rather than getting lost in oceans of anonymous products. If there were proof needed, look

at the phenomenal success of Bicester Village – a shopping destination which magnetises thousands of Chinese tourists each week. Bicester, in the Oxfordshire countryside, is a one-stop must for foreign visitors on their way to see grand country houses and museums (as well as being a short 45-minute train ride from London for homegrown fashion fanatics). Bicester carries all the big international fashion labels you can think of, from Gucci to Dolce & Gabbana to Saint Laurent.

But in the mix there is – and has to be – a roster of exactly the kind of British designers new customers are coming to discover – Bamford, Barbour, Rupert Sanderson, Hackett, and so on.

With its strengths in design integrity, originality and its essentially welcoming nature, a Britain on its own does still have masses of points which outsiders looking in do really like and enjoy. If only we would realise and celebrate it more as a country, we might really get somewhere. n Sarah Mower is chief critic of Voguerunway.com. Her recent book London Uprising: Fifty Designers, One City (Phaidon) documents the British designer landscape COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK /GBB | 25

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Great British Brands 2019

RETAIL

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Saks Fifth Avenue, The Collective; Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street; Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street, New York; Saks Fifth Avenue, The Advance; the Café and Shop at La Mercerie, New York

BRAVE NEW WORLD

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Does online shopping spell the end of the bricks-and-mortar store?

Retail expert MARIGAY McKEE pinpoints the brands adapting brilliantly to the new digital order

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t’s no secret that the world of retail is in deep trouble. Globally the role of the store is having to be rethought in the face of immense pressure on sales and profits from a digital revolution that means customers increasingly shop online rather than on foot. The major stores are undergoing a total transformation, with the key to survival centred on real innovation and reinvention. As they rise to the challenge, a new playground of retail concepts is developing in the fashion capitals, one that’s fun, fabulous and – hopefully – future-proof.

As an optimist about the survival of the retail world, the question I’m faced with every day is: what’s going on and where is this fusion of tech and commerce leading us? What’s new?

I believe the traditional model of department stores, a much-debated topic, is not dead, it just needs to be reinvented. The store of today, and of the future, needs to focus on great service, great selection (or editing) and great substance (the three S’s of Specialty Retail). Add in ‘special’ and ‘streamlined’, together with a solid digital backdrop.

While the future of retail is definitely digital, the future of brands is still physical. It needs to be executed with expert care, fine attention to detail and in a great environment – with particular relevance to the surrounding demographic. All this needs to be supported by a digital content platform

that’s attractive enough to draw the client to visit in the first place, and then to keep coming back.

Flagship stores such as Harrods, Selfridges and Liberty in London will always be destination magnets, as will Bergdorf, Bloomingdale’s, Saks, Barneys and Neiman Marcus in New York. People will always shop at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, TsUM in Moscow or Lane Crawford in Asia, as these are all iconic flagships. The question is, how many of these large stores (or chains) do we need and why are some of them losing market share to newer multi-brand concept stores and digital platforms such as Net-a-Porter, Matches, FarFetch and others?

One reason is that it’s become chic to shop at small independents – small is increasingly beautiful. This doesn’t imply that large destination stores will necessarily lose out, but they need to think harder and take the lead. This means being more creative, demonstrating integrity and style while also focusing on comfort and convenience, and showing a true frontier spirit, a cutting edge based on innovation and – lately it’s become more and more important – social good.

What this translates into is a huge rise in the number of concept stores, where clothes and goods are displayed like art objects, fashion buyers are known as curators, and it’s all about ‘the edit’.

In New York they’re flourishing. Take The Webster, founded

by Laure Hériard-Dubreuil. This stylish multi-storey townhouse emporium in SoHo offers recherché finds for hip downtown shoppers. Close by sits Kirna Zabête, a cult temple of taste for cool girls and aspirational shoppers, recently upgraded with in-the-know luxe brands selected by fashion maven Beth Buccini. At La Mercerie (its owner-designers are Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, the husband-and-wife team behind interior design firm Roman and Williams), there’s a lifestyle store and brasserie so beautifully displayed you feel you’re buying into their own chic lifestyle. The restaurant is also a huge hit, an overnight 2018 sensation as the place to eat, see and be seen.

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Uptown Manhattan saw the launch last year of the über-chic Moda Operandi Madison on the Upper East Side, catering to the city’s best-dressed women but also – crucially – a go-to destination that began online, opening a physical store later so digital fans could ‘experience’ the brand. The fantastic service includes expert advice on the floor (‘a personalised edit’ in new retail-speak).

With all the cachet of a private club, the store was put together with cultivated Manhattan flair by Lauren Santo Domingo, famed for knowing what’s cool.

A stunning new 10 Corso Como concept store has opened in the Seaport district, bringing a fusion of art, culture, food and fashion to the heart of Manhattan’s financial district. Carla Sozzani’s brainchild has expanded to the rest of the US, Europe and Asia, showing that true style quickly travels and gains a global identity.

Coming soon to the city is Forty Five Ten, a multi-brand edit of luxury style, art, architecture and experience that started in Dallas and is launching at Hudson Yards next spring. Part of its branding is a stated focus on collections rather than designers, with both eyes on digital and actual store presence. Hudson Yards itself will be a landmark project in ‘experiential’ retail, due to its size and prime location overlooking the High Line.

With a focus on community (offices, apartments, hotel, leisure, sports, parks, retail, hospitality and dining flanked by a new cultural Art Centre for the city, The Shed), the Hudson Yards site, spanning several blocks on the city’s West Side, is bordered by a hundred stores and anchored by a large new Neiman’s, all in the glass-galleried retail complex overlooking the skyline.

In London change is also afoot and it’s thrilling to watch.

Trendsetter Matchesfashion.com has recently unveiled its physical manifestation – Townhouse – at 5 Carlos Place, W1 – 7,000sq/ft of ‘retail, event and creative broadcasting space’, where the consumer is enticed by changing looks and injections of new ideas and happenings every two weeks. It launched with an exclusive collaboration with Prada and the idea is for customers to experience ‘a carousel for

the senses’, both in person and online, and encourage them to return frequently. ‘Our mission,’ says Ulric Jerome, CEO, ‘is to create the most personal luxury shopping experience in the world, so we wanted an environment where we could initiate conversations with our customers and create a global sense of community, enabled through the power of technology.’

Meanwhile Rei Kawakubo’s modernist Dover Street Market has successfully evolved into a niche destination for the forward fashionista with a lessis-more vibe, notwithstanding the delicious Rose Bakery on site. (Think Margiela and Yohji with a cupcake.) With stores in London, NYC and Asia, it’s just opened a new home in LA. Covent Garden has two new flagship stores: all-time favourite Petersham Nurseries has travelled from leafy Richmond to urban Floral Court in Covent Garden – in many ways a perfect journey – and it’s the epitome of up-to-the-minute lifestyle retail, offering flowers, gifts, homeware, candles, accessories and a range of cafés and restaurants in a one-stop store.

The latest Shop at Bluebird is in Covent Garden’s Market Building, in an expanded version of its original incarnation, reimagined for the modern era by buying director Claire Miles. It’s been redesigned with heritagefused dashes of art, architecture and style.

New-look stores are clamouring to create a hip private-club feel for their clients, with carefully edited platforms of style – cool collections, limited editions and collaborations involving designers and artists: a clear direction mixed with the element of surprise. Deploying

PHOTO: REX FEATURES

Great British Brands 2019

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fantasy and drama to entice people in, they make sure it’s an enjoyable ride – and that’s the definition of new retail.

Outside London, the recently expanded luxury shopping destination, Bicester Village, is showing clear evidence of success.

Within its vast emporium it offers Café Wolseley, the restaraunt’s first rural outpost (there will not be another, sources say), and plays host to exciting temporary pop-ups and exhibitions. These include the Tate’s first experiential retail store, promising ‘an immersive art and shopping experience’, and November 2018’s Britsh Fashion Council (BFC) designer pop-up, showcasing a unique take on some of the UK’s most exciting fashion brands, including Peter Pilotto, Christopher Kane, Emilia Wickstead, Holly Fulton, Mother o f Pearl, Nicholas Kirkwood, Roksanda, Teatum Jones and TEIJA. Those wanting a more exclusive, hands-on approach can book into Bicester’s VIP personal shopping suite, in its appointment-only space The Apartment, an explosion of luxury for the high spender. Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Rupert Sanderson and Temperley hang on carefully edited rails awaiting appointments, and it rivals any central London store in terms of service, style and brand execution.

With landscaping by the florist Wild at Heart, Bicester Village draws over six and a half million visitors a year, including both locals and international travellers (it’s the second most popular destination for Chinese tourists after Buckingham Palace). Desirée Bollier, the chair and chief merchant of Bicester’s owner, Value Retail – which owns 11 similar villages worldwide – explains, ‘We are in the business of experience curation. Our focus is to provide a superior shopping environment infused with engaging entertainment and a large dash of authentic local flavour to reflect the locations.’ Since opening more than 23 years ago, ‘The Bicester Village Shopping Collection has developed into a cultural platform showcasing art, fashion and food,’ she says.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Dover Street Market in London; The Shop at Bluebird, London; the new Daylesford shop in Brompton Cross; a cabin at Soho House; interior view of Hudson Yards; Lauren Santo Domingo, co-founder of Moda Operandi

Just down the road are two more highly successful establishments for destination shoppers and chasers of aspirational lifestyle, both in the Cotswolds. The Daylesford Estate is in the perfect village of Kingham and attracts urbanites and country types to lunch at the Wild Rabbit followed by buying organic produce at the farm shop and fashion and beauty products at Bamford HayBarn. There’s also a spa, cottages to rent, a cookery school and more, all in the most gorgeous countryside.

Similarly, Soho Farmhouse over in Great Tew is where London members make weekend pilgrimages to ride pastel-coloured bikes, buy chic goods at Soho Home, and eat hearty food that comes from farm to table in one of the rustic barn restaurants. It’s a successful recipe that fulfils the new retail buzzwords of ‘lifestyle entertainment’ and ‘consumer engagement in the brand’, and it’s not hard to see why both these venues attract high numbers of returning guests.

There’s firm evidence here that trends are moving fast towards the experience, the environment and the emotion (the three E’s of retail).

The more successful multi-brand bricks-and-mortar stores have taken note and are evolving fast (though not so fast as digital adoption), and consumers are clearly voting for physical concepts that deliver the magic, the wow factor and the service as well as great content and product pieces. If the brands deliver, the consumers will come.

In the high fashion digital world, fairy dust is sprinkled at the push of a button and packages arrive on demand without valet, parking tickets or crowds. But crucially it doesn’t offer the chance to try on, experiment… and communicate.

Clearly people love to shop, and will continue to do so, but consumers today want an edited aesthetic, an annotated assortment and a curated point of view. We have to give them a reason to investigate; we need to fuel their curiosity and offer the opportunity to touch and feel. The service-and-standards factor is key, as is connectivity. Stores need to be sensitively attuned to the character and ethos of their neighbourhood, to offer their constituency somewhere to visit and feel welcome, a place they can wander, dream and play.

Key to it all, though, is the human touch, without which no store will ever prosper. n COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK /GBB | 31

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DIGITAL WEALTH

Great British Brands 2019

ZOELLA OLAJIDE WILLIAM OLATUNJI TANYA BURR JIM CHAPMAN MARCUS BUTLER JOE WICKS ARABELLA PRESTON DELICIOUSLY ELLA BEN DELO ARON GELBARD GRAHAM BOSHER CASSANDRA STAVROU PETE CASHMORE JACK CATOR AKSHAY RUPARELIA

A good idea and a laptop can lead to riches galore

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

THE MILLENNIAL MILLIONAIRE To earn big bucks in the old days you’d work for a merchant bank, become a film star or inherit. The new breed of millionaire just has a laptop and a good idea. ROSAMUND UNWIN investigates

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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES; REX FEATURES; ALEXANDRA DAO

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here are many myths about millennials. According to the stereotype, we are disastrous with money, a generation that has traded long-term financial stability – the house, the pension, the possibility of retirement – for the epicurean delights of avocado toast and over-priced coffee. We are lazy too, our critics say, unaccustomed to putting in the hours to succeed. They brand us entitled, a group that expects everything to fall into our laps.

Among our cohort, though, is a growing band of people – from the online entrepreneurs and bitcoin billionaires to YouTube stars and wellbeing tycoons – who dispel these myths.

They have mostly built their fortunes by spotting a niche, often telling consumers what they want before they know they want it.

Millennials, the generation that has spawned a thousand newspaper think pieces, are those born between 1981 and 1996, according to the boundaries proposed by the US-based Pew Research Center. Before the millennials came Generation X; after them comes Generation Z. A number of older British entrepreneurs have already made vast fortunes, largely by catering for millennials, from Tim Warrillow – who co-founded the tonic brand FeverTree with Charles Rolls and whose fortune was estimated at £167m in 2018’s Sunday Times Rich List (though the tonic company shouldn’t rest on its laurels as young pretender No. 1 Botanicals, launched in 2016, brings its new range of mixers to the market) to the tycoons behind fast-fashion website Boohoo: Carol Kane (worth £120m) and Mahmud Kamani (£1bn). And hot on the heels of these entrepreneurs are millennials themselves, creating new brands and very happy bank managers, by targeting their contemporaries.

Figures compiled by Verdict and GlobalData WealthInsight show that London alone has around 20,000 millionaires under the

age of 35. And a ticket into the seven-digits club is no longer the preserve of footballers, the famous, or those with family trust funds. Technology has lowered the barriers of entry for entrepreneurship. Building a brand has become a more democratic and accessible pursuit. All that the wannabe Richard Bransons of tomorrow usually need is a laptop – and imagination.

Perhaps the most obvious incarnation of this is on YouTube, the video-sharing site owned by Google. There the brand is the individual: simply by posting videos, some YouTubers have built vast fan bases, converting clicks and views into cash, then endorsements and eventually whole empires. The lucrative part is not necessarily the site itself – YouTubers earn only about 0.2p per view of their videos (though clearly this can add up for those regularly garnering millions of views, and the most successful receive a higher rate ). Instead, much of their fortune comes from all the extras a following helps them attract: the book deal, the beauty brand, the corresponding ad-filled blog. YouTube (alongside canny use of social media sites such as Instagram) is the launch pad that makes the rest possible.

One of the most high-profile YouTubers is Zoella – a doe-eyed Disney Princess brought to life.

She is 28 but looks much younger. There seems to be something of the Dorian Grey about many of these successes, since their audience is usually adolescent and their job is to come across like a cool older sibling. She is also relatable – the crucial ingredient for YouTube super-stardom.

Wiltshire-born Zoella, whose real name is Zoe Sugg, has more than 12m subscribers to her platform, while her videos – which focus on fashion and beauty, but have also ventured into issues like mental health – have been viewed more than 1bn times. She has her own cosmetics range, Zoella Beauty, and FROM ABOVE: Tim has moved into books: her debut novel, Girl Warrilow’s Online, which was actually penned by company Fever-Tree a ghostwriter, had the best first-week sales has been a for a new author since records began. Spear’s, phenomenal success, the wealth magazine, estimated her net although worth at £2.5m earlier this year.

No. 1 YouTube may seem like a remarkably easy Botanicals is snapping get-rich-quick trick but it really isn’t. It is a at its heels; sector where a small number of winners take Zoella is a YouTube all the spoils. According to a study by sensation, said Germany’s Offenburg University of Applied

by Spear’s to Sciences, 96.5 per cent of YouTubers don’t be worth £2.5m earn enough from the site to get themselves over the poverty line. Those who started when YouTube was in its infancy have an advantage over hopefuls beginning today, as there’s now so much competition – an hour of video is uploaded to YouTube every second.

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DIGITAL WEALTH

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES; REX FEATURES; ALEXANDRA DAO

FROM ABOVE: Millennial millionaires using digital platforms to amass their fortunes include Tanya Burr, Joe Wicks, Arabella Preston and her beauty brand Votary and Ella Mills, the cleaneating, cookbook-selling Instagram star known as Deliciously Ella

Great British Brands 2019

Other YouTubers who’ve managed to make themselves heard above the noise have become millionaires through vlogging (video blogging), including the 25-year-old rapper and comedian Olajide William Olatunji, known as KSI, who first created his YouTube channel to record his FIFA games. Beauty specialist Tanya Burr, 29, sells a product from her eponymous make-up range every two minutes, and her 30-year-old model husband is men’s fashion vlogger Jim Chapman.

A YouTube following is a catalyst that can hit fast-forward on the rest of your career too: Marcus Butler, 26, whose biggest hit on his own-name channel featured him rapping on helium, launched his own record label, Stripped Bear Entertainment, in 2016.

Instagram, the photo-sharing social networking site, has been another route to speed up success. Critics see Instagram as reflecting the narcissism of millennials (a generation perpetually posting selfies and judging our worth by how many ‘likes’ we receive).

There is a grain of truth there – and of course Instagram lends itself to the pulchritudinous one per cent. But it is also a leveller – you don’t need the contacts book or the wealthy parents to become a star – you just need a strong identity and an idea.

The fitness specialist Joe Wicks, 32, used it to spread his message that anyone can make themselves ‘lean in 15’ (minutes). Calling himself The Body Coach, he has won 2.3m Instagram followers with his bounciness and his catchphrases (he calls broccoli ‘mini trees’). This has translated into a series of bestselling books, TV presenting roles, a lucrative ad campaign for Uncle Ben’s rice, and a fortune estimated at £14.5m.

Instagram has also been a powerful tool in the beauty space, where it has enabled start-ups to take on the cosmetic giants with their vast advertising budgets.

Arabella Preston, who was Kate Middleton’s make-up artist and lives in Kent, launched the natural skincare range Votary – especially known for its luxurious face oils – with her friend Charlotte Semler three years ago in Liberty. The company was profitable from the off and Instagram helped build its fan base.

‘The beauty landscape has changed so much with the internet – the beauty community on Instagram is very vocal and dynamic – and we can talk directly to our consumers,’ Preston tells me. ‘Shoppers are well educated, they read ingredients lists. That’s why bigger brands have been struggling: they’re used to being the ones in control.’

Instagram also enabled Ella Mills – the clear-skinned patron saint of healthy eating known as Deliciously Ella – to morph from a food blogger to a bestselling author in less than four years. Mills’ main business, which includes cookbooks and a snack range, paid her dividends of £222,000 last year, although her delicatessen chain was a flop and she was forced to close two of its three stores earlier this year.

These can be fragile fortunes, vulnerable to the whims of fashion. The danger in tying a brand’s identity too closely to an individual is that, if mistakes are made, it feels more personal than a company letting a customer down, it’s like the best friend they invited into their homes disappointing them. Hence the furore when it emerged last year that Zoella was charging £50 for a branded advent calendar. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many YouTubers cultivate a squeaky clean image. There is certainly no throwing TVs out of windows. And the impression that has stayed with me after meeting YouTubers is of very attractive but distinctly unsexy people – the Blue Peter presenters of the modern day.

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DIGITAL WEALTH

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Aron Gelbard shook up the flower industry with Bloom & Wild; Pete Cashmore launched Mashable aged 19; Askshay Ruparelia disrupted the property market; Cassandra Stavrou’s Propercorn can be found in eateries worldwide

YouTube success rests on having the gift of the gab, good editing skills and building a rapport with fans. For Instagram you need a loveable personality to project through pictures and short videos. But if the YouTubers and Instagrammers are the popular kids of this new digital world, it is the geeks and geniuses who have been able to claim even bigger fortunes. While Britain is yet to spawn its own Mark Zuckerberg, it has made many millennial multimillionaires, and even a billionaire in the shape of Ben Delo, who worked as a software engineer at IBM before moving into bitcoin. The 34-year-old, who was born in Sheffield, made his fortune not through trading in the famously volatile crypto-currency, but by working 18-hour days to provide a platform for others to do so. It is akin to the gold rush – the surefire way to strike it rich is not to go chasing for

nuggets and flakes yourself but to sell pans to those who are.

Delo co-founded the Hong Kong-based bitcoin trading platform BitMEX, which takes a fee from every transaction. As a teenager, he had written on a student review form that his ambition was to be an ‘internet entrepreneur, millionaire and computer programmer’. All three boxes ticked. He’s told me he has no desire to sell his stake in BitMEX, since he receives enough from dividends ‘to do whatever I want’. Instead, his next ambition is to set up a charitable foundation with a focus on children struggling in school.

While Delo’s business is at the forefront of new technology, other tech-savvy millennials have made their fortunes by updating old products for a millennial audience or by solving problems faced by their peers. Aron Gelbard, 36, launched Bloom & Wild in 2013, realising the flower delivery market was ripe for revolution; what sets its bouquets apart is that they come in boxes small enough to fit through the letterbox, so there is never a danger of collecting days-old shrivelled roses that have been left with your neighbour. He was inspired by his friend, Graham Bosher, 37, who had cofounded both LoveFilm and Graze, which delivered healthy snacks such as seeds, dried fruit and flapjacks through the door. The private equity firm Carlyle bought a majority stake in 2012 for £50m.

Healthy snacks for seeing off that afternoon slump have proved a lucrative space for millennials. Cassandra Stavrou, 34, foundered the ‘posh popcorn’ brand Propercorn after quitting her job in an advertising agency. It is now stocked in stores and cafés all over the UK, as well as internationally.

Pete Cashmore launched online news site Mashable from his bedroom in Banchory, Aberdeenshire, when he was 19.

Now 33, he’s estimated to be worth £170m. And as a teenager, Jack Cator was frustrated by not being able to access music and games websites on the computers of his Norfolk school.

A skilled programmer, he managed to bypass the school’s filters to surf anonymously. He initially used virtual private networks (VPN) to do this, but found them too ad-laden, so decided to build his own, calling it Hide My Ass (HMA). The site became a hit and Cator sold it a decade later for £40m.

But millennial millionaires, beware: there is always someone coming up behind you. At just 20, Akshay Ruparelia is a member of Generation Z. He is also Britain’s youngest selfmade millionaire, with an estimated net worth of £16m, thanks to his Harrow-based online estate agent, Doorsteps. Ruparelia sold his first house while he was finishing his A-levels. ‘Estate agents were the most undisrupted industry, almost untouched by technology, and the perception of the industry and the service it offered was terrible,’ he tells me. ‘That meant there was a rare opportunity to make a difference of real scale.’

Most of Ruparelia’s staff are younger than him, but some are twice his age. (He says he hires many mothers, since they are the most trusted demographic). Doorsteps charges a flat fee of as little as £99. In just 18 months it has listed more than £1bn worth of property, becoming the tenth-largest estate agent in Britain.

Which shows that if you have the perfect idea and execution, plus a little luck, age is now no barrier to a bountiful bank balance. These success stories show there are many avenues for millennials to make their mark – they just have to bust a few myths about their generation along the way. n

PHOTO: REX FEATURES; TOM GRIFFITHS (TOMGPHOTO.CO.UK)

Great British Brands 2019

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IT TAKES TWO

How do you bring a heritage brand bang up to date? Bring in international talent for a unique collaboration, of course. CHARLOTTE METCALF investigates 38 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK /GBB

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COLLABORATIONS

M

ost of us remember a time when British food was dismal. At best, it was good old-fashioned fare like roast beef and Yorkshire pudding or oysters at the seaside. At worst, vegetables were boiled to mush, meat was overcooked and rendered unidentifiable by oleaginous gravy, and even our famous fish and chips could be pallid, soggy and greasy. There was no question about it, the French and Italians were better cooks.

Then something happened. We started to utilise ingredients from beyond our shores.

Asian spices, once consigned to the takeaway

Great British Brands 2019

or cheap restaurant, began infusing and livening up drab dishes. Chefs became less timid and the next thing we knew was that London was one of the most exciting food destinations in the world.

How did the Brits do it? One word: fusion.

Once we had the culinary confidence to absorb foreign influences, our food took on a bold, innovative, cheeky personality, full of humour and adventure – just like the British character itself. It’s exactly the same with Great British Brands. The moment we stirred in a pinch of French panache, a sprinkling of Italian style, a dollop of American chutzpah or a spoonful of German technological know-how, our brands took on new life.

Collaborating with internationals defines and enhances our Britishness, never dilutes it. After all, we take pride in our capital being the world’s greatest melting pot. Our outward-looking enthusiasm for all things foreign has always defined us as an island race and the best of our brands are now speaking volumes about us.

In 2018 the British brands that have collaborated with outside imprints, artists and designers have yielded rich fruit. Over the summer, big international names were at it everywhere – Italian handbag brand Furla with Japanese cartoon brand Hello Kitty, British lifestyle, interiors and fashion brand House of Hackney with cult Scandi lifestyle brand & Other Stories, retail giant Uniqlo with German designer Tomas Maier, British clothing brand Sunspel with French clothing brand Lemaire, TOMS shoes with American accessories designer Clare V. At the prestige end of the fashion ladder Balmain collaborated with Net-a-Porter, producing a capsule summer collection by Olivier Rousteing. And the much-fêted new Louis Vuitton menswear artistic director, Virgil Abloh, teamed up with several brands, including the ribbed-aluminium suitcase maker Rimowa,

The successful collaboration between sumptuous handpainted British wallpaper designer de Gournay and Italian shoe brand Aquazzura

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COLLABORATIONS

the Italian lifestyle streetwear brand OffWhite, that he originally created, and Nike.

Indeed the big beasts in the world of trainers were all at it – shoe designer Sophie Webster teamed up with Puma and trainers even started infiltrating that bastion of British craftsmanship and discreet customer service, Savile Row. While gentlemen of a certain age relish its proud heritage and royal warrants, in terms of image Savile Row has struggled to appear hip and stay abreast of the times – until now.

In 2018 Campbell Carey, creative director and co-head cutter at Huntsman, cut a suit entirely out of Flexweave, a performance fabric used in Reebok running shoes. It was made to the measurements of Reebok ambassador, Brandin Cooks, the American football star, and in turn Reebok created a pair of trainers in Huntsman Flexweave, which was one of the lots in a recent online Huntsman auction at Sothebys.

‘This was a unique, creative and exciting proposition from Reebok,’ says Huntsman’s owner and chairman Pierre Lagrange. ‘Huntsman is the rare British bespoke tailor, combining heritage and modernity with success and no compromise.’

Meanwhile family-run tailor Henry

FROM THE TOP: The Net-a-Porter x Balmain capsule collection; the transparent Off-White x Rimowa suitcase; Sophia Webster x Puma

Poole cemented its international reach by collaborating with Adidas Originals to design two limited edition sneakers in midnight blue and a specially-created three-chalk-stripe, reworked versions of Adidas’ Boost-sole, Primeknit NMD sneaker from 2015. They had elements of tailoring that, like the lining, are more commonly seen in suits.

‘We wanted to reach out to a younger generation, 17- and 18-year-olds or even younger, whose fathers are customers,’ says Simon Cundey, managing director. ‘Equally we wanted to attract the kind of active 35-year-old who goes to the gym and to clubs and so on. Meanwhile Adidas wanted to relaunch an existing shoe by giving it a bit of a spin and a story. Patrick Reinhardt of Adidas believed as passionately in this collaboration as I did. After all, we were celebrating two people who changed the world in their own way.’ In 1865 Henry Poole created a celestial blue tail-less dinner jacket for the future Edward VII that became known as the tuxedo by its American admirers; Adidas put spikes on its shoes, which contributed to American athlete Jesse Owens winning four gold medals at the Munich Olympics in 1936. ‘Adidas had a dinner at Merchants Taylors’ Hall for 100 people and a very wellknown advertising creative remarked that via this collaboration Henry Poole had effectively speed-dated the next generation and that we’d surpassed ourselves,’ says Simon. ‘Teenage boys will look back in years to come and remember that we created the black tie sneaker that could be worn with a dinner jacket. But we’ve also had a 67-year-old wearing the sneaker and one client paired his Henry Poole tuxedo with his midnight blue Adidas sneakers.’

Spinning off from the sneaker, Henry Poole then created a flannel cloth in Adidas’ favourite bluebird blue with a subtle treble stripe in light blue. They made just one batch, enough to provide 50 suits. ‘Each suit had its own

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number and we were giving our customers something one-off to buy into,’ explains Simon Cundey. ‘Two sons of our customers bought one and so we’ve effectively short-circuited our way to the next generation with this collaboration,’ he concludes.

A bit like Savile Row, British wall coverings company de Gournay represents fine British heritage. Its reassuringly expensive and exquisite wallpapers and silks, with their handpainted butterflies or cherry tree blossoms, have become the last word in the finest wallpaper money can buy. Nevertheless they are more likely to grace a stately home than a hipster’s urban dwelling. So de Gournay joined forces with Italian shoe designer Aquazzura to make beautiful shoes in de Gournay’s Amazonia fabric, depicting lush jungle scenes in tropical hues. Again this collaboration brought de Gournay’s distinctive chinoiserie style out of the drawing room and literally onto the streets.

To newer brands collaboration is second nature, so four-year-old British design studio Elicyon naturally collaborates with designers like Philippe Starck or French partners Lalique and Baccarat to create beautiful interiors.

Yet even the most established British brands have been busily absorbing ideas and techniques from overseas.

Take Wedgwood, one of Britain’s most revered, recognisable and loved

FROM ABOVE: Hitomi Hosono, Wedgwood’s first artist-inresidence; Hitomi Hosono x Wedgwood yellow daisy bowl; Brandin Cook in Reebok x Huntsman Flexweave suit; Reebok x Huntsman Flexweave sneaker; Henry Poole x Adidas Originals

brands, dating back to 1759.

In the summer it unveiled seven new jasper pieces by the Japanese artist Hitomi Hosono, Wedgwood’s first ever artist-in-residence.

Much of what Hitomi originally wanted to do was so imaginative and intricate as to present a complex challenge to Wedgwood’s craftsmen.

The resulting pieces are of exquisite delicacy – one oval vase boasts 1000 tiny hand-crafted ceramic daisies that spill over its rim and down its side. The works represent the creative outcome of sharing knowledge and expertise and harnessing outstanding artisan talent from a different culture to Wedgwood’s traditional, time-honoured techniques. ‘It was such a creative process,’ says Hitomi. ‘The craftsmen were open to new ideas and the person in charge of each process had so much knowledge and ability that they always found a solution and way forward. I love the fact that the shapes are so deeply rooted in the brand’s history but that I’ve been able bring something entirely new and contemporary to them.’

As far back as 2002 the well-established British luxury beauty brand Molton Brown upped its game when it started collaborating with internationally-renowned master perfumer, Jacques Chabert. He composed the award-winning Re-charge Black Pepper and later his daughter Carla created the hugely popular fiery Pink Pepperpod.

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Great British Brands 2019

COLLABORATIONS FROM ABOVE: To celebrate its 220-year anniversary, Boodles collaborated with Patek Philippe on a special edition of the 5230G-012; Carla Chabert’s hugely popular Pink Pepperpod range for Molton Brown; Johnnie Walker has released a special edition whisky with HBO show Game of Thrones

Later still, Carla’s sister, Elsa, went on to create Tobacco Absolute. It was a lasting collaboration that was to give the brand an exotic edge over its rivals.

2018 also saw Aston Martin go from strength to strength. While other car brands are floundering and shrinking their output in China, Aston Martin has firmly taken root in the Chinese psyche and yet again collaboration has paid off.

The brand invested in a partnership with the College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University in Shanghai, offering up its highly regarded, charismatic chief creative officer, Marek Reichman, as a visiting professor. It was a canny move because Aston Martin had much to gain in return. The university is known to be among the best in the world for design and innovation, so engaging its students on a collaborative project to design future colours and trims could yield extraordinary and exciting results. Aston Martin is also partnering with Chinese automobile company Sinomach to focus on technical developments in electric cars. Junior engineers from Sinomach are now working at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, where they share their ideas and technical know-how with British engineers.

Also in 2018, and to celebrate its 220th anniversary, Boodles collaborated with Patek Philippe to adapt the iconic self-winding Patek Philippe World Time watch with the launch of the World Time Special Series Ref. 5230G-012. The model, much coveted by collectors, was adapted to have Liverpool instead of London as one of its 24 time zones. The city’s name is in pink and sits proudly at the top of the dial to reflect Liverpool’s past as a gateway to the globe and to commemorate the foundation of Boodle & Dunthorne there in 1798 – the date is also engraved

on the back of the watch.

‘We’ve always liked doing things differently,’ says Boodles’ managing director, Michael Wainwright. ‘When Patek Philippe offered to help us celebrate 220 years of Boodles, we jumped at the chance to have fun creating something special for our customers, and the result is this remarkable time-piece.

With Liverpool being in such a prominent position on the watch, you could say that Boodles’ place as one of Patek’s Philippe’s primary British partners is very much enhanced. Besides, Patek Philippe is the only thirdparty brand we stock and we’re extremely proud to be associated with it, as it’s fair to say that it’s regarded as the ultimate watch brand. Our collaboration can only positively affect how consumers view us both here and abroad. Often, a customer who initially came to us for a Patek Philippe has gone on to be one of our fine jewellery customers and with this special edition we’re confident that it can only boost sales.’

As the festive season approached, the luxury spirits market was looking for interesting ways to boost sales.

In October Johnnie Walker ‘officially entered the realm’, collaborating with HBO and Game of Thrones to launch White Walker by Johnnie Walker. Created by whisky specialist George Harper, alongside a small team of expert blenders, White Walker is best served directly from the freezer and, in its distinctive bottle with a graphic icy reveal, echoes the chilling presence of the White Walkers. The creation marks a wider partnership with HBO and Diageo, Johnnie Walker’s parent company. In February Diageo launches the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection featuring eight scotches that are each paired with one of the iconic Houses of Westeros, and the Night’s Watch.

Collaboration is doing for the luxury sector what fusion did with such vigour for the British culinary scene. No wonder everyone’s at it. Like the British character itself, Great British Brands are built on a strong traditional and inherited set of values but are simultaneously bold, humorous, adventurous, adaptable and forward-looking. The collaborations they have embarked upon this year show that British brands have never been more outward-facing and flourishing, all contributing to Britain’s reputation as one of the world’s most exciting and culturally-diverse melting pots. n

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RISING STARS

Great British Brands 2019

BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT NICK CURTIS and EMMA CRICHTON-MILLER profile the ones to watch from the UK’s deep artistic pool

THE DANCER

PHOTO: © ROH, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRISTRAM KENTON

Reece Clarke If the story of Billy Elliot has become a contemporary fairytale, Reece Clarke looks set to top it. Grandson of a miner and the youngest of a steelworker’s five sons from Airdrie, near Glasgow, he’s the fourth sibling to graduate from the Royal Ballet School, to which he and three brothers all won scholarships.

As their careers have spun them in different directions, Reece has been piling up the prizes. In 2011 he won the Sibley Dowell award for Potential, named after the famous Royal Ballet dance partners Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell, capping that

in 2012 by winning Young British Dancer of the Year. After graduating into the Royal Ballet Company he was promoted through their arcane hierarchies to First Artist in 2016, and Soloist the following year, after winning Emerging Dancer of the Year in the National Dance Awards. Critical accolades followed for his lead performance in Frederic Ashton’s Symphonic Variations in 2017, with the Guardian’s Judith Mackrell reporting: ‘the fast-maturing Reece Clarke makes a fine debut’ despite, as she puts it, ‘gamely handling a temporary costume malfunction’.

Tall and unbelievably lithe, you can see him this Christmas as the Prince in that enduring masterpiece, The Nutcracker Suite.

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RISING STARS

THE DIRECTOR

Yann Demange

Imogen Hermes Gowar With her arresting tricorn name and distinctive mien – beady, wrily serious, a slash of red lipstick offset by bobbed hair that is sometimes dyed ultramarine – Imogen Hermes Gowar was perhaps destined to be a writer. But the 30-year-old’s much-praised debut novel, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, which details the relationship of a merchant and a courtesan, brought together by the acquisition of a preserved ‘mermaid’ corpse in a dense, richly evoked Georgian London, was arguably over a decade in the making. The book was the product a huge amount of research and a certain amount of osmosis, through Gowar’s studies in art, archaeology and anthropology and then creative writing at the University of East Anglia, and a job in visitor services at the British Museum (which has its own goblin-like ‘mermaid’). The manuscript that was her UEA dissertation made the shortlist of several literary awards, won the Curtis Brown prize and was the subject of a bidding war in early 2018. Reviewers drew comparisons with Angela Carter and Charles Dickens. The film and television rights have been bought by Golden-Globe-winning Colin Callender’s company Playground. What will Gowar write next?

It may take a while, but when it arrives it will be impeccably realised, and it will be worth the wait.

PHOTOS: OLLIE GROVE; SYLVAIN DELEU; REX FEATURES; © ROH 2016 ROGER WAY PHOTOGRAPHY

THE NOVELIST

That Yann Demange was a frontrunner to direct the 25th Bond movie can be ascribed to the impact of his 2014 debut feature, ’71, a heart-pounding, low-budget thriller featuring Jack O’Connell as a young soldier on the run in Belfast during the Troubles. And it is perhaps fortunate for both Demange and the cinema-going public that the 007 gig went elsewhere, as his subsequent 2018 film White Boy Rick – the real-life story of drug trafficker and FBI informant Rick Wershe Jr – confirmed a talent that would not be easily confined to the parameters of a blockbuster franchise. Demange is currently working with HBO on Lovecraft Country, a dramaslash-horror series set in the racist ‘Jim Crow’ America of the 1950s, co-created by Jordan ‘Get Out’ Peele and produced by JJ Abrams.

Half-French, half-Algerian, but raised in London from the age of two, Demange started out as a runner and assistant on music videos before winning a Disney scholarship to attend the National Film and Television School in his late 20s. This led to gigs directing Secret Diary of a Call Girl, then Charlie Brooker’s zombie series Dead Set, and the acclaimed Channel 4 drama Top Boy, before ’71 shot him into the spotlight. His ambition, after Lovecraft Country, is to make ‘honest’ London films celebrating the energy, humour and variety of his hometown. You don’t get that with Bond.

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THE CRAFTSPERSON

Lauren Nauman If you have been to Tate Modern’s Switch House restaurant recently you may have been beguiled by the deceptively simple white tilting olive dishes rolling across your table. Ideal for fidgeters!

These are the work of Lauren Nauman, a recent RCA ceramics and glass MA graduate, who has been furiously in demand since her graduation in 2016. It is her elegantly swaying sculptural vases, however, made of strips of clay, like children’s cutout paper lanterns, that have been swept up by stylists, collectors and museums alike. She discovered her

unique process while experimenting with strips of clay as surface decoration. Why not remove the clay body altogether? After graduation, she participated in multiple shows during London Design Festival 2016, exhibited at COLLECT 2017 with Flow Gallery and at Ceramic Art London, where she was awarded the Newcomer Award 2017. Her work has popped up in the Young Masters Art Prize Exhibition in London, at Decorex International with Future Heritage and then in the USA as part of the Crafts Council’s A Future Made: The Miami Edit, last December. This autumn she was shown at the prestigious Salon Art + Design in New York.

THE CONDUCTOR

James Hendry

PHOTOS: OLLIE GROVE; SYLVAIN DELEU; REX FEATURES; © ROH 2016 ROGER WAY PHOTOGRAPHY

THE ACTOR

Florence Pugh Since her breakout role in Lady Macbeth in 2016 – playing a murderously modern, sexually confident young wife of a 19th century landowner – 22-year-old Florence Pugh has racked up a series of diverse and impressive credits. She was a heart-breaking Cordelia to Anthony Hopkins’s King Lear in Richard Eyre’s BBC production, wrestles with Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson in Stephen Merchant’s upcoming comedy Fighting with my Family, will star in Greta Gerwig’s

forthcoming adaptation of Little Women and filled the Night Manager-sized hole in TV viewers’ lives as the lead in John Le Carre’s The Little Drummer Girl. The Oxford-born daughter of a restaurateur and a dancer, Pugh made her film debut while studying for her A-levels, stealing Carole Malone’s 2014 The Falling from its ostensible star, Maisie Williams. Though she’s been rather lazily dubbed the ‘new Kate Winslet’, Pugh is a one-off with an earthiness and energy all her own and a physical presence deliciously different to identikit Hollywood starlets.

James Hendry, 26, is that real thing, an unequivocal talent. There was no classical music in his workingclass family home at Kingston upon Hull, but at primary school Hendry got into music, then played in the orchestra for musicals at his secondary school and began to conduct. Picked up early by the Yorkshire Young Musicians scheme at Leeds College, where he was taught piano, musicianship and composition, he took degrees in solo piano and répétiteur skills at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he studied from 2010, before being selected in 2016 for the prestigious Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at The Royal Opera House. He assumed he was there as a skilled répétiteur, but found himself under the direct mentorship of ROH musical director Antonio Pappano. This season he is a Jette Parker principal conductor, while also freelancing for the ENO. Did we mention he is the 2018 musical director for the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera? And he has a cool tattoo on his forearm.

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Great British Brands 2019

RISING STARS

THE SINGER

MNEK If you are to judge a man by the company he keeps, singer, songwriter and record producer MNEK – real name Uzoechi Osisioma Emenike – is already music royalty. After signing a publishing deal at 14 thanks to songs he posted on MySpace, the 23-year-old, Lewisham-born Nigerian Londoner reached a wider audience in 2012 when he appeared on drum and bass act Rudimental’s single, Spoons. Since then he has worked with Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Dua Lipa and Stormzy among others. From 2016 onwards he began releasing solo tracks, including a cover version of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, which culminated in the issuing of his debut album Language in September 2018, partly inspired by a romantic breakup with a long-term partner. NME described Language, which among other things expresses what it’s like to be a black gay artist, as ‘moving and important – and fun!’, adding that MNEK is ‘the pop star we need in 2018’. It also detailed how his name is pronounced – it’s spelled out M-NE-K rather than M’nek. He is as striking visually as he is aurally, with a sculpted beard, braids on top of his head, but the sides shaved, and with a penchant for metallic nail varnish.

THE COMPOSER

It’s the quiet ones you have to watch. While actor and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been making a splash with Fleabag and Killing Eve, her older sister Isobel, 34, has been carving out a distinguished career as a musician and award-winning composer for film, TV and theatre. She not only scored the TV series created by her sibling – who she calls her best mate – but also the recent ITV adaptation of Vanity Fair, the forthcoming reboot of the ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Hercule Poirot, and the film Vita and Virginia, starring Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki. For each commission she tries to fit music and sound design to character and atmosphere – deploying a version of Madonna’s Material Girl played on historic instruments for Vanity Fair, for instance. She’s scored shows for the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Old Vic, performed her own solo works at the Union Chapel and released a symphonic album, Music for Strings. Born in London and trained at Edinburgh University, King’s College and the Royal Academy of Music, Waller-Bridge says their mother told her children – Isobel, Phoebe and their brother Jasper – they could do whatever they liked so long as they were ‘outrageous’. It seems to have worked.

PHOTO: CHARLOTTE RUTHERFORD

Isobel Waller-Bridge

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HANDMADE IN ENGLAND E T T I N G E R .CO.U K +44 (0)20 8877 1616

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Great British Brands 2019

RISING STARS

THE GALLERISTS

Joe Kennedy and Jonny Burt In 2013 Joe Kennedy and Jonny Burt, 23-yearold art school graduates, set out to defeat what they perceived as the elitism of the art world and open great art to everybody. They saw themselves as a brand more than a gallery, broadcasting through digital media to a global mainstream audience their passion for the emerging artists they show. Five years later, after sell-out pop-up shows in Soho and Covent Garden and amassing 477,000 followers on Instagram, they’ve opened a permanent space in Mayfair, Unit London. Five hundred people queued to attend the opening private view, which featured a new series of brightly-saturated oil paintings by the South African artist Ryan Hewett, internationally renowned for his heavily impastoed, distorted portraits. Something about their youth, their fearless and passionate engagement with their audience and the strength of the artists they represent, has caught the imagination not just of their peers but also of influential art world luminaries such as Brett Gorvy, Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Simon de Pury.

Definitely ones to watch.

THE ARTIST

In 2016, months after graduating from the Slade School of Fine Art, where she had won the Cass Art Painting Prize, British artist Faye Wei Wei – no relation to Ai Wei Wei – applied to Cobb Gallery as an intern. The gallery responded by offering Faye her first solo show, Anemones and Lovers. Her poetic, dreamy, sensual paintings, often on a large scale, won her instant acclaim.

She has featured in group shows in Europe and America, and taken an artist’s residency in New York. This year she filled Manchester’s Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art with giant canvases, where boldly-painted figures floated ambiguously in mythological worlds populated by lions, snakes, knights and classical symbols. Faye also performed in the fantasy musical, Care, by fellow hip young Londoner, Klein, at London’s ICA. Alongside her works, her romantic persona has caught the attention of the fashion world. Her work Aristotle’s Lantern provided the backdrop for fashion brand Shrimps’ spring/summer 2018 presentation and she was Vogue’s Darling in the September issue. As she told them, ‘My style is quite ethereal and feminine. I live in floaty slip dresses.’ But there is no gainsaying her ambition: her debut US solo show opened in Los Angeles in September 2018. n

PHOTO: VIVEK VADOLIYA

Faye Wei Wei

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HERBERT JOHNSON HATTERS Fine bespoke hats manufactured for Town & Country - Internationally renowned Bowler Hats | Top Hats | Traditional Riding Hats | Fedora Poet | Trilby 7 Piccadilly Arcade, Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6NH | 0207 409 7277 www.herbert-johnson.co.uk ian@hjtraditional.co.uk | workshop@herbert-johnson.co.uk

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ALEXANDER MCQUEEN P54 AQUASCUTUM P56 MULBERRY P58 PRINGLE P60 VIVIENNE WESTWOOD P62 FA S H I O N & ACC E S S O R I E S

BEGG & CO P64 BRORA P66 EMMY LONDON P68 JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN P70 REALLY WILD P72 TOM DAVIES P74 ZAEEM JAMAL P76

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FASHION & ACCESSORIES

H I G H FA S H I O N

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Great British Brands 2019

HIGH FASHION

ALEXANDER McQUEEN The fashion house synonymous with modern British Couture

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ince her appointment as Creative Director in 2010, Sarah Burton has produced critically acclaimed collections, demonstrating an ability to marry the design codes of the house of Alexander McQueen with lightness and her own feminine touch, creating a new personal aesthetic and blueprint for the future. Burton was named Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012. That same year Time magazine listed her as one of its 100 most influential people and she was awarded an OBE for services to the British fashion industry.

In 2011, the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York organised the retrospective Savage Beauty in recognition of Lee Alexander McQueen’s talents and achievements.

In 2015, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London hosted the exhibition, adding a brand new ‘London’ gallery. It was to become the most visited exhibition in the museum’s history.

Alexander McQueen shows are known for emotional power and raw energy. With its modern, romantic collections and commitment to unbridled creativity, the house of McQueen has become synonymous with contemporary British couture.

Alexander McQueen values uncompromising craftmanship combined with visionary technique, pushing at the boundaries of both modernity and tradition

Integral to the McQueen culture is the juxtaposition between contrasting elements: fragility and strength, tradition and innovation, fluidity and severity. Alexander McQueen values uncompromising craftmanship combined with visionary technique, pushing at the boundaries of both modernity and tradition.

Founded in 1992 by the uncompromising and hugely talented designer Lee Alexander McQueen, in less than ten years the house of Alexander McQueen became one of the most respected in the world.

McQueen began his career as an apprentice for Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard and Gieves & Hawkes. From there he moved to theatrical costumiers Angels and Berman’s, mastering the pattern-cutting techniques and razor-sharp tailoring that became the signature of his house.

McQueen completed a Masters degree in fashion design at Central Saint Martins. His graduate collection was bought in its entirety by the British fashion editor Isabella Blow. Sarah Burton met Alexander McQueen in 1996, completed her degree at Central Saint Martins in 1997 and joined the company on a permanent basis immediately after that. She was promoted to Head of Design, womenswear, in 2000.

The Alexander McQueen Autumn/Winter 2018 collection was inspired by metamorphosis and extreme nature: the delicate emergent beauty of butterflies and moths and the opalescent shine of softly-armoured Scarab beetles. A sense of the magical transformation of femininity, pride, joy and optimism prevailed. Alongside fluid dresses featuring magnified butterfly and beetle prints and three-dimensional embroideries, signature sharp tailoring featured flamingo pink or crimson satin bows evocative of tremulous butterfly wings.

Looks were accessorised with sculpted riding boots with a high lacquered heel or black suede sandals with a metal pin heel.

Antique silver and gold crystal jet enamelled chokers, pendants, earring and cuffs were decorated with butterflies, moths, beetles, spider and asymmetric freshwater pearls.

In 2019, Alexander McQueen will open a flagship store on Old Bond Street, London, introducing a new retail concept envisioned

by Sarah Burton.

Alexander McQueen 27 Old Bond Street London W1S 4QE alexandermcqueen.com

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PHOTOS: ASH REYNOLDS; VICTOR DEMARCHELIER

FROM LEFT: Aquascutum has come under new ownership this year and its key focus will be the ‘Made in Britain’ aspects of the brand

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HIGH FASHION

Great British Brands 2019

AQUASCUTUM

Epitomising British innovation for 167 years

PHOTOS: ASH REYNOLDS; VICTOR DEMARCHELIER

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his year has seen major changes at Aquascutum, as the famous tailoring and outerwear brand comes under new ownership, having been purchased by Chinese textile company, Shandong Ruyi. The sale marks a global reunion of the European, Asian Pacific and Japanese elements of the company, placing them under single ownership and creating a powerful, truly global player in the luxury field.

The year ahead will correspondingly herald a number of significant investments and exciting developments, focusing not only on the core British and Chinese markets but also expanding the business to new markets such as Continental Europe, the Middle East and Korea.

A key forward focus will be on the homespun, ‘Made in Britain’ aspects of Aquascutum. The brand has already brought on board two new British suppliers with more to come as some exciting new projects are developed for launch in A/W’19. One major innovation will be the expansion of the accessories side of the business, with the development of both men’s and women’s bag collections already underway.

Also in the pipeline is the launch of radical new store concepts, which promises to go beyond the delivery of beautiful new retail spaces and create a seamless online/ offline journey for Aquascutum’s customers by imaginatively converging the worlds of technology and ‘bricks and mortar’ retail.

This year’s collections and campaign embody many important aspects of the brand’s dual focuses, combining tradition with a forward thinking, pioneering spirit.

The Autumn/Winter collection presents classic British fabrics and prints like tartan, tweed and check but in modern interpretations, pairing them with technical nylons and timeless coatings. The underpinning inspiration may have been a journey through the rugged landscapes of northern Britain, but this has been interpreted for the resulting campaign by global talent, photographer Victor Demarchelier, son of the legendary Patrick.

For Aquascutum, ‘Britishness’ is about the values to which it has remained true across the 167 years of its lifespan, values that are

linked to components intrinsic to the brand’s DNA – quality, innovation, functionality and modernity. These are the same values that have been the foundation of success for many of the most inspirational British inventors, engineers and companies from the Industrial Revolution right through to the present day.

Originally established by John Emary as a Mayfair tailors, within two years Aquascutum (whose Latin name is translated as ‘water shield’) had patented the first waterproof wool fabric, which was fashioned into stylish, weather-resistant outerwear, perfect for country pursuits, soon to be followed by the provision of ‘trench coats’ for officers serving in the First World War. Aquascutum has earned the loyalty of its many customers – who have included the British Royal Family, Hollywood stars Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart and the great and the good of British society from Edmund Hillary to Margaret Thatcher – due to strong heritage and fine craftsmanship combined with a visionary approach, which always has one eye fixed on the needs of tomorrow.

For Aquascutum, ‘Britishness’ is about the values to which it has remained true across 167 years of its lifespan, values that are linked to components instrinsic to the brand’s DNA

Aquascutum 24 Great Marlborough Street London W1F 7HU +44 (0)20 3096 1864 aquascutum.com

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HIGH FASHION

MULBERRY

Much-loved heritage brand that pushes the boundaries of contemporary design

‘I wanted the new Mulberry stores to be immersive environments with a feel of a home, a place to go and explore the modern British identity of the brand’

Mulberry 100 Regent Street London W1S 1BJ +44 (0)20 7491 3900 mulberry.com

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ulberry’s launch in 1971 coincided with a period of freedom, emancipation and rebellion, which sparked a revolution in British style.

Today, Mulberry takes its inspiration not only from the aesthetic of that era but the mood too: a palpable Sixties rhythm of optimism, positivity

and energy beats through the whole S/S’19 collection.

It’s hard to think of a luxury brand more British than Mulberry. The company name and logo were based upon the mulberry trees that founder Roger Saul passed on his way to school in rural Somerset, while early designs were inspired by traditional country pursuits of hunting, shooting and fishing.

So far, so traditional – except that Mulberry has always put an innovative, often witty spin on everything it does. This, after all, was the company that created an elegant leather satchel and called it the Trout, which went on to become a modern classic.

A somewhat rebellious approach is still very much part of the Mulberry ethos.

Creative Director since 2017, Johnny Coca says his intention is to ‘play with the classic, twist the conventional, use the familiar to make something inspiring and new’. Recent key launches include the Leighton, a new shape with a modern slouch, the Harlow, a more structured design with a double V flap and the Hampstead, a relaxed bucket style with a top handle and cross-body strap. All three are adorned with a take on Mulberry’s signature Rider’s Lock, reminiscent of a horse bit and bridle and a tribute to those early designs.

The multiple facets of Mulberry’s DNA come together in beautiful synergy at its new Regent Street flagship. Created by interior designer Faye Toogood in collaboration with Coca, the store combines brutalist, rural and heritage elements that capture the essence of Mulberry’s point of view, creating a tactile universe in which the brand can be rediscovered. ‘The store concept plays upon Mulberry’s heritage-brand status by paying tribute to the raw power of the British landscape in all its many forms,’ says Toogood. Coca adds, ‘I wanted the new Mulberry stores to be immersive environments with the feel of a home, a place to go and explore the modern British identity of the brand. Faye Toogood is an inspiring woman, a creative force and a bold mind. Together, we are redefining this essential part of our visual vocabulary and building a new chapter for the brand.’

Yet this won’t be a case of change for change’s sake and the brand’s integrity will be upheld with care. ‘I want to push the boundaries, but also respect the values and DNA at the core of the brand,’ says Johnny Coca. ‘I want to reinforce the British character and sensibility of Mulberry. It’s quite humbling – to be trusted with this brand that people love and feel is very much a part of them and their lives.’

PHOTO: © MICHAEL FRANKE

Great British Brands 2019

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PHOTO: © MICHAEL FRANKE

Creative Director Johnny Coca’s mission for Mulberry is to push the brand’s boundaries while reinforcing its innate British character

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Great British Brands 2019

HIGH FASHION

PRINGLE OF SCOTLAND

The inventor of the classic Argyle pattern and the iconic twinset continues to innovate nearly 200 years after its inception

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n 1815, Robert Pringle founded Pringle of Scotland in Hawick, on the Scottish Borders, making it one of the oldest fashion brands in the world. In 1956, HM The Queen awarded the company a Royal Warrant and one of the most treasured notes in the brand archives is from Clarence House simply requesting ‘New cardigan, please’.

Despite its 200-year history, Pringle has always been a thoroughly modern, pioneering company, with an impressive list of ‘firsts’ to its name. Not only was it the first to coin the term ‘knitwear’, it was the first to use the intarsia design that became the Argyle pattern so beloved by the Duke of Windsor in the 1920s. It was also the first to produce the twinset, which featured on the cover of Vogue in 1955 and was widely adopted by British and Hollywood royalty.

Today, Pringle continues to pioneer British knitwear and champion British heritage. Each season the company also looks at new ways to reconnect with its iconic Scottish past.

The Duke of Windsor’s adored Argyle pattern is one such example, and both the women’s pre-fall and men’s Autumn/Winter 2018 collections celebrate and reinterpret this classic pattern. For women’s knitwear it is mixed with another traditional pattern, Fair Isle, for a statement knit presented on classic cashmere in contrasting colours.

Despite its 200-year history, Pringle has always been a thoroughly modern, pioneering company, with an impressive list of ‘firsts’ to its name

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The men’s collection boldly explores the relationship between classic Argyle and traditional tartan patterns

In the men’s collection the relationship between Argyle and traditional tartan is explored, combining the two for a new hybrid pattern. Classic Argyle is also reinterpreted to create a ‘broken’ diamond effect.

Another important part of the brand’s visual heritage is the iconic Pringle lion, first introduced on garment labels in 1934. Also referred to as the ‘lion rampant’, the emblem traditionally symbolises bravery, nobility, strength and valour, hence its use on the coat of arms of royal heraldry throughout Britain and Europe. The Pringle lion still features on both the men’s and women’s knitwear, interpreted in different ways for the latest collections.

But it’s not just about referencing an illustrious past, it’s also about innovating for the future. The new womenswear collection showcases an example of this inventiveness: printing designs directly onto knitwear, giving a contemporary, sporty finish.

Wallace Shaw, Pringle’s Head Designer in the 1960s, first introduced the technique and, as Fran Stringer, Womenswear Design Director, comments, ‘Finding Wallace Shaw’s archive designs introduced us once again to Pringle as an innovator – applying print techniques to knitwear in a way that had never been done before. I always want to balance pride in our heritage with a celebration of the advancements in fashion and manufacturing.’

For its 200th anniversary in 2015, Pringle worked with National Museums Scotland to curate an exhibition charting the company’s long history and celebrating the relevance of knitwear in contemporary fashion. The show also demonstrated an irrefutable truth: it’s thanks to Robert Pringle that knitwear has such a prominent place in the lives and wardrobes of men and women around the world.

Pringle of Scotland 94 Mount Street, London W1K 2SZ +44 (0)20 3011 0031 pringlescotland.com

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HIGH FASHION

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD A fashion icon of our age

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ivienne Westwood is an icon and living legend. She is a fashion designer, activist, co-creator of punk and a global brand.

Westwood began designing in 1971 with her then partner Malcolm McLaren in London, when the capital was at the forefront of global cultural trends. They opened a shop at 430 King’s Road to showcase their ideas and designs. In 1976, to reflect their changing ideas about fashion, they altered the shop’s décor and renamed it Seditionaries, turning the shop into a landmark and simultaneously claiming the street culture of punk as their own.

By the end of the Seventies, Vivienne Westwood was already considered a symbol of the British avant-garde. For Autumn/Winter 1981 she showed her first catwalk presentation at Olympia in London. Pirates was a unisex collection of clothes, inspired by historical costume, for swashbuckling heroes – highwaymen, dandies, buccaneers and pirates. The clothes were sold from the King’s Road shop which was renamed World’s End and redesigned to resemble a ship, complete with a slanting wooden floor.

Vivienne Westwood has always used her collections and catwalk shows as a platform to campaign for positive activism

Westwood later turned to 17th and 18th-century art for inspiration and adopted traditional Savile Row tailoring techniques, using British fabrics such as tartan and tweed. These elements continue to inform her collections today. In 2004, London’s Victoria & Albert museum hosted a Vivienne Westwood retrospective exhibition to celebrate her 34 years in fashion. Back then, the exhibition was the largest ever devoted to a living British fashion designer.

In 2006, her contribution to British Fashion was officially recognised when she was appointed Dame of the British Empire

by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Vivienne Westwood met Andreas Kronthaler in 1989. He would later become her husband and long-time design partner, as well as creative director of the brand. In 2016, Westwood’s semi-couture Gold Label collection was renamed Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, an acknowledgment of Andreas’ commitment to the house and influence over the Gold Label collections of the past 25 years. The iconic collection, which draws on luxurious and couture techniques, stands alongside the mainline Vivienne Westwood unisex collection with a focus on traditional British fabrics, tailoring and the iconic Westwood silhouette. The house also offers bespoke made-to-measure and bridal services, cocktail dresses and evening gowns from its Davies Street, Mayfair boutique.

Vivienne Westwood has always used her collections and catwalk shows as a platform to campaign for positive activism. She has spent many years tirelessly speaking out about the effects of climate change and overconsumption, and has mobilised international attention around ecological crusading.

Today, Vivienne Westwood is one of the last independent global fashion companies in the world. Recently adding New York and Paris flagship stores to its portfolio of boutiques in London, Milan, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Westwood continues to capture the imagination on an international stage. With a design record spanning over 40 years, Vivienne Westwood Vivienne Westwood is recognised as 44 Conduit Street a global brand and as one of the most London W1S 2yl influential fashion designers, and +44 (0)20 7439 1109 activists, in the world today. viviennewestwood.com

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Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood S/S’19

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Begg & Co finely balances its extraordinary heritage with forward-thinking innovation to stay as relevant as it ever was

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Great British Brands 2019

exceedingly sophisticated methods of craftsmanship, while its highly skilled workforce created timeless, versatile products to exemplary standards.

Fast-forward more than 150 years, and the appointment of an innovative creative team has seen the dawn of a new era for Begg & Co. With a meticulous eye for design and an understanding of an ethos spanning generations, Begg’s expert craftspeople have been able to elevate the brand’s narrative in a way that has seen it become a beacon of modern heritage. An unwavering appreciation for Scotland’s vast terrain, Brutalist architecture and emerging British talent, has allowed for the cultivation of a design-led offering, which champions a balance of worlds, young and old.

In 2016, Begg & Co introduced the Artists Editions. Each year, a notable British artist is invited to collaborate on a limited-edition capsule collection for Begg & Co. Following the successes of its first two instalments with Michael Wall and Sophie Smallhorn, the latest Artists Edition continues with prints by Scottish-born illustrator and ceramicist, John Booth. No stranger to the fashion industry, Booth brings an adept interpretation of the idiosyncrasies in textile design to a Begg & Co staple: The Wispy. ‘Being given the freedom to work “big” on something, made the whole process of developing ideas for Begg & Co incredibly fulfilling,’ comments John Booth on the collaboration.

Begg & Co also works with Maggie’s cancer charity, which offers practical and emotional support to those living with cancer. Designed by some of the world’s most esteemed architects, Maggie’s Centres play host to highly sophisticated support programmes and each complex is mindfully designed to boost the wellbeing of its visitors through architecture. United by common values and a mutual appreciation for architecture, Maggie’s Centres and Begg & Co were first introduced in 2016 by broadcaster and writer Kirsty Wark. Their collaboration with Maggie’s will see Begg & Co offer ongoing collaborative support, with all three styles featured in the collection inspired by the architectural nuances observed in Maggie’s Centres. All proceeds will be donated to the charity.

With an ever-increasing following, Begg’s design philosophy remains steadfast: a seamless cross-pollination of Brutalist egg & Co has been making architecture and the picturesque Scottish beautiful scarves, wraps and stoles landscapes for which Ayr is famous. in Scotland since 1866. Alex Begg Tempering the forces of a rich history built the company on a foundation of in fine craftsmanship and innovative innovation that still stands firm today. design, Begg & Co is an illuminating In 1902, a move to the small coastal town British brand redefining modern of Ayr gave Begg & Co the space to expand heritage in ways never seen before. its vision and continuously pioneer new and

BEGG & CO Beautiful Scottish scarves, wraps and stoles since 1866

Begg & Co’s expert craftspeople have been able to elevate the brand’s narrative in a way that has seen it become a beacon of modern heritage

Begg & Co 17 Viewfield Road Ayr KA8 8HJ +44 (0)1292 267615 beggandcompany.com

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BRORA

Britain’s best-loved cashmere brand

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rora is one of Britain’s best-loved cashmere brands, producing timeless knitwear and beautiful clothing for all ages.

Initially focusing on Scottish cashmere, Brora is now a fully fledged fashion label, producing new and exciting collections with every season. However, Brora is never about fast fashion: the brand creates beautiful designs, made to last, from high quality fabrics and yarns.

Their cashmere is world renowned; the best cashmere fibres are carefully selected from the native goat of the Mongolian plateau and taken to Scotland where the coarse ‘guard hairs’ are removed. Only the longest fibres make it through to the next stage to ensure all Brora cashmere is of grade A quality. Up to seven shades are used to create each of their cashmere colours, resulting in a range of tones which are unique to the industry.

Continuous investment in the latest technology, combined with skills and techniques passed down through generations, ensure the quality and longevity of each Brora piece. All of Brora’s cashmere is made at one of the oldest mills in Scotland with over 50 processes involved in making a single cashmere jumper. This attention to detail is what gives every garment a luxurious finish. In addition, a dedicated team of highly skilled hand-knitters produces much of Brora’s babies’ and children’s knitwear and accessories.

Victoria Stapleton, Brora’s founder and creative director, is also the brand’s sole owner. Having studied interior design at the Inchbald School of Design and gone on to read history of art at the University of East Anglia, Victoria was chosen to take charge of Hunters of Brora’s retail arm when her family bought the 100-year-old tweed mill. This marked the beginnings of the modern-day Brora that customers know and love.

The first Brora boutique opened in London’s Chelsea in 1995, just two years after the inception of the business.

Today there are a number of stores across London; in Sloane Square, Marylebone High Street, Covent Garden and on the King’s Road, plus regionally in Edinburgh, Bath and Oxford as well as several John Lewis concessions and Brora’s first US store, on New York’s Madison Avenue.

Since 2011, Brora has created an annual exclusive London Fashion Week collaboration with a whole host of talented designers. Previous partners include Teatum Jones, Louise Gray, Michael van der Ham, Sophie Dahl and Eudon Choi.

Brora recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a range

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Laura Bailey (above and left) models Brora’s 25th anniversary range of cashmere, while Emma Thompson (right) was among the devotees of the brand to design their dream cashmere piece

Brora 6-8 Symons Street London SW3 2TJ +44 (0)3456 599944 brora.co.uk

of exciting projects. Towards the start of the year, it released a limited run of cashmere stripe stoles, inspired by a popular pattern from the brand’s past. In autumn 2018, Brora launched a special 25-piece collection in collaboration with Brora aficionado and Fashion Director of Marie Claire Jayne Pickering.

Finishing off a year of celebrations, Kirstie Allsopp, Emma Thompson and Daisy Lowe, all longtime devotees of the brand, were invited to design their dream cashmere piece with ten per cent of the proceeds going to each of their chosen charities.

Brora looks forward to the next 25 years, supporting British manufacturing and creating quality designs, made to last a lifetime.

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EMMY LONDON

Exquisitely designed shoes that are fit for every occasion

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PHOTOS: MARK COLLITON, CLAIRE GRAHAM & VICTORIA GOLD

rom the world’s most photographed women to members of royal families, when it comes to occasion shoes, the ‘Little Black Book’ name to know is undoubtedly that of Emmy London, famed for its occasion and bridal shoe and accessory collections. Whether a show-stopper or something more subtle and sophisticated is called for, the British brand, started by Somerset-born designer Emmy Scartefield, can be absolutely counted on to deliver the appropriate pair.

‘Our clients trust us to have a handle on etiquette and effortless British style, to create the right shoe for the right occasion,’ says Emmy. ‘This is something upon which we pride ourselves and has been an integral part of our brand ethos from the very start.’

Indeed, far from introducing a bespoke element as a modish afterthought or add-on, bespoke shoemaking is where the business began, giving Emmy a strong sense of what clients were really searching for when it came to the ultimate occasion shoe. Emmy London’s bespoke offering allows clients to customise their perfect pair of shoes, from shape and heel height to colours, materials, trim and embellishments. This remains a key element of its offer as well as the creation of dazzling ready-to-wear bridal and occasion-wear

Whether a show-stopper or something more subtle is called for, Emmy London can be counted on to deliver the appropriate pair

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Emmy London shoes can be seen gracing the feet of a sophisticated clientele around the world

PHOTOS: MARK COLLITON, CLAIRE GRAHAM & VICTORIA GOLD

shoes, all designed with the perfect fit and, crucially, the comfort of the wearer firmly in mind. The trademark hidden crystal on the sole of every shoe is just one of those special touches that has so endeared Emmy London to its numerous fans around the globe.

This year has seen the launch of two exciting new Emmy London collections. Launched exclusively in New York, the ‘Porto’ collection takes inspiration from the cobbled streets found in the Portuguese city where each pair of Emmy London shoes is lovingly and immaculately made. The

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intricate tiled patterns have influenced a modern evolution of the brand’s famous beaded detailing and embellishments.

A further collaboration with the Corinthia has seen Emmy drawing inspiration from the splendid Baccarat crystal chandelier that forms the sparkling centrepiece of the landmark London hotel. The result is a dazzling, feminine collection of contemporary bridal shoes including ornate glass beading, crystal sequins and metallic edging, taking in a range of styles from sleek slingbacks to stiletto courts, with the ruby crystal on each sole a nod to the precious stone reputedly hidden within the chandelier itself.

Emmy trained at the prestigious Cordwainers College prior to honing her craft in the employ of international names including Giorgio Armani, Bottega Veneta and Mulberry.

However, it was always her intention to go it alone one day, and when the journey seemed daunting, she looked back to one of her distant relatives for inspiration – one Charles Digby Harrod, founder of the Knightsbridge store.

‘If he could do it,’ she thought, ‘then so can I…’ Luxury retail and entrepreneurship are truly in her blood, and, following in her great-greatgrandfather’s footsteps, she is now heading up another grand London brand, which is internationally reputed for its personalised approach and alluring sense of style.

Emmy London 74 Fulham Road London SW3 6HH +44 (0)20 7704 0012 emmylondon.com

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FROM LEFT: Colour pop with Johnstons of Elgin’s superfine tie neck sleeveless top; feeling cool in the superfine grandad collar sweater and ‘Scuba Skin’ tank top

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FASHION & ACCESSORIES

Great British Brands 2019

JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN

Year-round product innovation and technology showcasing seamless knitwear, cashmere accessories and ultra-fine jacquard designs

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itting on the banks of the River Lossie in Scotland is one of the last vertical woollen mills in Britain.

It has been there since 1797, overseeing all the processes from raw material to finished article – ‘goat to garment’.

As Alan Scott, creative director, says, ‘Johnstons has sourced, washed, dried, milled, spun, woven, finished and produced the garments in a truly vertical process. Our mill is one of the very few left in the world to do this.’

And it has been doing it for over 220 years.

A family-run business that received the Royal Warrant of Appointment to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in 2013, the brand’s production happens in two mills, in Elgin and Hawick. The accessories, knitwear, woven fabrics and cashmere throws that emerge feature at the couture houses and on the catwalks of London, Paris and Milan, in Savile Row and the world at large. There are three shops in Scotland but the flagship store is in the very heart of London’s luxury international fashion quarter at 77 New Bond Street and their stock of cashmere goods are available worldwide.

Johnstons of Elgin is known and appreciated globally for its impeccable credentials arising from the highly skilled textile craftspeople at its heart. Some of its 1,000-strong staff have clocked up almost 50 years’ service. A thriving apprenticeship scheme on both sites ensures an ongoing nurturing of talent and the company’s investment in its future.

The Spring/Summer 2019 collection showcases year-round product innovation and technology, which uses their signature fabric, quality, craft, design and tailoring. It employs whole garment technology giving easy-to-wear seamless pieces such as polo shirts and super lightweight knits, ultra-fine jacquard weaving of merino, silk and tissue-weight cashmere accessories that are light but sumptuously soft. It has also introduced some fashionable and super-

lightweight accessories, sport-inspired styles in new double face fabrics. Pastel shades have been inspired by the Mediterranean, all culminating in year-round appeal for this global brand.

The brand’s story is told in its 90-year-old ‘woodcut’ logo, designed by ES Harrison, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, shortly after he bought the company from Charles Johnston in 1920. The J for Johnston paid credit to the great innovators in the family who brought the first cashmere to Britain and received a medal for their ‘superb vicuña stoles’ at the Great Exhibition of London in 1851. The thistle represents a commitment to their intention always to manufacture in Scotland; the bee perhaps reflecting the hard work and skill of their workers.

This emphasis on community, provenance, art and the mixture of the best of old and new, is as important today as it ever was. No surprise that the woodcut was brought back into use five years ago. It had never disappeared entirely from the mill, having been immortalised in stained glass windows and carved wooden handrails in the buildings themselves. It remains a fitting symbol of the company’s global reputation for heritage, craft, style and luxury.

Johnstons of Elgin’s accessories, knitwear, fabrics and cashmere feature at the couture houses and on the catwalks of London, Paris and Milan

Johnstons of Elgin Newmill, Elgin, Moray Scotland IV30 4AF +44 (0)1343 554000 johnstonsofelgin.com

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Great British Brands 2019

FASHION & ACCESSORIES

REALLY WILD

Tailoring that bridges country and city, classic and contemporary

‘We were about country pursuits orginally, but we are now devloping wearable pieces that move effortlessly from country to town and back again’

Really Wild Unit B1-B2 Access Twelve Station Road Theale RG7 4PN +44 (0)1491 352600 reallywildclothing.com

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t’s the conundrum that vexes many a modern woman: how to make your wardrobe work for your city or office-based job, your weekends in the country, and your desire not to be pigeonholed via your dress choices as either ‘classic’ or ‘contemporary’. We seek that elusive balance: pieces that seamlessly cross over. Happily, the Really Wild label is developing as a perfect all-round solution.

Founded in 2002 by dynamic designer and entrepreneur Natalie Lake to create a line of

updated shootingwear for the Royal Berkshire Shooting School, Really Wild quickly established itself as a standalone women’s brand, inspired by a deep love of the British countryside and the colours and textures of the changing seasons.

Its collections combine the best of British heritage with the most enduring of British style. Tailored to flatter, pieces are made from the warmest wools and the most luxurious silks, combining colours and yarns to create a wardrobe that is exquisitely crafted and endlessly versatile. British heritage, modernised, and designed to be lived in.

Back in 2002, Really Wild was an e-commerce pioneer, only opening its first bricks-and-mortar store in 2016, about 30 miles outside London in the Berkshire town of Marlow. All that is now changing, since the runaway success of the brand’s experimental pop-up store in Duke of York Square, Chelsea, launched during 2018.

‘Everyone is loving the collections,’ said Natalie, ‘and as a result we are now looking for a longterm store in London.’

This new move comes on the back of Really Wild having held to its strong point of view about sourcing from Britain. It uses British manufacturers and mills to create exquisite bespoke tweeds and wool, refining the fabric at the weaving stage; and it works with British leather manufacturers and Liberty silk for shirts and dresses. ‘We were about country pursuits originally,’ says Natalie, ‘but we are now developing wearable pieces that move effortlessly from country to town and back again.’ A good example is the brand’s signature Spanish boots, created for the outdoors but stylish and practical in any situation; there are now over ten different footwear designs, from the heeled Chelsea boot in suede to the leather biker boot.

Masters in the art of layering – an advantage in the face of unpredictable British weather – the team still laugh when they recall their photoshoot for S/S’19, on a beach near Walberswick in Suffolk. ‘It was a highlight of the year. The light was beautiful but the weather had suddenly turned cold after a storm. The model was dressed to look summery, but was, in fact, freezing.

Fortunately, one of the S/S’19 looks is a tailored jacket over a flowing maxi dress. The shoot showed exactly how this would work in real life.’

Along with its retail plans, Really Wild has been reviewing its digital marketing capabilities. A fresh, modern website is being launched, designed in-house to provide a more sophisticated customer journey, taking into account the brand’s 15-year experience of how customers like to shop. For now, the business is a tight-knit group of around 12 – but with international expansion plans on the horizon, things could be about to get really wild.

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Finding that elusive balance between the urban and rural, and classic and contempoary, Really Wild create beautiful Spanish leather boots, silk scarves and velvet wide leg trousers

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Great British Brands 2019

FASHION & ACCESSORIES

TOM DAVIES

A pair of glasses that will change your life

‘I always wanted to design glasses that someone would really enjoy wearing. Glasses bring symmetry to your face and that’s beautiful’

Tom Davies 983 Great West Road London TW8 9DN +44 (0)20 8392 0555 tdtomdavies.com

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n 2018 Tom Davies headed the Evening Standard list of London’s One Thousand Most Influential People, perhaps because his spectacles are different to any others in the world. ‘No one else does what I do,’ he says. ‘Other brands say they offer a bespoke service but they don’t.’

From the beginning, Tom identified a need for frames that were exceptionally comfortable, elegant and meticulously made to fit the face precisely. ‘I always wanted to design glasses that someone would really enjoy wearing,’ he says. ‘Glasses bring symmetry to your face and that’s beautiful.

A good pair of glasses changes your life.’

By 2008, Tom Davies was offering a full custom service through a global network of opticians and in 2014 the first Tom Davies Bespoke Opticians store opened on Sloane Square, incorporating an eye clinic which, Tom says, ‘is so futuristic that it looks a bit 2001 Space Odyssey’. Tom Davies clinics are furnished with the latest diagnostic equipment from ZEISS, normally only found in hospital ophthalmology clinics. ‘I’m

rebranding as a vision clinic,’ says Tom, ‘because I passionately believe we have the technology and expertise to save people’s eye sight – and we have.’

Today the brand has stores in Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Sloane Square, The Royal Exchange and Covent Garden and, in a boost for Britain, has moved production from China back to a factory in Brentford.

2018 also saw the design of a new Performance Range for cyclists. Frames are designed to be worn while bent over the handlebars and can be matched to the colours of team or bicycle.

All Tom Davies frames are made from the highest quality materials, ranging from a burnt Danish river salmon skin to a favourite tartan or Buffalo horn.

January 2019 sees the global launch of silver 925 and 18k gold frames. ‘Normally we use light-weight titanium. Since gold and silver are far heavier the challenge has been making the glasses comfortable,’ says Tom, ‘but we’ve come up with an innovative way of balancing them so the weight is on the back and now the frames feel and look fabulous.’ All Tom Davies bespoke frames have the customer’s name engraved on the inside of the temple arm. ‘Why would you want to wear someone else’s brand name on your face?’ smiles Tom. Tom Davies aficionados include Angelina Jolie, Ed Sheeran, Kate Silverton and Susannah Constantine and Tom is proud to have made Clark Kent’s black frames that he sports in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Ask Tom what makes his glasses British and he says, ‘If you’re dealing in eyewear it’s good to be British and quirky. People love London. If you don’t have a Made in Britain sign on a pair of glasses in Asia they’re not interested because they believe that what we’re offering is truly bespoke – and bespoke doesn’t mean custom-made. It’s more than that.

It’s about an extra level of service. Ultimately my glasses are all about you.’

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Tom Davies bespoke glasses push the boundaries of eyewear and are all, ultimately, about the client

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Great British Brands 2019

FASHION & ACCESSORIES

ZAEEM JAMAL

Classic contemporary British couture with an edge

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018 was a year of innovation, development, collaboration and creative boundary breaking for global couturier to the stars, Zaeem Jamal.

Spring saw the launch of the ‘Emergence’ collection, featuring a blaze of colour, bold cuts, free flowing hand dyed silks and subtle embroidery embellishments featuring exquisite fine art butterflies and flowers.

The collection sparked the idea of developing a platform to support emerging global talent, wherever it can be found, and out of that seed the ‘Reach for the Stars’ campaign was born.

This organically led to a joint venture with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, supporting its ‘Stars of the Future’, as well as laying the foundations for workshops and master-classes at the Royal Opera House. During this collaboration, Zaeem Jamal formed a strong relationship with virtuoso violinist and champion of musical arts and education, Nicola Benedetti, who features in the brand’s Winter 2018 advertising campaign.

Summer was an overture of organza, feather, beading and crystal embellishment as the brand pushed its creative and technical boundaries, evolving demanding pieces of ‘working couture’ for red carpet events and award ceremonies, at which couture became an integral part of the performance for some of the world’s most talented artistes. Zaeem Jamal works with dancers to establish new ways of making fabric move, flow and fall, and in 2018 it reached deeper into freeing fabric, developing feel and innovating new techniques to meet the evolving needs of its diverse clients.

Autumn 2018 saw the renovation of the London flagship store on King’s Road and the appointment of an excellent team dedicated to bringing the in-store shopping experience to a new level of excellence, engagement and elegance. It also heralded the filming of the Winter 2018 advertising campaign with Nicola Benedetti. The campaign comprised a piece from the Cosmic collection that Nicola chose

herself, a priceless Stradivarius violin, a crescent moon, the world’s best ‘fly’ man, three wolves, two owls, Markie and a legendary production team! The results of this endeavour can be seen in Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Town and Country and various in-house publications for the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne.

Winter brought a glorious collaboration with Glyndebourne, as Zaeem Jamal helped the opera house to celebrate 50 years touring in Britain. The Zaeem Jamal brand has a prolific partnership with Glyndebourne, finding a deep sense of quintessentially British qualities deep within both brands’ DNA. ‘To us, a strong part of being a great British brand is a sense of tradition, adventure, daring, evolution, education, responsibility and integrity,’ says Zaeem, ‘and we find those core values mirrored in Glyndebourne.

‘Our clients value our honesty, sense of duty and purpose, creativity, integrity and dedication and we share with them a core belief in freedom of expression, opportunity and education,’ says Zaeem. These things have been the thrusting blocks that make Zaeem Jamal proud to be a truly Great British Brand and help it to keep ‘Reaching for the Stars’.

‘A strong part of being a great British brand is a sense of tradition, adventure, daring, evolution, responsibilty and integrity’

Zaeem Jamal 309 King’s Road London SW3 +44 (0)20 7100 2072 zaeemjamal.com

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Arianrhod from the Zaeem Jamal Cosmic Collection 2018/19

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JEWELLERY & WATCHES

BACKES & STRAUSS P80 BOODLES P82 DAVID MORRIS P84 ELIZABETH GAGE P86 HAMILTON & INCHES P88 LUCAS RARITIES P90 PRAGNELL P92 SIMON WRIGHT JEWELLERY P94 THEO FENNELL P96

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Great British Brands 2019

JEWELLERY & WATCHES

BACKES & STRAUSS

Diamonds and watchmaking expertise collide to create haute horlogerie

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his year Backes & Strauss is proud to celebrate two major horological feats: the evolution of its jewellery watches and its continued focus on haute horlogerie. Both bear witness to the ‘Meeting of Masters’, when a diamond polisher and setter sets to work with a great watchmaker to create a masterpiece, both united in their passion for mathematical precision and beauty.

Backes & Strauss’s continued quest to translate its savoir-faire of diamonds and jewellery into exquisite timepieces has led to the expansion of its Piccadilly Renaissance Ballerina collection with two new creations: the Ballerina Jonquil and Ballerina Rainbow. Both visually create a dance of time, from the white, colourless and yellow diamonds of the Ballerina Jonquil to the Ballerina Rainbow’s multicolour sapphires, which create seamless waves of colour in an intense gradient and culminate in the dial’s majestic allure.

While pushing the boundaries of jewellery watchmaking, Backes & Strauss has passed another

Backes & Strauss is delighted to announce the recent appointment of HRH Prince Michael of Kent as Royal Ambassador

horological milestone with its third generation of specially made tourbillon timepieces, the Piccadilly 45 and the Berkeley 43 King Tourbillons, with every tourbillon visible from the cut-away dial. In a subtle nod to Backes & Strauss’s diamond know-how, every tourbillon is decorated with a Backes & Strauss signature arrows motif, inspired by the hearts and arrows pattern visible on an Ideal Cut diamond through a loupe.

The open back case reveals the rotor of the automatic tourbillon movement, engraved with the London skyline, a reminder of the brand’s British legacy and heritage.

That very British essence is the fil rouge running through the brand’s DNA and Backes & Strauss’s main collection is named after three London landmarks. The smooth, oval curves of Regent Street can be found in the Regent collection, the square-shaped Berkeley collection is aptly named after Berkeley Square and the round-shaped Piccadilly collection is – you guessed it – inspired by Piccadilly Circus.

London’s architecture might have been nonexistent were it not for the British royal family. In the 19th century the Prince Regent, later King George the IV, commissioned huge swathes of London to be redesigned by major architects like John Nash. Backes & Strauss has continuously celebrated the British Royal family, from its famed Victoria collection to the 2012 Diamond Jubilee series, fêting Queen Elizabeth II’s 60 years on the throne.

After all, the notion of luxury – or meta-luxury today – dates back to the kings and queens of past centuries who would challenge the best craftsmen in the land to create bespoke masterpieces of the highest quality – be it a painting, a crown or even a throne.

Today, Backes & Strauss is delighted to announce the recent appointment of HRH Prince Michael of Kent, as Royal Ambassador. In addition to visiting key markets and participating in special events, Prince Michael will help to design a limited collection of timepieces, which will be available towards the end of 2019, and help the brand to continue supporting excellence in British craftsmanship.

Backes & Strauss 21-22 Grosvenor Street London W1K 4QJ +44 (0)20 7629 5714 backesandstrauss.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Backes & Strauss Piccadilly Renaissance Ballerina Rainbow timepiece where haute horlogerie meets haute joaillerie; the Berkeley 43 King Tourbillon; the Piccadilly 45 King Tourbillon

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Great British Brands 2019

JEWELLERY & WATCHES

BOODLES Family-run British jeweller

‘I wish Boodles to be exceptional in every possible way. We are different and have our own special character’

Boodles 178 New Bond Street London W1S 4RH +44 (0)20 7493 3240 boodles.com

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ounded in 1798, Boodles is a jewellery house with centuries of experience, which to this day remains privately owned by the Wainwright family.

All growth is funded entirely from retained profits and the company has no borrowings, while revenue and profits have grown significantly over the last five years.

Boodles prides itself on being at the forefront of the industry and continues to strive for new levels of excellence. ‘I wish Boodles to be exceptional in every possible way. We are different and have our own special character,’ says Chairman Nicholas Wainwright.

In 2018 Boodles celebrated its 220th anniversary. In June, Wainwright, the fifth generation of the family to run the company since its foundation, was awarded an MBE for ‘services to UK Jewellery Exports and to charitable fundraising’ in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

To mark Boodles a 220th anniversary, a spectacular new necklace has been created featuring 93 D-colour Ashoka-cut diamonds.

The company is proud to be the only British jeweller to offer the exclusive Ashoka-cut diamond. It takes an exceptional stone and many months of skilled work to create this 62-facet cut. The inclusion of pink diamonds and rose gold alludes to the pale pink, which is such an integral part of the Boodles brand identity. It originates from Nicholas Wainwright’s love of the colour, inspired by the striking pink of an incredibly rare diamond he found during one of his first trips to source stones. Since then, the colour has always been very special to him, serving as a reminder of Boodles aspiration for the exceptional. Nicholas writes on pink stationery, wears a pink tie, pocket square, socks, and – it is whispered – even pink boxer shorts.

To commemorate the 220th anniversary, Patek Philippe, a fellow family-run business, has created a limited-edition World Time 5230G watch, featuring Liverpool, the city of Boodles foundation, to represent Greenwich Mean Time. This is a signal honour for the company.

Last year, Boodles celebrated the reopening of its showroom at Harrods in Knightsbridge.

The new boutique, located in the Fine Jewellery Room on the Ground Floor, was designed by renowned architect Eva Jiricna and decorated in the company’s signature soft grey and pink.

The space is almost twice the size of Boodles previous Harrods boutique in line with the company’s current focus on expanding its British retail presence.

Boodles events are a feature for many clients, and the brand is involved with around 150 such events throughout the year. A highlight is the Boodles Tennis at Stoke Park, in which players such as Zverev, Djokovic and Anderson compete. Other notable events include the Salon Privé, Boodles May Festival at Chester Races, the Boodles Boxing Ball and a series of productions at the Royal Ballet.

Boodles looks forward to launching a new High Jewellery collection in 2019, which will further underline the talents of the Boodles in-house design team. Another exciting year lies ahead but the company’s tradition of quality and service will remain undiminished.

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FROM LEFT: Boodles spectacular 220th anniversary necklace featuring exclusive Ashoka-cut diamonds; Boodles launched the Orchard collection earlier this year featuring pears as a motif

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FROM LEFT: David Morris Paraiba Tourmalines collection earrings and necklace; 20.13k paraiba tourmaline Maelstrom ring set with diamonds, paraiba tourmalines and sapphires; paraiba tourmaline and diamond Dragon earrings

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JEWELLERY & WATCHES

Great British Brands 2019

DAVID MORRIS

Providing exquisitely fine British craftsmanship on demand

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fter 13 years at the helm, Jeremy Morris still presides over every aspect of David Morris’s design process and oversees all on-site manufacture to ensure that the brand name remains synonymous with its byline: ‘classic design, but with a twist’.

For a recent wedding Jeremy designed diamond necklaces for bride and mother, involving them both in each creative step so each necklace was different and perfect for the wearer’s age and sense of occasion.

‘It’s of crucial importance to this house that we’re committed to providing our customers with the finest bespoke craftsmanship on demand,’ he says.

As one of the only jewellers on Bond Street to retain an on-site atelier, David Morris can provide an instant ‘alteration’ service, in much the same way that Haute Couture gowns can be retouched in Parisian petites-main ateliers.

It’s why it seemed so natural to the brand to build on its existing collaboration with British couturier Ralph & Russo in 2018. In 2017 Ralph & Russo dressed the models when David Morris opened its Paris flagship boutique. Then, in July, David Morris provided eye-catching, playful jewellery to enhance the outfits at Ralph & Russo’s Autumn/Winter 2018 Couture runway show in Paris and at its exclusive after party. David Morris’s jewellery and Ralph & Russo’s clothes adorn some of the world’s most influential women with a strong sense of identity and elegance, so the partnership between the brands is testament to the very best of British design.

Continuing to showcase his passion for design in bold colours, Jeremy has cemented the house’s reputation as a world leader in rare, electricblue Paraiba tourmalines. He sources only the most exceptional stones, notably this 20.13k cushioncut, and creates the magnificent designs seen on these pages.

Throughout the year David Morris continued to expand,

doubling the size of its Harrods boutique and creating a separate showroom there to echo its Paris flagship store and create a more immersive and exclusive experience for its clients.

The brand also continued its expansion in the Middle East, adding to existing boutiques in Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

David Morris also has a presence in Oman and Jeddah and is underway with a boutique in Riyadh. ‘We aim to showcase our brand wherever in the world our clients spend time and hope to pass on our love and passion for fine jewellery to a new audience of discerning consumers,’ says Jeremy.

The brand has recently launched an ecommerce platform to reach new customers and stay relevant in an everevolving market. ‘For us, being British means taking inspiration from traditional sources but having total freedom in terms of creativity,’ says Jeremy. ‘British culture is such a wonderful breeding ground for imagination and originality – it has spirit and soul. This gives our jewellery an unexpected dynamic element that we believe is typically British, and typically David Morris.’

‘For us, being British means taking inspiration from traditional sources but having total freedom in terms of creativity’

David Morris 180 New Bond Street London W1S 4RL +44 (0)20 7499 2200 davidmorris.com

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Great British Brands 2019

JEWELLERY & WATCHES

ELIZABETH GAGE Innovative creator of jewellery that is both pioneering and timeless

E Elizabeth Gage 5 West Halkin Street London SW1X 8JA +44 (0)20 7823 0100 elizabeth-gage.com

lizabeth Gage is quite simply one of the most influential and creative jewellery designers working today.

A highly acclaimed artist who uses jewels and gold instead of paint and canvas, Elizabeth Gage received an MBE in 2017 for her unwavering commitment to jewellery and is internationally renowned for both her unrivalled craftsmanship and her instantly distinctive interpretations of historical and cultural styles.

Elizabeth Gage only became a jewellery designer by chance when a friend asked her to find a ring she wanted as a gift. Unable to locate any designs she liked, she enrolled at the Sir John Cass College of Arts and Science, now the Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design, to learn how to make the ring herself. She went on to design a small collection for Cartier in New York and in 1972 her Agincourt ring won

the De Beers Diamonds International Award, the ‘Oscars’ of jewellery design, and was called an ‘engineering masterpiece’.

Today Elizabeth Gage’s creations in 18k and 22k gold are heralded for their pioneering excellence and timeless creativity, bringing the past into the present and making it wearable.

She has revived the ancient technique of granulation, in which tiny granules are attached to a gold base, though in her Molton Gold Plaque necklace she uses the technique in a completely new way, mixing gold beads with wire work.

Equally, she has brought back to life the art of repoussé, where metal is hammered into relief from the reverse side, while other highly skilled techniques include linen finish, engraving, hammered finish and lost wax process.

Elizabeth Gage’s creativity continues to achieve new heights and this year her collections

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For Elizabeth Gage, jewellery is the ultimate expression of its wearer’s individuality, with each piece an enchanting talisman to be worn like a second skin

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Elizabeth Gage; Roller Seal rings; the Sainte-Chapelle ring; the Tree of Life necklace

are joined by distinctive and bold new designs such as the Peacock Collection, where the intricate patterning of the enameller allows for a mix of several different colours. The new Roller Seal rings, using the impressions of ancient seals from 3,500 BC and 350AD, are testament to Elizabeth Gage’s love of Ancient Greece, while her statement necklaces are joined by a magnificent Tree of Life design, hand-waxed to mimic ancient pre-formation oak leaves, eight of which are pavé set with diamonds. Another unique design for this year is the glorious Sainte-Chapelle ring, inspired by the exquisite vaulted ceiling in the 13th-century royal chapel in the Palais de la Cité in Paris.

As you would expect, Elizabeth Gage is not a designer who chooses stones for their value alone, but rather for their beauty, complementing them with objects which appeal because of their shape and colour, from Baroque pearls to Sumerian amulets and 19th-century intaglios, or engraved gems.

For Elizabeth Gage, who designs for both men and women, jewellery is the ultimate expression of its wearer’s individuality, with each piece an enchanting talisman to be worn like a second skin, during the day and on into night. Her jewels are an unorthodox expression of her unique creativity, meaning that today’s Elizabeth Gage designs are sure to be tomorrow’s heirlooms.

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Great British Brands 2019

JEWELLERY & WATCHES

HAMILTON & INCHES

Scotland’s foremost jewellery house, where heritage meets innovation

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Hamilton & Inches 87 George Street Edinburgh EH2 3EY +44 (0)131 225 4898 hamiltonandinches.com

cottish gold, pure and magnificent as the Highlands, is taking centre stage this year as the bright, new inspiration for the 150-year-old, Edinburgh-based jewellery business Hamilton & Inches.

In what the company is describing as ‘the most exciting event in Scottish jewellery for generations’, Hamilton & Inches’ master jeweller Chay McClory, goldsmith Anita Fodor and trainee goldsmith Jenna Watson are using the first-ever batch of refined 22k Scottish gold to handcraft a distinctive new collection inspired by Scotland’s jewellery past.

In an era in which the spotlight has fallen on responsible sourcing within the jewellery industry, Hamilton & Inches is able to lay claim to some rock-solid credentials. Working in collaboration with Scotgold Resources, owner of Cononish gold and silver mine near Tyndrum in the Highlands, and also with the Edinburgh Assay Office, the company is using the purest possible Scottish gold, of impeccable provenance, to shape both the new collection and a number of private commissions.

From its elegant George Street store and labyrinth of in-house workshops, Hamilton & Inches is excited by the opportunities this first wave of refined gold is bringing to the British jewellery industry.

As a Royal Warrant holder – a standard of excellence which has helped to attract generations of clients through the doors, eager to celebrate their most precious life events with something reassuringly outstanding, made with Great British passion and expertise – the company also recognises that access to pure Scottish gold opens up the potential for some very special commissions. The possibility of creating investable, one-off heirlooms of the future, meanwhile, will not be lost on Hamilton & Inches’ loyal and longstanding clientele.

All of this would be nothing, of course, were it not for Hamilton & Inches’ strong

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The most exciting event in Scottish jewellery for generations

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Jewellery with British passion at its heart; naturally coloured diamond brooch; silversmith David Ramsay joined the company at the age of 17; Hamilton & Inches offers a wide range of silver and gold jewellery and watches

tradition of master craftsmanship, and proud nurturing of much of its own talent. Many master craftspeople have helped to shape the Hamilton & Inches story – displaying a dedication that is highly valued by this muchrespected business. Its current silversmith, David Ramsay, who joined at the age of 17 in 2007 to polish the trophies for the Royal Highland Show, became the company’s first modern-day apprentice, after two weeks of work experience turned into two months.

David – still only 29 years old – has gone on to become a pivotal member of the Hamilton & Inches workshops, rising to become a skilled silversmith under the meticulous and watchful eye of technical manager Jon Hunt.

Jon himself was responsible for creating the beautiful Scottish Open trophy and was once entrusted with repairing the Calcutta Cup when it famously became damaged after the 1988 rugby clash between Scotland and England.

Among other pieces, David has created a number of sporting trophies, including replica Scottish Open quaichs. David and Jon continue to collaborate, putting their heads together and their hands to work over every special workshop commission. David has even goodnaturedly forgiven his tone-deaf humming, for the exciting bridge he represents to the future of silversmithing in Scotland.

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JEWELLERY & WATCHES

LUCAS RARITIES Purveyors of rare and exceptional pieces of period jewellery

‘L

ucas Rarities is a family,’ says Sam Loxton. ‘We all love what we do and feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy the unique pieces we have for sale, even if they don’t stay with us for very long.’

Not many jewellers can trace their family’s involvement in the industry back to 1693 as the founder of Lucas Rarities, Dominik Biehler, can. Biehler is the 11th generation of his family to work in the antique jewellery, natural pearl, diamond and precious stone business, and with a member of the 12th generation having just joined the business, the long family tradition looks set to extend through the 21st century.

Lucas Rarities was established in 1999 to provide a customer-facing retail division to

support its parent company’s wholesale interests.

It specialises in rare and exceptional pieces of period jewellery and objets d’art, with a particular focus on signed pieces from the Art Deco era to the 1970s. Its collection includes a range of jewellery that fully captures the stylistic shift during the first half of the 20th century, which saw the evolution of jewellery design into an art form.

Sam Loxton, a well-respected international authority on rare antique and period jewellery, joined the company 11 years ago to set up the London office. ‘We believe that jewellery collecting should be an intimate experience that retains traditional values,’ he says. ‘Our Mayfair location aligns the company with an age when jewellery was sold from discreet salons without

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As a renowned period jewellery specialist, Lucas Rarities can assist clients looking for particular items, perhaps by a certain designer or from a chosen period

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Earrings by Ilias Lalaounis; ring by Paul Flato; vintage citine ring

a shop front, where a tailored and personal service is provided.’

Loxton says his company’s target audience appreciates the finer things in life, high-quality manufacture and a superior level of customer service. ‘Typically they are self-educated in their knowledge of jewellery often intertwined with a love of fine art,’ he adds, the correlation between jewellery and art being a key factor.

As a renowned period jewellery specialist, Lucas Rarities can assist clients looking for particular items, perhaps by a certain designer or from a chosen period. Equally, with access to the best workshops in London, it can undertake commissions from those wishing to commission individual pieces from the company’s large range

of outstanding diamonds, precious gemstones and natural pearls. It also makes acquisitions: Lucas Rarities is always looking for pieces of exceptional quality, preferably with an interesting provenance and by a top designer, to add to its collection.

Sam Loxton, meanwhile, is a young gun in an industry that he describes as characterised by a ‘real lack of young blood’. Proud of its British roots, Lucas Rarities supports and sponsors several British sporting teams and individuals, including female bobsleigh pilot Mica McNeill, young PGA golf professional Harry James, Woking Football Club, Woking FC Academy and three grassroots football teams providing local football for both boys and girls.

Lucas Rarities +44 (0)20 7100 8881

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JEWELLERY & WATCHES

PRAGNELL The Making of a Masterpiece

Pragnell 5-7 Wood Street Stratford-Upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 6JA +44 (0)1789 267072 pragnell.co.uk

I

n 1954, George Pragnell and his young family arrived at number 5 Wood Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, with dreams of building a business and a home. More than half a century later his grandsons Charlie Pragnell and Tom Crookenden work in the business, and while there are now showrooms in London and Leicester, Pragnell’s headquarters remain in the old Tudor family home in Wood Street.

Pragnell’s fine jewellery ranges from the best examples of traditional goldsmithing to collections inspired by contemporary style, and at the heart of Pragnell is The Masterpiece Collection. Each piece in the collection is one of a kind, incorporating a rare gemstone, be it a Harlequin Lightning Ridge black opal or a unique matching set of large emerald-cut fancy vivid yellow diamonds, hand-selected by a member of the Pragnell family.

The majority of these stones hail from historic mines that are now exhausted.

Therefore, the design of a Masterpiece is dictated by how best to showcase the magnificence and rarity of the gem. Staying true to the brand ethos, the process is a combination of traditional artistry and state-ofthe-art innovation. Once the sketch is agreed and turned into a detailed hand-painted gouache, it is translated into a 3D CAD design, ready to be passed to a master goldsmith.

The creation of a Masterpiece relies upon a strong relationship between the goldsmith and the designer. With each piece taking several months to create, a constant dialogue is required to produce the envisaged stunning piece of jewellery. Finally, Masterpieces are individually numbered and stamped with the Pragnell Seal.

Managing Director Charlie Pragnell says: ‘The Pragnell Seal is not only a guarantee of fine British craftsmanship, but indicates a design that is exclusive to our house. The finest gemstones demand the highest standard of craftsmanship, which is why we follow such meticulous, refined processes and employ the country’s finest craftsmen. We pride ourselves on guaranteeing an impeccable level of quality and consistency, whether that’s

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‘The finest gemstones demand the highest standard of craftsmanship, which is why we follow such meticulous, refined processes’

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Five row ruby and diamond ring; unheated Sri Lanka 5ct sapphire and diamond cluster ring and 10ct cushion cut sapphire and diamond ring; Art Deco 14ct asscher cut diamond ring; yellow gold Windrush necklace and cushion shaped strawberry spinel ring; 8ct ‘old mine’ Colombian emerald ring

attributed to the craftsmen, the technology or the gemstones. We believe in preserving the ancient craft of jewellery making, while staying up to date with the latest technologies that our industry has to offer.’

2018 proved a year to remember for Pragnell when it was awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. The award, which recognises outstanding achievement by British companies, is given on the advice of the Prime Minister and an advisory committee, comprised of representatives of Government, Industry and Commerce and Trade Unions.

‘It was a tremendous honour for us,’ says Charlie Pragnell. ‘We set out to excel further in the quality of our jewellery and customer service in 2010, and with the help of a carefully designed international growth strategy, we have achieved some success.

Investing in the diversity of our in-house expertise has been particularly effective in helping us to become a leading creator of the finest handcrafted British jewellery.

I’m very proud of our team and am excited for the next chapter in the Pragnell story.’

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JEWELLERY & WATCHES

SIMON WRIGHT JEWELLERY Creators of fine jewellery and engagement rings with a personal approach

M

aster artisan jeweller Simon Wright has worked with some of the most prestigious jewellery makers in London. Based in Clerkenwell, the epicentre of British design and creativity, Simon is a contributor to the annual Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards and for the past few years has been on the panel of judges for the CAD/CAM design section.

So it might come as a surprise to learn that this successful British jeweller actually hails from Melbourne, Australia. ‘When I first moved to London in 2002 I was only planning to spend three months here, but I ended up staying for good,’ says Simon. ‘It’s such a dynamic city and has given me so many more opportunities for jewellery design than were available back home.’

Simon discovered jewellery and metalsmithing at Monash University, Melbourne. Studying under the guidance of celebrated Australian jewellers and artists such as Mark Edgoose, Rhys James

‘Art is a fantastic influence on my work today.

Proportion, negative space and use of colour are all disciplines that have a bearing on what goes into making a piece of jewellery’

and Miyuki Nakahara developed Simon’s appreciation for jewellery as an art form, as well as instilling in him the fundamentals of design.

Longer ago still, he assisted his father in hanging art at the National Gallery of Victoria. ‘I got to handle some amazing works during that time – holding Rembrandt’s Two Old Men Disputing was a scary experience as well as being exhilarating,’ he recalls. ‘Art is a fantastic influence on my work today. Proportion, negative space, perspective and the use of colour are all disciplines that have a bearing on what goes into making a piece of our jewellery.’

Simon Wright’s specialism is fine jewellery and engagement rings. Providing a completely bespoke service, he works closely with clients to create their dream designs, using CLOCKWISE only the finest diamonds, gemstones, FROM LEFT: platinum and gold.

Vintage style emerald This year has also seen the Simon and diamond Wright studio create a number of beautiful ring; antique reproduction reproductions of heirloom or antique sapphire and jewellery. ‘There is something quite diamond ring; Simon stamping his romantic about antique jewellery, maybe maker’s mark copy the tiny design flourishes or the story of its life,’ says Simon. ‘But the stability of antique jewellery can be compromised by wear and tear over time; with a reproduction you can merge quality manufacturing techniques with design sensitive to a bygone era.’

While Simon Wright’s customers arrive at his studio from all over the world, he is particularly sought after by fellow Antipodeans who like the idea of buying from an ‘Ozzie jeweller’. ‘What often happens is that they come to us for an engagement ring when they’re in London, then when they go back home to get married, they order their wedding rings from us, too,’ says Simon.

An increasing number of Simon Wright’s customers are now finding the studio through social media channels such as Instagram and the company partners with fellow British designers, florists and creatives to produce effective digital content. ‘Instagram is a great channel for discovery and something of a community for designers,’ says Simon. ‘We put a lot of care into capturing social media-friendly imagery of our designs – there’s an art to that in itself.’

Simon Wright Jewellery SWJ Design Ltd 2nd Floor, 6 St John’s Place London EC1M 4NP +44 (0)20 7490 0665 sw-jewellery.com

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RIGHT: Ruby, emerald and sapphire rings on the workshop bench

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JEWELLERY & WATCHES

THEO FENNELL

Bespoke jewellery and silverware from the master jeweller of Chelsea

T

heo Fennell shines out as a beacon of originality and superb craftsmanship, in a time when the dominance of global conglomerates is squeezing the character and brilliance out of the jewellery and silverware market.

This quintessentially British, design-led business has been inventing and making miniature works of art for nearly 40 years.

Above the Fulham Road shop is a genuine atelier and customers can visit it to be inspired by seeing Theo Fennell craftsmen at work.

Theo himself is still the Creative Director of the company. He was at Eton during the Sixties and was one of their first pupils to go to art college – first to York and then to The Byam Shaw School of Art. He began his career in portraiture but by chance was offered a job at the great silversmith Edward Barnard.

At the insistence of a great aunt, he took it and fast discovered a rare talent and a deep passion for silver and jewellery design along with a respect for the craftspeople and their skills.

One morning a 1920s, 18-carat gold

Many of Theo Fennell’s pieces, like the opening rings and lockets, have their surprises, but all have personality and emotional heft

champagne flute arrived, engraved with ‘Good Morning Diana’. The romance of it enchanted Theo and came to underpin his own designs.

He formed his own company in the late Seventies Original Theo Fennell designs are made for an extraordinarily broad spectrum of loyal clients who want something original, personal and exquisitely made. Having a piece especially designed and created, whether a ring or a trophy, a locket or a set of candlesticks, is a creative and satisfying experience and this often becomes the only way clients will acquire jewellery and silverware from then on. However, there is always a host of original ready-to-buy pieces in the store, many of which can have detail added to personalise them. For example, the sixstone pendant, which spells out Semper (Latin for always) has a witty, secret tongue that slides out and can be engraved with a message. Many of Theo Fennell’s pieces, like the opening rings and lockets, have their surprises, but all have personality and emotional heft. ‘Unless jewellery has emotional weight it’s just a gewgaw,’ explains Theo. ‘Even when our jewellery is like Grand Opera it is still well-conceived and exquisitely crafted with wit.’

While never losing sight of its traditional values, the company has been able to adapt to its clients’ different needs and tastes, from classic and minimalist to the most outrageously theatrical, because it has always pioneered the

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Theo Fennell 169 Fulham Road London SW3 6SP +44 (0)20 7591 5000 theofennell.com

use of new techniques and materials. Theo Fennell’s pieces become suffused by the character of their owners because Theo understands that, being the only art form to be worn, jewellery must suit the wearer and be practical as well as beautiful.

Likewise, great silverware needs to be both functional and handsome, useful while becoming redolent of the family that owns it and part of the family’s heritage. The authenticity and originality that runs through every Theo Fennell piece makes each one a timeless classic to be handed down to the next generation.

‘To capture people’s imaginations, jewellery must have depth and a story,’ says Theo.

‘All great jewellery is necessarily talismanic, a keepsake that transcends generations.’

ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: 18k white gold diamond dragonfly brooch with tsavorite body and sapphire eyes; 18k white gold black opal ring; 18k white and yellow gold bee brooch with tsavorite, diamond and black diamond body; limited edition crimson twilight cross pendant; 18k yellow gold ladybird brooch pendant and locket with ruby and black diamond body and diamond eyes

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ICONIC DESTINATIONS

ASPREY P100 CADOGAN P102 HARRODS P104 JERMYN STREET P106 MAYFAIR & BELGRAVIA P108

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Great British Brands 2019

ICONIC DESTINATIONS

ASPREY

British elegance and innovation since 1781

The attention to detail of the in-house design teams consistently challenges the skills of Asprey’s artisans

Asprey 167 New Bond Street London W1S 4AY +44 (0)20 7493 6767 aprey.com

A

sprey’s imposing headquarters on the west side of New Bond Street is a London landmark, a place of pilgrimage for those seeking elegance and luxury in all its forms, from high-end jewellery to china and crystal via timepieces, silverware and leather goods, including the famous backgammon sets. The tone at Asprey is set by the fact that it has held a Royal Warrant from every British monarch since Queen Victoria awarded the company hers in 1862. The company continues to embody the best of British tradition, craftsmanship and innovation.

In 2018 to celebrate more than 80 years of creating exceptional barware, Asprey launched the Art Deco Cocktail trolley, an original design derived from the archives and inspired by the Art Deco

style fashionable in the 1920s and ’30s.

Taking Asprey’s master craftsmen over 150 hours to complete, the trolley features the Asprey ‘A’ monogram and a bullskin handle. The cocktail trolley is the perfect centrepiece and, when fully equipped, displays the house’s renowned barware collections, including novelty cocktail shakers such as the Rocket and Racing Car, Asprey’s renowned animal-head decanters, champagne coolers and ice buckets.

For more than 200 years Asprey has been a royal jeweller with the leather, silver and engraving workshops housed above the New Bond Street store.

This year the house launched a new jewellery collection, Cosmic.

Inspired by the eternal mystery and gradual exploration of outer space, the collection articulates modern jewellery designs in the form of planets, stars, satellites and the Asprey rocket motif, with details picked out in pavé diamonds.

Asprey’s Autumn/ Winter 2018 handbag collection draws inspiration from the exotic colours of the botanical illustrations from around the world housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The collection features Asprey’s classic silhouettes and new season designs which, thanks to the house’s unrivalled design aesthetic, continue to exude effortless style in the form of the Belle Backpack, Morgan 18 and 1781 Pochette.

This year Asprey partnered Gumball 3000 to celebrate the rally’s 20th anniversary with a special route from London to Tokyo. Asprey created the ‘Spirit of the Gumball’ Trophy as well as designing and producing bracelets for all the drivers. A limited-edition sterling silver Car Cocktail Shaker was also created and auctioned during the rally, with all proceeds going to charity.

The attention to detail of the in-

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Asprey’s inimitable collections of jewellery, leather handbags, silverware and homewear has made its shop on New Bond Street an emporium of true luxury

house design teams consistently challenges the skills of Asprey’s artisans, who balance traditional methods with modern design, producing exceptional pieces. Asprey continues to support the Royal Warrant Association in keeping traditional crafts alive and has just partnered with the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council as a patron celebrating British Craft.

Asprey also continues to nurture its partnership with the Dorchester Collection, which celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the Asprey boutique in the renowned Beverly Hills hotel, launching a handbag range aptly named the Beverly Hills Collection. In November 2018, Asprey opened a three-month pop-up shop at The Dorchester.

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ICONIC DESTINATIONS

CADOGAN

The historic estate shaping a 21st-century Chelsea

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t the heart of property manager Cadogan’s dynamic management strategy is an unflagging commitment to the careful curation and preservation of the rich, 300year history of the Estate’s 93 acres, which span an area encompassing Knightsbridge and Chelsea, plus continued investment in the future vitality, growth and long-term success of the area.

Chelsea is renowned for its unique mix of cultural attractions, beautiful homes, international flagship stores, independent boutiques, exclusive hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars, set against a backdrop of elegant streets and beautiful green spaces. Today, the Estate comprises 3,000 flats, 200 houses, 300 shops, over 30 restaurants, cafés and pubs, 500,000 square feet of office space, eight hotels, seven schools, five churches and around a dozen stunning gardens, which cover 15 acres in total.

It has long been a haven for artists, designers, musicians and authors, from The Rolling Stones to Vivienne Westwood, artist Whistler, Oscar Wilde and creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker, who have all lived and breathed the area. Today it continues to be a hot-spot for world-class artistic endeavour as home

FROM LEFT: Shopping on Sloane Street; Chelsea Summer Fete on Pavilion Road; Chelsea in Bloom – giant floral sculptures spring up across the area; Saatchi Gallery at Duke of York Square; Award-winning design of the new restaurant at Duke of York Square

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and buildings have also created the home for the Saatchi Gallery, housing one of the largest private collections of contemporary art in Britain. The latest addition is the Duke of York Restaurant. With a roof terrace open to the public and Britain’s first fully retractable glass windows, it champions modern architecture within heritage surroundings. This new restaurant will provide a wonderful setting for all to enjoy.

For 300 years, Cadogan has been at the heart of Chelsea, contributing to a vibrant and inspiring area through its active stewardship.

Over the next 300, Cadogan aims to encourage its evolution, while preserving the sense of heritage and identity that make Chelsea unique.

to the internationally renowned Saatchi Gallery, the provocative Royal Court Theatre and the illustrious Cadogan Hall.

The area is still a place where creativity flourishes and the fashionable come to see and be seen. Commissioned by Charles, 1st Earl Cadogan in the 18th century and stretching from Knightsbridge to Sloane Square, Sloane Street is now recognised as one of the most exclusive retail destinations in Britain with an impressive list of new flagship stores including Balenciaga and Tanner Krolle alongside Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Hermès and Tom Ford. Pavilion Road is now complete as one of the latest developments carefully curated by Cadogan, providing a gourmet haven just behind Sloane Square. Fresh food, drink and produce from independent artisans can all now be found on this beautiful mews, as well as beauty boutiques and latest arrivals including an ice-cream shop, gentleman’s barber and stationers. Exciting plans are also afoot to energise further the world-famous King’s Road and the newly refurbished Cadogan Hotel, managed by Belmond, will also be opening its doors in 2019.

Duke of York Square hosts a fantastic selection of shops including new flagships for Aesop, Miista and Dermalogica, plus restaurants and an artisan Fine Food Market each Saturday. Former Ministry of Defence land

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ICONIC DESTINATIONS

HARRODS

Masters of luxury, experts on the exceptional and creators of magic for nearly 200 years

Harrods reflects how shopping is changing.

Today, it is a theatrical, magical cornucopia of comtemporary ideas, design and production

Harrods 87-135 Brompton Road London SW1X 7XL +44 (0)20 3626 7020 harrods.com

I

t all started in 1834 with tea and a small grocery shop in Stepney, opened by an ambitious young miller from Clacton by the name of Charles Henry Harrod.

Britain was already a nation of tea drinkers, and it was a time of progress and optimism, with British traders venturing further and further afield. In 1849, two years before The Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, Harrod realised that if his store moved from crimeridden Stepney to up-and-coming Knightsbridge, it could attract adventurous, curious customers – those eager to sample the new and exotic.

Today, Harrods is still there, serving about 200 varieties of tea to thousands of customers.

In the Harrods Food Halls, 150 chefs cook and fine-tune their recipes daily, having sourced the finest products from across the globe. Last November, in the latest chapter of The Taste Revolution, the new Fresh Market Hall took food shopping to its zenith.

Harrods reflects how shopping is changing.

It’s no longer about stores where people go to buy something. Today, Harrods is a theatrical, magical cornucopia of contemporary ideas,

design and production. There’s a cigar room designed to prevent the smoke from lingering on clothes. There are bespoke perfume laboratories, a hammam and a wellness centre. There are the finest of fine watches and jewellery. There is cutting-edge technology offering a glimpse of the future. The settings are stylish, but expertise is paramount.

Beyond all the wonderful products, there are wild sensations to experience and services on offer – from commissioning a full redesign of your sevenbedroom Caribbean villa to tailoring a bespoke Dior haute-couture gown.

Britain has always been outward-looking, and just as Harrod made his fledgling store the focus for people travelling to The Great Exhibition, Harrods is reengineering more than half its space to take centre stage as Britain becomes a platform for the globe’s finest ideas.

Beauty will double in size, sitting across two floors, and will house a broadcast area to reach customers all over the world. The rapidly expanding world of menswear will align in a Superbrands experience, showcasing the most spectacular versions of the world’s most indemand brands. And to keep pace with the dazzlingly fast, often bamboozling march of technology, there will be a new showroom, where enthusiastic staff will demonstrate how the latest innovations can add to our lives.

Harrods will be the barometer that predicts what lies ahead.

After all, it was Harrods that installed Britain’s first-ever revolving staircase in 1898 (with Cognac and smelling salts at the ready to calm customers’ nerves). From air conditioning and electric lighting to progressive architecture and service culture, Harrods has always pioneered the art of the possible. It’s now as much of a stimulating cultural hub as a commercial emporium, and its masters of luxury, experts on the exceptional and creators of magic will continue to be on hand to guide and inspire anyone who enters its doors – physically and digitally.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Harrods is always at the forefront of modern retail; the newly extended Salon de Parfums; the Roastery and Bake Hall in the new Food Hall

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ICONIC DESTINATIONS

JERMYN STREET A masterclass in menswear

The Jermyn Street Association 50 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6LX +44 (0)20 7293 0922 jermynstreet.net

J

ermyn Street, in the heart of St James’s, has been a bastion of good taste for over 300 years. Close to the traditional gentlemen’s clubs of Pall Mall and St James’s, there is a strength of tradition and heritage about the street which fittingly reflects the character and unmistakable sense of style of its patrons.

Home to many of Britain’s leading heritage brands, Jermyn Street has long been synonymous with quality and craftsmanship. Visitors admire Jermyn Street and St James’s for the more traditional services and stores they find there as well as the welcome that awaits them, away from the hustle and bustle of the West End. The street was originally developed by Henry Jermyn, Earl of St Albans, on land obtained from Charles II, and rapidly flourished into one of London’s most fashionable addresses, which it proudly remains today.

There are a significant number of Royal Warrant holders on Jermyn Street, further underlining its reputation of excellence and trust. Royal Warrants are granted by senior royals and given as a unique endorsement of a company’s goods or services.

The brand is then granted permission to display the coat of arms alongside their own branding. Royal Warrant holders can be found right across St James’s and include Benson & Clegg, Berry Bros & Rudd, Paxton & Whitfield, Floris, Fortnum & Mason, John Lobb, Turnbull & Asser, The Ritz London and Lock & Co. Jermyn Street is known as ‘the’ modish place for the purchase of gentleman’s shirts, and fine shirt-makers can still be found in abundance here with plenty more besides. The street now leads the world in terms of men’s contemporary styling. Heritage brands such as Turnbull & Asser, Harvie & Hudson, Hilditch & Key, New & Lingwood, Hawes & Curtis, John Lobb, Foster & Son, Tricker’s and Crockett & Jones are continually evolving, many

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For many gentlemen, the stores of Jermyn Street are an integral part of their dress-code, holding their fitting details for shirts, shoes, formalwear, gloves and hats

FROM LEFT: Beau Brummell, bronze statue gazing down Piccadilly Arcade; St James’s London Fashion Week Men’s Show; Jermyn Street; Turnbull & Asser, one of many Royal Warrant holders across St James’s

collaborating with exceptional new designers, artists, and craftsmen in their new collections.

For many gentlemen, the stores of Jermyn Street are an integral part of their dress-code, holding their fitting details not just for shirts but for shoes, formalwear, gloves and hats. Celebrated outfitter New & Lingwood, with its uniquely English character, epitomises classic Jermyn Street style, well known for its wonderful silk dressing-gowns, monogrammed slippers, not to mention fine shirts and accessories.

Britain’s oldest and most reputable shoe and bootmakers have long-established homes on Jermyn Street too and continue to thrive and grow their businesses here and around the globe. Foster & Son has recently established the first new shoe factory to open for decades in Northampton, a town renowned for its shoemaking, and welcomes the new ready-to-wear collection into the Jermyn Street store this winter.

During the summer, Jermyn Street is transformed into a trailblazing open-air catwalk as a venue for London Fashion Week Men’s, now established as an annual event that celebrates the destination’s long history of men’s style. Buyers, members of the press, bloggers and influencers from around the world all head to St James’s to be part of the unique atmosphere created by this spectacular event on a truly special street – as ever, the place to see and be seen.

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Great British Brands 2019

ICONIC DESTINATIONS

MAYFAIR & BELGRAVIA Grosvenor’s London estate

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rom luxury fashion houses in Mount Street, Mayfair, to leading interior designers in Pimlico Road, Belgravia, the neighbourhoods offer a diverse range of established and emerging British luxury brands.

Mount Street is London’s nexus of luxury fashion and art, and home to the crème de la crème of international and home-grown brands. Mount Street’s substantial red brick mansions and soaring plane trees are instantly recognisable and the street is home to the legendary hotel, The Connaught, and is rich in history. Mount Street is where the fashion crowd chooses to shop for luxury fashion and art and is also a favourite with gourmets – Michelinstarred Jamavar is here, as is the grand oyster bar and seafood restaurant Scott’s, hardly ever out of the gossip columns thanks to its hordes of celebrity guests. This is the street that houses some of fashion’s most illustrious names from Lanvin and Christopher Kane to Nicholas Kirkwood and Roksanda, all sharing a block or two with the revered auction house Phillips.

Matchesfashion.com recently opened its 7,000 sq/ft flagship store in a five-storey townhouse on the street, comprising events and exhibition space, luxury private shopping suites and a FROM LEFT: Cox London Grove table and chairs and oak leaf chandelier; find first-class shopping on Mount Street; Soane Britain

Mayfair & Belgravia +44 (0)20 7408 0988 mayfairandbelgravia.com

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Both neighbourhoods retain a charming village atmosphere that draws a global crowd – and it’s streets like these that have put London on the map

broadcasting hub. No wonder the street has come to define luxury retail for the new generation of global consumers, who appreciate curation, inspiration and individuality.

Just a few minutes’ walk from Sloane Square is another treasure trove for the cognoscenti. Mozart composed his first symphony here in the late 1700s and today Pimlico Road in Belgravia continues to play host to a rich programme of cultural events, including London Design Festival and London Craft Week.

Home to galleries, interior designers and art and antique shops, Pimlico Road offers original art, rare antiques, contemporary furniture and design and is a little black book of some of the most serious names in British design. Soane Britain, HOWE London, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam, Jamb, Cox London, LINLEY, Luke Irwin and Rose Uniacke all have showrooms here and recently two giants of design, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler and Robert Kime, have returned to the street, boosting further the area’s booming renaissance.

Though it boasts the best of British and international names, Pimlico Road is a thriving local community and from the popular farmers’ market at Orange Square to the pub, church, flower stall and convenience store, this is a village in the city where people love to gather just to socialise at some of the restaurants or cafés.

There is a branch of Daylesford here, the much-loved gastro pub The Orange, along with traditional French restaurant, La Pouleau-Pot, and a host of other welcoming local eateries too.

Mayfair and Belgravia reflect the essence of London, demonstrating its ability to showcase British heritage while providing a window for some of the world’s most exciting contemporary hotels, restaurants, brands, art and design. Both neighbourhoods retain a charming village atmosphere that draws an enthusiastic global crowd – and it’s streets like these that have put London on the map as the world’s most vibrant and popular capital city.

Mount Street and Pimlico Road form part of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland’s London estate, which is proud to be home to some of London’s most elegant and sought-after destinations.

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

BOADICEA THE VICTORIOUS P112 CAROL JOY LONDON P114 CZECH & SPEAKE P116 D.R. HARRIS P118 DR SEBAGH P120 ESPA P122 FLORIS P124 MOLTON BROWN P126 PENHALIGON’S P128 ROJA DOVE P130 TRUEFITT & HILL P132

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

BOADICEA THE VICTORIOUS Independent British perfumer

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Boadicea the Victorious launched exclusively in Harrods 10 years ago but now sells worldwide and offers more than 100 different fragrances

Boadicea the Victorious boadiceaperfume.com

hrough the swirling mists of time, where myths and legends meet ancient history, comes the bloodcurdling call-to-arms of a great warrior queen determined to lead her people to freedom. This is the story of Queen Boadicea, the leader of the Iceni tribe, who defeated the mighty Roman legions and drove them headlong from her territory. Now, nearly 2,000 years later, her story inspires the triumphant growth of one of Britain’s finest luxury perfume brands.

Boadicea the Victorious perfumes have captured the imagination of a rapidly growing customer base ever since they were launched as an exclusive in Harrods ten years ago.

Starting as a niche brand, the company now sells worldwide with a range of more than 100 different fragrances, each designed to capture the mood and individuality of its customers.

The link with ancient history has helped the brand stand out in a crowded market place. Customers identify with the fierce independence, spirit and the beauty of a proud and fearless leader. But they also appreciate the commitment to traditional British values of high quality production, from the perfumes themselves to the distinctive bottles.

Boadicea’s statue stands by London’s Westminster Bridge adjacent to the Houses of Parliament, a symbol of the importance of the Queen of the Iceni in the nation’s story.

The ingredients, whether Madagascan patchouli, lavender from Grasse or sandalwood from Mysore in India, are sourced

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Customers identify with Boadicea’s fierce independence, spirit and the beauty of a proud and fearless leader

with the greatest care to ensure the highest standards. They are then expertly blended in Britain by experienced perfumers before being bottled in the characteristic Boadicea the Victorious flagon, itself a work of art. Each one carries, front and back, a specially designed Celtic shield fashioned by hand at a traditional English pewter factory that is more than 200 years old.

Some of the shields are dipped in 24k gold, others flaunt diamonds or precious stones. Many are designed for a particular event to ensure it is not only the perfume itself which turns heads but also the eye-catching bottle containing it.

This year Zayed 2018 was launched in the United Arab Emirates. It is a fragrance that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE, whose vision and drive transformed the region. Here in Britain, Fortitude was created, a scent designed to mark the centenary of votes for women and celebrate the courage of the Suffragette movement, which much like Queen Boadicea, fought fearlessly for basic human freedoms.

Owner David Crisp, with the backing of his investors, continues to provide the vision to propel the brand’s continued growth, building on a client base that already encompasses Arab, Russian, Chinese and European consumers of both genders.

Alongside the launch of other new and exciting fragrances to add to the retail range, he has pioneered a bespoke service to allow clients to create their own individual scent.

Boadicea the Victorious is where ancient history meets 21st-century luxury, the perfect combination of timeless values and modern sophistication.

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

CAROL JOY LONDON Using the world’s most coveted ingredients to provide indulgent results-driven treatments

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efore founding her exclusive skincare company, Carol Joy Hatton spent many years searching for the perfect ingredients with which to create her age-defying products and treatments. Nearly a decade later, she is a leading player in the global skin and hair care industry and the brand, which began its journey at The Dorchester in 2009, is to be found in a selection of luxury spas around the world.

Carol Joy London approaches wellness by providing a results-driven beauty solution that works inside and out, using precious ingredients that are known for cleansing the body and relaxing the mind.

For example, golden millet oil, which Carol Joy Hatton discovered during a visit to a Swiss laboratory, is clinically proven to significantly improve the condition of the skin, hair and nails and is a key ingredient throughout the Carol Joy London range. The brand has also established itself as an industry leader in Pure Collagen technology, having launched the world’s first Pure Collagen Spray.

While founded in London, Carol Joy London is very much a European success story, shaped by Carol Joy Hatton’s own unquestionably British drive for excellence, combined with the best of Switzerland’s manufacturing and Germany’s pioneering technology.

That said, Carol Joy London has consistently grown its global presence. The brand can now be found in such rarified locations as W Hong Kong, Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai and South Africa’s Delaire Graff Estate. In Europe, the company has partnered with luxury hotel group Grecotel and has a presence in idyllic Greek island resorts across the Aegean. Its facials are offered at Belmond La Residencia in Mallorca, while its own dedicated Carol Joy Spa at Fairmont Monte Carlo showcases the brand in its full glory.

Closer to home, Carol Joy London treatments are available at The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle – a tranquil gem in the Scottish Highlands – as well as at Coworth Park, part of The Dorchester Collection in Ascot and, of course, at The Dorchester in Park Lane.

Naturally, this is not a company to rest on its laurels.

Success in such a competitive and constantly evolving industry means innovation, hence the decadent Caviar and Pearl Experience – winner of the Most Attractive Spa Treatment 2018 at the SpaChina Awards – recently introduced at The Ritz-Carlton Macau, and the variety

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hair styling by Carol Joy London; Carol Joy London Hair Salon at The Dorchester; Carol Joy London 24 carat gold facial; enjoy Carol Joy London treatments at The Dorchester Spa; the brand’s hair care collection

of Carol Joy London gold treatments now available at the opulent Palazzo Versace Gold Coast in Australia.

Another innovation is the launch of Carol Joy London hair salons, a natural progression for a beauty company and one that fits perfectly with the brand’s holistic ethos. The flagship hair salon is at The Dorchester, with a sister salon at Fairmont Monte Carlo and a third set to open at Parklane, Cyprus.

Other exciting projects in the pipeline include fresh collaborations, the introduction of ruby as an ingredient in treatments, and an LED face mask which will be combined with the expertise of Carol Joy London facials for an exclusive new treatment.

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

CZECH & SPEAKE The London company putting design at the heart of bathing, fragrance and gentleman’s grooming

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zech & Speake brings a unique approach to a refined range of bathing products – from the most luxurious hardware to the finest fragrances.

Despite the fact that this British Lifestyle brand has a global presence, it very much remains a London-based, family owned business, driven by the Sawkins family. It has a proud heritage and a classic, understated style that is recognised internationally for its definitively English character.

All Czech & Speake products are designed, tested, developed and refined by Sawkins, along with his team of designers in London.

All the designs, from the desirable manicure sets to the latest innovation for the three sumptuous bathroom collections, are developed in house and are exclusive to Czech & Speake.

Its particular brand of Englishness starts with its first location on historic Jermyn Street in London’s St James. From the middle of the 19th century to the present day, the street has been preeminent as the home of luxury habiliments and paraphernalia for the English gentleman.In 1980 Sawkins established his bathroom fittings business at number 88, where he worked independently as an interior designer. He quickly established a clientele among some of the country’s top architects and interior designers for his beautifully designed and high quality bathroom fittings. Never

one to remain satisfied by success in one area, the next step was to pursue a lifelong passion for fragrance. This address subsequently gave the fledgling company’s first fragrance, No 88, its name. Since that time a comprehensive range of men’s fine fragrances, accessories, shaving sets and exquisite leather goods has been developed – showcasing luxurious bathing at its best.

Today, the main showroom is on Pimlico Road in Belgravia.

Distinct from the grooming and aromatics business, Czech & Speake’s Bathing Division produces a comprehensive collection of exquisite fittings and accessories for the most elegant bathrooms worldwide; in fact, over half of all sales are for the international market. The solid and reliable quality of its products is unique.

Its English origins and style inspirations uphold the brand’s promise of status, elegance and understated product design.

Timeless, classic and elegant in design and presentation, Czech & Speake uses only the highest quality ingredients for fragrances and always ensures that the standards of excellence and meticulous attention to detail are inherent to everything they produce. The Aromatics collection comprises a range of fine fragrances, colognes, bath oils and aftershaves, as well as distinctive burning sticks for indoor and outdoor use. Czech & Speake also adds to its diverse range of men’s grooming essentials with exquisite shaving sets, fine leather toiletry bags and manicure sets including a collection especially for the traveller. There are 12 fragrances, all made using the purest essential oils and the finest ingredients. Inspired by the unique and traditional pharmacy bottles, each is beautifully presented in etched glass and has the Czech & Speake logo embossed at the base of each. These modern yet classic men’s and women’s fragrances are presented

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in beautiful boxes, each telling a story about the fragrance.

The boxes are embellished with Czech & Speake signature detailing, adding layers and texture to the intricate use of illustration and typography.

Czech & Speake’s bestseller, No 88, is a complex, characterrich blend of spicy notes with a dry base, and is worn by celebrities worldwide. Their global expansion, thanks to a rapidly growing digital luxury market, has led to the relaunch of Dark Rose, a fragrance that has proved popular in the Middle East.

Similarly androgynous in scent, Czech & Speake’s newest fragrance, Villa Ausonia blends notes from oceanic ozone with citrus.

Czech & Speake Over the next year Czech & Speake 54 Pimlico Road will break new ground by developing London SW1W 8LP its own skincare range and a dedicated +44 (0)20 8983 7400 Aromatics and Grooming store. czechandspeake.com

Czech & Speake has a classic understated style that is recognised internationally for its definitively English character

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

D.R. HARRIS

Chemist and perfumers by royal appointment

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n the year 1790, Europe was ablaze with revolutionary fervour. In Paris, the revolutionaries, having overthrown the old order, were launching a brave new world of liberté, égalité, fraternité.

In London, two cousins, Henry Harris, a surgeon, and Daniel Rotely Harris, a pharmacist, set up shop on the corner of St James’s Street and King Street.

They dispensed medicines and blended toilet waters, English flower extracts and colognes for the gentry of St James’s, products whose matchless scents far outlived the rhetoric, fire and brimstone of the French Revolution.

D.R. Harris may have been on St James’s Street in London for over 225 years but it is always looking to the wider world and the future for inspiration. Of late, the company has been focussing on the sustainability of its products; accordingly, the desire to minimise the company’s impact on the environment has been at the heart of many recent developments.

Starting in 2018, D.R. Harris has partnered Eden Projects, an American charity, planting a tree for every purchase made in store, online or through

D.R. Harris products may be rooted in tradition but the formulas are constantly updated

D.R. Harris 29 St James’s Street London SW1A 1HD +44 (0)20 7930 3915 drharris.co.uk

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D.R. Harris may have been on St James’s Street for over 225 years, but it is always looking to the wider world and the future for inspiration

the wholesale business. Eden Projects works with local communities in areas which have suffered particularly badly from deforestation, including Madagascar, Nepal, Indonesia and Haiti. Donations pay not only for the trees but provide work for the local teams who plant the saplings and nurture them into trees. After just five months, D.R. Harris’s donations have contributed over 13,000 trees and more than 130 days’ employment for local people.

D.R. Harris is continuing to find that its rich history and distinctly British aesthetic has increasing cachet overseas.

In 2018 half of the company’s wholesale business was in export markets: exciting new stockists and partnerships are developing in the United States, China, Hong Kong and South Korea.

The commitment to producing more than 400 products by traditional methods in Britain has lasting appeal. One of the charms of the Harris range is how modern some of the oldest lines still feel. Cucumber and Roses, first introduced in the early 19th century, perfectly embodies this and is testament to the refined taste and acumen of the early Harrises.

The range may retain its traditional, old-fashioned feel but the products themselves are constantly brought up to date.

For example, none of the formulas contain any parabens.

A visit to the St James’s Street shop is like stepping back in time: the Latin names inscribed on the Victorian apothecary’s jars and bank of drawers evoke an age when the exotic herbs and spices within were first becoming known to the people of London.

The company is particularly well known for the quality of its shaving creams and soaps. When writing of his fondness for D.R. Harris shaving soaps the late AA Gill declared that ‘Luxury should be a commonplace, not a once-a-year treat.

My daily luxury is a wet shave.’ The staff at D.R. Harris are on hand to help reinvigorate this most mundane of tasks with a splash of quintessentially British charm.

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

DR SEBAGH

Advanced skincare brand combining French manufacture with British entrepreneurship

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Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh

Dr Sebagh 25 Wimpole Street London W1G 8GL +44 (0)20 7637 0548 drsebagh.com

he Dr Sebagh brand, co-owned by cosmetic doctor Jean-Louis Sebagh and businesswoman and philanthropist Melissa John, is one of the few privately owned skincare brands that formulates and manufactures its own products. This independence enables them to develop unique and powerful formulations using advanced bio-tech ingredients, carefully chosen for their potency and specific benefits in addressing a particular skincare need or concern.

The Dr Sebagh brand’s philosophy has always been about the skin’s individual needs, and that ‘feeding’ it properly with the correct ingredients for your skin type, in the right concentration and using the latest biotechnology available, is the key to achieving the best possible skin. Dr Sebagh was the first person to advocate the mixing of different serums to create a personal skincare regime.

The Dr Sebagh brand has won countless awards for excellence and has many ‘hero’ products loved by beauty insiders, Hollywood celebrities and influeners worldwide. These include Dr Sebagh Deep Exfoliating Mask, Dr Sebagh Serum Repair, Dr Sebagh Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream and the recently launched, multi prize-winning Dr Sebagh Self-Tanning Drops.

2018 was an exciting year for the company. In March, Melissa John, on behalf of the brand, established The Mercury Foundation: ‘To advance the education of the public, in particular but not exclusively in the history of the Second World War, The Battle of Britain and the Royal Air Force…’

One of The Mercury Foundation’s first projects was to sponsor a trophy to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force: The RAF Centenary Trophy ‘for Inspiration’. In October it staged a royal gala at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and was able to donate substantial funds to five RAF-related charities.

The Dr Sebagh brand has a history of philanthropic work, including the ‘Stairway

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‘Skin maintenance should start as early as possible to slow down the ageing process’

Dr Sebagh and Melissa John

to Heaven’ Bethnal Green Tube disaster memorial, Crisis – the national homeless charity, West London Action for Children, East Grinstead Hospital McIndoe Centre, the Dog’s Trust, the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the Brain Tumour Charity and many others. ‘I enjoy what I do and am lucky enough to have a business partner who is equally altruistic. If we can help causes or charities we believe in, we do,’ says Melissa.

The Dr Sebagh brand is available through over 300 well-known department stores in 34 countries, spread over six continents. Products are also sold globally online via the brand’s website. In 2019 they will be launching several innovative new products and opening further points of sale across Asia.

Melissa John attributes the success of the brand to the best of France’s manufacturing, with its long history of innovation and excellence, coupled with the unmistakable British drive for quality and integrity. Her partnership with Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh has, in this way, created a thoroughly modern British business.

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ESPA

Pioneering natural beauty within the exclusive world of elite spas

ESPA International (UK) Ltd +44 (0)1606 336349 espaskincare.com

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ne of the most prestigious spa brands in the world, pivotal not only within the history of British skincare but also within the spa industry as a whole, ESPA focuses on delivering natural beauty and inner calm to treat mind and body through its innovative spa treatments and skincare products.

ESPA was founded in 1993 and is now the chosen partner for 550 globally acclaimed spas worldwide.

The ‘E’ in ESPA stands for ‘education’, as ESPA also has a rigorous protocol of producing highly trained therapists whose aim is to deliver a personalised and professional experience to clients, understanding their client’s individual skincare and wellbeing needs.

ESPA has multiple, award-winning flagship spas, one of which is ESPA Life at Corinthia, London. It is an allencompassing experience, compiling 17 stunning treatment rooms, a choice of two pools, saunas, studios, intimate private suites, and sleep pods, and spread over four opulent floors within the hotel. With an intricate and soothing lighting design, this palatial, architecturally inspiring spa is the epitome of elegance and innovative relaxation.

ESPA’s distinct vision has also been applied in a rural, pastoral setting in Britain, at Lucknam Park in Wiltshire. This breathtaking country estate features a magical ESPA mixology lounge and tailor-made consultations, among a number of other premium facilities. Including, both indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pools, a saltwater plunge pool, experience showers, a relaxation room, and thermal cabins. All carefully designed to deliver a complete approach to wellness and mindfulness.

It is therefore not surprising

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ESPA spas can be found at some of the world’s leading hotels and spas including Lucknam Park and Corinthia

‘Our philosophy ensures every client enjoys a therapeutic journey to radiant skin and a restored sense of inner calm’

that Lucknam Park has garnered multiple awards for its intuitive approach to wellbeing.

ESPA is a premium skincare brand, known for their natural formulations. Their products are between 98 per cent and 100 per cent natural and made using the highest quality ingredients in collaboration with aromatherapists, biochemists and wellbeing experts to deliver the most noticeable results. Their exclusive signature TriActive™ blend of plant actives, marine actives and essential oils are in all ESPA products, manufactured in ESPA’s own factory in the south of England.

ESPA state that their philosophy ensures every client enjoys a therapeutic journey to radiant skin and a restored sense of inner calm.

The brand has a rich heritage in body oils, which are a fundamental part of all body treatments in spas worldwide. They are blended using only the highest quality naturally grown ingredients, which are known for their purity, potency and therapeutic qualities.

The blends have been formulated to work together in harmony to make them more powerful as combinations than they would be on their own. The signature aromas that ESPA are known for, are Soothing, Restorative, Fitness, Energising, Detoxifying and Resistance. These six beautiful formulations, all mood-led, formed part of the original ESPA product line up over 25 years ago, and still continue to grow in popularity.

All ESPA products work beneath the surface of the skin to protect its long-term health and beauty, a message that has resonated with generations of clients. As definitions of wellness become somewhat blurred in society’s collective consciousness, having a strong philosophy, as ESPA does, certainly cuts through the noise.

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Great British Brands 2019

FLORIS

300-year-old British perfumers going global

Floris’s expertise is rooted in centuries of experience. It is a brand that whispers rather than shouts

Floris London 89 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6JH +44 (0)3301 340180 florislondon.com

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ecently the spirit of Floris permeated three British films. Gary Oldman requested a bottle of Special No.127 to have while filming The Darkest Hour because it was the scent Winston Churchill used to wear. Daniel Day-Lewis chose Floris products to help him embrace his role as an English couturier in Phantom Thread.

And those behind Paddington 2 asked Floris to stock the cabinets that appear in the barber scene.

They were perhaps inspired by the beautiful glass ones acquired at the Great Exhibition of 1851, which have ever since been in the shop at 89 Jermyn Street, home to the company since it was founded in 1730. In February 2018, all three films were up for British Academy Awards and had about them a trace of this beloved brand.

No wonder they turned to Floris for inspiration and reassurance. Although set up by Juan Famenias Floris who came from Menorca, nine generations later there is no doubt that Floris is a true British institution.

The range is a combination of rare 18th-century scents and recent creations, developed by the family’s perfumery team,

led by Edward Bodenham, a direct descendant of Juan. Floris’s expertise is rooted in centuries of experience rather than artifice and today understated elegance is the brand’s hallmark – Floris is a brand that whispers rather than shouts. The brand holds two Royal Warrants.

Its products have won over the Queen, Prince Charles and Hollywood stars alike, from Marilyn Monroe to Benedict Cumberbatch. But it also has a richesse of other loyal customers, for whom the essence of Floris is an essential part of their lives.

This year, in a Vogue tribute to the late, legendary production designer and art director, Michael Howells, the opening paragraph announced he was always first up in the morning and: ‘You’d hear his bath running loudly through the doors of the... bedroom, [and] Elgar drifting up the stairs, played at top volume. Half a bottle of Floris bath essence in the bath.’

Floris has reference books dating back to its beginnings, to which it refers when creating new scents. No less than three were launched this year. A Rose for... Eau de Parfum is unique to each wearer in its composition.

Customers can write their own name on the label – A Rose for Lucy, for example. In the spring, they launched 1927 Eau de Parfum, an addition to their Fragrance Journals collection, which explores key dates in the social history of London. Alexandra Shulman helped to launch the scent, which reflected the spirit of that pivotal year in which modernism and women’s emancipation were gathering apace.

Finally, it launched Islay, in collaboration with the Kilchoman whisky distillery.

Floris offers an antidote to the fierce pace of its more modern counterparts. It retains its traditional values while simultaneously building on its global reach into the Middle East, the USA, Japan and Europe, all the while maintaining London as its beating heart.

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Floris has won over politicians, royalty and Hollywood stars and recently had its own starring role in three British films

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Molton Brown new Jasmine and Sun Rose Eau de toilette and Exquisite bathing oil; Molton Brown iconic collection of bold signature scents

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

Great British Brands 2019

MOLTON BROWN Pioneering, unmatched, adventurous fragrances for nearly 50 years

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n 2018 Molton Brown opened the doors to two momentous new international stores.

Its inaugural flagship in New Delhi made Molton Brown one of the first British beauty brands to secure a space in the upmarket DFL Emporio Mall, cementing its pioneering reputation for bringing the new and the different to a growing and engaged market.

Paving the way for further expansion in four new markets in 2019 and building on its popularity in the Middle East, Molton Brown unveiled a new store in Kuwait, while amplifying its Scandinavian presence with its first ever store in Copenhagen.

The collection launches were especially inspiring in 2018. In spring the brand celebrated its original cult classic fragrance, Orange & Bergamot, with a fresh take on the eau de toilette and new Bath & Body luxuries.

In September its fearlessly feminine Jasmine & Sun Rose collection debuted with a moving art campaign in collaboration with internationally renowned British designer, Rhea Thierstein.

‘We are Made in England – an undeniable stamp of quality that we never compromise on,’ says President, Mark Johnson. ‘From our first countryside workshop at Motts Hall to our present factory in Essex, we have grown by using the best makers, ingredients and materials. For us, being British is about being bold, with an individual attitude that beats from our brand’s heart. We create fragrance by enabling our visionary perfumers to express their own creative impulses to compose the vibrant, imaginative and unexpected. Our customers love our Britishness because it’s rooted in a daring way of being that enables them to liberate their own individuality.’

Molton Brown holds a Royal Warrant for the supply of toiletries by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, an honour the brand takes extremely seriously as the ultimate noble seal of approval, winning international customers’ trust for providing fragrances of unquestioned merit.

Molton Brown collaborates with internationally renowned perfumers, like Master

Perfumer Jacques Chabert, who composed the award-winning signature Re-charge Black Pepper in 2002. A few years later, Jacques and his daughter, Carla, were set the challenge of creating a sultry partner fragrance. This good-natured father-daughter rivalry saw Carla triumph with Fiery Pink Pepper, one of the most popular collections, which has been continually expanded over the years. Since then, her sister and fellow perfumer, Elsa Chabert, crafted the deep, rich Tobacco Absolute for the brand.

These collaborations demonstrate Molton Brown’s very British talent for looking outwards and absorbing the best of the best from around the world.

Molton Brown’s adventurous, collaborative ethos is firmly rooted in London. The pioneering Michael Collis and Caroline Burstein founded the brand on Mayfair’s South Molton Street in 1971 and developed it in London’s diverse melting pot of international glitterati, city tycoons and the New Romantic underground music scene.

It was a time of optimistic energy when anything was possible and that vibe still resonates through everything the brand does today.

‘For us, being British is about being bold, with an individual attitude that beats from the brand’s heart’

Molton Brown 227 Regent Street London W1B 2EF +44 (0)8081 781 188 moltonbrown.co.uk

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BEAUTY & WELLBEING

PENHALIGON’S Olfactory excellence through innovation and personalised service

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his is the story of a 19th-century Cornish barber named William Penhaligon, who travelled to London and opened a shop next to the capital’s finest tailors in Jermyn Street. At a time when to be a gentlemen was an affair of great application, one of Penhaligon’s early accolades included trimming the Shah of Persia’s beard.

His company received Queen Alexandra’s Royal Warrant one year after his death in 1902.

Over the ensuing 145 years, Penhaligon’s received two more Royal Warrants – one from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (1956) and another from HRH The Prince of Wales (1988).

The company’s distinctive fragrances – still produced in England and bottled in William Penhaligon’s original design – are sold across the globe. And in the crowded world of luxury perfume, the brand remains steadfastly committed to olfactory excellence through its innovative products and unique services.

One such service is Penhaligon’s signature fragrance profiling, a scented journey of discovery which demystifies the various fragrance types, allowing customers to select a fragrance that best reflects their personality and lifestyle. With the addition of a fully and semi-bespoke programme available only at Harrods, the brand now combines this expertise with its rich tradition of custom perfume creation.

The semi-bespoke programme, created exclusively for the Harrods Salon de Parfums, features a selection of pure perfume bases by top perfumier Fabrice Pellegrin and pays tribute to the archetypal structures of the four main olfactory families: chypre, woody, amber and oriental.

During a personalised fragrance consultation, customers are

147 years on, Penhaligon’s remains committed to creating innovative fragrances to the highest possible standards

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Penhaligon’s fragrances are still produced in England and bottled in William Penhaligon’s original design

invited to select their preferred base to which they can then add one of four essence signatures, Rose Cetefolia Absolute, Oud Wood Essence, Iris or Sandalwood. Each unique fragrance is created to Pellegrin’s precise formulation, with the percentage of base to essence carefully and individually calibrated according to the nuances of the notes and desired olfactory outcome.

For the olfactory equivalent of couture, there is Penhaligon’s Bespoke by Alberto Morillas, one of the world’s leading Master Perfumers and the nose behind several iconic Penhaligon’s fragrances, including Iris Prima, Blasted Heath and Blasted Bloom, to the top-seller in the Portraits Collection, The Tragedy of Lord George. Over the course of eight months, customers are guided through the process of creating their own personal scent, their preferences

interpreted and refined with fragrance submissions prepared and presented by Morillas himself.

The bespoke fragrance is then delivered in a handmade marquetry box containing two custom-designed, hand-made and engraved crystal bottles by British manufacturer Silver Tree Crystal.

A silver funnel enables the fragrance to be decanted into a solid silver travel atomiser and the crystal bottle refilled. And there’s no chance someone else will be wearing the same fragrance: the formula is securely retained by Penhaligon’s and cannot be replicated without the express written permission of the customer.

The bespoke and semi-bespoke offerings clearly demonstrate that 147 years on from its inception, Penhaligon’s remains committed to creating innovative fragrances according to the highest possible standards of craftmanship and service.

Penhaligon’s 184-192 Drummond St London NW1 3HP +44 (0)20 7590 6110 penhaligons.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BEAUTY & WELLBEING

ROJA PARFUMS British fragrance brand created by perfumer Roja Dove

On the day of the launch of Roja Parfums, 2 July 2011, he walked into Harrods thinking, ‘What have I done?

That was my life’s savings...’

Roja Parfums 51 Burlington Arcade London W1J 0QJ +44 (0)20 7629 2510 rojaparfums.com

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oja Dove, described by the New York Times as the legendary ‘master tailor of scent’, considers the greatest accolade of his working career to have been summoned to 10 Downing Street in 2013. There he was appointed as an Ambassador for the GREAT Britain campaign and asked to create a fragrance that captured the essence of Britain for the world’s first GREAT Festival, held in Istanbul.

For someone whose privately owned brand, Roja Parfums, is now available in 250 retail locations spanning over 50 countries, this speaks volumes for Roja Dove’s personal passion for Britain and British

creativity and the inspiration they have provided over his long, distinguished career.

Roja says fragrance chose him, rather than the other way around: ‘I fell in love with scent as a small boy, when my mother came to say goodnight and I connected a moment with a person, through the smell. I loved how varied the effects of her scents were and they fuelled a fantasy. It was like a genie taking me on a journey somewhere.’

Roja spent 20 years working at France’s oldest perfumery houses, eventually branching out independently to create bespoke, one-off fragrances. In 2004 he coined the term ‘haute parfumerie’ when he opened what was to become an innovative, influential and luxurious perfume boutique: the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie in Harrods.

After his mother died in 2009, he finally started to explore the possibility of creating his own commercial collection of perfumes. On the day of the launch of Roja Parfums, 2 July 2011, he walked into Harrods thinking, ‘What have I done? That was my life’s savings...’

It turned out to be Harrods’ most successful fragrance launch ever, and the start of a seven-year adventure, which opened up innovative artistic partnerships with Rolls-Royce, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, the Victoria & Albert Museum and The Macallan. It also saw the arrival of Roja Parfums boutiques in Oman and London’s Burlington Arcade. In 2018 the brand opened further freestanding stores in Bahrain, Dubai and Moscow. ‘For a privately owned brand to have achieved all this in seven years is a real “pinch-me” moment,’ he says.

Renowned for his creativity and refusal to work with anything but the finest ingredients, Roja was an inspired choice to capture the essence of the British psyche, with his scent Great Britain.

‘I loved making a scent that was at once opulent but also understated and disciplined,’ he says, referring to the country he considers to be curious, accepting and reserved, yet paradoxically characterised by its long-standing traditions and skill at doing pomp and circumstance.

Why, after such a successful career, did Roja Dove feel he needed to create his own perfume house? The answer lies in his belief that we have a duty to pass on knowledge and leave a legacy – something he is well on the way to achieving: ‘I don’t mind if somebody utterly dislikes something I make. I love it if you love something I make.

What I would hate is if you said something I made was “nice”. One of the reasons this brand is successful is that it’s very human.’

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FROM LEFT: Roja Parfums in The Dubai Mall – Roja Dove now has five freestanding Roja Parfums boutiques; perfumer Roja Dove; Britannia by Roja Parfums

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Great British Brands 2019

BEAUTY & WELLBEING

TRUEFITT & HILL The first, and the best, in the great, male grooming tradition

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he 21st October 1805 was a great day to be British. Not only did Lord Nelson defeat the French at the Battle of Trafalgar, but London’s best loved barber shop and perfumer opened its doors.

Truefitt & Hill has been grooming the gentlemen of St James’s ever since, earning it the title of ‘oldest barber business in the world’, as confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records.

More than two centuries on, Truefitt & Hill is much more than just a barbershop. It is a brand synonymous with timeless elegance, whose fragrances and grooming accessories capture the best of British heritage and are available at Truefitt & Hill stores located in many corners of the world.

Truefitt’s roots are deeply embedded in the British

establishment. Its founder, William Francis Truefitt, became court wig-maker, hair-cutter and head-dresser to King George III. Truefitt has continued to serve every monarch through nine consecutive reigns, right up to the present day – it remains Royal Warrant holder to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Truefitt has also won the affections of dozens of notable figures, from Dickens and Thackeray – who both refer to Truefitt in their works – to Winston Churchill, the Duke of Wellington, Alfred Hitchcock and Laurence Olivier. Indeed, Truefitt’s backstory reads like a ‘Who’s Who’, with a plot that could inspire a Hollywood film.

Its current premises, at 71 St James’s Street, are surrounded by venerated gentlemen’s clubs. The interior is adorned with portraits of patrons past, who keep an ever-watchful eye from the ornate wood

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Truefitt has won the affections of dozens of notable figures, from Dickens and Thackeray to Winston Churchill, Alfred Hitchcock and Laurence Olivier

FROM LEFT: Barbering at its best at Truefitt & Hill; beautiful products have been created since 1805; the shop is found on St James’s Street

and plaster walls. Together with the dark sheen of mahogany and a subtle fragrance of cologne, the impression is of another age. It is only when you are attended to by a young, impeccably turned out barber, that you realise that the best grooming traditions have been passed from generation to generation of Master Barbers, from 1805 to 2018.

For Truefitt & Hill lives very much in the present.

Its expert team continues to develop its products, recently relaunching its C.A.R. range of hair preparation, first created in the early 1900s for the Royal Automobile Club to help pioneering early motorists stay perfectly coiffured while out driving.

Now, Truefitt & Hill has partnered with another quintessential British brand, Morgan Motors, to relaunch the C.A.R. range (R.A.C. backwards).

‘We are delighted to be joining forces with Morgan – an iconic name in British motoring,’ says Joanna Broughton, CEO of Truefitt & Hill. ‘We are proud to associate C.A.R Cream and C.A.R. Lotion, which continue to be two of our most popular hair maintenance preparations, with Morgan – a brand with such a remarkable history and heritage.’

When Prince Philip celebrated Truefitt’s 200th anniversary in 2005, he predicted another 200 years of success. It is therefore no wonder that when one American visitor entered the salon recently, he said, ‘Son, take your cap off. We’re in the presence of Kings!’

It is this combination of a rich history and a bright and innovative future that gives Truefitt & Hill its unique timelessness.

Truefitt & Hill 71 St James’s Street London SW1A 1PH +44 (0)20 7493 8496 truefittandhill.co.uk

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MEN’S STYLE

ANTHONY SINCLAIR P136 DEAKIN & FRANCIS P138 FAVOURBROOK P140 GIEVES & HAWKES P142 HACKETT P144 HENRY POOLE P146 HUNTSMAN P148 KENT & CURWEN P150 LONDON SOCK COMPANY P152 NEW & LINGWOOD P154 SUNSPEL P156 TURNBULL & ASSER P158 WALKER SLATER P160

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

ANTHONY SINCLAIR Original tailor to 007 and the creator of the Conduit Cut

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nthony Sinclair established his bespoke tailoring business in London’s Mayfair in the 1950s. His clientele included a number of British Army officers who called upon him to craft their civilian attire, favouring slim, cavalry-cut trousers, paired with a single-breasted coat with a soft, natural shoulder.

Anthony Sinclair cut the coat for ease of movement, with a degree of chest drape and generous sleeves topped with signature roping. The waist was nipped, ensuring that the buttoned-up coat remained close and neat, and the flared skirt over the hips balanced the shape. It was a style distinctly at odds with the boxy, double-breasted suits popular at the time, and became known as the ‘Conduit Cut’, after Sinclair’s premises at 29 Conduit Street.

One of Sinclair’s British Army clients was Irish Guards officer, Terence Young, who went on to have a career in the film industry, famously directing the first ever Bond film, Dr No. The son of a Police Commissioner of the Shanghai Municipal Police, Young was born in China and educated at public school; then, just like the fictional James Bond, he read

Oriental History at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge.

Indeed, to many, Terence Young was James Bond: an erudite, sophisticated lady-killer, dressed in bespoke finery, always witty, well versed in all matters of style and taste – a well-travelled man of the world.

So who better to prepare unknown Scottish actor Sean Connery for the leading role in Dr No? Terence taught Connery how to walk, talk, even eat. Then finally he took him to his tailor, Anthony Sinclair, and Connery’s transformation into 007 was complete. It’s no coincidence that when Australian actor George Lazenby won the role of Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, he did it in an Anthony Sinclair suit (which had been made for Connery).

Since 2012, the business has been owned and operated

by David Mason, who has continued to follow Anthony Sinclair’s style philosophy and further develop the Conduit Cut for a new generation of modern men.

It retains the key elements of style and function, which set Anthony Sinclair’s tailoring apart from that of his peers a half-century ago. Comfort remains an essential feature, with lightweight fabrics, soft canvas and the most minimal of shoulder padding, creating a garment that is as easy to wear as a cardigan, while retaining a powerful FROM FAR LEFT: David Mason and former 007, George Lazenby; Anthony Sinclair midnight blue shawl collar evening suit; Sean Connery wearing Anthony Sinclair shawl collar evening suit; Terence Young directs Sean Connery and Eunice Gayson in From Russia With Love; Anthony Sinclair peak lapel evening suit with horseshoe vest; George Lazenby wearing Anthony Sinclair suit

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Anthony Sinclair 34 Montagu Square London W1H 2LJ +44 (0)20 7437 7007 anthonysinclair.co.uk

look that is delivered through the bold definition of the roped sleeve-head and the shapely body silhouette.

A classic design, it is best formed from plain or subtle patterns of worsted, mohair or flannel cloth, so embracing Anthony Sinclair’s clear and simple philosophy of presenting a well-dressed man – or secret agent – both at home and around the globe.

David Mason has maintained the connection with the world of James Bond, looking after the sartorial needs of Sir Roger Moore until his death in 2017, and also producing clothes for George Lazenby. Lazenby may have only played Bond once, but his association with Anthony Sinclair has lasted more than 50 years.

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

DEAKIN & FRANCIS Jewellers of pedigree and distinction

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ith a history stretching continuously back to 1786, Deakin & Francis can claim to be the oldest manufacturer of cufflinks and jewellery in England. Today, it can also add ‘most playful’ to that boast.

The firm was founded in Birmingham, in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter, where it remains to this day. Its headquarters occupy the same building that once housed the legendary James Watt, father of the Industrial Revolution. Over the years, the company has grown and expanded, and as of last year has a flagship store in Piccadilly Arcade, in the heart of London’s Mayfair. This fine doublefronted shop has proved to be the perfect way to commemorate an impressive heritage, while welcoming new customers to the world of Deakin & Francis.

It’s a testament to Deakin & Francis’s commitment to quality and value that the firm has lasted 232 years as a family business.

Through world wars and recessions, changing fashions, seasons and trends, the family has adapted to the demands of their clients to focus on what they do best – producing the finest cufflinks, jewellery and accessories possible.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Deakin & Francis sterling silver bumble bee cufflinks; signet rings are designed and executed in-house by specialist craftspeople; the forward-thinking brand’s hairy skull cufflinks and dress studs; highly skilled techniques such as enamelling are passed down from one generation to the next

Deakin & Francis Ltd 19-21 Piccadilly Arcade London SW1 6NH +44 (0)1212 367751 deakinandfrancis.co.uk

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Deakin & Francis is built on strong family values, which you sense as you walk up the stone steps into their Birmingham HQ

The current owners, brothers Henry and James Deakin, are the seventh generation to manage the firm.

The range today is remarkable for its breadth, not only in price but imagination. From traditional cufflinks in gold and lapis lazuli, to cufflinks in the shape of ladybirds with 38 moving parts that raise their wings, or skulls with masses of black hair, this is a company looking forward much more than back. And with prices ranging from £85 to over £10,000, Deakin & Francis caters for all pockets.

What unites their products is a passion for craftsmanship: the company employs tools, traditions and techniques that have been passed down from one generation to the next, perfected as they go. From luxurious gold designs, to classic sterling silver pieces and a beautiful, highly engineered range of base metal cufflinks, the handiwork is always exceptional.

How do they maintain such high standards? By employing specialist craftspeople at every stage of the design and manufacturing process. Henry and James Deakin are themselves fully qualified gemologists, and James has a particular passion for cufflink design. Every piece is designed in-house, so that whatever the item, every customer knows he or she is investing in an original design that has been carefully executed and beautifully delivered.

The company was built on strong family values, which you sense as you walk up the stone steps into their Birmingham HQ, the same steps trodden by their forefathers for seven generations. Speak to the brothers and you instantly feel their energy. ‘The best lesson my father ever gave me was that there will always be someone that can make it cheaper than you, but never let them make it better,’ says Henry. ‘We still use this ethos today; we have never veered from the high standards of craftsmanship and quality that form the backbone of our heritage. It is this, together with our innovative product range and first class service that sets us apart.’

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MEN’S STYLE

FAVOURBROOK Masters of British flamboyance

Britishness at Favourbrook is about celebrating a historical love of dressing up. It’s about the streak of irreverent fun beneath the dress codes of occasionwear

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

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his year saw Favourbrook move to its elegant new premises at 16 & 17 Pall Mall, London. The spacious new shops are designed to be somewhere for people to meet and enjoy exploring the garments and accessories with ease, without the usual pressures of stereotypical, formal shops. Favourbrook’s staff welcomes all its customers warmly as old friends, so there’s a strong sense of community that allows customers to relax.

Favourbrook’s identity remains as strong as ever, standing for luxury formalwear with an eccentric twist. When the new shop interior was being designed, founder Oliver Spencer joked to the builders that they should attach a model train to the staircase. The builders didn’t grasp the irony so the next morning Oliver was shocked to discover that a steam train had been welded to the handrail. The little train remains to set the whimsical tone for the rest of the shop, where customers will find Vanity Fair Spy prints hanging upside down alongside the heavily patterned jackets and waistcoats, all contributing to Favourbrook’s renowned idiosyncratic quirkiness.

The new store is firmly planted in the heart of ‘old London’ with the Royal Automobile Club across the road and Berry Bros. & Rudd just around the corner. At one end of Pall Mall is the National Gallery; at the other end, St James’s Palace. The new store is surrounded

by London’s oldest and most revered private clubs, historically representing both bastions of tradition and seats of revolution, encompassing adventure and invention as well as decorum in a typically British way just as Favourbrook does.

The typical Favourbrook customer – if there is such a thing – deeply respects the constraints of British dress code but can also have the exuberance and panache of a dandy and the confidence to break the rules.

Favourbrook will take a sumptuous fabric, add a smoked mother of pearl button, a swirl of elaborate embroidery and a jewel-coloured lining to create a magnificent formal jacket. It’s the educated and assured eye for detail that makes Favourbrook’s distinguished sartorial style bold but faultlessly elegant.

As trends saw people dressing up again, this year saw the return of Favourbrook’s ever-popular velvet garments. When it comes to velvet, few do it better than Favourbook in a multitude of colours and patterns, from men’s dinner jackets and waistcoats to embroidered coats and dresses for women.

Nothing looks more luxurious than velvet and the fabric’s versatility means it looks as good dressed up as it does dressed down.

Britishness at Favourbook is about celebrating the nation’s historical love of dressing up and pushing boundaries of formalwear. It’s about that streak of irreverent fun beneath the dress codes of occasionwear. Favourbrook combines classic cuts with contemporary designs and fabrics to deliver great British flamboyance to an array of customers across the spectrum, from The Rolling Stones to the royal family.

And there’s no doubt, the brand will continue to delight customers of all ages from all over the world for generations to come.

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Favourbrook delivers Great British flamboyance

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

GIEVES & HAWKES

Gentleman’s bespoke outfitters with an unrivalled and illustrious history

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ne of the most famous names in men’s tailoring and fashion, Gieves & Hawkes is a brand made of two very famous halves. The brand’s history is, in reality, the story of two separate houses which merged just 41 years ago.

Gieves was established in 1784 as tailor and celebrated supplier of uniforms for the British Royal Navy. Hawkes, instead, supplied the British Army from 1771. Their most famous customers, respectively, were Admiral Lord Nelson and Field Marshal The Duke of Wellington, the two most important commanders in British history, whose great victories at Trafalgar in 1805 and Waterloo in 1815 against the French emperor Napoleon established Great Britain as a major maritime and land power and precipitated the growth of the British Empire during the rest of the 19th century.

Through their services to the Royal Navy and British Army, both Gieves and Hawkes played a unique part in these battles and their histories are inexorably linked with the distinction of the British military and Britain itself. And to further cement that alliance, both companies have dressed ten generations of British Royalty, from King George III in 1809 up to the present day Queen Elizabeth II, her son the Prince of Wales and her grandsons, the Princes William and Harry.

Both Gieves and Hawkes were prolific in kitting out the Navy and Army. Between 1903 and 1927, Gieves dressed no less than 98 per cent of naval officer cadets. Gieves later made the early style of RAF uniform for the Royal Family and, in fact, it was in an RAF uniform that the Duke of York, who became King George VI, married Lady Elizabeth

Bowes-Lyon, later the Queen Mother. More recently Gieves & Hawkes has made the RAF uniforms for Prince William.

Through its long history, Hawkes did not just dress the British Army, but also some of the great explorers of the Victorian age too, in safari uniforms. The most notable was Sir Henry Morton Stanley who famously discovered the whereabouts of another celebrated pioneer, Dr David Livingstone, in Africa, greeting Dr Livingstone with the immortal words: ‘Dr Livingstone, I presume?’ Dr Livingstone was wearing a Gieves consular cap and so that meeting represented the first coming together of Gieves and Hawkes!

Gieves and Hawkes finally merged in 1974, and since then they have been headquartered at No 1 Savile Row, the ultimate men’s style destination. Now an internationally renowned bespoke tailor and menswear brand, Gieves & Hawkes has stores around the UK and internationally in China, Europe and the United States.

No.1 Savile Row itself has a legendary history too. Originally an 18th-century private aristocratic home, it became the epicentre of Victorian exploration and adventure when the Royal Geographical Society moved in during the 19th century. Hawkes took over the famous address in 1913 and the building has been a favoured destination for the most stylish and influential of men ever since.

The ultimate expression of men’s style, bespoke tailoring is still handmade on the premises at No 1. Clients come here from all over

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Prince of Wales checked made-to-measure suit; the Map Room, No 1 Savile Row; military jacket made for Michael Jackson; bespoke driving jacket; ready-to-wear

Gieves & Hawkes 1 Savile Row London W1S 3JR +44 (0)20 7432 6403 gievesandhawkes.com

the world to be fitted, or go to see the Head Cutter at Gieves & Hawkes’ Bespoke Trunk Shows at The Mark Hotel in New York.

The brand’s infusion of its rich aristocratic, royal and political heritage and its timeless style resonates internationally and Gieves & Hawkes’ clients hail from all over the world.

With many generations of venerable clients, Gieves & Hawkes is the go-to brand for occasion wear for men, trusted to meet the strictest codes and rules of dressing from black tie, white tie, morning dress or even creating unique garments for Coronations and State Occasions. Perhaps just as important, though, is a gentleman’s everyday wardrobe which is also taken care of with the military precision that is the DNA of this unique brand, whose history is woven into the fabric of Britain’s greatness.

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MEN’S STYLE

HACKETT

Accessible luxury menswear epitomising British style and wit

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ackett has become so synonymous with quintessentially British men’s style that customers are often surprised that the brand was only established in 1983. ‘Hackett is a brand that dresses men of all ages,’ says founder and chairman Jeremy Hackett, ‘in a style that is classic but not old-fashioned, and although I will not be around forever, I hope that the credibility of the name will be.’

The brand prides itself on being accessible luxury with a unique Hackett signature.

With a nod to the classic tailoring of Savile Row, they always take a fresh look at what has gone before and comfortably provide for the needs of today’s well-travelled, discerning modern gentleman. Hackett is available in over 65 countries.

What began as a shop on the wrong end of the King’s Road selling fine-quality, secondhand traditional British gentleman’s clothing, Hackett soon started successfully making its own classic clothes. It was able to capture essential British style so perfectly that it soon expanded into Europe, opening flagship stores in London, France, Spain, Germany and Italy.

Encouraged by the success of the now iconic Hackett polo shirt, worn both on and off the

Hackett is the local London brand that has conquered the world with its own take on British style

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hackett A/W’18; Hackett Regent Street, London; the Hackett British Army Polo team on tour in Mongolia; Hackett A/W’18; Jeremy Hackett with JPH 1 — a unique Aston Martin Rapide S

polo field, Hackett diversified into sportswear.

Partnerships followed with Aston Martin, London Rowing Club, The Hackett Rundle Cup and Inter-Regimental trophy. 2018 was the second year of partnering with Henley Royal Regatta, offering quintessentially British kit.

Hackett’s long-standing relationship with Aston Martin also reached new heights in 2018, with the launch of the Aston Martin Rapide S Hackett Edition. The sportscar combines sensational performance, refinement and beautifully engineered details, with a Hackett blue exterior and specially designed fender badges, in a specification designed by Jeremy Hackett in collaboration with Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman.

Hackett’s key details continue through to the

interior, reflecting the brand’s tailoring expertise.

Seats are covered in a Prince of Wales check supplied by renowned cloth mill Fox Brothers and Co, and the glove box, door pockets, cup holders and sun visor are lined in a pale blue material, similar to a traditional suit lining.

The headrests are covered in black molten cloth, the fabric of a traditional bowler hat.

To celebrate this collaboration, Hackett offers a Personal Tailoring suit for the lucky owner, also made using Prince of Wales check cloth from Fox Brothers and Co. A capsule collection of accessories is available in key flagship stores, which includes a travel umbrella, car blankets, made-to-measure driving gloves and holdalls.

Proving popular with gentlemen – and women – Hackett has long been patronised by famous faces: Prince Charles once bought his stiff collars from Hackett on Sloane Street and Daniel Day Lewis has been a keen bespoke customer. In recent years José Mourinho has indulged in many a lambswool half-zip and Christian Horner, of Red Bull Racing, is often found perusing the collection on Regent Street.

An important part of the British fashion scene as well as its sporting life, Hackett is the local London brand that conquered the world with its take on British style.

Hackett 137-138 Sloane Street London SW1X 9AY +44 (0)20 7730 3331 hackett.com

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

HENRY POOLE & CO

Master tailors to gentlemen from round the world since 1806

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t the heart of every Savile Row suit, lies the story of Henry Poole, a family business that has maintained the great tradition of English bespoke tailoring for seven generations, while constantly evolving to accommodate the demands of the contemporary gentlemen.

Home to diverse customers from celebrities to royalty since 1806, Henry Poole is widely considered to be the founder of Savile Row. At the Savile Row showroom, customers can choose from over 6,000 cloth swatches, ranging from luxury worsted cashmere suitings from Huddersfield or rich flannels from the West Country to pure cashmere and fine tweeds from the Outer Hebrides and the Scottish Borders. Yet the brand’s reputation as master tailors goes way beyond the confines of Savile Row. Since the 1950s, it has travelled all over the world to meet its customers to ensure their suits are tailored to perfection. It takes approximately 70 working hours to make a bespoke suit and every aspect of that process is completed on site by experienced cutters and tailors.

Henry Poole is very proud of its fine British heritage as tailors to a discerning

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Henry Poole customers appreciate that the brand will never compromise their proud British Savile Row heritage and values; it takes approximately 70 working hours for experienced cutters and tailors to make a bespoke Henry Poole suit

Henry Poole & Co 15 Savile Row London W1S 3PJ +44 (0)20 7734 5985 henrypoole.com

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Henry Poole is thought to be home to the longest surviving archive record of any tailor in the world

international clientele throughout the years. The brand is thought to be home to the longest surviving archive record of any tailor in the world. Since 1846 its archive has documented the taste, lifestyle and social standing of generations of customers, including industrialists, heroes, entrepreneurs, aristocrats and royalty – in 1865 Henry Poole created the dinner jacket for the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII. It also dressed artists and authors including Toulouse-Lautrec, Bram Stoker, Wilkie Collins, Lillie Langtry and Serge Diaghilev.

In 2017 Henry Poole cemented its international reach and forward-thinking ethos by a collaboration with adidas Originals to design two limited-edition sneakers, specially creating a fabric in adidas Original blue. In 2018 Henry Poole’s talent was in demand across a variety of industries, from film to automotive, showcasing its ability to diversify and adapt. Known to have made suits for Sir Winston Churchill, the company tailored the suits for Gary Oldman in his Oscarwinning performance as Churchill in The Darkest Hour and for Ben Mendelsohn who played George VI. Later in the year Aston Martin enlisted Henry Poole’s expertise when designing the Lagonda. Sourcing hand-woven British wool, it helped create the patterns and cut the material to achieve a perfectly trimmed seat. It also created and launched an exclusive Segrave worsted tweed for the RAC in its club colours to celebrate the Segrave Trophy.

Today Angus Cundey and his son, Simon, continue to run Henry Poole as a family business. ‘Working with adidas Originals introduced us to the younger sneaker generation,’ says Simon Cundey. ‘We recognise how important it is to continue to accommodate worthwhile change but we also maintain our global reach and reputation because our customers appreciate that we have never compromised – and never will compromise – our proud British Savile Row heritage and values.

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

HUNTSMAN Occupying a distinguished place on Savile Row since 1849

Innovation has always been an important part of Huntsman’s DNA and spring 2018 marked the brand’s collaboration with Reebok

Huntsman 11 Savile Row London W1S 3PS +44 (0)20 7734 7441 huntsmansavilerow.com

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rom riding breeches for Cary Grant to overcoats for Marlene Dietrich and naval dress uniform for Lord Louis Mountbatten, Huntsman has long prided itself on dressing distinguished individuals, whatever their sartorial requirements.

In 2018 Huntsman continued embracing its role as a gathering place for like-minded stylish women and gentlemen who share the values of integrity and elegance. ‘It’s an ageold adage that a tailor is a customer’s friend, confidante, and even therapist at times – and this is an important part of our philosophy,’ says owner and chairman Pierre Lagrange.

To develop the introduction of its bespoke tweed design service in 2017, the brand launched the Huntsman ‘Design Your Own Tweed’ competition, which returned for a second year in 2018. This allowed clients to sketch their own tweed sample and post it on Instagram for the chance to win a bespoke jacket cut in their own specially commissioned cloth.

Over lunch at No.11 Savile Row, the shortlist of 20 entries, whittled down from over 200, was

judged by a panel. Including, among others, the artist Marc Quinn, television personality and author June Sarpong and ballet dancer Eric Underwood. Three thousand Instagram followers also voted.

In the summer, Huntsman played a key role at Royal Ascot, hosting a party with members club Albert’s and horse-racing firm Sam Sangster Bloodstock. On a sunny June afternoon, guests gathered at The Rosebery to climb aboard a 1966 doubledecker bus, booked especially for the occasion. Naturally, Huntsman dressed a number of guests, including Lord March and the grandson of famous Huntsman patron, Gregory Peck.

The summer also saw Huntsman introduce a range of tortoiseshell sunglasses, inspired by famous clients of yesteryear, in partnership with Sea2See, an organisation working with Catalan fisherman to clean 1,000 kilograms of plastic from the sea every three days. The six models, created entirely from recycled plastic, were designed with timeless silhouettes to complement a Huntsman wardrobe, championing ethical manufacturing in the process.

Huntsman also mounted the first luxury lifestyle sale in Sotheby’s history. Pierre Lagrange curated each lot to include a number of pieces from his own collection and new works exemplifying Huntsman’s inventive, refined values, from a timeless Cartier watch to cashmere-lined cowboy boots.

Innovation has always been an important part of Huntsman’s DNA and spring 2018 marked the brand’s collaboration with Reebok, which saw Huntsman cut a suit entirely out of ‘Flexweave’, a performance fabric used in Reebok’s running shoes. Made to the measurements of Reebok ambassador, WR Brandin Cooks, the suit mixed traditional craftsmanship with cutting edge technology.

Meanwhile, Reebok created a pair of trainers in Huntsman Flexweave, which were available to bid on at the Huntsman Sotheby’s auction.

‘All the new projects we’ve welcomed this last year serve to reinforce the fine British values that the house stands for,’ says Pierre Lagrange.

‘We’ve been contemporary since 1849, delivering Savile Row’s finest contemporary bespoke tailoring, uncompromising service and an elegant perspective on the lives, needs and tastes of the Huntsman client.’

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Huntsman mounted the first luxury lifestyle sale in Sotheby’s history; Creative Director Campbell Carey begins work on a garment; Huntsman Saint Tropez and Musique sunglasses made from recycled plastic; the brand recently launched the Huntsman ‘Design Your Own Tweed’ competition

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Kent & Curwen’s A/W’18 collection is based on the creation of three characters: ‘The Boxer’, ‘The Artist’ and ‘The Musician’

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MEN’S STYLE

Great British Brands 2019

KENT & CURWEN

The company traces its origins to the romance between Eric Kent and Dorothy Curwen who met on Savile Row in the 1920s and went into business together, founding their eponymous company in 1926. In 1932 they married, further cementing the partnership.

A major aspect of the design process at Kent & Curwen is the constant reference to the brand’s archives and British history.

Kent & Curwen can lay claim to the creation of some of the most recognisable pieces of sportswear in British history from the striped tie to the cricket jumper. Daniel Kearns, creative director at Kent & Curwen, is keen to combine the authenticity of the historical record with modernity, breathing new life into the brand by adapting its traditions for the 21st century.

The Autumn/Winter 2018 collection brings with it a focus on three characters – ‘The Boxer’, ‘The Artist’ and ‘The Musician’. Enlisting the talents of award-winning photographer and filmmaker Perry Ogden, Kent & Curwen has produced a series of portraits and a short film to capture the mood of the season. Ogden cast real boxers, artists and musicians for the project. The Repton Boxing Gym in Bethnal Green, which has trained many champions over the years, provided the boxers while the arts colleges of London that nurtured the talents of Freud, Bacon, Auerbach and many others produced the artists. The musicians are members of Kent & Curwen’s band, an emerging group on London’s indie scene.

The film is called ‘The Boxer, The Artist and The Musician’. It evokes the heritage of the venerable British label that has touched the lives of sportsmen, aristocrats and celebrities since the 1920s. ‘The Artist’ dresses with the eclectic nonchalance of the art school, in Fair Isle sweaters, velvet, loud tweed checks and denim jeans and jackets. ‘The Boxer’ look is inspired by vintage training and sporting kit.

Retro-style tracksuits, singlets and sweats in oldfashioned tones combined with Kent & Curwen’s distinctive badging evoke the gentlemanly, Corinthian sporting spirit of long ago. ‘The Musician’ wears grungy, patched plaids and a military greatcoat with striped, fitted cotton polo shirts and drainpipe trousers. This look draws on the constantly evolving London music scene and features a reworking of the traditional Doctor Martens boot with artful distressing of the leather to impart a vintage feel.

Ogden’s work is praised by David Beckham, ent & Curwen is a quintessentially Kent & Curwen’s business partner. ‘I’ve British brand. The company established always respected Perry’s work and he really its name supplying ties to all manner has captured the essence of the brand in of British institutions, from the colleges a powerful way,’ says Beckham. ‘The idea of of Oxford and Cambridge Universities, preparation strikes a chord with me personally to the country’s leading schools and the Army’s as that has always been a key characteristic finest regiments. From 1972 the company of my career – and Perry has managed to supplied the caps and sweaters worn by capture those moments in his brilliant film.’ the England cricket XI.

A jewel of British menswear, reborn for the 21st century

Kent & Curwen can lay claim to the creation of some of the most recognisable pieces of sportswear in British history

Kent & Curwen 12 Floral Street London WC2E 9DH +44 (0)20 7240 6618 kentandcurwen.com

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LONDON SOCK COMPANY It’s time to pull your socks up with help from this innovative British brand

‘While the socks are really important to us, it’s the smile it puts on people’s faces when they reeive a gift that our customers are investing in’

I London Sock Company +44 (0)20 3239 2964 londonsockcompany.com

t is widely said that ‘you can tell a man from his shoes’, but what might be added is that he notably shows his personality through his socks. Founded in 2013 by Dave Pickard and Ryan Palmer, the London Sock Co’s socks and handy online subscription service now make it easy for a gentleman to add a sense of style and personality to his Monday to Friday wardrobe. The brand offers an uncomplicated online experience designed with the busy gent

in mind, ensuring the socks are as important as the tie, cufflinks and watch. It is starting a quiet revolution, feet first, and leading the charge against monochrome monotony in the City.

London Sock Co’s legion of loyal fans spans the globe, with over 500,000 pairs of socks shipped to 100 different countries. Its followers number Hollywood’s style leaders such as Bradley Cooper and Daniel Craig, as well as international CEOs and business leaders, who value the brand’s quality and variety.

From sophisticated, traditional choices through to brighter, bolder pairs by guest designers including Eleni Kyriacou and Joe Ottoway, each pair feels as good as it looks and, crucially, is built to last.

‘Men are realising that they can express a bit of their individuality through something as simple as their socks,’ explains investor, brand ambassador and style icon, David Gandy. ‘Britain, and in particular London, is still synonymous with impeccable business and professional style. So what London Sock Co is doing – taking a commodity item and making it a great style accessory and gift for men – is the perfect solution for the modern, professional male.’

Each sock is made from the finest Scottish Lisle Cotton at family-run producers in Portugal and, despite limited capability, some are also made here in Britain. At every stage, its mission is to work with those with the world’s best cotton-knitting skills. ‘Our producers all value attention to detail as much as we do,’ says Ryan. ‘Their levels of craftsmanship give us the flexibility to really push the limits of style and quality.’

However talented it may be at making socks, it’s a dedication to technology and innovation that is transforming the brand’s retail offer.

Launching for Christmas 2018, its new Video Gift Box allows buyers to record a personal video message using their phone as they checkout online. The message then plays on an in-built, high-resolution screen inside the lid of the elegant box when opened and there’s also a nice message from David Gandy on there too. Online gifting can all too often feel like a faceless experience, but London Sock Co wants to create something personal.

‘So many of our customers are sending gifts to loved ones,’ says Dave. ‘While the socks are really important to us, it’s the smile it puts on people’s faces when they receive a gift that our customers are investing in and this is just the first step to delivering on that for our growing customer base.’

We can’t wait to see what other innovations will come from the brand in 2019.

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With David Gandy as an investor and ambassador, this sock delivery company brings a smile to its customers’ faces

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

NEW & LINGWOOD

The quintessential and forward-thinking English gentlemen’s outfitter

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New & Lingwood 53 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6LX +44 (0)20 7493 9621 newandlingwood.com

ew & Lingwood has been setting its sights upon pastures new this year with a series of launches, international expansion, digital innovations and the introduction of a fresh new face for the brand. Originally founded in 1867 by Miss Elizabeth New and Mr Samuel Lingwood on Eton High Street to cater for the sartorial needs of the students of England’s most prestigious school, Eton College, New & Lingwood has stayed true to its roots.

However, its continued success is built on an unerring ability to keep evolving, retaining its loyal Old Etonian client base, while attracting a new raft of admirers internationally.

The end of last year heralded the lavish refurbishment of the flagship store on Jermyn Street, which is opulently bedecked with the company’s signature silks and eclectic furnishings. The new store also highlights the brand’s shoe offering, relocating footwear to the ground floor and opening a new entrance from Piccadilly Arcade directly accessing its comprehensive collection. The house has historically incorporated two dedicated shoemakers in addition to collaborating with some of the best workshops in the land and their ‘hand-grade’ or ‘bench-grade’ shoes are still crafted in Northampton, England’s historic shoemaking hub.

New & Lingwood has additionally focussed its efforts digitally to ensure a seamless communication of the brand experience, in tandem with a dedicated social media campaign.

The revitalised website offers a rich and unique shopping experience, complete with brand stories and videos, detailed product information and style guidance, replicating online the experience that customers receive in store.

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A New & Lingwood popup shop in New York proved so popular that the very first international store was then launched on Lexington Avenue

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: New & Lingwood’s dark brown grain leather toe cap boots and wool flannel Clophill check trousers; lawyer-turned-model Richard Biedul is the new face of the brand; the new-look New & Lingwood flagship store in Piccadilly Arcade; the Morris Leaf lined silk dressing gown in blue/purple, hand-made in England

The brand’s ambition has also taken it, for the first time, ‘across the pond’ earlier this year.

A pop-up shop in New York proved so popular that the very first international store was then launched on Lexington Avenue, offering complimentary cocktails and premium cigars.

The store includes a small courtyard garden and a secret door that opens to allow access to bespoke tailoring on the first floor.

New & Lingwood additionally introduced a new ‘face’ for the brand this year, working with lawyer-turned-model Richard Biedul. Richard had long been a fan, friend and wearer of the brand, making this a truly organic decision for both parties. In addition to featuring in the Spring/Summer campaign, Richard also contributed a Style Diary blog, offering a wealth of stylish tips on how to sport your New & Lingwood outfits at work and play.

New & Lingwood is famous for its heirloom pieces such as its exquisite dressing gowns, the limited-edition silk of which is painstakingly woven in England by a small company dating from the Huguenot period. It also makes traditional semi-canvassed tailoring, using the finest English, Scottish, Irish and Italian cloth.

This is supported by a strong range of sports jackets and blazers, all expressing the confident signature of the brand, to be teamed with colourful moleskin and corduroy trousers or, of course, its formal and casual shirts, true to its heritage and tailored to perfection. It’s clear that, in addition to its illustrious past, here is a company whose ambitions are firmly fixed on a bright future.

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The merino cable knit jumper from Sunspel’s A/W’18 collection

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MEN’S STYLE

Great British Brands 2019

SUNSPEL

Everyday, essential clothing made to luxurious standards, manufactured to last since 1860

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unspel is a contemporary British brand with a story going back to 1860, when its founder Thomas Hill set out to create luxurious underwear from innovative cotton fabrics of exceptional quality. Over 150 years later, Sunspel continues to innovate, both in the products at the heart of the brand – underwear, T-shirts and polo shirts – and in each seasonal collection. These, including knitwear, outerwear and accessories, all fit the brand’s core philosophy; everyday, essential clothing made to luxurious standards of functionality, fit and comfort and manufactured to last.

Sourcing the finest raw materials has been integral to the Sunspel brand since it was founded, along with developing its own, innovative luxury fabrics. With these fabrics it crafts wardrobe essentials characterised by exceptional fit, light-asair comfort, softness and unfussy design. Think Nick Kamen in the legendary Levi’s ‘laundrette’ advertisement from 1985 (Sunspel’s boxers) or Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale (Sunspel’s pec-hugging Riviera polo). The polo’s cellular knitted fabric originated on a traditional lace-making machine in the 1950s.

For most of its 150-year history, Sunspel has been a family business. It was founded in Nottingham, and moved by the Hill family to its current specialist factory in Long Eaton in 1937. The technology may have changed since then to facilitate the company’s progressive manufacturing processes, but the commitment to community and a ‘job well done’ remains the same.

For its A/W’18 collection, Sunspel branched out from its iconic T-shirts, polos and boxers to explore colour, cashmere and the British wool industry, visiting experts in the Peak District and Scotland. The resulting collection was testament to British craftsmanship, with colours drawn from the archives of sources as diverse as yarn spinner Todd & Duncan and paper specialist G F Smith in Hull. And, as

a company that’s all about fabric, the team was keen for the textiles of the new collection to reflect the local expertise. ‘It feels nice to take these luxurious British wools, produced by some of the nation’s finest millers and spinners, and make them into beautiful modern pieces,’ enthuses Sunspel’s head designer.

Notwithstanding its British heritage, Sunspel also has a long history with the US – where the idea originated for creating the perfect boxer short in 1947 – and with New York City, where Barneys and Paul Stuart began selling Sunspel garments in the 1950s.

Now that relationship is coming to fruition, with the recent opening of Sunspel’s first US store on Mercer Street in New York’s SoHo. Says CEO Nicholas Brooke, ‘In Marylebone, Notting Hill, Tokyo’s Shibuya and Mitte in Berlin, our stores all have a communityoriented feel with a global sensibility. SoHo offers Sunspel the best of both worlds – a neighbourhood feel, but with the popularity and interest of a major international shopping district.’ Amid SoHo’s cast iron buildings and cobblestone streets, reminiscent of English industrial architecture, the store – which houses men’s and women’s seasonal and core collections – feels right at home.

‘It feels nice to take these luxurious British wools, produced by some of the nation’s finest millers and spinners, and make them into beautiful modern pieces’

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

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Great British Brands 2019

MEN’S STYLE

TURNBULL & ASSER

Jermyn Street shirtmaker unrivalled for quality, detail and design

Famed for being The Prince of Wales’ favourite shirtmaker, Turnbull & Asser boasts an illustrious clientele, including Charlie Chaplin and James Bond

Turnbull & Asser 71-72 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6PF +44 (0)20 7808 3000 turnbullandasser.com

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t is often said that without knowing where you have been, it is impossible to know where you are going. The beauty of design is that the past is often cited as an influence for the future. In 2019 Turnbull & Asser will be drawing on its extensive archive to launch a new direction, new services and collaborative collections.

Since 1885 Turnbull & Asser, a proud holder of the Royal Warrant, has dressed some of the world’s most eminent, recognisable men.

The famous Jermyn Street store, built in 1903, remains a byword for all that is desirable in the British tradition of men’s luxury. Indeed, the Turnbull & Asser name has become synonymous with Jermyn Street which is itself a symbol of British excellence and attention to detail. Famed for being HRH The Prince of Wales’ favourite shirtmaker, Turnbull & Asser boasts an illustrious clientele including Sir Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and James Bond. From Sir Sean Connery’s revolutionary cocktail cuff shirt for 007’s Dr No in 1962 to the immaculately dressed Kingsman agents, Turnbull & Asser’s enduring love affair with the

silver screen has propelled the brand to being the first choice for the discerning man worldwide.

The shirtmaker, a British institution which takes great pride in its ‘Made in England’ label, has sought inspiration from its archive and existing customers for its latest seasonal and capsule collections. These include an in-store and online Made to Measure service and new shirt styles, including the Tailored and Weekend. As the dictates of men’s fashion change constantly, the acceptability of wearing a shirt without a tie has allowed Turnbull & Asser to continue adapting with its customers.

The Tailored shirt, for example, features a new Kent collar and a svelte silhouette (the shirt has no darts), giving it a smart look without the need for a tie. The Weekend is designed with comfort in mind – a relaxed button-down collar and soft lining gives it an informal look.

Committed to working with only the finest quality fabrics and textiles, Turnbull & Asser’s shirts and ties are hand-made at its factories in Gloucester and Kent. This gives the company complete control over the manufacturing process, not something all of its competitors can claim. As consistent innovation is a hallmark of the operation, sustainability is fast becoming a major part of the brand’s ethos; new fabrics including TENCEL© are being tested to bring its customers the best quality clothing without compromise, made from eco-friendly materials.

Turnbull & Asser’s new seasonal collections have incorporated a host of British household textiles including tattersalls, Harris Tweed and linen into the ready-to-wear collection, while continuing with its renowned bespoke service and worldwide trunk shows. In addition to this, quarterly limited-edition collections will champion innovative artistry and collaboration as well as its much-heralded archive.

Home to some of the world’s most skilled artisans and with centuries of experience in manufacturing between them, there is a reason why Turnbull & Asser remains unrivalled for quality, detail and design.

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FROM LEFT: Go dotty for the Churchill bowtie; Turnbull & Asser has been dressing Britain’s most stylish men since 1885

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PHOTOS: JAMES HOLBOROW; LYLE ROBLIN

Walker Slater has taken coarse tweed and transformed it into usable, comfortable material for its beautiful men’s clothes

MEN’S STYLE

Great British Brands 2019

WALKER SLATER Pioneers of tweed for the modern wardrobe

PHOTOS: JAMES HOLBOROW; LYLE ROBLIN

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hirty years ago, deep in the Scottish Highlands, a small company was born. The idea was simple: to take that most old fashioned of fabrics – tweed – and turn it into usable and comfortable clothing for men and women.

Back then, most tweed was of the coarse and hairy variety. Walker Slater decided to explore softer tweeds: it wanted to produce clothes that were comfortable and luxurious, suitable for casual as well as formal wear.

That was in 1989. Fast forward to today, and Walker Slater is one of the leading pioneers in tweed production worldwide. In addition to its flagship store on Edinburgh’s famous Grassmarket, it has opened branches in Glasgow and London’s Covent Garden and Fulham, and is looking to expand to bigger London premises soon. It has just opened in Tokyo, and is already looking to expand to bigger premises there too.

The reason? It’s that tweed is booming, in large part thanks to Walker Slater. The brand has taken something traditional and breathed new life into it. ‘Tweed doesn’t have to be hairy and scratchy,’ says co-founder Paul Walker. ‘We have pioneered the use of silk and cotton in our weaves to produce much softer and suppler fabrics.’ In addition to retail sales, Walker Slater has become a sought-after wholesaler, selling both men’s and womenswear to Norway, Iceland, Austria and Sweden.

Quality is of paramount importance to Walker, who works closely with artisan weavers and mills in Scotland to ensure the very best standards. But this authenticity does not translate into high prices for the customer. The company prides itself on offering clothing of exceptional quality at remarkably affordable prices.

Walker Slater is a passionate supporter of British fabrics. It works with the Campaign for Wool, which was founded in 2010 to promote woollen clothing, and has HRH The Prince of Wales as its patron. Currently,

only two per cent of all garments produced are made using this strong natural fibre. The campaign is in line with Walker Slater’s aims: to use only natural fibres – wool, cashmere, cotton and silk – which are sustainable, and produce garments that are long-lasting and can be repaired, rather than thrown away.

‘Our belief in the versatility of tweed has brought some prestigious partnerships,’ says Paul. ‘Most recently, we created an exclusive jacket for The Rake magazine – a leading commentator on sartorial excellence. We have also developed a bespoke tweed with Harris Tweed Hebrides for the Ryder Cup.’ Walker Slater’s commitment to quality, craftsmanship and contemporary design has been recognised within the industry. The company has been named Retailer of the Year in the Scottish Fashion Awards, and was Edinburgh Business of the Year in last year’s Scottish Business Awards. The Rt Hon Brian Wilson, chairman of Harris Tweed Hebrides, and current UK Business Ambassador, says: ‘We have a huge respect for Walker Slater and the standards it represents.

Their use of British fabrics to create beautiful finished products is exemplary and sets a standard for others to aspire to’.

‘Walker Slater’s use of British fabrics to create beautiful finished products is exemplary and sets a standard for others to aspire to’

Walker Slater 16-20 Victoria Street Edinburgh EH1 2HG +44 (0)131 220 2636 walkerslater.com

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

CHURCH’S P164 CROCKETT & JONES P166 EDWARD GREEN P168 ETTINGER P170 FOSTER & SON P172 JOHN LOBB P174 NOBLE MACMILLAN P176 SWAINE ADENEY BRIGG P178 TRICKER’S P180 TUSTING P182

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

Great British Brands 2019

CHURCH’S The shoes that last a lifetime

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hurch’s links to the craftsmanship of handmade shoes can be traced back to 1675 and the industry’s heartland of Northamptonshire.

This county has been at the centre of a flourishing leather and footwear industry since the Middle Ages, a legacy which continues to this day.

In 1873, Thomas Church and his three sons – Alfred, William and Thomas Jr – founded the Church’s company and united the production processes in one modern factory in Northampton.

Prior to this, each individual process was carried out in the workers’ own homes. Northampton plays a vital role in the brand’s DNA and is still the home of the company’s worldwide headquarters.

In the space of a few years, Church’s rapidly evolved from a cottage industry into a benchmark firm for high-quality footwear.

It is interesting to note that Church’s was the first footwear manufacturer to introduce the concept of ‘left’ and ‘right’ shoes – most other companies at that time still sold ‘straights’.

With the dawn of the 20th century, Church’s began exporting to new markets such as the USA, Canada, China, and South America, and appointed distributors in many European countries.

In 1921 the company opened a retail store in Britain, followed by New York in 1929 and mainland Europe and Asia over the next 30 years. Each store is dedicated to showcasing the very best of English shoemaking, and offers unparalleled customer service.

The company now operates from three factories in Northamptonshire. This continued commitment to craftsmanship and manufacturing in England was recognised when the company was presented with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Exports, cementing Church’s status as a leading international brand.

In 1999 Church’s joined the Prada Group, a world leader in the luxury retail industry.

The group’s objectives were to expand the brand internationally by speaking to a wider audience

while fully respecting its English heritage.

As a result, over the last ten years, Church’s has expanded its retail footprint, now totalling 55 stores globally in key cities across the world.

These include three stand-alone stores that sell exclusively Church’s women’s collections.

Church’s shoes transcend fashion. Traditional styles such as Oxfords or Brogues never date, though colours and details may vary from season to season. Alongside the traditional offering, Church’s has developed some new styles, with the aim of appealing to customers in different global markets.

This continued innovation allows the brand to develop and grow its position as the world’s leader of top quality Goodyear Welted Footwear.

Today the manufacturing of Church’s shoes is still inspired by its rich heritage and dedication to traditional techniques: the welted shoes are hand-made by dedicated artisans, using a process that can take up to eight weeks and involve over 250 detailed manual operations.

This enables Church’s to offer exemplary aftercare, with full refurbishment facilities available in the Northampton factory, using the same high quality materials and craftsmanship as used in the original manufacturing process.

Because with proper care and attention, a pair of Church’s can – and do – last a lifetime.

Today the manufacturing of Church’s shoes is still inspired by its rich heritage and dedication to traditional techniques

Church’s St James Northampton NN5 5JB +44 (0)1604 751251 church-footwear.com

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

CROCKETT & JONES Shoemaker to James Bond and truly British since 1879

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here is something about shoemaking that engages with our deepest understanding about the meaning of Britishness and tradition.

Where there is a traditional British shoemaker, there is somehow a reassuring sense of solidity, reliability and trust.

It is businesses like Crockett & Jones – shoemaker to James Bond – that have nurtured these sensibilities over decades, or even centuries, of tenacious standard-setting.

A five-generation family shoe manufacturer specialising in high-quality Goodyear-welted shoes and boots for men, the business turns 140 this year. Its production processes have evolved since the 1890s when it first adopted Charles Goodyear’s superior machinery from the US for stitching uppers, welts and soles together (hence the term ‘Goodyear-welted’), but much of the Northampton factory looks just as it did when it was first built.

Crockett & Jones’s operations might be 100 per cent English, but the brand plays on an international stage. As well as being a proud manufacturer, it is also a successful retail business with six stores in London and flagships in Paris, New York, Birmingham and Brussels.

As a wholesaler, it is a top player in Japan, where

CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE RIGHT: Eskdales – plain fronted high-leg Derby boots; top ironing the shoe; clicking, which means cutting the uppers for boots or shoes from a skin of leather; Chilterns – classic Chukka boots made from fine, soft suede and Dainite rubber soles

Crockett & Jones 92 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6JE +44 (0)20 7839 5239 crockettandjones.com

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Many of these processes were originated by handmakers centuries ago and take a lifetime to master

products are sold through Isetan, Hankyu Men’s and Beams (among others) to an enthusiastic local market.

Inspired by Japanese style, Crockett & Jones developed a capsule collection for A/W’18: The Black Editions. These are slightly more audacious versions of its classic shoes and boots, in contemporary black leathers and with an oversized, ‘cleated’ rubber sole. Collections like these have helped to keep the brand current over the years; yet the company believes that what its customers really love are the core classics, the shoes with which they dressed Daniel Craig in the Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.

‘Our customers know that we are passionate about quality, we do not compromise on labour and materials, and we also offer value for money,’ says managing director Jonathan Jones. The manufacture of Goodyear-welted shoes is a labour of love, each pair taking eight weeks and 200 separate operations to complete.

Many of these processes were originated by hand-makers centuries ago and take a lifetime to master. The resulting shoes are exceptionally durable and comfortable, while their English names – like Audley, Belgrave and Cavendish – have become personalities in their own right, synonymous with Crockett & Jones’s style, workmanship and authenticity.

It is quite something to consider that 140 years after Charles Jones and James Crockett set up their business, it remains in the hands of the founding family, with Jonathan Jones and Nick Jones (production director) at the helm and their children becoming the fifth generation to work there. The business has also depended upon families working in the factory itself, and the handing down of expertise, knowledge and passion. With this generational shift also comes greater engagement with the digital world, as the company gradually establishes its online voice to tell the story, raise awareness and reach out to its next generation of customers too.

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

EDWARD GREEN The finest handmade shoes, epitomising English elegance

Fine calfskin is far more comfortable and gives a lovely lustrous depth to the patina and gains personality as it ages

Edward Green 75 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6NP +44 (0)20 7839 0202 edwardgreen.com

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othing is more important in defining the quality of a shoe than the leather from which it’s cut – hence the old adage about silk purses and sow’s ears. At Edward Green – shoemaker since 1890 – it has always been a matter of honour to source the very best calfskins, and to cut exceptionally carefully to ensure the finished shoe retains a fine but natural character. Fine calfskin is far more comfortable, gives a lovely lustrous depth to the patina and gains personality as it ages.

This year the company has introduced a new leather to the family – London Grain calf – which has a subtle, grained texture and takes a beautiful shine. It’s ideal for formal dress shoes which complement the flannels and soft fabrics favoured in today’s tailoring. Buffalo skin is another new option – a great natural skin, full of texture, which lends the character of the American plains – robust, distinctive and strong, ideal for bringing a pioneer spirit to the brand’s signature Galway boot.

Edward Green established his shoe-making workshop in Northampton with a commitment

to ‘making the finest shoes, without compromise’. Determined to maintain the highest standards, he put together a team of the town’s most respected shoemakers and sourced the best materials for them to work with. By the 1930s, alongside its shoes, the company had also become the biggest maker of high-grade military boots in the country, and was attracting the attention of stylish clients such as Ernest Hemingway and Cole Porter.

Respect for the integrity of the craftsmen and the tradition of shoemaking have always been paramount at Edward Green. Production is therefore relatively smallscale – only 350 pairs a week. It takes a skilled artisan over two hours to hand sew the U-shaped aprons on a pair of Dovers – as well as years in training; soles are tanned for nine months in a solution of oak, spruce and mimosa barks for comfort and durability. Original lasts are returned to be recrafted again and again.

No detail is missed.

The Galway, and other shoes such as the Dover and Chelsea cap-toed Oxford, are prized all over the world for their supreme quality and distinctly English character.

This combination of excellence and quintessentially English style has served the company well internationally. Edward Green is stocked by leading department stores from Isetan in Tokyo to Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and has its own stores in Paris, Tokyo and on London’s Jermyn Street. The shop keeps an extensive collection of sizes, widths and lasts, ensuring that customers can find their perfect fit or create something to order.

Last year, women’s styles were also introduced.

In other developments, the brand is working closely with The Rake magazine on its new online portal – The Atelier – and also increasing its own range available online, investing more in what is a crucial, growing sales channel. Buyers are purchasing online from all over the world, and in response the company is offering a fast, next-day service with easy returns, which allows customers the luxury of trying and testing the shoes in their own home, wherever that might be.

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Edward Green puts integrity at the heart of its shoe-making to produce finely crafted products that last

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Great British Brands 2019

SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

ETTINGER

Celebrating 85 years as a leading British leather accessories brand

‘Ettinger’s style is discreet and reserved yet our bold use of colour makes our products stand out from the crowd and we embrace the contrast’

Ettinger 215 Putney Bridge Road London SW15 2NY +44 (0)20 8877 1616 ettinger.co.uk

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n the 1930s foreign travel was the preserve of the wealthy, who criss-crossed the Empire and the far-flung continents of the world by ocean liner, train and even seaplane, carrying with them their handsome, wellmade leather suitcases. Ettinger was founded in 1934 by Gerry, father of the present CEO, Robert, to tap into this lucrative market.

Located in Clerkenwell, then the centre of London’s leather-working trade, the company designed and made luggage and travel accessories to the highest specification, using the finest materials.

In the early years, goat leather was much used in the manufacture of travel accessories but gradually it largely disappeared. This year, Ettinger is revisiting its roots by introducing a collection of goat-leather accessories. A supple, soft-grained leather which will age gracefully, in four beautiful colours, it has certainly caught the eye in its first few months. One of the four colours of the goatskin collection is white, a new departure for Ettinger.

Like his father, Gerry, and grandfather, Ludwig, Robert Ettinger has a cosmopolitan

outlook on life and business, speaking several languages fluently as he travels the world. This outlook has influenced the success and appeal of Ettinger, which today attracts customers from all over the world. Indeed, some 80 per cent of Ettinger’s sales are in export markets. It has also given Robert an insight into what it means to be British. ‘People abroad have much more respect for the British than we do for ourselves,’ he has said, ‘and they like the tradition.’

Ettinger has a wealth of patterns from its early years, which continue to provide inspiration for today’s classic and more contemporary designs. Robert’s father designed the original Ettinger St James Lid-over attaché case, as he found the traditional size too heavy to carry around day-to-day, and the company still produces the smaller, lighter St James which remains popular with its customers.

‘I also still use my father’s original attaché case wherever I go,’ Robert says. ‘I get asked questions about it. On business trips overseas, they particularly love it and think it shows me to be a true British gentleman!’ Surely this is an open-and-shut case of the benefits of a British commercial attaché in promoting export business.

‘The British,’ Robert continues, ‘are also seen as a nation of two halves: reserved, restrained and discreet on the one hand, yet gregarious and outward going on the other. Ettinger’s style mirrors this: it is discreet and reserved yet our bold use of colour throughout our collections makes our products stand out from the crowd and we embrace this contrast. It is also distinctly British – and quite different when viewed alongside competing Italian, French, and Spanish accessories – and of a quality, honed over many years, that is second to none. The Prince of Wales’s Royal Warrant, bestowed in 1996, reinforces this message: ‘It’s a badge of quality, a mark of trust.’

After 85 years, Ettinger continues to forge ahead, combining tradition and innovation.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Capra medium zip pouch and billfold wallet; the Capra flat credit card case, large ziparound purse and long wallet with zipped pocket all in white goat leather

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

FOSTER & SON Making fine hand-made shoes for nearly two centuries

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wo thousand and eighteen was a banner year for Foster & Son. The Foster name has long been associated with the finest bespoke shoes, made in the workshop above the store on Jermyn Street, St James. The ready-to-wear collection has always been available through the store but now, for the first time in its 178-year history, Foster & Son has opened its own factory in Northampton. This is the first classic shoe factory to open in the home of British shoe-making for many years, and makes Foster & Son the only London bespoke shoemaker to have its own Northampton ready-to-wear factory. Having the ready-towear shoes made in-house means the brand will now be able to complement its bespoke offering with a superb range of English ready-to-wear and customised footwear of a higher calibre than ever before.

This new range will increasingly become available through high quality retail outlets and online, as the brand’s respected heritage opens doors across the world – in the USA, Japan and other fast growing Asian markets, where its British style is highly appreciated.

‘For a privately owned firm such as ours, the essence of Britishness that is most widely appreciated across the world is a sense of relaxed and friendly professionalism, backed up by genuine craftsmanship,’ says Chairman, Richard Edgecliffe-Johnson. ‘British flair in design tends to be classic and understated but always rooted in its rich

The opening of its new shoe factory makes Foster & Son the only London bespoke shoemaker to have its own ready-t0-wear factory in Northampton

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Foster & Son is a shoe-making legend and has been instrumental in protecting Britain’s shoe-making heritage with the opening of a new factory

historic aesthetic, so our famous archive is an unending source of inspiration.’

Foster & Son endeavours to put the integrity of its products and warm, engaging service before anything else. There are no lengths the brand will not go to meet a customer’s request. One customer had been a pilot in the US Air Force and was shot down during the second world war. His captors stole his hand-made English shoes so on his 90th birthday he decided to treat himself to a replacement pair.

Foster & Son arranged to meet him in Chicago and discovered he’d flown his own jet there. The customer was so delighted with the service from Foster & Son that he ordered another pair of shoes two years later.

The company involves customers in the whole shoemaking process wherever possible, often well

before the sale, to enable them make the right, informed choices. Helping to design and make their own product, is an unforgettable experience for many customers. Fosters’ skilled workers are making leather goods so customers can even help design their own suitcases, weekend bags or accessories.

Foster & Son recently helped a young customer to craft a slim-line key wallet to fit his car fob for his new supercar. It’s all part of the brand’s philosophy of bringing craftsmanship directly to the customer.

The company also restore belts, wallets or leather family heirlooms and help customers coordinate accessories with its ready-to-wear and bespoke collection.

Essentially, Foster & Son is about artist craftsmanship. The very best men’s shoes are made in England, and the brand’s aim is to continue delivering genuine quality that cannot be questioned.

Foster & Son 83 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6JD +44 (0)20 7930 5385 foster.co.uk

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

JOHN LOBB

Handcrafted shoes for men and women

Its deeply ingrained British traditions are preserved and reinvigorated, calling into question the values of fast fashion and disposable footwear

John Lobb 88 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6JD +44 (0)20 7930 8089 johnlobb.com

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ong celebrated for its unparalleled artistry and meticulous crafting processes, John Lobb boasts more than 150 years of history, with an archive to match. It remains a preeminent maker of high-quality footwear for both men and women.

John Lobb’s journey began in 1851 on the farm where his father worked in southwest England. Lobb, then an ambitious 22-year-old

apprentice, walked from the Cornish coast to London, shod in a pair of his own handmade boots and sustained by a strong sense of adventure. He worked his passage to Australia as a member of a ship’s crew. Once established in Sydney, he acquired a reputation for making hollow-heeled boots for gold miners, much used for concealing contraband. Returning to London in 1863, Lobb was appointed bootmaker to the Prince of Wales, and opened his first shop on Regent Street in 1866.

As the firm’s reputation as a maker of the finest handmade shoes grew and its clientele expanded, it caught the eye of Europe’s luxury fashion houses. Most notably, in the 1970s the firm began a long-standing relationship with Hermès. In 1976, following a slew of pop-up appearances in its rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré store, the luxury maison acquired John Lobb.

In 2014 the house appointed its first Artistic Director, Paula Gerbase. She was brought in to evolve the brand’s creative footprint by combining John Lobb’s sense of adventure and the firm’s extensive archive with a sense of unwavering modernity. As part of her Autumn/Winter 2017 collection, Gerbase launched her first designs for women. ‘Women have been loyal customers of John Lobb since the very foundation of the house,’ she said.

‘Historically they bought men’s ready-to-wear shoes but as demand continued to increase it felt like the right moment to introduce a dedicated collection just for them.’

Continuing to forge a design-led future for John Lobb, Gerbase gives the house’s traditional construction techniques a new lease of life. In 2019, John Lobb will unveil the latest installment of its yearly Saint Crepin – commemorating a rich history in bootmaking.

The most recent rendition, Holt, champions the house’s esteemed craftmanship with a new, specially created last which has been developed in collaboration with the made-to-measure Atelier in Paris in an original John Lobb style.

Her designs also pay tribute to the brand’s origins, in that each collection takes inspiration from John Lobb’s epic walk from Cornwall to London nearly 170 years ago. For example, the Spring/Summer 2019 collection has hints of the granite tors and grassy cliff tops surrounding Minions, Cornwall’s highest village, in the earthy tones and textures of a palette of loden green, burnt umber, tobacco and indigo. In this way, the brand’s deeply ingrained British traditions are preserved and continually reinvigorated, calling into question the values of fast fashion and disposable footwear.

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Holt, the 2019 limited edition, is available in store in January; John Lobb boasts more than 150 years of history; John Lobb’s leather Willow boots for women

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Great British Brands 2019

SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

NOBLE MACMILLAN Purveyors of classic and contemporary leather goods

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esigned to last a lifetime, Noble Macmillan’s classic leather goods are created with practicality and luxury in mind. The small firm is tucked away in the same quiet Kensington mews where it first opened over 30 years ago and remains unashamedly traditional in its approach. It uses centuries-old techniques to produce photo albums, frames, accessories and games sets in an increasingly dazzling array of styles and colours.

The business was founded in the early 1980s by friends Tom Dodd Noble and Adam Macmillan, a grandson of former prime minister Harold Macmillan. At the time, the two friends were racing cars at Le Mans and owned a mews garage in Kensington, called Noble Macmillan.

One day Tom went to buy a leather photo frame from a wellknown store and was stunned by the price. Unable to find any frames of the same quality, and knowing someone who could make them cheaper, it occurred to Tom that Noble Macmillan could diversify into high quality but affordable leather goods.

A few months later, boxes of hand-stitched photo frames

arrived at 9 Elvaston Mews. Although the ‘shop’ was at the back of the garage, the frames sold quickly. Equally impressive photograph albums soon followed. Not much later, most of the country’s grandest homes and families had a Noble Macmillan album, visitor’s book or game book. Despite this, the tuckedaway shop remained largely an undiscovered gem.

Customers found it difficult to keep the source of their beautiful gifts a secret after a member of one of Britain’s oldest banking dynasties bought the business in 2007. As Tom Fleming and his team began to add more contemporary colours and expand the range, style gurus sat up and took notice.

However, much remains unchanged. Inside the shop, the jacks that once held the Le Mans car and the inspection pit are still in evidence, as are the quality, value for money and service for which Noble Macmillan is now known. Today, Noble Macmillan is famous not only for its classic leather photo albums but also for its stylish and traditional games and travel accessories. Indeed these possessions epitomise the same esteemed family values that endure at the heart of the brand.

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Noble Macmillan tangerine travel backgammon, luxury Racing Demon and classic perudo sets; original large landscape card photo album; soft bound Mezzo diaries; tangerine Chelsea table planner; large mocha tray with mocha frame

Noble Macmillan 9 Elvaston Mews London SW7 5HY +44 (0)20 7581 4178 noblemacmillan.com

With the recent acquisition of Walter Newbury, a bookbinding service that has been creating beautiful books for politicians and royalty for over a century, Noble Macmillan now offers bespoke items, which can be turned around astonishingly quickly. Using the traditional skills of edge gilding, marbling, book binding and sewing, Noble Macmillan continues to focus on age-old craftsmanship while offering a speedy and efficient up-to-the-minute service.

Noble Macmillan continues to grow its homeware and accessories range to provide milestone gifts for all ages, from 18ths to 80ths. Their engraver can personalise items in store while you wait, useful for the last-minute shopper in search of the Best of British.

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

SWAINE ADENEY BRIGG

London’s celebrated makers of leather goods and accessories since 1750

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gentleman came to the Swaine Adeney Brigg shop in some distress, telling of an unfortunate accident in which his treasured attaché case had been all but destroyed and he had been told the chances of repair were extremely slim. ‘But,’ he had exclaimed, ‘it’s my Swaine Adeney!’ The brand’s specialist leatherworkers were duly summoned and the expertly restored case returned to the customer as a gift to thank him for his custom over the years. This charming story not only speaks volumes about the true character of Swaine Adeney Brigg but also illustrates the depth of affection shown to the brand by its loyal clientele.

The story of Swaine Adeney began in 1750 as the makers of fine driving, riding and hunting whips. The brand soon received the first of many Royal Warrants, starting from King George III for the supply of carriage driving whips. As the advent of railways meant fewer horse-drawn vehicles, Swaine Adeney moved towards creating fashionable riding accessories and products for hunting. The subsequent introduction of the motor car duly provided an opportunity to diversify into luggage.

Swaine Adeney Brigg was founded in 1750 and still enjoys an exceptionally loyal clientele today

Swaine Adeney Brigg 7 Piccadilly Arcade Off Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6NH +44 (0)20 7409 7277 swaineadeneybrigg.com

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Film directors and costume designers frequently call upon Swaine Adeney Brigg to complement the outfits of their stars

In 1942 Swaine Adeney merged with royal umbrella makers, Brigg and Sons. In the following years, the famous hatters, Herbert Johnson, and luggage manufacturers, Papworth Travel Goods, were added to the group. Today the company’s workshops are based in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, while its shop in Piccadilly Arcade remains close to its roots. A second shop opens early in 2019. Customers are just as happy to telephone the London store as go to the website to place an order and the brand’s bespoke services now mean that all lines can be personalised in terms of design, colour and shape, with the added touch of embossing or engraving.

The company’s keen commitment to making the finest British products is testament to the team of hard working and dedicated individuals who honour past traditions of British style while keeping an eye on the future. The brand is currently working on a collection of intricate sterling silver-topped dress canes, due to make a timely comeback. The silver terminals are being produced using a lost wax technique in a specialist British foundry before being completed at the Brigg workshop by the company’s dress cane specialist.

Film producers, directors and costume designers frequently call upon Swaine Adeney Brigg to complement the outfits of their stars and to give an accurate representation of a truly stylish British individual. The Bond case used by Sean Connery in the film From Russia With Love is still made today (without the secret armoury inside, however). More recently Swaine Adeney Brigg made the secret weapon umbrella used

by Colin Firth’s character in the British film Kingsman.

Herbert Johnson has supplied hats to many screen icons, from Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau to Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Unsurprisingly, the Indiana Jones ‘Poet’ hat is still in great demand today. Swaine Adeney Brigg excitedly anticipate their next adventures.

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

TRICKER’S

Britain’s oldest shoemakers maintain their heritage while looking to the future

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ounded in 1829, Tricker’s is proudly the oldest established shoemaker in Britain and celebrates 190 years in business in 2019. Still owned by its founding family, the brand’s commitment to making shoes and boots of outstanding quality remains wholeheartedly consistent. All Tricker’s footwear is made entirely from start to finish at its Northampton factory and, while manufacturing processes have changed over time, its craftsmen and women continue to follow traditional techniques. There are still 250 individual processes in the making of a pair of Tricker’s country boots and they each take a total of eight weeks to manufacture. Training new shoemakers has always been at the core of Tricker’s history, so the brand has taken steps to secure its future by implementing a strategy under the MD Martin Mason. It has already introduced more apprenticeships to its factory, with more to come over the next few years.

Today, with 75 per cent of its production earmarked for the export market, Tricker’s is a globally recognised brand, available in 43 countries across the globe and represented

FROM LEFT: Britain’s oldest shoemaker is constantly championing new innovations; Tricker’s Stow Country Boot in black calf leather; Fenwick shoes in dark brown Olivvia leather

Tricker’s 67 Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6NY +44 (0)20 7930 6395 trickers.com

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In Japan, Tricker’s enjoys what can only be described as a cult following with a market there that equates to a third of its export business

in many of the finest international boutiques. In Japan, the brand enjoys what can only be described as a cult following with a market there that equates to a third of its export business, closely followed by Italy and the US. While keeping one foot firmly rooted in craft and tradition Tricker’s is also keenly taking strides into the future. The brand now produces two seasonal collections a year, plus a light-weight collection. It is also exclusively championing an innovative new leather, Olivvia, which is tanned naturally using an extract from olive leaves. This provides a totally chrome-free tanning alternative, derived from a bi-product of the olive oil industry which is diverted from being burnt as a waste product and is also perfect for those with sensitive skin. Olivvia leather currently accounts for 10 per cent of Tricker’s sales with further expansion work in progress with a German tannery. Other innovations in the pipeline include development of a 100 per cent vegetable tanned Olivvia deer skin, a rugged natural ‘kudu’ leather and reverse suede, inspired by the exploits of David Livingstone and a generation of African explorers from the Victorian era. There are also ‘Hatch Grain’, a new grain leather used on Bourton and Stow, two of Tricker’s most iconic styles, and a soft, calf polishing leather, ‘Museum Leather’ which gives a new contemporary feel to the Tricker’s Town collection.

Back in the twenties, when the late Mr Ernest Barltrop MD, presented his range to the buyer of a well-known London store, he asked £2.12.6d per pair ex-factory, but lost the order because he was not prepared to give way over the ‘sixpence’ that would lessen the quality of his product. That store still stocks Tricker’s shoes today, despite the temporary setback.

It’s true to say, whatever the shoe, Tricker’s has never deviated from the high standards of craftsmanship laid down at the outset by the company’s founder. Quietly and perhaps rather unassumingly but persistently, it has kept in step with modern techniques.

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SHOES & LEATHER GOODS

TUSTING

The British family brand and its bags stand the test of time

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Tusting The Tannery Warehouse 29-31 Olney Rd Lavendon Olney MK46 4EU +44 (0)1234 712266 tusting.co.uk

or Tusting, being British is the whole story: it is not just a British brand, but a British manufacturerbrand which has always been wholly on-shored. It continues to design, make and distribute every piece from its factory near Northampton and customers value its accessibility and the ability to return direct to the maker for assistance.

Tusting is in the business of heritage, creating a favourite handbag or trusted briefcase that becomes part of its owner’s story, everyday essentials that stay by our sides, whatever life throws at us.

Tusting was born from a technological innovation – the development of the sewing machine, which had begun to transform the shoe-making industry in the 1870s, meant that tough pieces of leather no longer had to be sewn together manually and that shoemakers were free to explore ambitious new designs.

The demand for shoes sky-rocketed and, with it, the need for high quality leathers. Enter Charles Pettit, a young labourer with an entrepreneurial spirit. He saw the opportunity, founded a tannery and, without realising it, a British leather dynasty when his only daughter married a local merchant named John Tusting.

The family business saw off many a setback to not only survive a sale and recession but to diversify beyond making and trading leather into manufacturing premium leather goods.

Today, with two of Charles Pettit’s greatgreat-grandsons at the helm, Tusting is a global name within luxury leather goods. Its busy Lavendon workshop lies just a couple of miles from the original tannery and its employees continue to number leather experts whose families have worked there for as long as they can remember. Far from resting on its laurels, the brand continues to evolve, with development plans afoot in

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Tusting’s bags and their individual stories represent true investment pieces to be passed down for generations to come

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Chellington heritage-inspired leather holdall; Explorer canvas holdall; Holly leather top-handled bag; Marston leather briefcase; Kimbolton leather handbag

China, building on the successful presence of its standalone store and appetite for its products in that territory. It will also be expanding its exposure in the UK and USA both in terms of on-the-ground retail and a new digital strategy.

Tusting will additionally continue to explore new collaborations with like-minded British brands such as the recently launched range of luxury travel bags developed with Gleneagles Hotel.

Tusting’s bags and luggage are known to be extremely robust and are expected to see some decent adventures. However, one account is perhaps a little more extreme than necessarily recommended! They were asked to do some general wear-and-tear repairs on a canvas Explorer bag owned by a British Army officer.

He sent it in with this note: ‘This bag has been around the world with me over the past nine years and has carried my kit in Iran and Afghanistan on operational tours. In Canada, on an army exercise, it survived unscathed after a fall from a helicopter when an underslung pallet came loose. I would be very sorry if the bag had to be replaced.’

The bags are true investment pieces, to be cherished and passed down for generations to come, much as Tusting has safeguarded its treasured family brand and sterling reputation across the years and continues to do so into the future.

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SPORTING

ASCOT P186 BARBOUR P188 E.J. CHURCHILL P190 GUARDS POLO CLUB P192 HOLLAND & HOLLAND P194 HOLLAND COOPER P196 HOUSE OF BRUAR P198 HUNTER P200 POLO IN THE PARK P202 WENTWORTH P204

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Great British Brands 2019

SPORTING

ASCOT

A racing experience like no other

Royal Ascot is the pinnacle of the British social season and offers lots more than just superb racing with its fine food, live music and entertainment for everyone

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ounded by Queen Anne in 1711, Ascot Racecourse remains a pillar of British sporting and social culture.

Welcoming over 630,000 guests each year, Ascot’s stature, reputation and famous sense of occasion is admired the world over. As one of the largest and most prestigious racecourses in the world, Ascot has hosted some of the finest racing events for more than 300 years. With 26 annual race days and several other events throughout the year, Ascot has something for everyone, encapsulating the thrill of horseracing and the many other experiences to be enjoyed there, from Michelin starred fine dining to live music and entertainment.

In addition to Royal Ascot, the flagship summer occasion, other racedays include the King George Weekend, QIPCO British Champions Day, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup & Concert, the Festival of Food & Wine Racing Weekend, a Fireworks Spectacular and family events including the Christmas Racing Weekend.

With a history as rich as it is long, Royal Ascot sits proudly as the jewel in the crown of horse racing. With five days of unparalleled racing, high fashion, fine dining and pageantry,

Ascot Racecourse Ascot Berkshire SL5 7JX +44 (0)344 346 3000 ascot.co.uk

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With five days of unparalleled racing, high fashion, fine dining and pageantry, the Royal Meeting creates an unforgettable experience

the renowned Royal Meeting creates an unforgettable experience.

It is Britain’s most valuable race meeting, attracting many of the world’s finest racehorses to compete for millions of pounds in prize money (£7.3m in 2018) and its races have made household names of Royal Ascot winners such as Black Caviar, Frankel and Yeats.

Each year the meeting is broadcast to audiences globally, yet to experience it in person is something truly special. It’s an experience shaped by special moments; whether it’s the arrival of the Royal Procession at 2pm sharp, six world-class races throughout the afternoon or communal signing around Ascot’s bandstand, each day is an unforgettable whirlwind of pageantry and excitement. The Queen, a passionate racehorse owner and a lifelong lover of the sport, has attended Royal Ascot every day, every year since her coronation in 1953. In 2013, The Queen’s filly, Estimate, famously triumphed in Ascot’s showpiece race, The Gold Cup– the first time the race had been won by the reigning monarch.

Royal Ascot is the perfect occasion for socialising and celebrating special occasions in one of four separate enclosures, each with its own ambience and energy. A wealth of dining options, from three-course à la carte luncheons, gourmet picnics, Champagne afternoon tea or fine dining in one of Ascot’s restaurants offer differing cuisines and views of the racecourse.

Royal Ascot is also synonymous with sartorial elegance, with guests welcomed to contribute to the sense of occasion by dressing in accordance with the famous dress code decreed

by Royal Ascot’s Style Guide. It was famous dandy Beau Brummell who, at the turn of the 19th century, dictated the dress for men in the Royal Enclosure and his sense of style is still reflected in Royal Ascot fashions today. Each year the racecourse is awash with colourful classic and contemporary fashions as well as the most magnificent and spectacular millinery creations. It really is ‘like nowhere else’.

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Great British Brands 2019

SPORTING

BARBOUR

A global award-winning British lifestyle family brand, celebrating 125 years

B Barbour Simonside South Shields Tyne & Wear NE34 9PD +44 (0)1914 274210 barbour.com

arbour celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, a significant milestone for this most British of brands.

For more than a century, the Barbour family has skilfully combined innovation and growth, with authenticity and heritage guiding the company from its modest beginnings in 1894 to the global lifestyle brand it is today.

Each member of the Barbour family has made a contribution to the business. In South Shields in the North East of England, founder John Barbour began supplying oilskins to protect the growing community of mariners from the worst of the weather.

In 1908, John’s son, Malcolm Barbour, introduced the first 12-page Barbour mail order catalogue, expanding the business internationally.

In 1936, Malcolm’s son, Duncan Barbour, created the wax cotton International motorcycle

suit, which was worn by virtually every rider on the International Six Day Trials circuit from the 1950s to the 1970s, including actor Steve McQueen in 1964.

Before his untimely death in 1968, John Barbour re-introduced the company to country clothing. His widow Margaret subsequently took over the reins and in 1980 designed the Bedale and Beaufort waxed cotton jackets that went on to make Barbour a household name. The jackets remain best sellers – and are still made in the Barbour factory in South Shields.

Barbour has also earned the royal seal of approval. Margaret, who was made a dame in 2001, holds three Royal Warrants, from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (1974), from HM The Queen (1982) and from HRH The Prince of Wales (1987). In 1988, Dame Margaret established the Barbour Trust (now Barbour Foundation) to

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Sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, Barbour is worn all year round and has an urban as well as a country following

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Chairman Dame Margaret Barbour earned three royal seals of approval for Barbour; the brand has always been synonymous with dogs and they enjoy their own dedicated range; Barbour is now an established award winning lifestyle brand; the market place in South Shields where the Barbour story began 125 years ago

support charitable causes and, to date, over £13.1m has been donated to worthwhile causes.

Dame Margaret’s daughter Helen became Vice Chairman of Barbour in 1997. Together with tartan specialists, Kinloch Anderson, she was responsible for introducing the brand’s exclusive tartans in the late 1990s and in 2011 introduced a new sporting collection to reinforce Barbour’s country credentials.

Today, Barbour is an award-winning lifestyle brand with a wardrobe of stylish, functional clothes, footwear and accessories for men, women and children. Sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, Barbour is worn all year round and has an urban as well as country following. Embracing the company’s Britishness, customers from all around the world enjoy the Barbour Way of Life: shopping, spending time with the family, attending musical festivals or simply walking their dogs.

Dogs, incidentally, have always been synonymous with Barbour. A dog-owner herself, Helen Barbour has been instrumental in introducing a range of dog products, including coats, collars, leads, beds and even a dog cologne. Dogs now have their own Instagram channel @Barbourdogs and in 2017, Barbour launched a unique dog loyalty scheme, ‘It’s a Barbour Dog’s Life’, in which customers provide information on their dogs to receive exclusive dog content, birthday messages and invitations to dog-friendly events.

Undoubtedly, the key to this most British of brands’ success is that its founding principles of quality, durability, attention to detail and fitness for purpose remain as relevant today as they were 125 years ago.

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Great British Brands 2019

SPORTING

E.J. CHURCHILL

The multi-award-winning brand encompassing the entire shooting experience

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ver 125 years after its establishment by Edward John Churchill, E.J. Churchill continues to lead the way in the production of highest quality shotguns, as well as being the only privately owned British company to boast its own shooting ground, sporting agency, outfitters and events business.

In 1989, Sir Edward Dashwood created a shooting ground at his West Wycombe Estate, now widely regarded as one of the finest in the world, and incorporating 150 shooting stands, six clay shooting disciplines, ‘The Pit’, three high towers and five purpose-built grouse butts. Unsurprisingly, it has now played host to the World English Sporting Championships a record three times, most recently this year.

2018 saw the appointment of George Digweed MBE as Global Shooting Ambassador. As 26-time World Champion, George is considered unequalled in the shooting world and one of the finest game shots in the country. His appointment heralds a number of new developments in the pipeline, including a Coaching Academy, and exciting collaborations and brand partnerships to be revealed in 2019.

E.J. Churchill’s respect for the traditions of the sport prevails in everything it does, mirrored in its impeccable range of shooting wear. Available in the store and online, it stocks a number of carefully chosen brands alongside its own collection of country attire and accessories. Couture tailors Crow and Jester have created an exclusive new tweed range, designed by chairman Sir Edward Dashwood and MD Robert Fenwick, presenting a

E.J. Churchill is designed for shooters by shooters.

It encourages participation at all levels, from Olympic hopefuls to absolute beginners

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You can get the whole shooting experience at E.J. Churchill, just 40 miles from London

modern take on the traditional shooting suit, including details such as hand-warming and large cartridge pockets. It also exclusively stocks the new TROY London range of contemporary British outerwear by sisters Rosie van Cutsem and Lucia Ruck Keene, all made in Britain and presenting unique detailing across a range, including parkas, coats and jackets.

The brand’s Gun Room supplies new and secondhand shotguns and rifles including its own portfolio and ranges from Blaser, Browning and Perazzi, and is proud to be the only Beretta Premium dealer within 40 miles of London. Its skilled craftsmen offer a professional fitting service and undertake servicing, repairs and alterations, from simple overhauls to complete rebuilds, re-barrelling and re-stocking.

E.J. Churchill’s numerous awards include the CPSA ‘Shooting Ground of the Year 2017’ and ‘Best

Rural Recreational or Outdoor Pursuits Business 2018’. Club membership allows individuals to enjoy a wide range of benefits including social events held throughout the year. Exceptional experiences are organised with exclusive access to some of the most prestigious sporting estates in the world from Scotland to Hungary and exciting events created for private and corporate clients. It also proudly helps raise millions of pounds for charitable causes through mobile charity shoots. Led by passionate sportspeople, E.J. Churchill is designed for shooters by shooters, providing a superior service in a friendly environment. It encourages participation at all levels, from Olympic hopefuls to absolute beginners, introducing shooting to a whole new generation with its Young Guns sessions, hosted during school holidays.

E.J. Churchill Park Lane, Lane End Buckinghamshire HP14 3NS +44 (0)1494 883227 ejchurchill.com

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SPORTING

GUARDS POLO CLUB Home to the world’s greatest polo players

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ne of the few sports that should come with a government health warning is polo. Believed to have originated in Persia more than 2,000 years ago, the oldest team sport in the world sees players racing at top speed, using only their weight and the speed and courage of their ponies, to keep their opponents off the ball.

The best place to watch and play this sport of princes and kings is Guards Polo Club. Situated in the heart of Windsor Great Park, the Club’s grounds provide the perfect historical backdrop for a sport that delivers passion, pageantry and power.

Guards Polo Club was founded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1955. A former player, he remains the Club’s President today, regularly watching games from the Royal Box with an expert’s eye. His oldest son, HRH The Prince of Wales and grandsons, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH The Duke of Sussex, have inherited his passion and have played many a game at the Club.

These royal players are joined by an impressive array of polo superstars, including the World’s Number One player, Adolfo Cambiaso. The Argentine has been at the top of his game since he first charged onto the scene more than 25 years ago, aged just 17. Since then, Guards Polo Club is honoured to have continually listed him as their top player. With leading amateur players (patrons) and their talented professionals calling Guards Polo

PHOTO: IMAGES OF POLO

Situated in the heart of Windsor Great Park, Guards Polo Club provides the perfect historical backdrop for a sport that delivers passion, pageantry and power

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PHOTO: IMAGES OF POLO

FROM LEFT: A parade on the Queen’s Ground at Guards Polo Club; the Queen presents the Cartier Queen’s Cup; the world’s number one player, Adolfo Cambiaso, in action

Club home when in Britain, Guards Polo Club can deliver the best sport possible. Not surprising when those who play there include Andrey Borodin (Park Place), Ali Albwardy (Dubai), Bob Jornayvaz (Valiente), Guy Schwarzenbach (Black Bears), Ludovic and Sebastien Pailloncy (HB Polo), Spencer McCarthy (Emlor), Alejandro Bazzoni (Monterosso) and Max Gottschalk (Les Lions).

Guards Polo Club delivers an enviable fixtures list throughout its season, from mid-April to midSeptember. In 2019 Cartier celebrates its eighth year as title sponsor of the high-goal Queen’s Cup competition, which attracts the biggest names in the game. The Argentine clothing and sports brand La Martina, now with a prominent retail presence in St James’s, London, supports the Varsity Match between the Oxford and Cambridge University polo

teams, one of the sport’s oldest tournaments. In 2018, Japanese innovative solutions firm, OutSourcing Inc, became a sponsor of the Royal Windsor Cup, the Club’s oldest tournament. With its philanthropic outreach, OutSourcing has brought Hollywood sparkle to the Club – Susan Sarandon attended an event this year and presented the prize for the morning game.

Hildon’s generous support of the competitive Archie David Cup, with big entry lists of 25 or more, ensures that the Club offers great polo at all levels of the game.

With such an impressive pedigree it may be a surprise to learn that social (non-playing) membership of Guards Polo Club costs just £400 a year. This includes a member’s and guest badges for the season, the opportunity to enjoy many members-only events plus unlimited access to the Clubhouse Restaurant and Bar, under the management of the renowned Mosimann’s of London.

Guards Polo Club Smith’s Lawn Windsor Great Park Surrey TW20 0HP +44 (0)1784 434212 guardspoloclub.com

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Great British Brands 2019

SPORTING

HOLLAND & HOLLAND The bespoke gunmakers which continues to push the boundaries

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olland & Holland has been unconventional from the outset. Founder Harris Holland was a fine shot but did not start out in life as a gunmaker and through his maverick and unconstrained approach to the craft, Holland & Holland has created some of the finest guns in the world.

So too its fashion line can be counted on to deliver the unexpected, especially since Stella Tennant and Isabella Cawdor were appointed as creative heads in 2017. This year, their search for design inspiration has taken them far and wide, delivering collections which blend a fascination with the great outdoors with the brand’s intrepid history of exploration. A British sensibility is infused with more exotic influences: multi-coloured knits give a nod to the designers’ own ancestors, patchworked jackets take a cue from Mongolian furs, storm-proof ponchos are adapted from classic Argentinian designs and the humble cartridge bag inspires a line of sheepskin satchels. Here is truly modern luxury: globally sourced, resolutely practical and perfectly formed. ‘Holland & Holland is a very British brand and there are so many corners of the country to explore,’ says Stella Tennant, while Isabella Cawdor comments that their latest collection is ‘a consolidation of everything we’ve done: taking each piece, each fabric, and making it even better’.

When it comes to training, Holland & Holland has gone the

Holland & Holland delivers collections that blend a fascination with the great outdoors with the brand’s intrepid history of exploration

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Stella Tennant and Isabella Cawdor’s designs for Holland & Holland are the definition of modern global luxury while the guns are still made in its London factory

extra mile with its level of care and imagination.

It is the only British gunmaker with its own shooting grounds in London, a short trip from Northwood underground station. Here the guns are all fitted and tested and Holland & Holland provides expert tuition, staying true to the saying that ‘if Mr Holland can’t teach a man to shoot, then nobody can’.

Visitors have the chance to shoot with a Holland & Holland rifle or shotgun while receiving expert tuition from trained instructors. Shooting practice has never been such fun, with a range of clay pigeon and simulated game stands to select from, plus a dedicated Indoor Shooting Cinema, specially developed for driven rifle shooting.

Beyond the Shooting Grounds, a bespoke in-field instruction service has been launched, whereby a trained instructor can accompany a client as a loader

and in-field trainer on a driven game shoot, with Holland & Holland guns provided for use on the day. Often the instructor has already built up a relationship with the client over a number of sessions at the Shooting Grounds. As well as assisting the highly experienced who are looking to fine-tune their skills, this service also offers help and training for those just starting out, who may well be nervous about their first shoot.

Holland & Holland continues to lead the field as one of the best gunmakers in the world and its bespoke guns are still made in its London factory to the highest standards of excellence, using a combination of traditional techniques combined with the latest machinery. The guns perfectly balance form and function, truly embodying the best of British shooting.

Holland & Holland 33 Bruton Street London W1J 6HH +44 (0)20 7499 4411 hollandandholland.com

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Holland Cooper is resolutely British, bridging that everclosing gap between chic town and cool country gear

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SPORTING

Great British Brands 2019

HOLLAND COOPER Luxury British lifestyle brand

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ounded in 2008 by designer Jade Holland Cooper, luxury British lifestyle brand Holland Cooper this year celebrated its tenth year of business. With zero funding, Jade successfully led the brand to flourish through a recession. Holland Cooper subsequently became a hugely successful business and a brand of choice for celebrities such as David Beckham, Zara Tindall and Georgia Toffolo.

Holland Cooper was founded to bridge a gap in the market for stylish yet practical tweed clothing that would be appropriate for country and town settings alike. ‘Tweed is not all green and rough,’ says Jade Holland Cooper. ‘We mix it with fine lamb’s wool and cashmere or trim it with leather and suede to make it sharp enough to wear in the city or the Cotswolds, and most importantly to feel on point in both.’ Over its ten years of operation, the business has evolved to become an all-encompassing lifestyle brand.

This year has seen further progression for the brand, including the opening of the charming flagship London store in Westfield, White City, as well as the roll-out of a franchise programme.

The first franchise store opened in Edinburgh at the end of 2017, new in-house brand stores have included Bicester Village, which was closely followed by Holland Cooper’s first international opening in Kildare Village, Ireland.

Alongside new store openings, Holland Cooper has also launched a variety of sophisticated collections to complement the existing tailored tweed offering. The highly anticipated casualwear collection launched in August, featuring high quality sweatshirts, jogging bottoms and luxe tees. This year has also seen the release of a new collection of down padded coats inspired by retro ski wear, launched for the Autumn Winter season, finished with meticulously developed real-look faux fur, gold hardware and signature tweed trims. The elegant new collection appeals to an exciting new demographic.

More recently, Holland Cooper has launched its signature ‘HC’ belt, as well as a 20-piece British-

made hat collection, made in collaboration with one of the most revered hat makers. Excitingly, alongside a selection of fine gauge knitwear, the brand continues its relationship with the country set and has released a range of equileggings, designed for horse lovers.

Holland Cooper is a brand synonymous with British luxury and one of the largest buyers of British woven tweed. It not only manufactures all its tailoring in Britain but wholeheartedly supports and champions British manufacturing, offering a successful apprenticeship programme that paves the way for budding fashion entrepreneurs.

Holland Cooper is constantly a step ahead, a contemporary business that has prospered by utilising the limitless potential of influencers and social media, harnessing these platforms to communicate the brand’s campaigns and key messaging. The brand is fuelled by a strategy focusing on user-experience, which has propelled exceptional online growth, with digital channels driving 60 per cent of company revenue.

Holland Cooper has experienced immense growth, consistently doubling year on year.

While the brand goes from strength to strength and international potential grows substantially, the soul of the brand remains emphatically and quintessentially British.

Holland Cooper is a brand synonymous with British luxury and one of the largest buyers of British woven tweed

Holland Cooper 8 Cotswold Business Village Moreton-in-Marsh Gloucestershire GL56 0JQ +44 (0)1608 658063 hollandcooper.com

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SPORTING

THE HOUSE OF BRUAR

Scotland’s premier luxury retailer – The Home of Country Clothing

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ince its launch in 1995, The House of Bruar has garnered a reputation as an exceptional, must-visit emporium with a difference, encompassing everything required to enjoy the country lifestyle, from clothing to fine art, homewares to fresh produce. From its remote yet stunning setting on an 11-acre estate, ten miles north of Pitlochry, The House of Bruar continues to add to its carefully curated offerings, providing a unique retail experience which attracts over 1.7 million visitors yearly.

The expansive Menswear and Ladieswear Halls provide everything from classic pure new wool tweeds to cuttingedge technical clothing, with world-class brands including Gant, Levi’s and the largest selection of Barbour merchandise in Britain, standing alongside exclusive creations by The House of Bruar itself.

This year, it has also added two new collections to its own label, both with a younger feel and capturing the untamed spirit of Scotland’s wild places. Call of the Wild is a bold and vibrant range that breathes fresh life into contemporary country clothing and lends it an alluring yet highly wearable feel, while Evening in the Lodge sees premium materials used in sophisticated designs that will light up any social occasion, adding a contemporary edge to evening dress which remains perfectly suited for wear in and

around country estates. Even with these exciting new developments, natural fibres remain at the forefront of the Bruar collections, reflecting its belief that nothing can match the sheer sensual appeal of cashmere, silk, merino and lambswool.

Not content with already housing the largest knitwear hall in Britain, it has also introduced a new Hand Knitting Shop, which puts the focus on Scottish and British handmade products, as well as offering a wealth of wools and equipment for knitting and crochet.

Situated at the gateway to the Highlands, The House of Bruar is the perfect place to stock up for any excursion, selecting from the very best of Scotland’s natural larder. From well-stocked hampers to locally-sourced fresh meat and game, there’s everything needed for a memorable outing and customers can call ahead to have their selection ready and waiting for them when they arrive. In addition to its popular Restaurant, Delicatessen and award-winning Butchery, The House of Bruar also boasts a Fresh Lobster Fish and Chip Shop, which opened last year and has already been singled out with an award from

FROM ABOVE: Frill Cheltenham jackets; Loden fox fur trim parka and feather print blouse; British Shetland herringbone and plaid tweed hacking jacket

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Offering everything from stunning feature pieces to country essentials, The House of Bruar rightly deserves its reputation as the ‘Harrods of the North’

FROM ABOVE: Sandstone and sky tweed riding jacket; suede pocket jacket and ladies suede parka; Classic long suede boots

the National Federation of Fish Fryers.

Those further afield can also sample the exceptional Bruar experience, thanks to the continuing development of the brand’s mail order and online services. More than three million copies of their clothing and gift catalogues are mailed each year, while their website takes this special brand of Scottish luxury to customers around the globe.

Offering everything from stunning feature pieces to country essentials, The House of Bruar rightly deserves its reputation as the ‘Harrods of the North’. Its continued success stands as testament to its uncompromising pursuit of quality in the products it sells and the exceptional level of service that its three hundred knowledgeable members of staff continue to provide.

The House of Bruar

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SPORTING

HUNTER

More than a Wellington boot

T Hunter 83-85 Regent Street London W1B 4EN +44 (0)330 333 4290 hunterboots.com

he Wellington boot is a characteristically British phenomenon invented to cope with our wet, unpredictable climate and our love of the outdoor life. In the past it may have been confined to the farmyard, moorland and the shooting field, the preserve of countrymen and walking enthusiasts but in recent times it has stepped from its rural fastness in the mainstream of fashion and can now be spotted at polo matches, music festivals and city parks.

Hunter (then named the North British Rubber Company), founded in 1856 in Scotland by Americans Henry Norris and Spencer

Parmelee, manufactured a wide range of highquality rubber products including tyres, hot water bottles, golf balls and rubber flooring.

In 1914 the company was commissioned by the War Office to construct a sturdy boot able to withstand the flooded trenches on the Western Front, a commission which was renewed at the outbreak of World War II. The company supplied millions of soldiers in both wars with boots to keep their feet warm and dry during the rigours of active service.

This put the company on the map, forging Hunter’s reputation as a symbol of protection, craftsmanship and intelligence.

Hunter is an innovative brand which, under the guidance of creative director Alasdhair Willis, works hard to appeal to a broad

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Hunter boots are synonymous with both city and country living and offer something for everyone from cool young festival goers to rugby players and country sports aficionados

Hunter has stepped from its rural fastness into the mainstream of fashion and can be spotted at polo matches, music festivals and city parks

cross-section of consumers through a range of promotional activities and collaborations. In the latter half of 2018 Hunter launched ‘The Original Flying Boot’ a 120-foot hot air balloon inspired by Hunter’s Original Wellington boot, carrying all the Original boot’s design details, including a reference to the 28-part hand-crafted construction of each pair. Celebrating the brand’s 162-year heritage and in recognition of its birthplace, The Original Flying Boot’s maiden voyage was from Scotland in July, embarking on a global tour reflecting the brand’s position as a quintessentially British export. Traversing the globe appearing at festivals, sporting events, shows and other key outdoor calendar moments, the Flying Boot’s world tour continues throughout 2019.

Hunter’s flagship stores continue to thrive in Tokyo, London and Toronto, the success of which proves that there is more to the Hunter brand than boots. In its flagship stores 50 per cent of Hunter’s sales come from non-footwear, and 2019 sees the widest variety of apparel accessories and footwear to date for Hunter Original, reinforcing its position today as a multi-category brand, whatever the weather. From city-ready styles to festival essentials, the collection is inspired

by Hunter’s spirit and heritage spanning 160 years.

Following the success of earlier collaborations, Hunter will embark on more ventures with new partners in 2019. 2018 saw Hunter Field form a new partnership with Harlequins Rugby Club. For the Hunter x Harlequins boot the famous Harlequin logo has been printed onto the inside lining and team colours adorn adjustable strap on the outside on the boot. The successful venture between Hunter and the National Trust will be repeated win 2019, celebrating a shared love of the outdoors and of history.

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SPORTING

POLO IN THE PARK

A taste of the high life on the famous polo field of Hurlingham Park

The heady mix of horses, beautiful guests, champagne gardens and cocktail bars means that people get a one-off, affordable taste of glamour

Polo in the Park +44 (0)20 8614 7094 polointheparklondon.com

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019 will be a big year for Chestertons Polo in the Park, as this hugely popular three-day polo tournament celebrates its tenth anniversary in June.

The idea behind Polo in the Park was to introduce a new format of the sport and summer entertainment to central London to entice cosmopolitan urbanites to spend their day with friends and family watching polo.

Polo, known as ‘The Game of Kings’, has an interesting history. It is particularly appropriate that the event should be staged at Hurlingham Park, the historic home of polo, where the sport’s rules were first formulated in 1875. This park in Fulham, West London has hosted two Olympic polo tournaments; maharajas and prime ministers have competed on its immaculate turf.

The first step was to tweak the rules of polo to create a faster, more dynamic version of the game. The polo field was reduced by a third in order to bring the crowd closer to the action, while the teams were cut to three players on each side. Perimeter boards

were put around the field to keep the ball continually in play to ensure a flowing game, which is easier to follow. This is polo designed for the spectator’s benefit.

You don’t have to be an expert to follow and enjoy the game.

With the tweaks in the polo finalised, the challenge was then to design the best possible day out for a discerning, demanding audience. Each year, the event redesigns its offering and layout to create special memories and experiences for guests: providing the best food, shopping, live music, fashion and venues in which to hang out. In 2018 Polo in the Park worked with its partners at Champagne Lanson, Fever-Tree and Whitley Neill to create stunning bars and gardens. The audience are hard-working professionals, so the event must provide the perfect opportunity to relax and feel that they are somewhere special.

To be a fixture on the British social calendar is something to which all summer events aspire. In this digital age, where people document their every social move, it seems that polo is perfectly placed. The heady mix of horses, beautiful guests, champagne gardens and cocktail bars means that people get a one-off, affordable taste of glamour as the sun shines over the green turf and white picket fences of Hurlingham Park. For the last two years, the England Polo team has competed in an international match at the opening evening of the event. It is an inimitable occasion in the British summer season, which attracts a sophisticated audience and is the reason that polo teams from as faraway as Dubai, Buenos Aires and Cape Town are all clamouring to play.

While Polo in the Park trades on the sport’s glamorous past, it is an event that is firmly focused on having fun and living for the moment. There is something for everyone: sport, glamorous company, top-notch food and drink, all in elegant surroundings.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Cape Town take on Buenos Aires; England Player Malcolm Borwick salutes the crowd; the sell out ‘Ladies Day’

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SPORTING

WENTWORTH Built on history

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hether the rhododendrons are in bloom along the sweeping driveway or the Virginia creeper is dressing the castellated Clubhouse in shades of crimson and red, a timeless experience awaits on arrival at Wentworth Club, where one can’t help but feel at home.

Set in a magnificent 700-hectare estate, just 60 minutes from South West London and 20 minutes from Heathrow, Wentworth Club offers a serene retreat from city living.

In 1805, ‘Wentworths’ was a private residence for the extended family of the Duke of Wellington, but it was the visionary George Tarrant, who established the house and grounds as the home of Wentworth Club in 1920. Over 90 years later, the most prestigious professional golf tournament in Europe now resides here, the BMW PGA Championship, but Wentworth has also remained as an exclusive home to another family – the members.

Wentworth’s tour de force, naturally, is its three world-class golf courses, each painstakingly maintained and benefiting from state-of-the-art innovation. These iconic courses are steeped in history and promise the

Wentworth was established as one of the world’s leading golf clubs way back in 1920

Wentworth Club Wentworth Drive Virginia Water GU25 4LS +44 (0)1344 842201 wentworthclub.com

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Wentworth’s three worldclass golf courses are steeped in history and promise the perfect balance of challenge, prestige and playability among natural beauty

perfect balance of challenge, prestige and playability among natural beauty and excellent company. Since the first shot was played at the inaugural Ryder Cup match in 1926, Wentworth’s three courses have each played host to some of the world’s most prestigious trophies. With that comes some of the greatest professionals of the modern golfing era winning on Wentworth’s hallowed courses including the great Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Rory McIlroy, and most recently Francesco Molinari.

Its famous Clubhouse takes inspiration from its 1920s origins, with cocktail bars, private dining rooms, lounges, terraces and a magnificently refurbished ballroom, offering a variety of spaces with a refined ambience, where its members can relax.

Although steeped in history, Wentworth Club has always endeavoured to provide the most modern facilities. Thirteen clay and all weather tennis courts, floodlit for year round playing, ensure something for the non-golfer. A 25m indoor pool, the original 1920s outdoor pool, and an 8m pool for children offers something for every swimmer. A state of the art gym boasts the best in innovative equipment. Nature and wellbeing meet in the boutique Natura Bissé and Bamford Spa, with a menu of indulgent and relaxing treatments on offer.

If people come to Wentworth for the golf, they stay for the crowd. An exciting calendar of events brings together its community of members and their guests. A dedication to the social side at Wentworth means rarely a month passes without something in the club’s event calendar to celebrate with friends and family.

Wentworth Debenture Members also enjoy complimentary membership to its ‘City Club’ at Ten Trinity Square. Here, a Château Latour discovery room, Michelin-starred dining, a cigar lounge and a Four Seasons pool and spa offer a welcome sanctuary in the heart of the City of London.

With world-class facilities, exceptional service and unmatched heritage, membership at Wentworth Club is something truly special.

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ASTON MARTIN P208 BROMPTON BICYCLE P210 MCLAREN P212 MORGAN MOTOR COMPANY P214 OYSTER YACHTS P216 ROLLS-ROYCE P218

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Great British Brands 2019

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ASTON MARTIN

The world’s fastest growing automotive brand

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n 2017 Aston Martin recorded the highest percentage growth in its history, when profits soared by a quarter of a billion pounds and unit sales exceeded 5,000 for the first time since 2008. This extraordinary growth has been driven by demand for the DB11 – the first new model launched in 2016 under the company’s transformational Second Century Plan.

As part of a £500m UK-Japan trade deal, the brand opened one of the world’s largest Aston Martin dealerships in Tokyo at the close of 2017 and soon after announced a five-year £600m trade and investment drive in China, now Aston Martin’s fastest-growing region.

At home Aston Martin continues to grow, boasting ten locations across Britain, including a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at St Athan in Wales, which goes into production this year.

With regular product launches, including the new Vantage, the DB11 AMR and, most recently, the magnificent DBS Superleggera, the company is excelling at what it does best: making luxury performance sports cars. The brand is also embarking on exciting new collaborations in the design of submersibles, yacht and luxury apartment buildings and is starting to explore the future of air mobility with the Aston Martin Volante Vision Concept.

At a time when the automotive industry is changing faster than ever before, Aston Martin has revealed the Lagonda Vision Concept, the first luxury brand exclusively driven by zero emission powertrain technologies.

Aston Martin has revealed the Lagonda Vision Concept, the first luxury brand exclusively driven by zero emission powertrain technologies

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Aston Martin Vantage in Tungsten Silver and colourful Lime Essence; Volante Vision is an autonomous flying car concept by Aston Martin; Aston Martin’s most recent launch is the DBS Superleggera

On track, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing continues its fight in the FIA Formula 1™ World Championship, the space-age Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, is about to start track testing and the new Vantage GTE, pushing hard in the FIA World Endurance Championship, home to many triumphs for the previous Vantage GTE. ‘Our proud heritage gives Aston Martin credence in the automotive world and the world of luxury but you can’t buy it or invent it,’ says Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman. ‘In all the great eras when fashion and architecture went through changes – the ’20s, ’50s and ’60s, and more recently, the ’90s, when everything British was cool – Aston Martin was there.

‘The British resolve things in a different way when it comes to craftsmanship, sometimes through innovation in areas like materials science but true to our heritage we’re understated until we need to shout about something.

This is the country that brought exquisite tailoring to the world via Savile Row, just up the road from the birthplace of Punk!’

Being British is about innovating, finding solutions and creating iconic design. Britain is still the place to find the top Formula 1 teams and the people with the pride, passion and expertise to build some of the world’s best racing cars.

‘Every day I see men and women who are proud of what they’re creating,’ says Reichman. ‘Our seamstresses are so proud of the level of detail that goes into their work that they write their initials inside the seats.’

As the world becomes more and more automated the act of actually making something becomes even more special. At Aston Martin you can see the process from sketch to delivery with human intervention.

Aston Martin Banbury Road, Gaydon Warwick CV35 0DB +44 (0)1926 644644 astonmartin.com

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Brompton Bicycle has been making bikes since 1975 and recently introduced its first electric version

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Great British Brands 2019

BROMPTON BICYCLE

models of Brompton Electric rolled off the line in summer 2018, the company’s biggest ever product launch and the result of what has been a transformative decade for the brand.

First conceived by Andrew Ritchie in 1975, with early prototypes developed in his flat overlooking the Brompton Oratory, the bikes have been a familiar sight in city streets for over 30 years. Export markets have always been important to Brompton, with customers in more traditionally cycling-friendly nations such as Germany and The Netherlands being early adopters of the brand. Customers in the Far East, from Japan and Korea to Singapore and more recently China have also fallen for the high-quality British engineering, with all frames still being hand brazed in its West London factory.

It is the recent years of business changes that now see Brompton vying to be considered as an internationally recognised brand. In 2011, the standalone ‘Brompton Junction’ stores were introduced and there are now 16 of these around the globe. Brompton has also formed collaborations with numerous global partners, moved to a purpose-built production facility with enlarged R&D facilities and widened its core offering to incorporate services such as Brompton Bike Hire, all of which have considerably spurred brand growth and recognition. It has also garnered numerous awards including coveted Best Product Award at Cyclex and the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement.

CEO Will Butler Adams is bullish about the next ten years: ‘We are seeing a significant modal shift around the world. Individuals are waking up to the damage of being sedentary for their whole lives and governments are recognising their responsibility to make busy urban areas safe and pleasant spaces. Bikes are an incredibly efficient and fun way to get around, and the introduction of battery powered cycling, opens it up to more people the world over. Our biggest market, by city, is still London, but we export 80 per cent of our bikes and I can’t see why the likes of New York, Hong Kong, Seoul and Berlin couldn’t be full of Bromptons in ten years’ time.’

And Brompton is undoubtedly making big inroads into new international markets, a movement driven initially by passionate owners’ clubs, from Dubai to Jakarta, and a roster of eye-catching events, including the Brompton World Championship Races to bike polo in the Sahara desert. Recent collaborations with British clothing brand Barbour, former professional cyclist David Millar and Japanese social media s global cities become more brand Line Friends are among others already congested and mayors turn their under its belt, meaning that the small wheeled attention to air quality as a key bike is attracting many more aficionados. Actor indicator of the quality of life, Owen Wilson, architect Richard Rogers and Brompton believes it has the solution: designer Tom Dixon are among the estimated an electrified version of its iconic folding bike.

500,000 owners around the world. No doubt Designed with Formula 1 specialists, Williams many more will follow.

Advanced Engineering, the first production

Handmade in London, cycled all around the globe

Actor Owen Wilson, architect Richard Rogers and designer Tom Dixon are among the estimated 500,000 owners around the world

Brompton Bicycle Unit 1 Ockham Drive Greenford London UB6 0FD +44 (0)20 8232 8484 brompton.com

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McLAREN Driving ambitions

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hen people think of McLaren, they might picture a professional racing driver holding a trophy at the Grand Prix, or a Formula 1 car travelling at super high speed. But some may be surprised to know that today McLaren Automotive – creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars for the road – is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

This exciting brand is truly British: all McLaren cars are hand-built in Britain, with over 90 per cent of these exported abroad, to over 30 markets around the world. It was founded a mere eight years ago, and has become the fastest growing luxury automotive manufacturer in Britain, recording an extraordinary 47.73 per cent year-on-year growth in the first half of 2018.

Last year, McLaren unveiled its Track25 business plan, which will see the organisation invest £1.2bn in research and development to deliver 18 new cars or derivatives by the end of 2025. This will keep its products at the forefront of technical excellence. The company plans for 100 per cent of its sportscars and supercars in its line-up to be hybrid within seven years.

Continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation, McLaren is developing a lighter, superfast-charging, high-power battery system with the goal to cap production at just 6,000 mid-engined sportscars and supercars a year, despite increasing demand.

The company continues to innovate and invest in performance-enhancing capabilities such as lightweight materials. It has built a £50m Composites Technology Centre in Yorkshire, where engineers are developing the process for the

McLaren plans for 100 per cent of its sportscars and supercars in its line-up to be hybrid within seven years

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The 570GT Black Collection; the McLaren Senna launched in 2018; the 570S Spider, combining the exceptional dynamism and refinement of the 570S Coupé with the extra exhilaration of open-air motoring; the new McLaren 600LT

next generation of McLaren’s ultra-lightweight, highstrength carbon fibre tubs, which can be found at the heart of all its sportscars and supercars. Carbon fibre has long been a part of McLaren’s DNA: it introduced the very first carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 in 1981.

Each vehicle in the McLaren range is handassembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, with defined product families: Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series, which are offered through over 80 retailers around the world.

In 2017, McLaren revealed several new models including the second-generation Super Series, the McLaren 720S and the 570S Spider. In 2018, the company launched the McLaren Senna. Bearing the name of legendary Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, who won all three of his World Championships

at the wheel of a McLaren, this latest model in the Ultimate Series is the most extreme, responsive and engaging road-legal McLaren ever, with the purest connection between driver and car. Only 500 examples will ever be built – and all were reserved before the car was unveiled.

In 2018 McLaren unveiled the 600LT and the 570GT Black Collection with an all-black stealth design created by McLaren Special Operation.

This is the company’s bespoke division, which allows owners to personalise their McLaren to their individual tastes with anything from trim and colour to more extensive engineering modifications. Limited to just 100 examples worldwide, and promising to be a true collectable, the 570GT Black Collection is finished with a Carbon Black exterior and a wealth of luxury modifications.

McLaren Chertsey Road Woking Surrey GU21 4YH +44 +44 (0)1483 261900 cars.mclaren.com

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MORGAN MOTOR COMPANY

The fourth-generation, family-owned motor brand gearing up for its 110th anniversary

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.F.S. Morgan founded The Morgan Motor Company in 1909 when he developed a three- wheeled vehicle powered by a motorcycle engine. This was the car that helped to pioneer motoring for the masses. In 1914 H.F.S. moved production to a factory in Malvern Link and, by the mid 1930s, a four-wheeled Morgan was introduced. With flowing wings, round headlights and a long bonnet, it was a timeless design that Morgan cars still express today. The Morgan Motor Company was established and a motoring icon had been created.

Over 100 years later, Morgan continues to go from strength to strength and now proudly bears the title of the world’s longest established, privately owned automotive manufacturer. Continuing to thrive under its fourth-generation family ownership and still based at its home in Malvern, the company produces over 850 vehicles yearly, each handmade to order.

Every Morgan is handcrafted by skilled artisans using three core materials – aluminium, ash and leather. Each craftsman undertakes an apprenticeship of around five years, learning skills passed down over generations. Morgan’s traditional values are well celebrated, however it is the blending of craft with cutting-edge technology and production processes that truly fascinates. Industry leading

Morgan is very proud to be one of the few truly British automotive brands remaining, with a global reputation for craft, innovation, design and an unrivalled style

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Morgan V6 Roadster, ideal for shared adventures around Britain’s great driving roads; Morgan craftsman, Vince, who has been working at the company for almost 50 years; Morgan 110 Anniversary range at the factory in Malvern

aluminium Superformed panels, chassis design and 3D printing technology are just a few recent advancements.

In 2019, Morgan celebrates its 110th anniversary.

To mark this milestone, a range of 110 Anniversary models are being introduced, including a 110 Anniversary Edition 4/4, Plus 4, Roadster and 3 Wheeler, with a range of performance and style-enhancing options. 2019 also sees the introduction of a new Wide Body model, the most dynamically capable Morgan ever. Constant evolution of all Morgan models will continue, with plans for a future range of new petrol, electric and hybrid powertrains and an all-new body shape.

Morgan is very proud to be one of the few truly British automotive brands remaining, with a global reputation for craft, innovation, beautiful design and an unrivalled style, commanding respect and admiration across the globe.

Morgan cars are sold in over 30 countries and around 70 per cent of production is exported to markets including

Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, USA and Japan.

Morgan proudly collaborates with carefully chosen brands and only ever with brands that share Morgan’s core values. Recent collaborations with likeminded British brands include Truefitt & Hill gentleman’s groomers, Pashley cycles, Taylor Morris sunglasses and Christopher Ward watches.

Customers have the opportunity to tailor any model of their Morgan to taste, choosing from a list of specification combinations including over 40,000 paint and 200 leather colour choices. Most recently, a limited run of eight Aero GT models resulted in the most bespoke Morgans yet and customers had the opportunity to work with Head of Design, Jon Wells, to curate their dream specification.

The fact that all Morgans are hand-built means that most still remain on the road today.

It is a common saying that Morgans are never owned, they are merely looked after for the next generation.

Morgan Motor Company Pickersleigh Road Malvern Link Worcestershire WR14 2LL +44 (0)1684 573104 morgan-motor.co.uk

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OYSTER YACHTS

Bringing British yachting to the global market

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roudly built in Britain but found in every corner of the world, Oyster Yachts remains at the pinnacle of the yachting industry. And, with a new captain at the helm, it is just getting started. The beloved brand’s recent resurgence has been spearheaded by successful British entrepreneur Richard Hadida, who made his fortune at leading gaming software business Evolution Gaming before buying Oyster Yachts out of administration earlier this year. While gaming and boating may not seem natural bedfellows, Richard’s lifelong passion for yachting and his love for the brand (he has shared Oyster 885-01 ‘Lush’ with F1 supremo Eddie Jordan for years) were what drove his investment.

Upon taking the helm, Richard surrounded himself with a range of expertise at board level, from long-time friend Eddie Jordan to media expert Ashley Highfield and ex-banker Ivan Ritossa. Rob Humphreys, recognised as one of the world’s leading yacht designers and responsible for designing over 20 Oyster models, also brings unparalleled experience to the board.

This blend of industry and external experience ensures Oyster’s proud heritage and legacy are respected and protected while propelling the brand into the future. Its commitment to innovation is illustrated by Oyster’s recent tie-up with Lloyd’s Register, a world-leading expert in maritime performance and safety.

Oyster’s focus on exceptional engineering and innovation can be seen in the recent decision to add in-house moulding capability at their facility in Norwich. The highest levels of care and attention are given to each yacht in-build, with its

More than a yacht, owning an Oyster truly means embracing a lifestyle of adventure

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Oyster Regatta in Palma; An Oyster 745; Oyster World Rally

committed craftsmen recognising the achievement each Oyster represents. These vessels are often the culmination of a life’s work, not only for the design and build teams but for the owners themselves.

Designed by sailors for sailors, Oyster’s yachts are built on the foundation of over 20 million blue-water sailing miles and 75 circumnavigations.

The company has 45 years’ experience building over 1,000 yachts, with each vessel tailor-made for the needs of its owner and representing the perfect blend of blue-water cruising and high-performance sailing. Whether sailing with a support crew or on their own, Oyster owners often comment on a connection with the ocean, which can only be felt on a sailboat at full mast, cutting through the waves towards the horizon.

Although the technical performance of each

vessel is exceptional, owning an Oyster means much more than simply having a yacht. The company’s world-famous ‘Oyster Rally’ brings together the Oyster family in an extraordinary round-the-world adventure, with the current iteration seeing 29 yachts traverse the globe’s oceans as part of a four-stage, 27,000-mile circumnavigation ending in April 2019.

Bringing together an exclusive club of Oyster owners, the epic 2021 World Rally event will begin for the first time in the Mediterranean, setting sail from Oyster’s base in Palma before visiting exotic locations including Tahiti, Vanuatu, Ascension Island and Antigua over the course of an incredible three-year journey.

More than a yacht, owning an Oyster truly means embracing a lifestyle of adventure.

Oyster Yachts Ltd Saxon Wharf Lower York St Northam Southampton SO14 5QF +44 (0)23 8083 1000 oysteryachts.com

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ROLLS-ROYCE

The most luxurious and renowned name in automotive history is a British brand with a global approach

Cullinan redefines the parameters of superluxury travel, translating Rolls-Royce’s ethos of ‘effortlessness’ into physical capability Rolls-Royce Motor Cars The Drive Westhampnett West Sussex PO18 0SH +44 (0)1243 384000 rolls-roycemotorcars.com

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here can be few brands more universally acknowledged as the epitome of both ‘British’ and ‘great’ than Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Deeply rooted in its English heritage, Rolls-Royce Motors was founded in Manchester in 1904 as a result of the ambitious partnership between the Honourable Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce, whose dream it was to build, simply, the best car in the world.

The original Silver Ghost travelled from London to Glasgow 27 times in 1907, covering a staggering 15,000 miles in all: a feat unmatched at the time, offering the title the ‘best car in the world’.

When BMW Group purchased the rights to produce Rolls-Royce motor cars in 1998, it was illustrative of the brand wishing to remain true to its national identity that it built an entirely new manufactory on the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex. Every single motor car is built at the Home of Rolls-Royce, and customers come from all over the world to witness the process in action, before transporting an instantly-recognisable piece of England back to their home countries.

The House of Rolls-Royce now employs more than 2,000 dedicated workers and continues

to nurture talent through its industry-leading apprenticeship, work placement and graduate schemes. Two hundred of these jobs are newly created and permanent, reflecting the success that the marque is currently enjoying.

In 2018, half-year worldwide sales increased by 13 per cent compared with the same period in 2017, spurred on by the first deliveries of New Phantom in January: the Rolls-Royce flagship motor car, now in its eighth generation, which has surpassed all expectations. This was followed in May 2018 by the hotly anticipated launch of Cullinan, the first-ever all-terrain Rolls-Royce.

Developed in response to consistent customer demand, Cullinan shows how RollsRoyce standards of perfection can be applied to a sports utility vehicle aimed at those individuals and families who lead adventurous lives but don’t wish to compromise on luxury or comfort.

To capture the handcrafted creation of this motor car, Rolls-Royce invited Leica photographer Cat Garcia to visit the House of Rolls-Royce, observe the artisans in action and record the skills lavished on Cullinan.

Then National Geographic documented Cullinan’s gruelling ‘Final Challenge’ testing phase through daily films and photographs, as the vehicle navigated everything from freezing snowfields to sizzling deserts. CEO Torsten MüllerÖtvös sums it up: ‘Cullinan is incomparable and redefines the parameters of super-luxury travel, translating Rolls-Royce’s ethos of “effortlessness” into physical capability, anywhere in the world.

It will simply take the world in its stride.’

When not breaking new ground, Rolls-Royce continues to distinguish itself by building cars designed to an owner’s precise specification. Almost every car made at Goodwood is bespoke, often part of a limited-edition collection. For example, the Wraith Luminary Collection comprises just 55 cars that represent the triumphant crossover of artistic vision and technological innovation. Luxurious features include perforated Tudor oak panels, which illuminate to enfold the passengers in an ambient light and a shooting star headliner.

The Wraith Luminary is illustrative of how RollsRoyce has achieved the balance between modern luxury and the demands of today’s customer, whilst staying utterly true to its brand ethos. No mean feat, in these competitive times.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Rolls-Royce’s first-ever all-terrain vehicle, Cullinan; the Wraith Luminary Collection celebrates the crossover of artistic vision and technological innovation; the exterior of the distinguished Wraith Luminary car

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DESIGNERS

CELINE ESTATES P222 DESIGN CENTRE, CHELSEA HARBOUR P224 DYSON P228 FIONA BARRATT INTERIORS P230 HELEN GREEN DESIGN P232 JAMB P234 KATHARINE POOLEY P236 MARTIN KEMP DESIGN P238 NATALIA MIYAR ATELIER P240 NINA CAMPBELL P242 RANDLE SIDDELEY P244 RIGBY & RIGBY P246 RWD P248 YIANGOU ARCHITECTS P250

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Great British Brands 2019

DESIGNERS

CELINE ESTATES

Award-winning interior design consultancy

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eline Estates is a young design consultancy in a hurry. Founded in 2014, it has already won a reputation for the quality of its luxury developments, landing two prestigious awards in 2018. Celine Estates is now recognised as one of Britain’s top 50 interior design practices, a great compliment for so young a business. The company’s founder, Noor Charchafchi, qualified as an aviation finance lawyer and worked in that field for a number of years before setting up her own interior design practice.

In the past year, Celine Estates has been busy with projects at home but it has also taken on three new international ones. To cope with the extra work, they recruited two new full-time designers this year. The company is also involved in a number of schemes for large developers across the country and is collaborating with a British furniture manufacturer to produce a beautiful, hand-made dining table.

In response to the challenging times faced by the property industry, Celine Estates has evolved a new business strategy, working with developers to reintroduce unsold property stock to the market and, by reinvigorating it, giving it a second chance. The practice uses its expertise to create beautifully designed properties, while sticking to lower budgets that are more accessible to developers. The company is sometimes asked to design properties with slight defects that make them harder to sell, for example, ones with views overlooking

Celine Estates works with developers to reintroduce unsold property stock to the market and, by reinvigorating it, giving it a second chance

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Celine Estates is proud to be part of an industry that is driving the nation’s economy

a railway station or with significant noise pollution issues. Luxury is Celine Estates’ hallmark but there are many ways to deliver it and the company has striven to create new services to reflect the everchanging requirement of the market.

Celine Estates is proud to be a British small business, a sector which is one of the driving forces of the nation’s economy. The wellbeing of the sector is vitally important to the health of the British economy as a whole. As a British company, the practice is keen to support other British brands and services. The company recently hosted a dinner for some of the top British designers, a valuable opportunity to discuss and share trade information.

Celine Estates embodies the qualities of professionalism and integrit that characterise

British business in the eyes of its customers. On commissioning the practice, one client announced that she wanted something completely different, a departure from its signature style. Celine suggested other designers but the client’s insistence on working with Celine won the day so the project went ahead, with spectacular results. Her dining table is made of tree roots covered in bronze leaf and her television unit is a series of bronze poles and circular bands; the ceiling lights are made of overlapping gold rectangular panels with white flowers winding around the protruding poles.

There is a real sense that the British interior design industry is undergoing great changes at the moment, becoming more inclusive and open, a markedly British quality. Celine Estates is proud to be part of that very British movement.

Celine Estates Ltd Unit 27A Jasmine House Juniper Drive London SW18 1GJ +44 (0)20 8032 2911 celineestates.com

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Furniture, ‘Nori’ coffee table, Gallotti&Radice. ‘Round Mixed Tan Glaze’ jar, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam Ltd. ‘Butterfly Ambarina’ wall decoration, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam Ltd. ‘Jackie’ occasional chair, Gallotti&Radice. ‘Cheval Ispahan’ sculpture, Charles Paris Lighting at Rubelli/Donghia. ‘City Lights’ rug, Tufenkian Artisan Carpets. Wallcovering: ‘Bearded Leopard’ by Moooi, Arte. Fabrics: ‘Cullinan’ (31634/04), James Hare at Marvic Textiles. ‘Aliyah’, Clarence House at Turnell & Gigon. Paints: ‘Warsle Light’, Sanderson. ‘Serpentine’, Zoffany. ‘Burn Black’, Sanderson, all at Style Library

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Great British Brands 2019

and immersive events, from leading influencers, established makers, emerging innovators and luxury brands at this global design hub.

There is a particular vibrancy that resonates at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. Home to 120 showrooms and over 600 international brands, no wonder it is the destination of choice for A-list designers, architects and design-lovers seeking the brightest and the best of worldclass talent. All brands have been carefully selected for their impeccable credentials, quality and style.

Nowhere else will you find such a remarkable concentration of the biggest names shaping interiors today – all at one address.

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is simply an astonishing treasure trove that inspires on every level.

Classic contemporary to cutting-edge; minimalism to opulence; urbane sophistication to rural retreat, whatever style you seek, on every floor there is a bounty of the loveliest fabrics, furniture, lighting, wallcoverings, accessories, kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor living, trimmings, leather, hardware, tiles and carpets. Fresh approaches to colour, shape and pattern channel the spirit of individuality that is in the ascent.

With a reputation for providing imaginative solutions for prestigious projects, the international showrooms are at the top of their game. Whether five-star hotels, bars, restaurants, superyachts, private jets, beachside villas or chic city apartments, this is where richly layered schemes come to life. To transform an idea into reality takes creativity, an understanding of materials, a respect for artisan processes and an eye for innovation.

Looking to invest in pieces where creativity and craftsmanship meet? Come and see impeccable finishes up close and seek out expertise in person. Many design houses also create bespoke pieces, providing clients a rare level of access inside the maker’s passion for detail.

But that is not all: the showrooms are just the starting point. There are cafés, a specialist bookshop and a Personal Shopping Service

DESIGN CENTRE, CHELSEA HARBOUR The compass point for international design

The largest of its kind in Europe, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is renowned as the place for creative excellence CENTRE IMAGE (LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM): ‘Louis de Poortere’ carpet (86/8), Wool Classics. ‘Otani’ fabric (132770), Harlequin at Style Libray. ‘Panama/Twist’ wallcovering (VP 71205), Elitis at Abbott & Boyd. ‘Picture Light’, London Lamp Factory at, Nada Designs. ‘Simla’ carpet, Jacaranda Carpets. ‘Akbar’ fabric, Sussana Davis at Tissus d’Hèléne. (RM 25206) wallcovering, Elitis at Abbott & Boyd. ‘Shagreen City Lights’ leather, Edelman Leather. ‘Cullinan’ fabric (31634/04), James Hare at Marvic Textiles. ‘Postigo’ leather, Whistler Leather.

‘Carnavalet’ fabric (40840566), Casamance at Colony. ‘Willow’ fabric, Altfield. ‘Koi Carp’ and ‘Serpentine’ paints, Zoffany, ‘Wortle’ paint, Sanderson all at Style Library.

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ith its undeniable momentum, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour continues to evolve and develop, championing the design world with its confident vision. With strategic expansion on the horizon, some highly influential names moving in and the spectacular Design Avenue on the way, no wonder it is considered the compass point for international design.

The largest of its kind in Europe, it is renowned as the place for creative excellence.

Expect plenty of inspiration, expertise

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to complete the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour visitor experience. The private members’ Design Club, designed

by Rabih Hage, is a stylish sanctuary in which to relax and recharge. Seating nooks and functional work spaces also make it the ideal place to host meetings with clients, have brainstorming sessions or even act as a second office in the city. There is a design reference library with shelves full of design, art and fashion titles, along with an extensive back catalogue of the top interior magazines.

At the heart of a highly globalised design community, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour not only has its finger firmly on the pulse of global trends, it is setting them. It is a measure of its influence that people fly in from all over the world to see what is on its style radar. With access to the latest design directions and authoritative social media channels, design enthusiasts can get the inside track on all the pieces and people making waves in the design world.

More than a design resource, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is a thriving platform, both creatively and commercially, for an exceptionally dynamic industry. Every year it hosts Focus and London Design Week, two important events on the international design calendar, for a dynamic fusion of immersive experiences, collection launches, bespoke installations and food and drink initiatives, unseen anywhere else. At its heart is an inclusive ethos of sharing ideas and generating a deeper understanding of design. This ranges from the Access All Areas showroom events, workshops, demonstrations and Discovery Tours to the acclaimed Conversations in Design programme, which has gained enormous momentum with a stellar line-up of international names eager to share their design knowledge.

At the heart of a highly globalised design community, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour not only has its finger firmly on the pulse of global trends, it is setting them

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ‘Calle Stella’ side table, Rubelli Casa at Rubelli/Donghia. ‘Triennale 2’ sofa (12105), Rubelli Casa at Rubelli/Donghia. ‘Carmen’ ottoman, Flexform.

‘Saybrook’ pendant, Oomph at Nina Campbell. ‘Duck Feet’ table lamp and ‘Feather’ lampshade, Porta Romana. ‘Drop’ occasional chair, Flexform. Wallcoverings: ‘Kotori’ (219190), Christian Fischbacher at David Seyfried Ltd. ‘Menagerie of Extinct Animals’ by Moooi, Arte. ‘Little Sphere’ (23176), M.C. Escher at Brian Yates. ‘Floresta’ (7426/04), Casamance at Colony. Fabrics: ‘Green Lizard’ (02), Dedar. ‘Curzon’, Zoffany at Style Library. ‘Black Feather Georgette’ (31559), James Hare at Marvic Textiles.

‘Dauphine’ (FO344-04), Watts of Westminster. ‘Botany Bay’, Scalamandré at Stark Fabric. Paints: ‘Koi Carp’, Zoffany and ‘Newby Green’, Sanderson, both at Style Library

New initiatives are introduced constantly to offer specialist interest and inspiration. Dedicated events have included the Superyacht Design Forum, which saw international delegates gaining insights from the marine world and beyond and ‘Evolution of Tradition’, an inaugural exhibition of contemporary bespoke furniture. Blurring the boundaries between furniture, art and sculpture, every exhibited piece was made by an impressive roll call of established designer-makers and new talent from the vibrant British craft scene.

‘Asia Week at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour’ celebrated art, culture and creativity from China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, showcasing both highly collectable and new generation work.

A catalyst for creative connections, no one with even a passing interest in design could fail to find

something new and exciting – these events are not just for industry insiders by any means.

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour has its eye on the future. With expansion ahead, an exciting new chapter is unfolding – additional spaces are being created for more international brands to thrive and flourish, some highly influential names are moving in, and the sense of community, already one of the Design Centre’s strengths, is set to get stronger. The spotlight is also on Design East and work is underway on the Design Avenue, a stunning permanent atrium linking it with the domes.

For visitors a world of new possibilities is opening up, too, with even more opportunities to connect with design connoisseurs, attend events and engage with experts. Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is bricks, mortar and beyond.

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour Lots Road London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 7225 9166 dcch.co.uk

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DYSON

Shows no sign of slowing down

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ledging a £2.5bn investment programme in long-term technology last year, Dyson produced its 100 millionth machine as total manufacturing volume reached a record 80,000 machines a day. Turnover was up 40 per cent to £3.5bn; 73 per cent of that growth came from Asia. Dyson now employs 4,450 engineers and scientists globally, of which half are based in Britain.

The company, founded in 1993 by Sir James Dyson, turned 25 in 2018 and, having just revealed that it has been working on an electric vehicle at its Malmesbury campus in Wiltshire, shows no signs of slowing down.

‘Rather unusually for a company of its size,’ says Sir James, ‘Dyson is run by engineers and our technology pervades everything we manufacture. It means we take a rather different approach; we have an unflinching focus on the performance of our products. To stay ahead we reinvent and disrupt ourselves constantly, not just in our relationship with Dyson owners, but how we develop and make our own technology.’

Dyson is developing ambitious new technologies including power systems, motors, vision systems, filtration systems, robotics, machine learning and AI. It is bringing this

PHOTOS: LAURA PANNACK

‘Dyson is run by engineers and our technology pervades everything we manufacture.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Dyson Airwrap™ styler; Hangar 86, Hullavington Airfield; testing inside Dyson’s inhouse hair labs; Cu-Beam™ suspended light; Jake and James Dyson sitting inside a Morris Minor that’s been cut in half — it is is one of the many design icons housed on the Dyson Technology Campus in Malmesbury

PHOTOS: LAURA PANNACK

powerful combination together into new and existing products, focusing global expertise at key locations around the world.

Cord-free vacuum cleaners, powered by Dyson’s digital motors, were the fastest selling vacuum cleaner for the second year running.

In the UK, one in two cord-free vacuums sold are made by Dyson. New proprietary Dyson motor technology powered a further step-change in 2018 with the launch of Dyson’s most powerful cord-free model yet: the Dyson Cyclone V10.

Employee headcount has increased 2.5 times over the last five years to 4,600 in Dyson’s home market and, in 2018, the 400-strong automotive team moved into a new state-ofthe-art building at Hullavington Airfield.

Hullavington will become a 750-acre facility,

which will be Dyson’s second research and development campus in Britain.

Dyson continues to increase investment in its competing battery programs; the number of engineers and scientists working on Dyson’s solid-state technology has doubled in the past 12 months. Over the past three years battery investment has more than doubled as Dyson seeks answers to the fundamental questions holding back energy storage technology and industrialises the solutions for future Dyson products.

Opened in 2017, the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology offers the brightest aspiring engineers an alternative to a traditional university degree. Based on Dyson’s 52-acre Technology Campus in Malmesbury, the fouryear degree programme addresses the skills shortage affecting Britain. Offering free tuition for the undergraduates, the course covers the fundamentals of engineering in years one and two and then delivers more specific electronics and mechanical engineering content in years three and four; all alongside a paid job within one of Dyson’s research and development teams, working on real products, with leading engineers and scientists. Designed by James Dyson and Chris Wilkinson over the past 23 years, Dyson’s Malmesbury campus provides Dyson engineers with 129 laboratories and testing spaces.

Dyson Tetbury Hill, Malmesbury Wiltshire SN16 0RP +44 (0)800 298 0298 dyson.co.uk

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FIONA BARRATT INTERIORS Bringing luxury and design into the homes of the international elite

F Fiona Barratt Interiors The Studio 12 Francis Street London SW1P 1QN +44 (0)20 3262 0320 fionabarrattinteriors.com

iona Barratt Interiors is a leading interior design and architecture studio based in the heart of London.

Established in 2006 by the awardwinning designer and entrepreneur Fiona Barratt-Campbell, the firm provides a complete decorating service for the international elite, and their properties around the globe.

As the brand has grown, Fiona Barratt Interiors has become a multi-disciplined studio, with a team of highly talented individuals capable of responding to every client’s needs.

But at its heart is Fiona’s passion for style and creativity, and she remains personally involved throughout the design process of every project.

Clients turn to Fiona for her ability to maximise space using intelligent design, and for her innate eye in creating a luxurious yet timeless interior.

Her signature style blends sophisticated neutrals

with bursts of accent colour, and although this modern aesthetic remains core to her interiors, she also enjoys experimenting with antiques and 20th-century pieces.

Fiona brings years of experience and expertise to every project, having been at the forefront of the industry for 21 years. Clients are able to draw on the knowledge of Fiona’s in-house architectural and design team, who will oversee every step of a project, from concept to completion. With skills in interior and exterior architecture, spatial design, bespoke lighting, furniture, accessories and space configuration, Fiona Barratt Interiors offers a one-stop service in the realisation of a client’s vision.

Fiona Barratt Interiors is able to make the most of every space, maximising its potential and enriching its design. Whether that’s the refurbishment of a private penthouse in Hong

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Every project begins with an artistic concept which evolves to provide beautiful and functional solutions to the client’s practical needs

Fiona Barratt Interiors can oversee projects from concept to completion and offer a one-stop service

Kong or overseeing from scratch a luxury hospitality project, Fiona Barratt Interiors looks after every aspect of a design project, no matter how large or small. Completed projects include a private residence for a major art collector in Beirut, a townhouse in Harrogate, the ultimate bespoke villa in Mallorca, a luxury chalet in Verbier, two apartments in Moscow, branded residences, new developments, various prestigious addresses in London, and many listed properties throughout Great Britain.

The Studio prides itself on its understanding of the many facets of a space. Every project begins with an artistic concept which evolves to provide beautiful and functional solutions to the client’s practical needs. This blending of style with function has garnered not only the praise of clients, but also commendations and awards from many prestigious international design and architectural organisations.

In 2013, Fiona launched FBC London, a design studio dedicated to producing her own range of products. These include handcrafted furniture, bespoke kitchens, curated objects, feature lighting and textured wall-panelling.

These can be viewed in person at the showroom in central London, or on the recently launched e-commerce platform, to which Fiona continually adds products and collections inspired by her heritage and travels around the world.

Her latest exiting project is a book, published

by Rizzoli. This will showcase the work of Fiona Barratt Interiors in creating luxurious interiors for the discerning elite. Curiosity and passion continually inspire the expansion of Fiona’s empire and her brand’s reach.

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HELEN GREEN DESIGN International interior designers with a markedly British point of view

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t has been an exciting year of change for Helen Green Design.

Acquired by Rigby Group plc in early 2018, it became one of the founding members of Allect, a new group of leading international brands in the fields of architecture, residential and marine interiors, lighting and furniture design.

Around this time, the company appointed a new Creative Director, Tim Murray, who brought to the team nearly 20 years’ experience of working in some of Britain’s most renowned design businesses, including David Linley, Katharine Pooley and Candy & Candy. Tim, whose signature style is a defining factor in contemporary British design, is spearheading the company’s future direction, ensuring Helen Green Design continuously evolves on a creative level – while remaining artistically flexible to meet the aspirations of its clients, with a ‘no boundaries, no compromise’ approach.

In June, Helen Green Design revealed a dramatic transformation of its Knightsbridge showroom. Clients are invited to view the stunning – and regularly updated – room sets, which highlight the latest thinking of the 20-strong team of interior designers (located downstairs in the studio) and feature artwork, furniture and accessories by a curated selection of British artisans, artists and designers.

Since launching in 2002, Helen Green Design has been synonymous with the British design aesthetic. Clients return time and again for its classic, elegant and timeless style, which marries a soft, layered aesthetic with eclectic, British design-led influences

Sometimes Britishness is so imbued into the structure of a building that it becomes the very foundation upon which an interior design scheme is crafted

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hand-painted china, sumptuous napkins and freshly picked floristry, are delicate features that exude elegance on this dining table; the curvature of the traditional grand stairway is sympathetic to the property’s original architecture; strong architectural lines define this spacious open-plan living and dining room

– brought to life through the commissioning of striking pieces of art, sculpture and products by talented designers and craftspeople.

Sometimes Britishness is so imbued into the structure of a building that it becomes the very foundation upon which an interior design scheme is crafted. Helen Green Design worked on the redevelopment of the former Sloane School in Chelsea’s Hortensia Road. The first purpose-built secondary school in Britain in 1908, it later provided a very British setting for Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Stephen Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything.

The empty classrooms have since become the living rooms of The King’s Library: 18 sumptuous apartments with ceiling heights of up to 7.5m. And there’s a definite feel of the headmaster’s study in the drawing room of Residence 1, which includes a

dining room of refectory proportions.

Victorian schools had particular design remits, such as windows placed high to avoid distraction while learning, tiled walls that could easily be wiped and long, windowless corridors. These features provided Helen Green Design with a real challenge – to transform this rigid scholastic layout, so recognisable as British school architecture, into light-filled contemporary spaces.

Among the design solutions were the transformation of curved stairwells into wine cellars, and double or triple-height spaces into media and entertainment rooms.

Going forward, Helen Green Design has expanded into the Chinese market during 2018, securing both a hotel and two residential projects. Alongside its continued focus on interior design, the company is also working on the launch of an HGD product range, boutique commercial projects and new adventures with luxury yachts.

Helen Green Design 29 Milner Street London SW3 2QD +44 (0)20 7352 3344 helengreendesign.com

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DESIGNERS

JAMB

The finest antique and reproduction fireplaces and lighting

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nce an antique is sold it’s gone forever but a faithful reproduction continues its design life: that was the inspiration behind antiques dealer Will Fisher’s decision to set up Jamb 17 years ago. He began by creating a reproduction collection from antique lighting and chimneypieces that he had once owned; in 2004, Will’s wife Charlotte joined him and together they have continued to grow the business.

Today the lighting collection is comprised of more than 100 designs and the company is renowned as the go-to destination for leading architects and interior designers looking for the finest quality antique fireplaces, reproduction fireplaces and lighting, all in the English country house aesthetic.

Antique fireplaces form the backbone of the business and Jamb has a reputation for having the most extensive reclaimed antique fireplace collection in the UK. This includes period pieces from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries that recall the work of Britain’s finest architects such as Inigo Jones, William Kent and John Nash.

Clients can make an appointment to view the 200 antique chimneypieces at the company’s warehouse, which is a former tank factory on the outskirts of London. The constantly changing Pimlico Road showroom can also be visited to see fireplaces, foundry-made grates, lighting, garden ornaments and furniture.

Jamb is fastidious to historical detail leading to the purest of designs and having these important antique fireplaces in the company’s possession enables the highly skilled craftsmen at the workshop to create replicas with an unparalleled level of historical accuracy. Through research and unique manufacturing techniques, the company is also able to ensure the highest quality of design and craftsmanship.

The company is regularly involved in outstanding restoration and new-build projects. Jamb also takes on commissions for clients who draw on its knowledge and extensive library of sketches and moulds to create the perfect, bespoke piece to the best proportions.

Bespoke fireplace commissions range from creating an entire collection of one off mantels for a Neoclassical mansion, to the demands of designing and building a unique Gothic centrepiece for a château in France. Currently, Jamb is making many reproduction fireplace designs in wonderful Italian marbles, from Breche Violette to Bardiglio, as well as stones from the oldest English quarries.

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Jamb’s showroom hosts a wide range of their fireplaces, foundry-made gates, lighting, garden ornaments and furniture

Jamb 95-97 Pimlico Road London SW1W 8PH +44 (0)20 7730 2122 jamb.co.uk

When it comes to reproduction lighting, a globe lantern is still the Jamb signature lantern yet there are more than 100 designs in the collection, all of which stem from antique originals. The recent Hanbury collection, for instance, which has been hugely popular since it launched last year, is a group of small, versatile wall and hanging lights inspired by the 1920s industrial age.

All Jamb lanterns are made with meticulous attention to detail; ensuring the gauge of the frame is as one would expect to find on an antique. Jamb continues to work in the lost wax method which ensures castings are continuously accurate and true to the original. In all reproductions, Jamb strives to create a finish to replicate that of an antique.

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DESIGNERS

KATHARINE POOLEY

Matching impeccable design quality with dedication and perseverance

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n a single year, Katharine Pooley will work on between 25 and 40 commissions across the globe, ranging from 300 to 100,000 sq/m.

The brand prides itself on an unsurpassable service and an understanding of the ultimate balance between timeless luxury and intelligent design. Committed to tailored interior design and luxury home accessories, Katharine Pooley offers a highly skilled and personalised service for both residential and commercial clients.

Since its inception 15 years ago, Katharine Pooley has grown from a British firm undertaking predominantly domestic projects to an internationally lauded brand and design studio encompassing architectural design, interior design, product design and property development. The company is currently working on significant developments in the UK, US, Asia and the Middle East.

At the heart of Katharine Pooley’s exceptional capabilities and performance are the core values of building lasting relationships in every spectrum of its operations, being flexible and adaptable in the face of new opportunities and challenges, providing speed of response with calculated decision making, and most essentially, nurturing the talent of its dedicated employees.

While the company works on a global scale, a number of projects are based in Britain, including a 16th-century Scottish castle. It’s not every day a design studio is tasked with getting a canopied four-poster bed up a castle’s spiral staircase.

At the heart of Katharine Pooley’s exceptional capabilities and performance is the core value of building lasting relationships in every spectrum of its operations

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Katharine Pooley’s projects range from an Oxfordshire barn, a Kuwait villa and The Clarence at St James’s House

Then again, Katharine Pooley prides itself on its ability to think outside the box.

Such tenacity is, Katharine believes, a peculiarly British trait. ‘Being British is about our ability to persevere and find solutions. I travel a lot for work, as do most of my team, and I am always pushing them to come up with new ideas and take inspiration from the world around them. Equally, there is so much talent in the design industry here – we love to champion suppliers who are making incredible products.’

Every design starts with a concept, conveyed to the client through imagery, sketches, materials and visualisations. These inspirations are then taken through to the schematic design stage, with more technical drawings, CGIs and rendered drawings.

Further detail is added right up until installation to achieve a design of impeccable quality.

Katharine Pooley also encompasses a stand-alone boutique in London. For this, Katharine and the team work tirelessly to design and curate a range of products and collections of only the highest quality and design from all over the world.

The company’s design philosophy has been shaped

by Katharine’s own sense of adventure. Not only has she climbed several of the world’s highest mountains, she has also driven a team of dogs on a sled to the North Pole and crossed the Sahara on horseback and her vision for Katharine Pooley is no less ambitious.

‘Our mission is 100 per cent commitment to tailored interior design and luxury home accessories that enrich interior spaces through an exceptionally skilled and personalised service,’ she says. ‘We provide more than just design. Our clients can expect a complete first-class service to match the most particular requests.’

Katharine Pooley 37 Ixworth Place London SW3 3QH +44 (0)20 7584 3223 katharinepooley.com

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DESIGNERS

MARTIN KEMP DESIGN The super-prime residential market’s favourite designer

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ounded almost seven years ago, Martin Kemp Design continues to grow and evolve into a leading luxury residential brand. Working within the super-prime residential market, the company has become associated with the finest level of design and craftsmanship and has attracted a glittering but discreet clientele, who seek nothing but the best.

Quite an achievement from a simple Welsh boy, who grew up shy and retiring, in awe of the world around him. A humble man, imbued with a sense of respect and dignity from childhood, Martin’s attitude towards wealth is that it is irrelevant when it comes to judging character – though of course a certain amount is necessary before picking up the telephone to Martin Kemp Design. Martin is more attracted to clients who share his refined outlook on life and in turn they appreciate his sincerity and down-to-earth charm as well as his design skills. The relationship Martin forms with his clients is crucial as a substantial home typically takes three years to complete and a journey of design can take up to five years, as was the case with Clarges Mayfair, the super-prime

Martin Kemp Design Limited Greencoat House Francis Street London SW1P 1DH +44 (0)20 7183 3885 martinkempdesign.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: London private residence – formal reception; private residence – spa and wellness centre; superyacht exterior; London private residence – formal living; London private residence – master bedroom

Martin Kemp Design has attracted a glittering but discreet clientele who seek nothing but the best

development recently completed on London’s Piccadilly.

Almost everything on a MKD project is custom-made to suit the client and tailored exactly to incorporate details many would consider fantasy or whimsy. The team has been exposed to many extraordinary requirements so works with the world’s finest craftsmen to bring such dreams to life. When it comes to furniture, MKD creates the future heirlooms to be talked about for generations to come. The skills of many trades are kept alive thanks to these commissions from silk weaving, marquetry and hand-embroidered linens to cabinetry, bronze casting and digital technology.

The studio has no fixed design style, preferring to establish with the client the best route that will suit the building, client’s taste – feminine floral or masculine dynamic – and other factors such as historical sensitivity.

The team is renowned for its timeless, elegant solutions, regardless of the route adopted. MKD is as happy delivering elegant traditional classicism as it is delivering a startling and dynamic result and is willing always to flex and embrace all periods and aspects of design.

The team of 24 is based in London’s Victoria and is currently working on around 15 projects, including a substantial private home on The Mall, a spectacular apartment overlooking New York’s Central Park, a chalet in the Alps, two extraordinary houses in Beijing, an exclusive private development in Monaco, a Global plane and a 70m Benetti super-yacht. The studio is an invitingly comfortable and stylish place to work and the team has largely been with the company from the start, which |is a credit to Martin, who likes to ensure staff are happy and enjoy a ‘family’ atmosphere.

Clients appreciate the business’s stability as well as its charm and many bring repeat business and recommend the studio to others, reflecting on Martin’s success at creating a warm and memorable experience.

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DESIGNERS

NATALIA MIYAR ATELIER Interior design and architecture practice creating sensory and liveable homes

‘If a space is beautifully dressed but it doesn’t work, it isn’t a beautiful space.

Substance and style need to work together’

Natalia Miyar Atelier Unit 21 Chelsea Wharf 15 Lots Road London SW10 0QJ +44 (0)20 8629 5510 nataliamiyar.com

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atalia Miyar Atelier is an interior design and interior architecture practice based in London’s Chelsea, which focuses on luxury residential projects worldwide. From London to Miami, the atelier creates immersive, sensory experiences: homes as wonderful as they are liveable, with the expression of each client’s individuality at their heart.

The business was founded by Natalia Miyar, who was a practising architect in Miami and a lecturer at the University of Miami School of Architecture. She moved to Britain in 2007, working at two major London design firms before launching her eponymous brand in early 2016.

In May 2018 she was named one of House & Garden magazine’s Top 100 Designers.

Renowned as being a vibrantly creative spirit, Natalia draws inspiration from nature, natural materials, travel and fashion – especially the unexpected play between contrasting materials.

When she first moved to Britain, she was struck by the effortless, authentic style and timeless quality of design she encountered: ‘These are elements that we aim to bring to our work, blending comfort and

practicality with glamour. I love to celebrate British heritage, tradition and craftsmanship, and we then add to that our unmistakably cosmopolitan outlook and an international flavour.’

The atelier’s approach is holistic, with much of the work starting as interior architecture, crafting of a space from layout to finishes, balancing the art and science of designing an interior space. ‘If a space is beautifully dressed but it doesn’t work,’ says Natalia, ‘it isn’t a beautiful space. Substance and style need to work together – there shouldn’t be a compromise between one and the other.

Essentially, we craft the space first. If the space is wrong, no one will care if the cushions are beautiful.’

This ability to weave style with comfort was demonstrated by a recent private commission to create a media room. Inspired by two of Natalia’s favourite artists, El Anatsui and Gustav Klimt, the room was designed around a palette of opulent jewel tones and a depth of texture, contrasted with natural materials. The atelier worked closely with two British brands: LuxDeco for bold geometric furniture and accessories, and specialist artisan Fromental, who created a sumptuous, hand-painted, handembroidered metallic velvet to upholster the walls and ceiling. The effect was a precious cocoon of colour and tactility, the ideal place to curl up in decadent comfort. ‘From the initial concept to the finishing touches, this one-off installation represented our commitment to creating memorable, one-of-a-kind interiors,’ she says.

Natalia Miyar Atelier’s dynamic progress was given further impetus during 2018 with international projects in Spain, Kenya, Switzerland and a number in the US. To meet the demand, Natalia is gearing up to open an outpost of the atelier in Miami.

‘There’s an effortlessness to design in Britain which brings great contrast to the audacity and boldness found in American design. Working between the two cultures is fun. For me, they perfectly inform each other.’

Famously collaborative, sharing ideas, offering support to industry colleagues and flying the flag, Natalia says, ‘I am passionate that the interior design business should generate the same global buzz that British talent enjoys in other industries.’

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hockney-inspired sofa in the master bedroom of the Textured apartment; living room in the Refined London villa; master bedroom in the Refined London villa

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Nina Campbell works on a broad range of projects from country houses and hotels to royal residences and chic apartments

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DESIGNERS

Great British Brands 2019

NINA CAMPBELL

Beginning her design career at the age of 19, Nina worked as an assistant to John Fowler at the prestigious Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler Company. Her natural talent was quickly apparent and she became known for her unmistakably rich colour palette, which caught the eye of Mark Birley. He asked her to redecorate Annabel’s, his legendary private members’ club. They joined forces once again in 1970, when they opened Campbell & Birley, a shop specialising in ‘unashamed luxury’. Here, Nina introduced her signature ‘hearts’ design, a motif that is still available on a range of bone china today.

One of Nina Campbell’s first commissions was to decorate the monumental Cullen House in Banffshire, Scotland. The ambitious project was a sign of things to come and there followed, in 1984, the opening of Nina’s shop and design company in London’s Knightsbridge. Here she continued with her fabric printing and expanded into the wider decorative arena, designing everything from matchboxes to bespoke furniture. In 1990, Nina launched the first of what was to become her annual fabric, wallpaper and trimming collections, internationally distributed by Osborne & Little.

In the past Nina has enjoyed commissions from the likes of Rod Stewart and the Duke and Duchess of York, who asked her to decorate Sunninghill Park, their marital home, and she continues to attract a colourful and exclusive list of clients. Recent projects have spanned the globe and been both high-end residential and commercial, including the Schloss Hotel in Germany, a chalet in Gstaad, a mansion in China, a palazzo in Rome and a compound in Maine comprising five properties, among them a nightclub and bowling alley.

Projects on British soil include Outlaw’s at The Capital Hotel, plus its bar and private dining room, a private room for Berry Bros & Rudd, an English country house and a royal residence in London. On top of this, 2018 saw the launch of Nina’s latest book Nina Campbell Interior Decoration Elegance and Ease, published by Rizzoli.

Nina Campbell has never been shy of collaboration. As well as designing carpets for Starck and a paint finish for Smallbone of Devizes, she has broadened her usual scope by designing fabrics for Ted Baker, although she insists she has no plans to move into fashion design at this stage. She’s adventurous and open minded, but a firm believer that you should ‘stick to what you know’. ina Campbell is one of the country’s As well as her long-standing shop on Walton most influential interior design Street, Nina also has a furniture-led showroom companies. Established in 1972, the in the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour which brand might be a veteran of luxury now represents American furniture brand British interiors, but by evolving Oomph as well as her own designs. with its clients and adopting new techniques to After more than 50 years, Nina certainly create modern twists on traditional classics, Nina shows no sign of slowing down.

Campbell is as relevant today as it has ever been.

Creating luxury British interiors for more than 50 years

Established in 1972, Nina Campbell might be a veteran of luxury British interiors, but by evolving with its clients, it is as relevant today as it has ever been

Nina Campbell 9 Walton Street London SW3 2JD +44 (0)20 7225 1011 shop.ninacampbell.com

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Great British Brands 2019

DESIGNERS

RANDLE SIDDELEY

Leading international landscape designers who have moved mountains to achieve results

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andle Siddeley has always had a strong eye for design – having grown up with the influence of his prominent interior designer father, John Siddeley – but his focus has always been directed towards the outdoors. As Randle explains, ‘The beauty of garden design is that, unlike interior design, a garden is always evolving. Rooms remain static while gardens are forever changing.’

He established his landscape design business over 40 years ago, and it thrives today with a team of 80 landscape architects, garden designers, landscapers and horticulturalists.

Though the company aesthetic could be described as classic but contemporary (following the golden rules, but with a nod to progressive design), Randle says he would never impose the company’s signature style on a garden. So many other factors come into play – in particular the individual tastes of the clients and, of course, the character of the property and its local area.

From re-contouring the mountain tops on a Canadian estate of tens of thousands of acres to closing half of London’s Holland Park in order to crane in mature trees, Randle Siddeley has always gone the extra mile to achieve the desired result.

The company works with top craftspeople and artists to deliver impeccable finishes – especially crucial when designing and constructing a new town garden. Akin to fitting out a yacht, says Randle, this can require anything from bespoke joinery for outdoor kitchens, pergolas and trelliswork to the most intricate of metalwork for railings, and stone masonry for paving, cladding and copings.

This is not to say that Randle Siddeley will only take on

From re-contouring the mountain tops on a Canadian estate to closing half of London’s Holland Park, Randle Siddelely has always gone that extra mile Chelsea Flower Show 2018: designed by Hay Joung Hwang; built by Randle Siddeley

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large-scale projects. The business finds equal satisfaction in remodelling roof terraces, courtyards and tricky lightwells.

The smallest improvements can have the most dramatic impact.

Furthermore, Randle Siddeley also offers a turn-key construction service, as well as working with other landscape architects. In addition, there is a dedicated maintenance division, which is able to tend the gardens for many years after their completion, ensuring that each garden always looks like it has only just been finished. In the case

of a new garden, skilled horticulturalists ensure that the planting appears established, as if it has been there forever.

It is this attention to detail and careful sourcing that has secured these landscape architects work at stately homes across Britain, and at some of the most prestigious London addresses. At any one time, Randle Siddeley’s client list might include heads of state, royalty and those who feature high on the annual rich lists. In some areas of London and Surrey, the company’s greenfingered influence is so prevalent that it has almost landscaped whole streets – though no one at Randle Siddeley would ever be so indiscreet as to let slip which ones.

With their passion for design and ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude, Randle Siddeley and his team have garnered a loyal following for over 40 years, one that will see the company continue to develop and deliver its clients’ outdoor aspirations for many years to come.

Randle Siddeley Trafalgar House Juniper Drive London SW18 1GY +44 (0)20 7627 7000 randlesiddeley.co.uk

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Great British Brands 2019

DESIGNERS

RIGBY & RIGBY

International family owned British design consultancy

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018 has been a stellar year for Rigby & Rigby. The consultancy has expanded significantly on both the domestic and international stage, securing projects in Europe, Asia and the Americas as well as in Britain.

In April the group launched Allect, an international interior design group, comprising leading practitioners in the fields of architecture, residential and marine interiors, and lighting and furniture design.

For Rigby & Rigby, being British is part of its core identity.

The company embodies the traditional British qualities of flair and design, attention to detail, hard work and punctuality. Many of the company’s British and international clients decide to work with Rigby & Rigby because they value the fact that the consultancy is a British, family-owned brand that reflects these virtues.

Rigby & Rigby, founded in 2006, is a design and development studio that focusses on prime central London properties, predominantly in Belgravia, Kensington, Knightsbridge and Mayfair. Producing considered, intelligent designs with an element of refinement, it creates interiors that feel right, function perfectly, look extraordinary and answer the client’s needs. Consequently, the consultancy has a reputation for adapting its plans to reflect its clients’ lifestyles and wellbeing, alongside the latest trends in architecture and interior design.

In April 2018 the company handed over the keys – on time and on budget – to a double-fronted, Grade II-listed family house in Kensington, which had been transformed into a spacious, contemporary and light-filled home. Rigby & Rigby’s scheme for

Rigby & Rigby embodies the traditional British qualities of flair and design, attention to detail, hard work and punctuality

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FROM BOTTOM LEFT: An innovative, vertical stacking car lift transports the client’s vehicles, while simultaneously showcasing them as a piece of art, in this glazed beautifully lit space; the sleek bathroom in Rigby & Rigby’s landmark 100th project; the double height living and dining space

the property included painstaking refurbishment of the original architectural features, the creation of an 85 per cent rear basement extension with gym, pool and entertainment space beneath a spectacular, 4.4-metre-high, floor-to-ceiling glazed rear wall.

In London, the company was recently appointed to develop a £100m private house in Knightsbridge. Plans for the six-floor super-home include three subterranean levels, fitted out with a cinema, gym, pool, yoga room, and staff quarters. A humidity-controlled underground garage, housing the client’s collection of cars, will be served by a car lift equipped with number-plate recognition technology. Extensive landscaped roof gardens will provide a relaxing oasis of calm in the heart of super-prime London.

Illustrating its versatility, Rigby & Rigby has recently been retained to design and develop a

striking 14,500 sq/ft contemporary interpretation of the traditional Georgian mansion on a large British country estate with extensive woodland.

The three-storey property (replacing an existing bungalow) will strike a balance between modern finishes and the traditional cornicing, picture rails and architraves of the period. The property will include a swimming pool, cinema, secret games room and entertainment space with dance floor, as well as a wine cellar and tasting room. A selfcontained guest apartment over the garages, will be connected to the house by a glazed lobby.

Private client commissions such as these now represent the majority of Rigby & Rigby’s work.

Their wealth of experience in architecture and interior design provides the knowledge and understanding to bring a client’s brief gloriously to life.

Rigby & Rigby 80 Brook Street, London W1K 5EG +44 (0)20 3418 0446 rigbyandrigby.com

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Great British Brands 2019

DESIGNERS

RWD

25 years of bespoke superyacht design

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ith a quarter of a century under its belt, 80 superyachts on the water, a cabinet full of awards and clients across the world, you might expect to find RWD – one of Britain’s leading interior and exterior yacht designers – in a big city hub, but theirs is a different kind of haven.

Tucked away in beautiful Beaulieu, a picturesque village on the edge of the New Forest, RWD shuns the limelight and urban clamour in favour of pastoral peace.

Here, in its cluster of rustic buildings – a restored mill, a reclaimed jam factory and an old fire house – some of the world’s most spectacular yachts are conceived for the world’s most discerning clients. These clients come to visit the studio, work with the team and really live the project, surrounded by the New Forest’s roaming wild ponies and sprawling historic estates.

Founded in 1993 in a small Chelsea studio, RWD has evolved into a visionary, dynamic team of 40 creatives. The studio embodies an unapologetic Britishness. It is discreet and fastidious; it values fun, loyalty and dedication to detail.

It creates quietly, pushing boundaries, innovating and setting new standards for craftsmanship, design and luxury.

While the RWD approach has always been to stay under the radar, once launched, its projects invariably make waves. This year alone the studio took home three awards at the prestigious World Superyacht Awards, including

RWD is discreet, fastidious, valuing fun, loyalty and dedication to detail. It creates quietly, setting new standards for craftsmanship, design and luxury

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RWD designs some of the world’s most spectacular yachts for the world’s most discerning clientele

Motoryacht of the Year for 96.5m M/Y Faith.

Also launched this year were two extraordinary expedition yachts M/Y Sherpa, with both interior and exterior design by RWD, and M/Y Ulysses, with an RWD designed interior.

The studio works with top shipyards and outfitters all over the world on exquisite custom designs – including bespoke tenders, such as the ones it created for 73m M/Y Hasna – as well as exclusive collaborations. This year, for example, it revealed a series called BNow with Italian yard Benetti, a family of four motoryacht models that offer inimitable RWD style and comfort.

The studio’s design process is as natural and honest as its surroundings. Each project evolves from a very personal relationship with their clients, working from hand drawn sketches

through to highly rendered computer visuals.

Whether it is a design meeting by the fire over a long pub lunch, shooting weekends, riding through the New Forest or fly-fishing in the local chalk stream, every step is a pivotal part of creating the perfect yacht and ensuring that each client enjoys the process. It is a philosophy that led the studio to establish the RWD Auto Tour, an exclusive event that sees a select group of guests drive from the RAC’s Country Club to Monaco Yacht Show in their favourite classic or super cars.

Clients are immersed in the RWD spirit, and as a result, this is a design partnership like no other. By the time a yacht is delivered, the voyage getting there has been as pleasurable as any future voyage on board. RWD’s mantra of ‘enjoy the journey’ truly runs through all that they do.

RWD The Old Electric Light Station Beaulieu Hampshire SO42 7YF +44 (0)1590 611300 rwd.co.uk

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Great British Brands 2019

DESIGNERS

YIANGOU ARCHITECTS International architects with a British heart

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ased in the Cotswolds, with countrywide commissions from the Scottish Highlands down to Cornwall, Yiangou has established itself as the go-to practice for distinctive country houses that respond instinctively to the landscape around them.

Yiangou designs range from immaculate contemporary structures to major NeoClassical mansions and new buildings that intuitively respond to the prevailing local tradition. The level of commitment to detail and to craftsmanship has won the firm many client recommendations and awards.

Britishness lies at the heart of every Yiangou project, even though many clients are international or are returning to Britain from a life abroad and wish to have elements of that life embedded in the design of their home.

One English family asked for a contemporary Japanese pool pavilion to be introduced into a very correct Neo-Classical home to reflect their admiration for Japan. A client from the Far East, who had been educated in Britain, returned to restore a 18th-century country house and ended up incorporating some Indian design influences. ‘Some clients have an intellectual understanding of what makes

Yiangou recently finished a build that could be mistaken for a 400-year-old Cotswold house, until you look more closely and notice that all the quintessential Cotswold features have been subtly reworked

Yiangou Architects Dyer House 3 Dyer Street Cirencester GL7 2PP +44 (0)1285 888150 yiangou.com

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Yiangou’s level of commitment to detail and to craftsmanship has won the firm many client recommendations and awards

a British house that can exceed the reality of the home grown one,’ says director, Ross Sharpe. ‘A client from the wilds of Yukon engaged in hours of discussion with us about the perfect pitch of roof for his new Sussex house inspired by the mid-18th century. We have lots of esoteric conversations like that.’

Every Yiangou house is unique, with subtle design nuances that reflect the special quality of its setting and the client’s personal preferences. At the start of each project, the directors rigorously seek to understand how the owners intend to live in their house, working closely to evolve a plan form and a suitable architectural language for it. This is then consistently reviewed and updated down to the very last detail. Great emphasis is always placed on ensuring that the artisan craftsmanship and building skills are capable of creating buildings worthy of being considered as ‘future heritage’.

‘There is no question that the allure of the perfect British house with its exquisite perfection in design and setting is compelling for the international client,’ says Ross. ‘Many of our clients do understand to a heart-warming degree the subtleties inherent in that mix, so the fine British tradition of building is now a very exciting and addictive process for the sympathetic architect. Our founding partner has himself come from Greek heritage, so there seems to be a lovely symmetry there.’

A recently finished new house in the Cotswolds perfectly represents Yiangou’s thinking and skill set. This is a bold inventive house utterly at home in its setting because of the organic planning and Yiangou’s instinctive understanding and knowledge of the massing and architectural detail of local Jacobean houses and the Arts and Crafts traditions that were so important to the region three centuries later.

The building could be mistaken for a 400-year-old Cotswold house but look more closely and all the quintessential Cotswold features have been subtly re-worked.

This is a very British and very Yiangou setting indeed.

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HOUSE & HOME

CABBAGES & ROSES P254 CATCHPOLE & RYE P256 CHRISTY P258 THE CONRAN SHOP P260 COZE P262 DAVID HUNT LIGHTING P264 DAVIDSON P266 DEIRDRE DYSON P268 ELIZABETH MARSH FLORAL DESIGN P270 GP & J BAKER P272 HEIRLOOMS LINENS P274 INDIAN OCEAN P276 JOHN CULLEN LIGHTING P278 JOSEPHINE HOME P280 LANSERRING P282 LINLEY P284 LOOMAH RUGS P286 MYLANDS P288 NEPTUNE P290 SAVOIR P292 THOMAS GOODE P294 TIMOTHY OULTON P296

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Wearable fashion and lifestyle accessories with utterly British values and a good dose of eccentricity

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HOUSE & HOME

Great British Brands 2019

CABBAGES & ROSES

of English eccentricity, has struck such a chord.

Season after season, Cabbages & Roses creates beautiful, limited-edition products that are generous, always comfortable and beautiful. This was the brand of all brands at her disposal that HRH The Duchess of Cambridge chose to wear in the 100th anniversary edition of British Vogue. Victoria Beckham has also been seen slumbering elegantly in Cabbages & Roses pyjamas across a double page spread in Vogue. As the story goes she loved the pair so much that she went home in a taxi still clad in the faded rose ensemble.

This kind of appeal and exposure, as well as a global licence in 2012 with the Japanese company, Uniqlo, has given this tiny emporium worldwide recognition.

Characterised by fluid, oversized silhouettes and irresistible tailoring, the Cabbages & Roses clothes and exquisite interiors have always been an expression of things that are most enchanting about British life. They have been conceived as a manifestation of halcyon days, of summers spent picnicking in the English countryside; of long winter nights curled up by a log fire with a pile of books and all the accoutrements of cosiness.

Cabbages & Roses could not be further removed from the corporate world of the chain store, and yet, seemingly effortlessly, the past 19 years have seen them winning numerous accolades and a huge number of followers. Almost two decades of producing thoughtful fashion, furnishing fabrics and home accessories have helped the brand develop a cult following across Europe, North America, Korea and Japan.

Today, Christina’s daughter, Catherine, is at the operational helm of C&R. Having worked in London, Hong Kong and New York City, Catherine has witnessed first-hand how delicate is the balance between consumerism and its impact on nature. With buying better and buying less at the forefront of its ethos, Cabbages & Roses strives to offset environmental degradation by reducing its carbon footprint whenever it can. As much as possible, its washed linen furnishing fabric is now digitally printed to order, which considerably reduces waste and unnecessary dye runoff.

C&R has returned to its roots in rural Somerset where the company’s HQ is in a Georgian priory. Within this beautiful building overlooking a charming courtyard, once the preserve of monks and nuns, the company is servicing the world online with its very British line of beauty.

More and more it finds itself deftly in abbages & Roses was established line with the simpler, more sustainable by ex-Vogue Living journalist, sensibilities du jour, in which value, Christina Strutt, in 2000. She craftsmanship and a sense of the truly had spotted a gap in the market extraordinary are all-important. With both for wearable fashion and lifestyle the clothing and lifestyle lines, Cabbages collections that would celebrate the very best & Roses is always evolving and expanding of Britain. She has been described as an unlikely its horizons; it has changed and adapted businesswoman but that’s why her company, like organically as it progresses. It will be ever thus. a successor to early Laura Ashley and purveyor

English whimsy at its best in wearable fashion, fabrics and lifestyle collections

Cabbages & Roses clothes and exquisite interiors have always been an expression of things that are most enchanting about British life

Cabbages & Roses The Priory 9 Draycott Road Somerset BA4 5HS +44 (0)20 3696 1310 cabbagesandroses.com

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

CATCHPOLE & RYE

Luxury, classical bathware cultivated for contemporary living

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atchpole & Rye may hail from a small English village – Pluckley in Kent – but this fine bathroom company has tapped into a niche market to become one of Britain’s most sought-after bathroom brands and a major player in the industry worldwide.

The brand’s roots grew from a passion for collecting and restoring antique baths and sanitary ware. Owner Tony O’Donnell’s expertise and knowledge of bathroom antiques means the brand has stayed true to traditional methods that have been used throughout history.

‘To create something original, you must first fully understand the past,’ is the maxim to which Catchpole & Rye stays true. This appreciation and respect for antiques is how its current collection has evolved into the luxurious designs you see today.

The company is proudly committed to British manufacturing and produces most of its collection of cast-iron baths at its foundry in Kent. The baths are poured using the same techniques that have been used for a century and it takes a highly skilled polisher a week to hand-polish a cast-iron bath to achieve its signature glimmering sheen. It’s this attention to detail and quality that distinguishes a Catchpole & Rye bathroom and why it’s frequently called upon to undertake prestigious projects, from stately homes and castles to boutique hotels and commercial establishments.

Catchpole & Rye’s products include copper baths, cast-iron French

roll-top baths, elegant console basins, polished cast-metal cisterns, marble washstands, wooden vanity units and a range of quality taps and showers. Baths and cisterns can be made bespoke and cast with initials, dates, logos or even coats of arms. Indeed, Catchpole & Rye believes that every bath is different, which is why it encourages its customers to try out its baths before buying – even if in full view of the street.

This year the brand has expanded to take its inventiveness to a new level. More workshops, a new engineering plant and electroplating facility means Catchpole & Rye can offer even more finishes and its new black nickel finish takes the total of finishes on taps and showers to nine. The expansion of the brand’s on-site capability also gives Catchpole & Rye greater control over quality and customers around the world are becoming increasingly appreciative of the brand’s level of craftsmanship.

In 2018, adding to its already exceptional range of adventurous and visually stunning showers, Catchpole & Rye launched the floor-mounted Spine Shower that delivers jets to the body from a series of minimalist ribs. It also launched the substantial and generous Empress Double Basin on an elegant metal frame in

The Foundry, Kent

It’s this attention to detail and quality that distinguishes a Catchpole & Rye bathroom and why it’s frequently called upon to undertake prestigious projects

The Empress double on frame

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The Manhattan double washstand

a variety of finishes, inspired by the late 19th-century designs of Jacob Delafon.

With its headquarters in Pluckley, Kent, as well as a twostorey showroom in Royal Tunbridge Wells, spring 2019 will see the flagship showroom on London’s Fulham Road expanding into the neighbouring space to accommodate its ever-increasing collection.

Its creative, bespoke solutions harnessed with an in-depth knowledge of beautiful classic bathroom design, have established Catchpole & Rye as one of the world’s leading bathroom Catchpole & Rye suppliers. Way beyond mere functionality, 282-284 Fulham Road a Catchpole & Rye bathroom is built London SW10 9EW to delight its owner for years, if not +44 (0)20 7351 0940 centuries, to come. catchpoleandrye.com

The Spine shower

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

CHRISTY

Heritage and innovation for British bedrooms and bathrooms

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hristy has been bringing innovation and beautiful quality products to Britain since 1850. That was the year its founder, Henry Christy, travelled to Constantinople, now Istanbul, and discovered what we now know as ‘terry cloth’, the loop pile fabric used to make towels. After feeling a sample at a bazaar, he instantly recognised the potential of this soft yet super-absorbent fabric, and resolved to bring it back to the British bathing public.

As soon as he arrived back home he founded the company Christy and developed an innovative machine which produced terrycloth towels on a large scale, and who have created unmistakedly British products ever since.

The following year he showcased his groundbreaking products at the Great Exhibition. They were an instant hit. Queen Victoria was delighted to be presented with a set and immediately became a fan – she ordered dozens more to furnish her many homes. Thereafter Christy’s high quality towels became known as ‘Royal Turkish Towels’, drawing on their dual British and international heritage.

At that time, Britain was in the midst of an industrial revolution, and Christy quickly became an important name in Manchester, where its very

FROM LEFT: A range of Christy’s luxurious cushions and throws from the A/W’18 collection; Fable mat in white and Adlington towel in linen; Belgian washed linen in denim; Brixton 100% cotton towels in saffron

Christy (Welspun UK) Ltd Park Square Bird Hall Lane Cheadle Cheshire SK3 0XF +44 (0)845 758 5252 christy.co.uk

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Queen Victoria was delighted to be presented with a set of Henry Christy’s groundbreaking products – she ordered dozens more to furnish her many homes

first cotton mill was located. Today, Manchester continues to play an important role for Christy, and is currently home to the company’s in-house design team. Like its products, the business is constantly evolving, and the past two years have seen the appointment of a new CEO, Marketing Director, and PR agency.

This ongoing quest for innovation has seen the development of new products alongside its more traditional ranges. As well as towels, Christy offers superior quality bed linen, towelling robes, bath mats, bed-throws and cushions. They come in a dazzling spectrum of colours ranging from traditional whites and creams to bold new hues such as lime green and bright yellows and orange. Like Henry Christy, the company’s founder, who became a noted explorer, the latest range of towels take their inspiration from far-flung places around the world, including Santorini, San Antonio, and Bali.

Closer to home, Christy is proud to be The Official Towel Licensee to The Championships, Wimbledon. Since 1988, the world’s greatest tennis players have been exposed to the unique softness and quality of a Christy towel. More recently, Christy’s commitment to excellence and Britishness has led to a partnership with Ascot, the home of British flat racing.

As of 2017, Christy became the ‘Official Textiles Supplier’ for Ascot, and a special range of products was launched in celebration, ranging from tea towels to picnic blankets.

When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, Christy had just celebrated its first centenary so it produced commemorative towels for the coronation. A new design was introduced in 1977, to celebrate the Silver Jubilee. Today, as it approaches its 170th birthday, Christy continues to explore new opportunities while remaining mindful of its illustrious heritage. A slick website – ideal for online shopping – has been complemented by a growing presence on Facebook and Instagram. All part of a commitment woven into the company’s founding fabric – to produce the very best, while striving for something new. Living redefined.

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

THE CONRAN SHOP The home of iconic designs and future classics

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ounded by Sir Terence Conran, The Conran Shop has established itself as one of the leading lifestyle retailers in the world, offering an eclectic and exciting collection of furniture, lighting, gifts and personal accessories from established designers and emerging talents across the globe.

The story started in 1974, when the former Habitat store on Fulham Road reopened as The Conran Shop. ‘I always thought that The Conran Shop should be filled with the very best and most interesting products and furniture from the four corners of the world, all chosen with the same pair of eyes,’ explains Sir Terence.

‘I wanted it to be a shop that sold more classic, modern furniture for a more informed generation, such as Eames, Bauhaus originals and Mies van der Rohe, alongside fine glassware and china, beautiful handmade rugs and the very best French cookware.

It was my dream store – modern, exciting and sophisticated.’

Sir Terence Conran moved the store to Michelin House in 1987, rehabilitating a London landmark and initiating the regeneration of the Brompton Cross quarter in the process.

Conran described the move as ‘the happiest day’ of his life.

Michelin House, constructed 1909-11, is a playful cocktail of modern industrial motifs and advertising graphics combined with more traditional elements such as stained glass, decorative tendril ironwork and palm-leaf banding.

The opening of the second London store in Marylebone

While The Conran Shop enjoys global success, its British roots remain evident in its hand-picked offering, which champions many up-and-coming British designers

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FROM LEFT: The Conran Shop’s flagship store at Michelin House; globally exclusive Saarinen pedestal tables in Calacatta Cielo marble by Knoll for The Conran Shop; a collection of iconic designs and future collectibles showcased at The Conran Shop Marylebone

instigated the revival of Marylebone High Street, increasing footfall and enticing other retailers to the district, which is now famed for its chic and varied boutiques. True to form, when the Paris store opened in the famous Bon Marché building, it quickly became the cornerstone of interiors and design on Rue du Bac, starting a Parisian love affair with the brand.

While The Conran Shop enjoys global success, its British roots remain evident in its hand-picked product offering, which champions many up-andcoming and established British designers, some of whom are protégés of Sir Terence himself.

In recent years The Conran Shop has collaborated with the world’s most renowned manufacturers, including Knoll, Vitra and Carl Hansen & Søn, to release limited editions of world-famous designs. By bringing fresh elements to enduring pieces,

Sir Terence’s initial vision for The Conran Shop to contain only the best design is carried into the future.

Few brands have the power to reinvent not just buildings but whole neighbourhoods. The Conran Shop now has ten stores across the world, including six in Japan; the most recent is The Conran Shop on the Lower Ground Floor in Selfridges, Oxford Street.

Dedicated to providing an unbeatable shopping experience, its carefully curated products, including vintage and modern designs, expert advice on interiors and personal services, make The Conran Shop a must for any type of gift or anyone seeking inspiration for interior design. By continually evolving its in-store and online environments and presenting in-house designs, exclusive collaborations and future collectibles, it aims to inspire and excite visitors through objects that reflect the way we live now.

The Conran Shop Michelin House 81 Fulham Road London SW3 6RD +44 (0)20 7589 7401 conranshop.com

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

COZE

Online merchants of the finest linen and household textiles

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passion for textiles that traces back four generations lies at the heart of the family-run fine linen brand. Directors Ben and Dan Roston’s great grandfather opened one of the first textiles businesses in London’s East End. After supplying pillows, duvets, towels and bed linen to many of Britain’s top five-star establishments, including The Dorchester, The Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz in London, Ben and Dan spotted a gap in the market for customers to purchase hotel quality linens for their homes and last year, Coze was born.

‘The five-star hotels we supply always put comfort and feel at the top of their requirements,’ says Ben. ‘We often receive enquiries from guests who were introduced to our bedding by some of Britain’s finest hotels, seeking to bring the same comfort and luxury to their own homes.’

Placing the customer first and concentrating on product and pricing has seen the company quickly grow to 50 members of staff with a turnover of approximately £12m per annum. Coze launched with a limited range, but already

The Gensho 100 per cent cotton white bed linen with a mist cording detail, paired with Oxford pillowcases

Coze Unit 2, Elstree Distribution Park Elstree Way Elstree & Borehamwood WD6 1RU +44 (0)20 3866 3939 cozelinen.com

The Dechen French Pyrenean duck down duvet

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Coze towelling is sourced from only the finest mills in Turkey, known for producing some of the softest luxury products in the world

The luxury Sati monogrammed robe is the perfect gift

‘We often receive enquiries from guests who were introduced to our bedding at fine hotels, and want to bring the same comfort into their own homes’

new linens are being sampled and there are collaborations with several top hotels, spas and interior designers.

Coze prides itself on its traceable ‘seed to sheet process’ and can follow the raw materials from the farmers planting the cotton seeds to the final product that the customer buys – rare in these days of mass consumerism. The company has been working with cotton farmers in the Bay of Bengal for four generations (India has invested heavily in cotton production over the last few decades and is developing the best varieties with the longest staple fibres).

The cotton is handpicked so only the best flowering buds are harvested. The purest fibres are spun on-site, on state-of-the-art machines that produce the highest quality yarn, woven in various thread counts and constructions.

Duvets and pillows are filled with Pyrenean duck down, the best in the world and the reason why Coze is committed to its longstanding partners in the foothills of the Pyrenean mountain region. Towelling is made in the Aegean region of Turkey, where they traditionally use a longer fibre, meaning fewer joins and a softer and stronger product overall. And wool blankets are made in a Yorkshire mill dating back to 1783, skilfully woven to capture pockets of insulation, making them light in weight but comfortingly indulgent.

To add that extra special bespoke touch, Coze offers its very own monogramming service at the customer’s request across all towels, robes and bed linen. Its distinctive personalised products can be customised in a range of fonts and colours, making them the ideal luxury gift. ‘Coze is a genuine labour of love for me,’ says Dan, ‘and I believe this is reflected in the customer experience and product.’

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

DAVID HUNT LIGHTING

British manufacturers of bespoke and luxury lighting for more than a century

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David Hunt Lighting +44 (0)1295 672628 davidhuntlighting.co.uk

avid Hunt Lighting is a heritage-inspired brand, producing bespoke and luxury lighting for more than 100 years. Indeed, it is one of the few lighting companies that continues to use traditional handcrafted techniques within its Cotswold workshops.

David Hunt is known for creating lighting that crosses the design spectrum, from classic to contemporary, in a range of colours and finishing techniques that complement all interior styles. What really sets David Hunt apart is that each item of lighting is handmade by its team of skilled craftsmen and women, using robust materials such as resin, brass or metal and finished using traditional techniques.

The result demonstrates a synergy between design and craftsmanship that is truly remarkable.

David Hunt Lighting also offers a bespoke service which allows specific colours and finishes to be specified as well as complete custom design. This enables the client to work with its design team to create a truly unique piece – perfect if you’re looking for personalised lighting design.

The painstaking design process is managed by Creative Director Hollie Moreland. Hollie begins with sketches or watercolours based on shape and texture. These become the foundation of prototypes that are developed by product manager Stephen Hillman, who has been part of the David Hunt ‘family’ for more than 20 years.

‘Stephen and I work really well together because we both bring different skills to the table,’ says Hollie. ‘For example, Stephen will consider the practical aspect of the initial design and we will then work together to create a finished piece. Without Stephen, my drawings are just designs on a page.’

As Stephen points out, it’s important even for a heritage company to continue to push creative boundaries and this can be seen in the latest collection, which combines audacious design with fresh forms and textures, from solid brass in a silky-smooth finish to Pele de Tigre marble.

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What really sets David Hunt apart is that each item of lighting is handmade by its team of skilled craftsmen and women

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Cosmos 8 light pendant in butter brass; Vienna table lights; Adling 3 light pendant in butter brass

The Cosmos pendant is opulent and oversized, the contemporary design with open glass shades complements the solid butter brass body. Alongside Cosmos, is the striking Adling pendant, a minimal yet formidable design. The Adling is made from solid brass in both a butter and antique brass finish and the range comprises both pendant and wall light designs.

Meanwhile, The Alchemist Collection is a curated collection of table lamps, invoking the spirit of travel and exploration. Vienna, new for the A/W’18 Latest Edit, features mouth-blown glass in a rosebud pink or clear colourway, finished with antique brass metalwork. Vienna can be paired with an optional handmade lamp shade, made from luxurious silk dupion, satin or linen in a vast choice of colours.

‘The Alchemist Collection has been designed to perfectly compliment our long and proud Cotswold heritage,’ says Hollie.

The latest designs bring a new energy to the David Hunt Lighting collection, with each piece revealing the imagination and enthusiasm of the workshop team. It is this originality, combined with the simplicity and longevity of the designs, that ensures the continued success of this long-standing Cotswold manufacturer.

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HOUSE & HOME

DAVIDSON

Designing and creating some of the world’s most beautiful furniture for over 30 years

Davidson’s signature style is elegant with clean lines, perfect proportions and finished to perfection

Davidson 101 Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour London SW10 0XE +44 (0)20 7751 5537 davidsonlondon.com

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aving spent more than 20 years sourcing antique furniture, Richard Davidson’s move to furniture design was a natural progression.

In 1986 he and his partner, Deirdre, launched DAVIDSON. With their eldest daughter, Alexandra, now Managing Director, joining the business in 2001, they opened their first store on Mayfair’s Mount Street before moving to the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

Stylistically, DAVIDSON furniture is very much contemporary with accents inspired from earlier periods of the last century. The signature look is elegant with clean lines, perfect proportions and finished to perfection, creating furniture that has timeless luxury appeal.

‘Our manufacturing has always been and will always be British,’ says Alexandra. ‘As one of the only luxury British furniture brands at the Design Centre in Chelsea, we are happy to differentiate ourselves from the largely Italian look that is prevalent in free-standing furniture. We continue to produce unique aesthetic in our designs that is contemporised through innovative materials, finish options and

exquisite quality.’

DAVIDSON is proud to be very much a family business, with Richard and Deirdre’s second daughter Claudia joining the company in 2008 as Marketing Director and Alexandra’s husband, Matthew, joining ten years later as the company’s new Sales Director. With a positive track record of growth it is proud to have a clear strategy on where it is heading in the future. Last year saw the brand collaborate with Taylor Howes, a London-based luxury interior design practice, to design and launch a stunning new dining table, aptly named the Howes Table. Furthermore, it appointed a number of European agents and partner showrooms to expand client access to its beautiful designs outside London. As the brand’s reputation grows ever stronger in Europe, its attention now turns to partners in Russia, the Middle East, Far East and North America to accelerate international growth.

In Spring 2019 DAVIDSON will launch DAVIDSON Fitted, a collection of high-end fitted designs which will include a standard range of wardrobes, bookcases, display cabinets, bar units, shelving and panelling that can easily be tailored to clients’ needs and reflect the signature DAVIDSON style. For those that have or are looking to purchase pieces from DAVIDSON’s free-standing range, the new fitted designs will be the perfect complement.

Further collaborations next year with high-profile designers such as Broosk Saib, Anna Standish and Taylor Howes, whom they will launch a further collection with after the success of the Howes Table, promise to strengthen DAVIDSON’s reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after and respected British furniture designers.

This brand prides itself on delivering only the highest quality of design, materials and craftsmanship. With this core value in mind, every proud owner of a piece of DAVIDSON furniture will find a smart DAVIDSON plaque discreetly mounted out of sight as a stamp of the brands quality and promise to its clients.

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DAVIDSON prides itself on a resolutely British furniture company continually innovating and modernising through use of materials and finish

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: A striking carpet design called Pinnacle; one incarnation of Deirdre Dyson’s Sea Mist design, used in different hues in each room of a private home on Park Avenue, New York; a preview of Deirdre Dyson’s 2019 collection entitled Plumes

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HOUSE & HOME

Great British Brands 2019

DEIRDRE DYSON

Lady Dyson studied Fine Art at the Byam Shaw School of Art (now part of Central St Martins) and Wimbledon College of Art and her background as a fine artist informs everything she designs. Her unparalleled eye for colour is particularly evident in her graded carpets, especially in the Horizons collection, in which she creates dramatic sea and skyscapes in wool and silk.

Horizons was launched last January at Maison & Objet in Paris and for this collection Lady Dyson played with scale – the biggest carpet measures seven metres in width – which also gave her the chance to showcase the incredible skill of the company’s Nepalese weavers. Horizons was so well received that several designers tried to buy one of the designs, a large-scale dramatic sunset vista called Skyscape, from the wall.

Another high point last year was the inclusion of one of Lady Dyson’s designs, Unravel, in the (RED) Suite at the Andaz London Liverpool Street hotel, personally curated by Sir Terence Conran. The graded hues in Unravel made it the perfect centre piece to the scheme and the carpet sits with design classics and (RED) collaborations to benefit the Aids charity established by Bono and Bobby Shriver.

Lady Dyson’s largest project last year, however, involved the creation of carpets for 15 rooms in a listed Georgian townhouse in Mayfair. Through her use of bold, geometric designs and colour, she successfully developed a scheme, which not only defined and enhanced each room, but also sat comfortably with remaining period features of the house while at the same time complementing the architects’ reworking of the building.

Deirdre Dyson has also gone from strength to strength internationally. Last year, the company was commissioned to create a series of carpets based on the Sandtrail design for a pair of suites at a boutique hotel in Monaco.

The brand has also expanded its reach in the US, designing a bespoke, highly intricate mosaic carpet for the main public salon of a high-profile project in New York. Perhaps most exciting of all, though, was creating a version of Lady Dyson’s Skyscape design for a private jet.

For Lady Dyson and her team perfection lies in the bespoke process, embracing every design challenge thrown at it. A recent project on Park Avenue, New York, is a perfect illustration.

The commission was to create carpets for almost every room in this private home, featuring dramatic views of the New York skyline and Central Park. For the bedrooms, ady Deirdre Dyson is a consummately Lady Dyson selected one design, Sea Mist, British designer, inspired by the and created custom grades in different hues, English countryside and the natural giving each room its own colour palette, which environment: for 2019’s intricately crucially, didn’t fight with the spectacular knotted Plumes collection she has views. The result was so successful that the taken a variety of British domestic birds, from client has chosen to custom-dye chairs in key pheasants to Mandarin ducks, and abstracted colours from each design. the patterns of their feathers and colours.

Exquisite carpets and rugs informed by an unparalleled eye for colour

Deirdre Dyson’s background as a fine artist informs everything she does. Her unparalleled eye for colour is particularly evident in her dramatic graded carpets

Deirdre Dyson 554 King’s Road London SW6 2DZ +44 (0)20 7384 4464 deirdredyson.com

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HOUSE & HOME

ELIZABETH MARSH FLORAL DESIGN Simultaneously classic and ground-breaking floral design

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his year Elizabeth Marsh Floral Design was asked to supply some flowers for a funeral but the request was stranger than most. The man who died had loved his garden and despised anything too contrived or formal.

The company was asked to make a display that would look like a blanket that had been draped over the coffin. It proved something of a challenge, but the result was a sensation.

‘Over the coffin we created a cascading garden of variegated ivy, eucalyptus, hydrangeas and roses,’ says Elizabeth Marsh.

‘It looked natural and beautiful and everyone commented on it. When we really come into our own is with funerals because they’re so emotionally charged and personal. Our USP is being able to tap into a client’s vision and turn it into a reality.’

So often customers choose a brand for its particular, recognisable style. How Elizabeth Marsh differs is that she interprets and makes manifest the design each individual customer has in mind as opposed to abiding by her own

Elizabeth Marsh prides itself on communicating a client’s vision, rather than prescribing its own look, whether for a wedding, a funeral or an event

Elizabeth Marsh Floral Design Unit M8-9, Flower Market New Covent Garden Market London SW8 5EH +44 (0)20 7738 8506 elizabethmarsh.co.uk

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‘In Britain we have a slightly anarchic reputation and I definitely bring that to my work: reflecting the individual, rebelling against conforming’

look. ‘It is unusual but especially so because of the extent and scale to which we do it,’ she says.

Elizabeth Marsh started out as a linguist and a journalist before becoming a florist 20 years ago with no formal training.

In the 1990s she was one of the last independent artists to design and install the window displays for Harvey Nichols, with Mary Portas. Today her clients include The Science Museum, Montblanc, Marcus Wareing, The Roux Brothers, Cliveden House, Spencer House, The Saudi Royal Embassy, Nicky Haslam Interior Design and Mick Jagger. The company has won many awards including gold medals from the RHS judges at the Chelsea and Hampton in Bloom competitions. Elizabeth Marsh has also written a book about floral design.

Her client base is increasingly international though much of her work is in London and she still sees her brand as British.

‘I had an Italian girl working for me and was struck when she told me she couldn’t wear what she wanted in Italy without people in the street telling her to dress properly but, here, no one minded,’ she says. ‘That freedom we have is unique and the hallmark of British design and expression. We have a slightly anarchic reputation and I definitely bring that to my work: reflecting the individual, rebelling against conforming. For example, at Christmas we brought a very traditional, opulent look to Corbyn and King’s six restaurants while the Meridien wanted something really avant garde. So we created a snow-storm of baubles in their branded colours mid-air in the reception area.

People were talking about it for months and it was a smash hit on social media – which was precisely what they had wanted.

And in Canterbury we decorated a private estate with floral chandeliers for a wedding.’

This year, the company is continuing to scale up with larger installations for a private client in Switzerland and the Queen Elizabeth ll Centre, among others, as well as busily augmenting a reach that is becoming ever more global.

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HOUSE & HOME

GP & J BAKER Producer of sublime prints, weaves and wallpapers for over 130 years

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t all began in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the late 19th century, where an Englishman named George Baker worked as a distinguished garden designer.

The entrepreneurial Baker also ran a successful export business and, in 1884, he sent two of his sons, George Percival and James, back to England to set up a base in London.

At the start, GP & J Baker concentrated on importing Persian, Turkish and Turkoman carpets to the UK, which they re-exported to France and America. Soon, however, the brothers started to produce their own beautiful prints and weaves, employing some of the leading designers of the day.

Avid and discerning collectors of rare and iconic designs gathered over the years from their own adventurous travels, the brothers began what has become the largest and most exciting privately owned textile archive in the world. In the late 1800s, GP & J Baker bought the renowned Swaisland Fabric Printing Company in south-east London, acquiring most of its printing blocks and a collection of pattern books dating back more than a century. A few years later, George Percival added a further 400 antique block prints from the Holzach studio in Paris, followed by a further 250 rare Indian printed cottons.

In the early 1900s, the company’s most popular designs of naturalistic English garden flowers became part of the enduring GP & J Baker signature style. Many of its exquisite prints today are still

The spectacular array of designs in the archive is a wonderful resource, providing our studio with rich, highly patterned designs reflecting the current mood for more pattern and decoration

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FROM FAR LEFT: A selection of cushions in designs from the signature prints collection; curtains and armchair both in GP & J Baker’s Caldbeck indigo/linen; sofa upholstered in the signature Rockbird design

sourced and adapted from its original archives: a number of which have been in production for 50 to 100 years, each re-issue adding another layer to their considerable charm.

More recently, some of these prints have been re-imagined as beautiful embroideries, woven fabrics and wallpapers.

Of course, it takes more than an exceptional archive to maintain a successful heritage brand or, indeed, to retain a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty The Queen, as GP & J Baker has done for more than 36 years. A talented and knowledgeable team, including specialist designers, ensures that the business continues to evolve, with an international appeal very much based on the richness of its English heritage.

Managing and Creative Director, Ann Grafton says: ‘The spectacular array of designs in the archive is a wonderful resource, providing our studio with rich, highly patterned designs reflecting the current

mood for more pattern and decoration. This significant resurgence of maximalism, after a long period of pared-back neutrals, has given us the opportunity to promote some of our famous signature designs, creating colourways that are relevant to today’s contemporary interiors.

‘We are also aware of the renewed appreciation for artisanal design and I am very proud of the fact that GP & J Baker still employs the centuriesold craft of hand block printing, painstakingly produced using incised wooden blocks.’

With showrooms in London’s Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour as well as in Paris, GP & J Baker’s declared philosophy is to lead the way in textile design excellence, creating beautiful products to meet its worldwide customers’ desire for comfortable luxurious living.

GP & J Baker Chelsea Harbour, Design Centre London SW10 0XF +44 (0)20 7351 7760 gpjbaker.com

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HOUSE & HOME

HEIRLOOMS LINENS Britain’s best quality linens that ensure the best night’s sleep

‘Heirlooms spoils its clients... it’s impossible to bring myself to sleep on any other kind of bed linen. It’s difficult to find a reason to get out of bed’ Heirlooms Ltd 2 Arun Business Park Bognor Regis West Sussex PO22 9SX +44 (0)1243 820252 heirlooms-linens.com

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eirlooms is a family company whose commitment to lasting quality and complete customer satisfaction stretches back more than 30 years.

Founded in 1984 the company manufactures a wide range of bed, table and bath linens to an exacting standard.

Based in West Sussex on Britain’s beautiful south coast, Heirlooms makes all its products in its own workshops, staffed by its team of highly skilled designers, cutters, machinists and embroiderers. They share a deep love and innate understanding of their raw materials and how they can be worked together to get the best from each element. They personally measure, cut, stitch and check every item, ensuring the highest standards of accuracy, workmanship and durability. It’s this human touch that makes Heirlooms’ linens as individual as the people they are created for.

There is no substitute for the craftsman’s hands, eyes and instincts; it trumps even the most sophisticated modern technology.

It is the materials that Heirlooms uses that give the products their superlative quality and

puts them head and shoulders above their competitors. The cottons are sourced from the very best Italian weavers who use the highest grades of cotton to spin and weave exceptional fabrics. Each one, from the silky Giza cotton, to the cool, crisp percale and the high-quality sateen is the best of its type, endowed with high thread count and outstanding finish. This quest for perfection is the company’s lifeblood.

This commitment to quality and attention to detail – a characteristic and much cherished British trait – is responsible for Heirlooms’ towering reputation, one that is reflected by the fact that the company holds Royal Warrants from both H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. It is no accident that the company has clients all over the world and enjoys longstanding relationships with some of the world’s leading yacht builders, executive jet manufacturers, interior designers, property developers and owners of boutique hotels. It has worked on yachts including Maltese Falcon and Exuma, and more recently Solandge and Pink Gin VI. The company has made linens for high-end property developments worldwide, from London’s One Hyde Park to Courcheval, Miami, Moscow, Auckland, Morocco, Dubai and Azerbaijan.

On a recent visit to Mallorca, Ruth Douglas, Heirlooms’ General Manager, met the owner of the island’s main laundry. ‘He told me he could always tell when Heirlooms’ linens arrive and wanted to know all about us,’ says Ruth. ‘He complimented us on our fabrics, the precision of our cutting and high-quality finishes which made us stand out from other brands. Given that his laundry serves Mallorca’s superyacht set, we were humbled by his comments.’

Heirlooms frequently receives emails thanking them for its friendly service and unrivalled quality. One international client recently complimented after his shipment arrived: ‘Heirlooms spoils its clients… it’s impossible to bring myself to sleep on any other kind of bed linen… It is very difficult to find a reason to wake up and get out of one’s bed.’

Discover for yourself why Heirlooms’ clients would never sleep on anything else.

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Heirlooms bed linen can be found in the smartest homes, biggest yachts and finest hotels

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

INDIAN OCEAN

Producer of outdoor furniture and cutting-edge design for outdoor spaces

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he arrival of Indian Ocean on the furniture design scene in 1990 coincided with a shift in the way we design, use and view our outdoor living spaces. Design that links indoor with out, via a series of seamlessly flowing spaces, has become de rigueur for stylish, affluent owners, and Indian Ocean has played its part in this lifestyle change.

A privately owned British company, it designs and produces luxurious outdoor furniture and creates concepts for your balcony, country garden, outdoor kitchen or superyacht.

Co-founder and managing director Jamie Hobbs gave up his job in the City aged 26 to import beautiful, oversized teak parasols from Madagascar, where his father was then the Honorary Consul. He followed this up with a complementary collection of teak garden furniture and named the business Indian Ocean in homage to its primary inspiration.

Elegant, comfortable ‘heritage’ pieces remain part of the core collection. So does a commitment to the finest quality materials, detail and high-spec finishes. But – over 25 years on from its simple beginnings – the brand has gone higher-octane. Edgy, contemporary designs to furnish a variety of outside spaces

Edgy, contemporary design to furnish a variety of outside spaces now form part of the collection

Indian Ocean 155-163 Balham Hill London SW12 9DJ +44 (0)20 8675 4808 indian-ocean.co.uk

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Numbering 30 staff in London, Indian Ocean is agile enough to be able to respond in a direct and personalised way to the special requests of its A-list client base

including kitchens, outdoor lighting, electric sunshades and other accoutrements for modern outdoor living, all now form part of the collection.

‘Our teak heritage pieces link to the traditions of the past, but we are constantly innovating for the future,’ says Hobbs.

‘We offer the most technically advanced fabrics, and designs which are inspiring and practical – able to withstand extremes of weather over a long period of time – as well as totally comfortable and relaxing, enhancing our enjoyment of the great outdoors.’

An initial concept can take up to two years to perfect from sketch to model, to sample to final testing. Collections are viewable at Indian Ocean’s two London stores (Balham and Hampstead) and at Harrods, and orders are fulfilled from a British-based warehouse, via a team that specialises in old-school customer service.

Having grown its expertise in shipping overseas to clients’ second (or third) homes, Indian Ocean has established a network of international clients and made some high-profile exhibition appearances. As well as the must-do design show Maison & Objet, Indian Ocean was among elite exhibitors at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show, mingling with the international yachting set and looking to develop its collections to meet the needs of the global yachting industry. The company also flew the flag at the British Design Showcase in Moscow – run by the Department for International Trade (DIT) to promote British design, manufacturing, technology and heritage to an audience of Russian professionals; and turned its attention to French and other international hotel professionals with an appearance at EquipHotel Paris.

Numbering 30 staff in London, Indian Ocean is agile enough to be able to respond in a direct and personalised way to the special requests of its A-list client base. Someone from the design and planning service can be with you in a whisper, measuring up your garden and presenting innovative, bespoke design solutions. Just what the modern sophisticate needs, in other words, to be at the forefront of stylish outdoor living.

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HOUSE & HOME

JOHN CULLEN LIGHTING Inspirational lighting for more than 35 years

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ounded by lighting pioneer John Cullen in 1981, John Cullen Lighting is an acknowledged world leader in lighting design and renowned for developing the most discreet light fittings designed to maximise the effect. Indeed, the company is often credited with fundamentally changing the way we light our homes.

John Cullen designs its discreet LED light fittings in-house and manufactures in Britain. ‘We could manufacture anywhere but we choose to do it here,’ says Sally Storey, who joined the company in 1983 and took over as Creative Director in 1985.

‘One reason is that there is so much quality workmanship in Britain; another is that it makes it easier to be agile and adapt to the rapid change in technical development, which keeps us at the cutting edge.’

This might be a quintessential British company, but it is truly international in its outlook, working with luxury residential, superyacht and hospitality projects worldwide. In 2016 it opened an office in Dubai and another in Paris this year. Sally travels widely herself, designing lighting schemes for top brands, corporate clients and private customers.

‘It is important for us to look beyond the British market and we have always worked with designers outside Britain,’ says Sally. ‘Paris, for example, has a wealth of design talent but without local representation it was difficult for us to demonstrate our creative lighting techniques fully. With Dubai, we were already doing a lot of work in the United Arab Emirates and we realised that if we opened a regional office

‘Most people are aware of the transformational power of lighting, but few understand how to use it to achieve what they want – even designers and architects’

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John Cullen aim to show the world how to harness the power of light and transform spaces with perfectly executed lighting schemes

we would be able to get involved with so many more exciting new projects and offer an even better service. We have gone from strength to strength in the Middle East and Asia Pacific the region.’

Through working with Indian clients who own homes in Dubai, John Cullen has also developed a flourishing market in Mumbai. ‘India has been a fantastic opportunity for us,’ says Sally. ‘Our representatives in Mumbai were so excited by our lighting pod – essentially a white box which can be lit in different ways to show how lighting can change a space – that they have installed one in their showroom. It has been a great success.’

Closer to home, Sally and her team run regular Lighting Masterclasses for both the general public and professionals at the company’s London showroom and at various venues outside the capital.

The company has also been accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to present Continuing Professional Development (CPD) lectures to architects and trade professionals.

‘Most people are aware of the transformational power of lighting,’ says Sally, ‘but few understand how to use it to achieve what they want. Even designers and architects struggle with it, partly because changes in design trends create new lighting challenges, but also because the technology is constantly evolving and it can be hard to keep up.’

John Cullen’s role, says Sally, is to spread the knowledge. ‘Every space can be transformed into something truly magical just by the way it’s lit.

Our mission is to show the world how to get the most out of light through perfectly executed lighting schemes and inspire with light.’

John Cullen Lighting 561-563 Kings Road London SW6 2EB +44 (0)20 7371 9000 johncullenlighting.com

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

JOSEPHINE HOME Join the Sleep Elite

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he hallmark of a truly British brand is the marriage of an understated – almost modest – elegance with a touch of eccentricity, as well as the presence of a unique story behind each item which encapsulates a sense of longevity and tradition.

Josephine Home, like a great suit, is all about the fit, which is why it was decided early on that bed linen was not quite enough on its own to deliver an exceptional bedscape™ (a term now trademarked by the company). With this in mind, an entire bedroom concept was developed, from bed linen, throws and cushions to duvets, pillows, nightwear and candles. Colour palettes, designed to be effortlessly combined, were a plus for the brand, but function and performance were always paramount.

Josephine Home’s mindful consumerism values are perfectly aligned with a new generation of consumers who invest time in researching products before buying and the brand’s gender fluid, crisp aesthetics have captured imaginations across continents.

The appeal of a minimally branded, curated collection, allowing customers to create an individual look, explains why the brand is the destination of choice for a discerning group of customers the company affectionately calls its ‘Sleep Elite’: everyone from

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

The hallmark of a truly British brand is the marriage of an understated – almost modest – elegance with a touch of eccentricity

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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Josephine Home’s gender fluidity and crisp aesthetics have captured the imaginations of everyone from Hollywood royalty to country estates

Hollywood royalty and private islands to country estates and city lofts. ‘At first, our customers love the pared-down look and luxurious feel of our products,’ says Stephanie. ‘Later, they come to appreciate the extraordinary longevity of everything we do and the fact that our products are designed as a family and can all be combined easily, both important points when people keep coming back to you for years.’

Above all, this is a brand which understands that each purchase – small or large – marks the beginning of a relationship which will evolve and grow over time.

A brand which believes that luxury retail is ultimately about relationships – with suppliers and clients alike – which just become stronger over time.

If you thought the quality of bed linen was something that only women appreciated, you would be wrong. When Josephine Home looked into the

demographics of its social media following, it discovered a very large male following. Indeed, for its first few years as a purely bespoke purveyor, the company had an almost exclusive male clientele.

With this in mind, it launched Draper London, a curated everyday range, with a mission to bring its concept not just to men but also to a younger generation through a purely online, very straightforward offering.

‘We love the fact that we have so many men as brand advocates,’ says founder Stephanie Betts, ‘which brings us back to our roots since the brand was inspired by British tailoring: the stitching, the trims, the fact that we test our linen extensively – all this forms part of a reassuring backdrop for our products and our level of service. Our clients also appreciate the fact that there is a story behind each product.’

Josephine Home +44 (0)20 7751 0100 josephinehome.co.uk Draper London +44 (0)1635 200800 draperlondon.com

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HOUSE & HOME

LANSERRING Merging innovative British design with traditional craftsmanship

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n 2004 Bernd Radaschitz, Lanserring’s CEO, arrived in London from his family’s workshop in rural Austria with an appetite to shake things up. His vision was to make beautifully designed and crafted, authentic cabinetry.

The interior design communities embraced Bernd’s fearless pursuit of perfection; his refusal to compromise can be read in every fascinating detail of a Lanserring kitchen.

Based in Notting Hill, Lanserring’s design studio is a vibrant base for the team that manages and designs every project however big or small. It is also home to a large material library and showroom of products. The Lanserring workshop, home of its craftsmen, is based in Riegersburg, a picturesque town in Austria.

The drive to innovate is intrinsic to the brand. ‘Innovation is something distinctly British,’ says Bernd. ‘Whether you’re talking about James Dyson or Vivienne Westwood, the power to disrupt, progress and create something beautiful is fundamental to Britain’s success and one of the key reasons we design everything in London and will always consider ourselves a truly British brand.’

Lanserring has a deep-rooted desire to disrupt its small corner of the world by embodying the values that built Britain into what it is today. In 1923 the Radaschitz family opened its workshop in Austria and today the family brings all its timehonoured know-how and craftsmanship to merge with state-of-the-art precision engineering. The result is original bespoke products way beyond the usual constraints of traditional joinery.

TRADESCANT DESIGNED BY @ARTEIM STUDIO

Bernd Radaschitz’s fearless pursuit of perfect; his refusal to compromise can be read in every fascinating detail of a Lanserring kitchen

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TRADESCANT DESIGNED BY @ARTEIM STUDIO

Lanserring is renowned for using highly distinctive materials and textures in its design projects

Britain’s open-minded support of individual talent and determination to celebrate merit has made London the perfect base for Lanserring and the brand has always embraced this British attitude. ‘Just stroll through the capital any day and you might find yourself walking past a fragment of superb Brunellian engineering.

Or pop into the Victoria and Albert Museum where the fusion of arts and sciences is truly celebrated,’ enthuses Bernd. ‘British culture at its best embodies the potential of collaboration and it is Britain’s ability to absorb and blend skills that has resonated and shaped Britain and Britishness for millennia.’

There is a collaborative process at the heart of every Lanserring project. ‘Whether it’s the engineer, the client, the designer, the artisan or the project manager, there is a fundamental respect for the experience and opinions of all our skilled team

members,’ says Bernd. ‘At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that together, working to our strengths, we achieve far more than we could as individuals.’

Lanserring understands the need to touch people through British design that redefines conventional limits and boundaries. Using highly distinctive materials and textures that set Lanserring apart, the brand’s debut projects are spaces that are both functional and beautiful.

The last 12 months have exceeded expectations.

The first kitchen concept, launched in late 2017, attracted an enormous amount of interest from customers. It enabled the team to grow quickly and undertake projects worldwide from the London studio. Having already landed prestigious projects in the USA, Lanserring is now excited to be launching innovative products and extraordinary services in the USA in 2019.

Lanserring Studio 10 27a Pembridge Villas London W11 3EP +44 (0)20 3319 6969 lanserring.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: LINLEY puts quality and craftsmanship at the heart of everything it does, offering exquisite products such as the world map table, the Aquilo chronometer and the Vortex cabinet

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HOUSE & HOME

LINLEY

Great British Brands 2019

their own hands, let alone serving customers.

Under so much scrutiny from the press and public alike, the business could have easily faltered. That it proved such a great success is due to David’s passion for people, design and the pursuit of excellence. LINLEY has always used the best designers, craftspeople and materials, though its ‘secret ingredient’ is its bespoke, individual approach: LINLEY takes the view that every purchase is a personal experience, from start to finish.

In just over three decades LINLEY has grown from private commissions to include retail furniture, gifts and accessories, interior design and fitted kitchens and cabinetry.

Epitomising quintessential British style, each piece stands for inventiveness, meticulous attention to detail, ingenuity, creative spirit, eccentricity, sophistication, wit and charm.

But, of course, creating and maintaining a top British brand is also about ensuring the company remains unique on the international stage as well as supporting the education of young designers, which LINLEY does by facilitating access to courses, including the Linley Summer School.

Sustained success, both at home and internationally, also relies on continuous innovation, something which LINLEY has always excelled at. Late last year, for example, the company announced an exciting partnership with British chronometer specialist Thomas Mercer to create the Aquilo Chronometer, a multi-faceted timekeeper that fuses marine chronometry and cabinet-making in a unique piece of horological furniture.

Other recent partnerships include a second collaboration with acclaimed British artist Jonathan Yeo to launch a double-ended daybed and an easel that combines both beauty and functionality, and a new collaboration with Decca Luxe/Universal Music to create The Pavarotti Box, a celebration of the life of tenor artist Luciano Pavarotti.

Equally exciting projects have encompassed the acquisition of interior design architectural office Keech Green, creating a new space in Harrods’ second-floor luxury home area and three interior design projects of over 40,000 sq/ft each, while dazzling new designs include the Torque dining table, the Eclipse family of occasional tables, the Vortex cabinet and the stunning Tellus globe.

LINLEY says its mission as a British brand is to be ‘a centre of excellence’, bringing the very best to everything it does, from the service it offers to the products it creates. Its clients, it points out, love it for its unique design, elegant eclecticism, quality and avid Linley started to design, make the fact that it can create anything from a sketch. and sell fine furniture to private ‘A piece of hand-made furniture has a character clients in 1985. It created something that is completely different to a manufactured on,’ of a stir at the time because David is says David. ‘It comes alive. Bespoke pieces connect the son of HRH Princess Margaret you to the hand and soul of the maker – I like and celebrated photographer Lord Snowdon and to think there is a little piece of the maker’s soul the British public had never seen a member of in each piece.’ the wider royal family working and creating with

Blending innovative design with superlative cabinet-making for 33 years

Epitomising quintessential British style, each piece stands for inventiveness, ingenuity, eccentricity, sophistication, wit and charm

LINLEY Belgravia 60 Pimlico Road London SW1W 8LP +44 (0)20 7730 7300 davidlinley.com

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HOUSE & HOME

LOOMAH

A wealth of expertise and experience is imbued in every bespoke carpet and rug

Loomah’s eclectic client list reveals a number of fivestar hotels, as well as a string of prestigious residential interiors and luxury yachts

Loomah Bespoke Carpets & Rugs 592 King’s Road London SW6 2DX +44 (0)20 7371 9955 loomah.com

W

hen London’s Berkeley hotel refurbished its Lutyensinspired Blue Bar a few years ago, it made one significant change: out went the original subdued flooring; in came beautiful rugs in vibrant red and blue.

The company responsible for infusing the bar’s modernist aesthetic with such bold, contemporary colour was family-run British brand Loomah. Founded in London in 2001 by husband and wife Andrew and Natalie Cotgrove, Loomah is at the forefront of the design and supply of bespoke carpets and rugs, offering a complete service with a distinct focus on customer experience. Its eclectic client list reveals a number of five-star hotels, including The Berkeley, The Connaught and The Savoy, as well as a string of prestigious residential interiors and luxury yachts.

Working with some of the best craftsmen in the industry, from design through to planning and installation, Loomah’s service is backed up by a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

Everything is designed by the company’s

in-house team in its London showroom and expertly hand tufted to the most exacting standards. ‘We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and going the extra mile to ensure the end product is the ultimate in design and elegance,’ says Andrew Cotgrove.

With endless possibilities in colour, material and texture, Loomah understands the process of commissioning a carpet or rug can be overwhelming and has recently launched a new website to showcase its design capabilities. ‘Our design team has streamlined our extensive design portfolio, giving clients easy access to our best designs,’ says Andrew.

‘Everything can be tailored to the client’s exact specification; alternatively, our designers are on hand to guide them through the process of creating something truly bespoke.’

Loomah also specialises in historical replications. ‘We were asked if we could replicate a worn-out needlepoint rug for a shooting lodge,’ says Andrew. ‘Our site visit to view the original rug revealed nine different game bird motifs across 90 squares, each of which was meticulously traced off by our designer. Our planner carefully measured the rug, and took dimensions of all borders, motifs and square boxes, and drew a plan showing the positioning of each bird.

I oversaw the operation while drinking copious amounts of tea.’

Loomah took ten weeks to complete the rug and four years later the company was commissioned to make two more, one of which also featured the now notorious game bird motifs.

Andrew believes that the key to Loomah’s success has been growing by an international reputation as a reliable company to work with as well as for being at the forefront of design.

‘While our design capability and product quality are recognised as the highest, the secret to our continual growth has been good personal customer service,’ he says. That and being British. ‘British companies have an international reputation for providing highquality products,’ says Andrew, ‘which we know our clients find appealing.’

PHOTO: STYLED BY LUCY GOUGH, PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID CLEVELAND

Great British Brands 2019

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Loomah design bespoke carpets and rugs for hotels including The Connaught as well as luxury homes

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Great British Brands 2019

HOUSE & HOME

MYLANDS

The House of Colour since 1884

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he first John Myland opened his shop making and selling paints on South Lambeth Road, south London, in 1884, making Mylands the oldest familyrun paint and polishes manufacturer in Britain.

The factory is still in Lambeth today and now run by John Myland’s great-grandson, CEO Dominic Myland.

Dominic’s 18-year-old son Harvey also works in the factory.

Historically Mylands has supplied trade and its wares have been used in specialist restoration and pigment-matching projects, among others, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Buckingham Palace State Rooms. During the war, Mylands developed camouflage paints for London bridges including Waterloo and Blackfriars.

Mylands has a long-standing history of developing special paints for the film, television and theatre industries. Apart from supplying television studios and West End theatres, it also supplies paints for Pinewood and Shepperton Studios, for productions like James Bond, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey.

Today Mylands is the last remaining paint manufacturer in London and the only decorative paint and polishes manufacturer in Britain to hold a Royal Warrant.

The time-honoured techniques and passion for paint and wood finishes has been handed down over the years, and Mylands has perfected the art of making paint with unique recipes, superior ingredients and an unwavering dedication to quality. Using years of experience and the most modern and environmentally friendly scientific advances, they produce colours that are rich and pure, authentic yet versatile and highly

Mylands has perfected the art of making paint with unique recipes, superior ingredients and an unwavering dedication to quality

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ABOVE: Middleton bespoke kitchen painted in Bond Street No 219 (cabinets), Charthouse No 4 (walls) and Belgravia No 6 (floor)

pigmented. The company is renowned for its thick, lustrous paint, which has outstanding coverage and opacity and is exceptionally hard-wearing and easy to use. Its traditional approach is enhanced by the use of the latest technology in paint development.

Mylands has been the best-kept secret among interior design professionals and scenic artists for over 130 years. When, at the demand of its theatrical customers, Mylands decided to broaden its sales, it produced its first consumer colour card, Colours of London.

Its Marble Matt paint formula is unique. It contains crushed Italian Carrara marble because Dominic Myland decided to experiment with techniques used

by Italian Renaissance artists. The present-day technicians were initially concerned that the formula would not be stable, but after months of development, this astonishing premium paint, with its dead flat

finish that is washable, retouchable and scrubbable, is one of Mylands’s most popular products.

Always at the forefront of art, design and culture, Mylands works with numerous art and historical institutions across Britain. At Frieze London 2018 it created a signature neon pink for The River Café’s first-ever pop-up restaurant and a bespoke Frieze Gallery White, used throughout the fair. The National Portrait Gallery’s Thomas Gainsborough exhibition features an array of bespoke and existing colours from The Colours of London card, including Brompton Road No.205 and Eaton Square.

2019 sees Mylands launch a new colour card of 24 greys and neutrals, featuring timeless shades from a classic and sophisticated architectural palette as well as some exciting collaborations with designers and artists.

Mylands 26 Rothschild Street London SE27 OHQ +44 (0)20 8670 9161 mylands.com

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HOUSE & HOME

NEPTUNE

Design that stands the test of time

‘W

hy?’ is the question that drives everything that British interiors and lifestyle brand Neptune does. When designing a new collection, the Wiltshire-based team starts with a series of questions: why is this going to make my home happier? Why this piece over another? This ‘why-led’ approach has two clear benefits for anybody who steps into Neptune’s beautiful world of solid timber kitchens, furniture, lighting and accessories for your home and garden. First, it means its designs have purpose and are never run-of-the-mill. Second, it helps you to know quickly whether something’s right for you or not. Put simply, Neptune’s a brand that’s about making life easier by stepping out of its shoes and firmly into yours.

Ease and consideration touch everything that Neptune does. There’s a bespoke workshop at its Wiltshire HQ because the team never want to say no to creating cabinetry that works with your home’s awkward nibs and angles. Its kitchens have a lifetime guarantee because Neptune appreciates that peace of mind isn’t something to underestimate. Its customer service team is called ‘the care team’ because that’s how they approach things – with genuine care. And attention is paid to the tiniest details that make all

Neptune has grown over the years but it has never allowed its collections to surpass what the founders believe to be ‘edited choice’

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Chichester kitchen and two Browning large pendants, Carter extending table, Carter bench and stool, Chichester grand dresser, Shaftesbury large pendant; Edinburgh coat rack and boot room bench and Somerton boot room bench basket; Caspar armchair in St James Aged Tan, Aldwych side table, Fitzroy lampstand, Arthur footstool in Ewan dove

the difference – take the little leather loop in the broom cabinet that stops the mop handle falling on you every time you open the cupboard door, or the secret cable management in its oak TV cabinetry that prevents an infuriating tangle of wires.

Founded in 1996 by friends John Sims-Hilditch and Giles Redman, Neptune has grown over the years but it has never allowed its collections to surpass what the founders believe to be ‘edited choice’. Its aim is to give you plenty of ideas for inspiration but to never overwhelm. That’s why the team introduce new products slowly and carefully and in a way that means everything will always look good side by side. You could blend pieces from ten years ago with artwork and a headboard from the new autumn collection and it would all work together, effortlessly.

One of the best ways to see evidence of that is to head into one of Neptune’s 31 stores across Britain and Europe (Neptune Bath is the latest addition with more set to open next year). Neptune thinks of its stores as homes rather than shops, and so do its customers. Cups of tea and jars of dog treats give you an idea of what visiting a Neptune ‘store’ is like. They are designed with that same ‘why’ front of mind. Why would you want to visit a Neptune store?

Not simply to see a product but to build a picture of how it might work in your own home and how it might look with other pieces from the Neptune collection.

Neptune: a place of unwavering quality, meticulous standards, people-first thinking, a classic, calming British aesthetic (Neptune is more about timelessness than trends) and designs to fill your whole home, all under one roof.

Neptune Blagrove Swindon Wiltshire SN5 8YG +44 (0)1793 427300 neptune.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Savoir collaborates with the world’s leading names in art and design, including New York designer, Nicole Fuller; the Savoir No 1 State Bed is made in the London Bedworks and takes 180 hours to craft

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Great British Brands 2019

Skilled craftsmen work intently at individual oak trestles; the tapping of tacks, material in motion and calm conversation between colleagues. These are the Savoir Bedworks in West London and Wales, the antithesis of a production line. There are no hulking machines here, just craftsmen hand-making a bespoke bed from inception to completion. It takes three years for Savoir apprentices to learn their craft and a lifetime to perfect it.

In 1905, impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte unveiled the Savoy Hotel. Guests marvelled at ensuite bathrooms with hot and cold running water, electric lighting and ‘ascending rooms’ (we now call them lifts). With no existing bed meeting such pioneering luxury standards, D’Oyly Carte set about creating one and the Savoir No 2 is still made today.

The spirit of its creation governs Savoir’s approach to every bed it creates.

Savoir’s mission is to provide every customer with the most comfortable and stylish bed imaginable. The solution will be as unique as the customer’s own body and style, optimised support comes from the placement and tension of the pocket springs with a virtually unlimited choice of contemporary fabrics.

Anything that can be imagined can be made – beds for superyachts, headboards inspired by architecture, bespoke prints.

Savoir collaborates with the world’s leading names in art and design from all four corners of the earth. In 2018, Savoir joined forces with The National Gallery in London to take the placement of art in interiors to another level. The Gallery worked closely with Savoir’s design and upholstery specialists so now any painting owned by The National Gallery can adorn a Savoir bed. Additional collaborations include award-winning Hong Kong-based designer Steve Leung and creators of the world’s most beautiful wallcoverings, Fromental, along with New York and Los Angeles-based designer, Nicole Fuller. Nicole specialises in ood sleep is fundamental to residential and commercial design projects our health and wellbeing. worldwide and through the exceptional As life speeds up, Savoir slows down, skills of Savoir’s skilled artisans, her seamless resisting the myriad challenges to sense of luxury style and exquisite taste is quality sleep with beds crafted to an masterfully translated into the STELLA bed. extraordinary standard of luxury. Beds made from Step into one of Savoir’s 14 showrooms completely natural materials with traditional, around the world, slow down and discover handcraft techniques, which stand the test of time. the luxury of handcrafted sleep, which Savoir makes less than 1,000 beds a year because has been 100 years in the making. it is focussed on making the best, not the most.

SAVOIR

The creators of handcrafted sleep, 100 years in the making

Savoir makes less than a thousand beds a year because it is focussed on making the best, not the most. These are beds that stand the test of time

Savoir 7 Wigmore Street London W1U 1AD +44 (0)20 7493 4444 savoirbeds.com

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HOUSE & HOME

THOMAS GOODE

An iconic institution in Mayfair for the finest china, silver and glassware, since 1827

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o the most discerning and those in the know, Thomas Goode is the destination for the finest china, silver and glassware in the world. For almost 200 years, its elegant Mayfair showroom has drawn in Londoners and visitors from every imaginable destination, seeking out the most exquisitely crafted table top and home accessories in the pursuit of that great British tradition of elegant entertaining at home.

Thomas Goode is deeply proud to have been granted Royal Warrants by both Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Prince of Wales, continuing an honour that was first bestowed on the business as far back as 1863. The Prince of Wales famously commissioned a Thomas Goode bespoke dinner service for his Goddaughter India Hicks, gifting one piece to her on her Christening, and adding to the collection every year afterwards, gradually completing the set.

Since its foundation in 1827, Thomas Goode has provided a uniquely personal service to its clients and has an exceptional archive of designs, created especially for royal families, rock stars and design aficionados the world over. Throughout the

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Moser Polygon vases; Ram and sheep handmade for Thomas Goode; the shop front on London’s South Audley Street; the distinctive Thomas Goode packaging; Hering Cielo gold summer bowl

Thomas Goode 19 South Audley Street London W1K 2BN +44 (0)20 7499 2823 thomasgoode.com

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Deeply important to Thomas Goode are its long-standing ties with Stoke-on-Trent’s potteries, where most bespoke commissions are produced

1800s, William Goode, Thomas’s son, spent months at a time on great voyages that took him to all corners of the earth meeting special customers and delivering commissions to them.

Among its most prestigious ‘bespoke’ clients, Thomas Goode is proud to have counted Queen Victoria, Gianni Versace, India’s Maharajas and the crowned heads of Europe, to name a few. Today, under the watchful eye of new owner Johnny Sandelson, Thomas Goode is placing a greater emphasis than ever before on its bespoke offering. Whether for something as simple as a single teapot, or as grand as a full dinner service, clients will be able to work with the Thomas Goode team to commission a design that is unique to them, often bearing a personal monogram, family crest or significant emblem.

Deeply important to Thomas Goode are its long-standing and close ties with Stoke-on-Trent’s potteries. These are where most of Thomas Goode’s bespoke commissions are produced, drawing on the peerless skill possessed by some of Britain’s finest craftspeople. In 2019, delving into Thomas Goode’s rich archive, its in-house design team will breathe new life into some of the brand’s historic designs, and reimagine them for the 21st century with the best craftsmanship in Stokeon-Trent, the birthplace of Fine English Bone China.

For the past 200 years, Thomas Goode has conducted business in a distinctly personal fashion, with some of its staff having attended to customers inside its Mayfair store for more than 50 years. However, change is afoot and the brand is launching a new boutique inside the Oberon Hotel, Mumbai, to better serve its clients across Asia. This will be the first new opening from Thomas Goode in almost 200 years. It is also launching an e-commerce website for the first time in its history, enabling more customers to discover the magic of Thomas Goode and to take home their own pieces of Great British design – modern heirlooms in the making.

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HOUSE & HOME

TIMOTHY OULTON

Handmade British furniture blending modernity and tradition

‘Our Bluebird flagship is a distillation of everything we stand for – heritage, creativity, innovation and hosting – all under one roof’

Timothy Oulton Bluebird 350 King’s Road London SW3 5UU +44 (0)20 3150 2024 timothyoulton.com

T

he story of Timothy Oulton started back in 1976 with an antiques shop near Manchester, owned by Tim’s father, Major Philip Oulton. After graduating from Ampleforth College in Yorkshire, a boarding school run

by Benedictine monks, Tim went to work for his dad. About three months in he became hooked on antiques, falling in love with traditional craftsmanship and enduring design.

It was an obsession that would lead him to create his own line of furniture, lighting and accessories, inspired by the past yet relevant for today.

In 2008 Tim opened his first eponymous retail gallery at HD Buttercup in Los Angeles. Over the years the company expanded and now has over 40 galleries worldwide, from New York, London and Sydney to New Delhi, Mexico and Hong Kong.

In September Timothy Oulton opened its worldwide flagship at Bluebird on London’s King’s Road to celebrate the brand’s tenth anniversary. ‘We’d been looking for the right place for a long time,’ says Tim, ‘and our Bluebird flagship is a distillation of everything we stand for – heritage, creativity, innovation and

hosting – all under one roof. Our best-known furniture designs stand alongside rare vintage pieces like Louis Vuitton trunks; there’s a yellow submarine submerged in a fish tank, a giant glowing crystal, our own spaceship.

I don’t know anywhere else in London where you can drink champagne in a spaceship!’

Tim’s mantra is ‘Be Relevant or Be Dead’ so his collections blend traditional timehonoured craftsmanship with modernity and innovation. At this year’s Milan Furniture Fair, the brand launched its Noble Souls collection, a modular handmade sofa range. The linens are vegetable-dyed using ancient techniques, embodying the concept that true luxury is about blissful moments of reconnection.

Timothy Oulton Studio, the brand’s interiors and construction leg, delivers hospitality projects across the world. They include the recently opened 1880 members’ club in Singapore and Timothy Oulton’s first restaurant, Gough’s on Gough, which opened last year in Hong Kong. ‘Our ethos is rooted in being great hosts,’ says Tim, ‘so our aim is to create an experience which deeply touches people.’

Timothy Oulton Studio is currently designing a restaurant on King’s Road, a boutique hotel and restaurant in the Middle East and a private residence in England’s Lake District.

Meanwhile, the new Timothy Oulton collection launches in stores in early 2019.

‘We’re also looking at some new store openings in the coming year so we have lots to be getting on with,’ says Tim. ‘The stores, the furniture, our hospitality projects – everything is a vehicle for delivering a visceral experience. Being British means having a commitment to quality that will last way into the future. When I was working in the antiques industry I fell in love with British craftsmanship, things that were built to last, built for empire, almost. It’s not empire that matters so much as that British vision of something that can be handed on to the next generation. Whether in London, New York or Moscow, people want things to have authenticity, heritage and purpose and they sense those qualities in our work.’

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The aim of the Timothy Oulton brand is to create experiences that touch people

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GRANGE PARK OPERA P300 HAY FESTIVAL P302 MADDOX GALLERY P304 NOUSHA P306 WELSH NATIONAL OPERA P308 WESTMINSTER ABBEY P310

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GRANGE PARK OPERA

The Theatre in the Woods is one of the highlights of the British summer season

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ather like a fairy tale, the story of Grange Park Opera begins with a Duchess – The Duchess of Roxburghe. When she died, aged 99, she couldn’t have imagined that her ashes would be carefully placed in the orchestra pit of an opera house – and a rather extraordinary opera house at that.

Modelled on the horseshoe shape of La Scala and erected at lightning speed, The Theatre in the Woods was tucked behind ancient walled gardens where children ran amok and fierce games of croquet were thrashed out.

Welcome to The Theatre in the Woods, 21st-century Britain’s first new opera house and the new home of Grange Park Opera, which was unveiled to great acclaim in summer 2017. Since then, more than 30,000 have visited the five-tier opera house at 500-year-old West Horsley Place, on the edge of London and close to the Surrey Hills.

Founded in 1998 by Wasfi Kani, OBE, the company has already staged more than 50 operas, including acclaimed productions of Rusalka, Tristan und Isolde and Peter Grimes. Fiddler on the Roof with Bryn Terfel was staged as part of the BBC Proms at the

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Inside The Theatre in the Woods; guests enjoying the formal gardens and a glass of champagne on arrival; the production of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera; the horseshoe shaped Theatre in the Woods

Opera House: The Theatre in the Woods West Horsley Surrey KT24 6AN +44 (0)1962 737373 grangeparkopera.co.uk

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‘You don’t need to know anything about opera to enjoy it. Just immerse yourself. There is no right or wrong on what one should feel. Just feel it’

Royal Albert Hall and on the list for next season is Engelbert Humperdinck’s ever-popular Hansel & Gretel, Gershwin’s classic Porgy & Bess and Verdi’s Don Carlo. In addition to these three productions, Grange Park Opera is also delighted that the glamorous and celebrated American mezzo-soprano, Joyce DiDonato, will give a special recital on 11 July and that the season will round off with a final fling provided by charismatic baritone Simon Keenlyside and his jazz friends.

As Wasfi Kani says, ‘You don’t need to know anything about opera to enjoy it. Just immerse yourself – 70 people in the orchestra, 50 people on stage, all performing live, right in front of you.

There is no right or wrong on what one should feel. Just feel it.’

Grange Park Opera has also become established as an integral part of the British summer season. The audience, usually, but not exclusively, dressed in black tie and cocktail dresses, arrive in the afternoon and there are also 47 vintage cars available to ferry them down from London in style if required, or collect them from the railway station. They can enjoy a glass of champagne at The White Wisteria Champagne Bar on arrival and wander at leisure through this magical demi-Eden.

In the long, social interval, the audience can settle into The Walnut Tree Restaurant or the restaurant inside the 15th-century house, where Henry VIII once enjoyed a 35-course luncheon. Alternatively, they can book one of the picnic pavilions in the Crinkle-Crankle garden, on the Croquet Lawn or in the Rose Parterre, or just fling their rugs under an ancient gnarled tree in the orchard and enjoy an al fresco picnic in a gorgeous setting. When the opera ends, the audience walks out into magical moonlit English woodland, watched by fireflies and, just maybe, fairies too....

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HAY FESTIVAL The world’s most famous literary event

The esteemed and eclectic festival attracts speakers ranging from transcendent entertainers to global policy makers

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s the world’s most famous literary event, the Hay Festival is one of Britain’s strongest cultural exports.

Hay Festival was founded in 1987 around a kitchen table as a notfor-profit organisation and to date it has programmed 125 festivals globally, attracting more than 4.5 million people to events in 30 locations.

Inspired by its picturesque home in ‘the town of books’, the formula is deceptively simple. Readers and writers are brought together to share stories and ideas. But it’s the unique marriage of exacting conversation and entertainment, along with a carefully curated line-up of emerging and established stars, that have put it firmly on the cultural map of every country it operates in.

From Nobel Prize winners and global policy makers to award-winning novelists and transcendent entertainers, speakers and performers at festivals over the years have included Arthur Miller, Maya Angelou, Bill Clinton, Toni Morrison, Arundhati Roy, Naomi Klein, Edward Said, Alice Walker, Hugh Masekela,

Hay Festival The Drill Hall 25 Lion Street Hay-on-Wye HR3 5AD +44 (0)1497 822629 hayfestival.org

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The festivals offer a platform for informed conversation and the chance for inspiration to take hold

Jimmy Carter, Seamus Heaney, Zadie Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch (pictured left) Tom Stoppard, Martin Amis, Paul McCartney, Desmond Tutu, Jane Fonda and Al Gore.

Hay Festival’s mission is clear. In a volatile world of anger and corrupted language, it champions empathy and curiosity.

Stories and truths are told, ideas are shared, and everyone is encouraged to imagine the world from other perspectives and with renewed and audacious hope.

In a digital age, increasingly characterised by abbreviated content and algorithmic recommendation, the festivals promote discovery through the long form, offering a platform for informed conversation and the chance for inspiration to take hold. There is nothing more powerful than sitting around a table, or a picnic rug, and being together face to face.

Outreach programmes take the festival events out into local communities, supported by the Hay Festival Foundation.

In Wales, the festival opens with two schools days in which tens of thousands of primary and secondary pupils enjoy events for free, while the Scribblers Tour takes writers direct to pupils all over Wales year-round. Hay Joven and Hay Communitario offer free programming for young people across Latin America.

This year the festival’s growth has continued. New outposts have been established in Santiago, Chile and Dallas, USA. Next year, Croatia is on the horizon alongside established events in Cartagena, Colombia (31 January to 3 February 2019); Querétaro, Mexico (September 2019); Segovia, Spain (September 2019) and Arequipa, Peru (8-11 November 2018).

But Wales, scheduled for 23 May to 2 June 2019, remains at the festival’s heart. Over 270,000 tickets were sold for the event in 2018 with attendees travelling from over 40 countries to experience the magic in person.

‘A Sundance for bibliophiles,’ said the New York Times; ‘the Woodstock of the mind,’ said Bill Clinton. But to most, it’s simply ‘Hay’, an inspiring week of wonders not to be missed.

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MADDOX GALLERY Pushing the boundaries of art, one exhibition at a time

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f contemporary art should be exciting, no gallery is more so right now than Maddox, one of the fastest growing art brands in the world, with four locations in London and new spaces in Los Angeles and Gstaad.

The formula behind Maddox is similar to that which produces truly great art. Which is, to rip up the established norms and think in different ways. To question the existing art establishment and offer new perspectives on the works of living artists. Maddox eschews what might be expected of a prestigious art brand, welcoming a new audience of fans potentially alienated by the traditional art world.

The gallery first sprang to international attention in 2016, when they exhibited a nude painting of Donald Trump, called ‘Make America Great Again’. The work, by 24-year-old artist Illma Gore, was so provocative that it was banned from being exhibited in the USA. Although Facebook censored it, it went viral nevertheless, provoking political, social and creative debate around the world. People flocked to see the newly opened British gallery that dared to exhibit one of the most controversial images of the moment.

Since then, Maddox has consistently been the talk of the town. This year they presented a major exhibition and fundraising initiative of the works of The Connor Brothers, who challenge the line between truth and fiction, in association with male suicide-prevention charity CALM and Professor Green. Maddox has also supported other

LIke the art and artists it represents, Maddox Gallery is pushing boundaries

The formula behind Maddox is similar to that which produces truly great art. Which is, to rip up the established norms and think in different ways

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philanthropic endeavours and, with renowned artists such as David Yarrow, Dan Baldwin, Mr Brainwash and RETNA, has helped raise over £4m for charitable causes.

In September, Maddox put on a major exhibition in London dedicated to Richard Hambleton, the ‘Godfather of street art’, the first since his death in October 2017. They have also staged brand collaborations with David Yarrow and Cara Delevingne for Tag Heuer, and Bradley Theodore for Puma. Maddox displays work in a range of mediums, from photography to painting. They select artists not only for the quality of their work, but also for their tireless dedication to their art.

The gallery represents some of the brightest future talents of today, such as David Yarrow, Bradley Theodore, Dan Baldwin, The Connor Brothers,

RETNA, Danny Minnick, Igor Dobrowolski and Mr Brainwash to name a few and showcases artwork from a spectacular roster of British artists including Banksy, Mark Evans, Harland Miller, Marc Quinn, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Russell Young and Grayson Perry. Works by these artists featured in the debut exhibition at the brand new L.A. Maddox Gallery, called ‘Best of British’.

Maddox likes to display works from rising homegrown stars alongside more established British artists. By doing so, Maddox hopes to push the conversation around art forward. This drive to shake up the art world for the better comes with a sense of anarchy that feels uniquely British.

They are an outsider smashing down the gates of a long-closed world. This commitment to innovation is what helps make Maddox such an eyecatching brand in London and around the world.

Maddox Gallery 9 Maddox Street London W1S 2QE +44 (0)20 7870 7622 maddoxgallery.com

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ART & CULTURE

NOUSHA

The Clapham portrait studio that specialises in photographing children

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or 20 years Lionel Cherruault was an accredited photographer at Buckingham Palace, covering the Queen and the royal family and visiting 70 countries with them as they pursued their duties worldwide. According to Lionel, the Queen serves the best G&Ts in the world aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Lionel has been a professional photographer for 40 years, starting with Camera Press in Bloomsbury, which was then the world’s leading photography agency. It was when Princess Diana arrived on the scene that Lionel decided to specialise in the British Royal Family and his photographs appeared on the covers of Vogue, Life, Time, Paris-Match and Observer magazine. Lionel was also the royal correspondent for Sipa Press Agency in Paris.

Lionel and the royal family were soon on friendly terms. There was a warm wave from Princess Diana as she took a few moments off duty for a quiet dip in the British Embassy pool in Egypt. Lionel photographed Prince William on the lawn of Government House in Auckland

‘In our busines, we make people very happy. Our family pictures will far outlive most of us and they’re things of great beauty’

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Former royal photographer Lionel Cherruault and his wife, Claire, established Nousha to capture pictures of your children as you’ve never seen them before

in 1983. His camera caught the slightly apprehensive look that Prince William threw his mother as she took him to his first day at nursery school. He was invited to snap the children’s beach games on Richard Branson’s private Caribbean island, Necker.

Initially Lionel had trained as a portrait photographer and he so enjoyed photographing the royal children (as well as his own) that he and his wife, Claire, a photography graduate of Falmouth College of Arts, decided to focus on developing their skills of photographing children. Lionel has three daughters, so he knows how to keep children happy in front of the

camera and today he works with Claire and two other young female photographers, all good at encouraging moody teenagers or calming little ones.

Lionel has gone from Buckingham Palace’s red carpet to Nousha, a pristine glossy white studio in Clapham Old Town.

Nousha is the name of Lionel and Claire’s cat – they know it’s a bit silly but it makes the children laugh, which is what Nousha’s all about – the thoughtful, informal pictures capture movement, joy and unselfconscious fun. ‘It’s all about the children,’ says Lionel.

‘We all experience the noise and madness that surrounds parenthood but I will show you your children as you’ve never seen them before, at their very best.’

So parents are banned, other than being allowed in for a few minutes while the children get used to the studio and the lights. There’s just time for a family group shot after which the parents leave.

‘In our business, we make people very happy,’ says Lionel. ‘Our family pictures will far outlive most of us and they’re things of great beauty. Our success is testament to what we do well and if you value the qualities and complexities that go into creating something of great finesse and perfection then Nousha is the right place for you.’

Nousha Photography 11 Old Town Clapham London SW4 0JT +44 (0)20 3800 0292 nousha.co.uk

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WELSH NATIONAL OPERA Presenting Wales on the world stage is at the heart of WNO

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here is no better way to cross cultural divides than through the arts. And it is in this, as well as musical excellence, that Welsh National Opera excels. As an experienced touring company, WNO takes opera from its home at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff across Wales and England, and its travels don’t stop at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

WNO is a powerful creative force on the worldwide opera stage and a major player in promoting Wales and Britain internationally.

Alongside a programme of performances, youth, community and digital events, WNO forges artistic partnerships with opera companies and cultural partners around the globe, providing opportunities for internationally acclaimed singers, conductors and directors to work with the company. Partnerships have included co-productions with, among others, San Francisco Opera, Komische Oper Berlin, State Opera of South Australia and Grand Théâtre de Genève.

‘International partnerships enable us to reach greater heights of creative practice,’ explains Leonora Thomson, managing director. ‘Co-productions help us to play our part in taking the brand of Wales abroad and demonstrating that Wales as a nation punches above its weight culturally.’

WNO’s cultural globetrotting has been part of its DNA from the company’s first performances in 1946. Since then it has performed in Lausanne, Zurich, Barcelona, Lisbon, New York, Paris, Milan,

PHOTOS: CLIVE BARDA & KEITH HIRO

Bringing the best talent from around the world to Wales, and presenting Wales at the peak of its creativity before an international audience

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PHOTOS: CLIVE BARDA & KEITH HIRO

FROM LEFT: Alan Oke in From the House of the Dead; WNO Magic Butterfly Hong Kong festival; the cast of From the House of the Dead

Tokyo, Leipzig, Berlin, Porto, Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Dresden. Still pushing boundaries, in recent years WNO became the first British opera company to perform at the Royal Opera House Muscat, Oman, at Finland’s iconic Savonlinna Opera Festival and, in 2017, achieved another first for the UK with performances at Dubai Opera.

In March 2018 WNO was invited to perform its highly acclaimed production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, marking the 2018 centenary of Debussy’s death. Audiences also enjoyed WNO’s awardwinning Magic Butterfly virtual reality experience based on the operas, Madam Butterfly and The Magic Flute ‘Opera is an international medium, so it is important that WNO acts as a two-way platform, bringing the best talent from around the world to Wales, and presenting Wales at the peak of its creativity before an international audience,’ says WNO artistic director David Pountney.

‘We are proud to represent Wales, but nationalism should never be a narrow focus, rather one that reaches out to the widest variety of communities across the world.’

In December 2018, WNO took its production of Janáček’s iconic opera, From the House of the Dead, to the Janáček Brno Festival in the Czech Republic. Based on the novel by Dostoevsky, WNO presented a new critical edition of the opera which was directed by David Pountney and conducted

by WNO’s Czech Music Director, Tomáš Hanus.

The success of Welsh National Opera’s productions internationally has earned the company respect from global audiences as well as international partners. Through a shared belief in excellence and quality, the company links WNO to Wales, and Wales to the rest of the world.

Welsh National Opera Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place Cardiff CF10 5AL +44 (0)29 2063 5000 wno.org.uk

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FROM LEFT: Westminster Abbey is one of the world’s greatest churches; Westminster Abbey Quire: The Queen’s Window

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WESTMINSTER ABBEY The setting for every British coronation since 1066

Fifty-two feet above ground, in a space kept secret for 700 years, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries opened in June 2018

Westminster Abbey +44 (0)20 7222 5152 westminster-abbey.org

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estminster Abbey is one of the world’s great churches – with a history stretching back over a thousand years – and an essential part of any trip to London. Each year the Abbey welcomes over one million visitors who want to experience and explore this wonderful

Great British Brands 2019

700-year-old building. Thousands more worship there at daily services.

The Abbey is a working church and an architectural masterpiece. Founded as a Benedictine monastery, and rebuilt

by Edward the Confessor in 1065, the building as it is today was begun by Henry III in the Gothic style in 1245.

Now, in the 21st century, it endures as one of the most important and stunning examples of Gothic architecture in the country, with the medieval shrine of St Edward the Confessor at its heart to this day.

A burial place of kings, statesmen, poets, scientists, warriors and musicians, Westminster Abbey is a place of daily worship, a work of architectural genius and home to innumerable treasures and fascinating secrets, all just waiting to be discovered.

A treasure house of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other artefacts, Westminster Abbey is also the place where some of the most significant people in the nation’s history are buried or commemorated.

2018 has been an exceptionally busy y ear for the Abbey; in June The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries were opened to the public. In a space kept secret for 700 years, a staggering 52 feet above ground, the Galleries are now home to the Abbey’s most priceless treasures and tell the story of the building’s 1,000-year history. From the eerily lifelike funeral effigy head of Henry VII to the marriage license of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the Galleries showcase not just the journey through time of the building itself but its role as a major place of worship standing at the heart of the nation.

In October, the Dean of Westminster dedicated the newest addition to the Abbey – The Queen’s Window. This dazzling stained glass window can be found in the North Transept; it was commissioned to celebrate the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and designed by the internationally renowned artist, David Hockney.

Neither a cathedral nor a parish church, Westminster Abbey (or the Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster to give it its correct title) is a ‘Royal Peculiar’ – given its unique status, the Abbey has been the setting for every coronation since 1066 and for numerous other important royal occasions, including 16 royal weddings.

Today, as well as remaining a church dedicated to regular worship and to the celebration of great events in the life of the nation, the Abbey is home to over one millennia of incredible British History.

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PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

COUTTS P314 JAMES & JAMES P318 KNIGHT FRANK P320 NORTHACRE P322 OCTAGON DEVELOPMENTS P324 PDP LONDON P326 RECOCO PROPERTY SEARCH P328

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Coutts has forged a reputation as the bank of choice for the well heeled and well connected

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a goldsmith in The Strand, near the site of the present Coutts’ building. In addition to selling jewellery and precious metals, he offered his clients banking services: discounting bills, making loans and taking deposits. These activities proved so successful that the jewellery business soon withered away, leaving Coutts as a bank, pure and simple.

Over the course of the next three centuries, the Coutts name became so indissolubly linked with the British upper classes that it was said that the quintessential English gentleman ‘hunts and shoots and banks at Coutts’. It is this long experience of dealing with the demands and needs of high-net-worth individuals in ever-changing circumstances, which has forged Coutts’ reputation as the bank of choice for the well heeled and well connected.

Coutts enjoys such an exalted reputation that it can justifiably claim to be the only financial services company also recognised as a luxury brand. In line with the company’s continued success at reinventing itself, in 2018 it re-examined every aspect of the brand to reflect more closely on the vibrant nature of its business and to maintain its lead in the British private banking market. In order to build on its present success, Coutts wants to encourage its clients to use its wider services, such as investing and lending as well as regarding it principally as a place to bank.

The results of this reappraisal of the Coutts brand will be unveiled in 2019. It will stress the indispensable advantages offered by Coutts to its clients in the fields of advice, investment, lending, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

The bank cleaves to its key values of the continued pursuit of perfection and a willingness to go far beyond the expected, cherishing the best of tradition yet delivering the best of the new, all the while acting with honesty and integrity. It aims to act at all times in ways that are proactive and astute while presenting a human face and a charismatic personality.

The Coutts name embodies British history, culture and values. Paul Fletcher, Head of Marketing and member of the bank’s executive committee, explains: ‘Our research tells us that Coutts is the most trusted private bank in Britain. Much of this is down to history, tradition and the standards that we have maintained for over 300 years. Britishness is key to this. The best brands are rooted in a culture and remain faithful to that culture.

Britishness at Coutts is intertwined with our outts is a private bank steeped in identity and our success is heavily reliant history. Older than the Bank of on the attractiveness of Britain as a destination England, Coutts has adapted to to do business and bank. We remain very its clients’ changing needs over bullish and proud of our Britishness.’ the course of more than three Britain remains an important destination centuries and continues successfully to adapt for the company’s global clients; they all have a itself in the 21st century. In 1692 a young base here. For these clients the bank’s currencyScotsman, John Campbell, set up shop as

COUTTS

Providing private banking with a personal touch for over 300 years

Coutts enjoys such an exalted reputation that it can justifiably claim to be the only financial services company also recognised as a luxury brand

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‘Coutts is the most trusted private bank in Britain. Much of this is down to history, tradition and the standards we have maintained for over 300 years’

Coutts 440 Strand London WC2R 0QS +44 (0)20 7753 1000 coutts.com

neutral credit card and multi-currency debit card are a boon, enabling them to use a single card when abroad, thereby avoiding foreign exchange charges. The concierge service also comes as standard, opening doors, often at the last minute, which might otherwise be closed.

Coutts is a well-established investment manager, helping its clients to maximise the returns on their

money in a variety of ways. Coutts Invest is a safe, streamlined digital service giving clients access to its expertise online: investment advice at any time of the day or night at the click of a mouse.

Clients can use the service to move funds quickly and easily into the bank’s own medium and longterm investment vehicles.

The rich, they say, are different, a truth Coutts both acknowledges and proves by publishing its annual Luxury Price Index. The index tracks inflation in the price of a basket of luxury and high-end items, which form part of the regular expenditure of the wealthy. These include highquality mobile phones, private school fees, Savile Row suits and luxury cars. It reveals that, in May 2018, while the annual rate of inflation, according to government figures (the CPI), was 2.4 per cent for the rich, judged by the Coutts Luxury Price Index, it was more than double that at 5.5 per cent. The index also charts the changing ways in which inflation affects people as they progress through life, thereby helping with long-term financial planning.

Another example of the bank’s innovative approach to helping its clients is the Coutts Passion Index, an annual publication that charts the rise and fall of alternative investments.

The index records the changes in value across a range of assets: collectibles – wine, stamps, coins, classic cars; precious items – watches and jewellery; fine art and trophy property. It tells clients the value of their prized possessions – their cellar, their watches or their collection of Ferraris – and opens their eyes to other potential investments. The best performing class of asset between 2005 and 2016 was classic cars, which appreciated by 331 per cent in that time.

The Investment Opportunity Service is another way in which the bank can help its clients. By introducing people who want to invest in new or growing businesses to entrepreneurs looking for capital, Coutts can offer both parties an important service, providing lucrative opportunities to investors and vital funding for business. Investments range typically between £2m and £10m and concentrate on high-growth sectors such as healthcare, technology and gaming.

Coutts prides itself on knowing its clients so well that it becomes their indispensable partner, aware of all their clients’ individual circumstances and aspirations, of how they understand and use their wealth. Above all else, as one client noted, Coutts never forgets, unlike some of its global banking competitors, ‘that it is my money’. For a bank, there can be no higher praise than this.

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Coutts helps its clients maximise the returns on their money in a variety of ways

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JAMES & JAMES Luxury property agents for extraordinary homes

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rom a young age, James Nightingall did several seasons as a ski instructor in Courcheval and Verbier, rubbing shoulders with wealthy individuals. This education in the aspirations and expectations of the rich gave James a solid grounding when, in 2012, he started James and James, an independent estate agency for the well-heeled and discerning.

Its watchwords are impeccable service, privacy and discretion.

He founded James and James while studying at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, having previously taken a BSc in Property Agency and Marketing from the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester. James lives in a leafy square in London’s Notting Hill where the agency is based and his contacts include some of the world’s wealthiest buyers.

The agency brings a fresh approach to selling extraordinary properties across Britain. Many of these high-value, highspecification properties belong to people who value their privacy and consequently do not wish to market their houses in the usual way. ‘We prefer to avoid listing properties online due to digital footprints and privacy,’ he says.

James and James offer a service which bypasses the usual markets. Selling very expensive houses ‘off market’ requires exceptional contacts. The team’s 40 years of experience in property puts the agency in a strong position to navigate these backwaters on behalf of its clients. ‘We actively search for the perfect buyer,’ James says, ‘and we know how to reach them.’

The agency’s forte is its planning: each sale

James and James offer a service which bypasses the usual markets. Selling very expensive houses ‘off market’ requires exceptional contacts

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Old Dairy Farm estate in Kent, complete with 50 acres of grounds; the great hall in the Old Dairy Farm; the wine cellar containing 500 bottles all included in the sale

is a campaign mapped out with military precision, something he thinks that ‘we British are pretty good at’. ‘Our vision is a brand that represents British perfectionism, a standard we believe is essential to our clients’ success.’

Recently he has seen an increase in ‘turn-key’ homes being sold to international buyers who purchase the contents along with the house. Generally, such deals are shrouded in secrecy but, just occasionally, the curtain parts to allow a glimpse of the rarefied world beyond. One such property is the Old Dairy Farm in Kent which the agency marketed last year. The brochure reveals a sumptuously modernised house in 50 acres of grounds for sale with all its fixtures, fittings and furniture. Included in the sale is the wine cellar, containing 500 bottles, reached by its own specially cast aluminium staircase.

James and James are creative perfectionists when it comes to marketing these houses. ‘We proudly combine old-fashioned and modern marketing,’ says James. ‘Our high-net-worth contacts receive beautifully designed and produced brochures in the post and via password-protected websites.’

Younger international buyers – often people between the ages of 20 and 35 – frequently ask to be sent brochures via WhatsApp. ‘We have a handpicked team which has successfully marketed and sold the world’s most expensive homes.’

The agency employs a talented production unit of photographers, directors and web designers to ensure that the all-important first impression is a striking one. This attention to detail helps these houses stand out in a crowded market and is a vital step in reeling in potential buyers.

James & James 21 Ladbroke Square London W11 3NA +44 (0)20 8720 6909 jamesandjames.london

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Great British Brands 2019

PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

KNIGHT FRANK International property consultants

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he property market is going through a period of great change and, more than ever, is being heavily impacted by political turbulence as well as technological disruption. As a result, Knight Frank is constantly reviewing the evolving real estate landscape in order to stay one step ahead in advising its clients and customers.

The growth of technology and digital platforms is a huge opportunity as it can significantly enhance the customer experience, but Knight Frank believes passionately that, in addition, its clients and customers seek expert professional advice and outstanding service through a personal touch. Therefore, while the firm is taking advantage of the age of growing automation, artificial intelligence and online services, it is also providing every client and customer with a tailored approach.

With this in mind, the firm ensures that it communicates with clients transparently, giving step-by-step guidance and providing marketleading research. This advice and quality of client support conveys the enthusiasm that everyone in the business has for making any property transaction as stress-free as possible.

However, Knight Frank doesn’t just help its clients. Having been founded over 120 years

Knight Frank 55 Baker Street London W1U 8AN +44 (0)20 8033 5217 knightfrank.com

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Knight Frank is rigorously focused on providing exceptional customer service

ago, the partnership continues to be independent and has been built on creating long-term relationships. As such, it is always happy to advise any customer, from first-time buyers to investors in newbuild property. Alternatively, if buying or selling is not the best plan of action at a particular point in time, Knight Frank has an extensive, rapidly expanding lettings division.

As well as working with individuals, they also work with developers in many sectors. These include recent additions such as retirement living and student accommodation to ensure that it can provide specialist knowledge and capabilities. For example, Knight Frank’s Prime Central London Developments team is advising on the sale of well over 70 per cent of new schemes on the market in London’s zone 1, where properties have an average list price in excess of £2,000 per sq/ft.

The rural market has long been a focus, with teams including Farms and Estates, Valuations and Marine Consultancy, as well as Rural Asset Management, which is chaired by ex-CLA President Ross Murray.

The valuable insights that Knight Frank provides to its clients is gained both through the teams working day to day in the local markets as well as its globally renowned in-house research department.

Producing research focusing on a local, national and global level means that every team member can give comprehensive, up to date advice. For example, many international family offices and advisers use the annual Knight Frank Wealth Report to inform their investment strategies.

For residential clients that either work in the commercial property industry or may be looking to make a personal investment, the links between Knight Frank’s residential and commercial departments are seamless, ensuring that the relevant introductions can be made easily.

Knight Frank’s various ‘View’ publications showcase outstanding properties, as well as providing exclusive property lifestyle interviews and insights from tastemakers and other experts around the world.

For those interested in finding out more, all content can be found on the Knight Frank blog and across its social media channels.

In conclusion, Knight Frank looks forward to welcoming – and continuing to help – clients and customers both old and new.

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Great British Brands 2019

PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

NORTHACRE Experience the exceptional

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s London’s most innovative property developer, Northacre has always done things differently.

Marrying future-facing design, technology and functionality with the best of British architectural style and craftsmanship, a Northacre property will always stand out. Through a judicious choice of development sites, Northacre creates destinations that breathe new life into heritage properties, and is a master of building value in overlooked corners of Prime Central London. And because of a commitment to using only the very finest materials, a Northacre property will always stand the test of time.

Reflecting London’s position as one of the world’s leading multicultural cities, Northacre has a truly global team. This is evident across its development, architectural and design practices, which allows Northacre to offer a unique vision with an unrivalled network of craftspeople, expertise and skill. As such, Northacre sets new standards in luxury living: the company has collaborated with some of the finest connoisseur brands from around the world, including Fabergé, Rossana and Baccarat, defining new perspectives on an exceptional experience.

Within the industry, Northacre is regarded as a thought leader on topics such as building for the future, homes as an art form and next-generation urban living. A passionate champion of craftsmanship, Northacre supports London Craft Week, and last year hosted a discussion platform around ‘New Attitudes to Luxury’. This was attended by some of the capital’s most well-respected names and industry figures, to explore what

Within the industry Northacre is regarded as a thought leader on topics such as building for the future, homes as an art form and next-generation urban living

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A reception room in a No 1 Palace Street apartment; the facade at No 1 Palace Street; the lobby at Northacre’s first mixed-use and new build development, The Broadway in Westminster

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craftsmanship means in the modern world.

‘Being “Best of British”, Northacre is synonymous with a lifestyle that offers the best of all worlds,’ says Northacre CEO, Niccolò Barattieri di San Pietro.

‘We offer a strong sense of heritage alongside stateof-the art contemporary living; rich cultural associations and next-generation innovation.’

As an example of how deeply rooted Northacre is in British values, he recalls the time during a viewing that he once sold an apartment overlooking Buckingham Palace. The property was at No 1 Palace Street, an exceptional development in St James’s.

When the prospective purchaser happened to look out of the window, they were delighted to get a view of their new neighbour, Her Majesty the Queen, helicoptering into the gardens of Buckingham Palace, corgis in tow.

‘Each Northacre residence tells a story, a uniqueness that is woven into the fabric of the property, inspired by its location, its past and our vision for its future,’ says Niccolò. ‘Northcare has an original vision, as well as tried and tested expertise.’

Today, Northacre is the pre-eminent name in prestigious revival schemes, with notable examples including The Lancasters overlooking Hyde Park, and Kings Chelsea. Northacre is also creating its first ‘mixed-use’ and new build development ‘The Broadway’. This important project in the heart of SW1 will see nearly two acres of prime Westminster reinvigorated to deliver exceptional homes with panoramic views, alongside futurefacing commercial and retail space, and a grand new public piazza. It will be an exciting new chapter for Northacre, and for London.

Northacre 8 Albion Riverside 8 Hester Road London SW11 4AX +44 (0)20 7349 8000 northacre.com

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Great British Brands 2019

PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

OCTAGON DEVELOPMENTS Combining aspirational design with architectural expertise

The combination of classic architecture, beautiful landscaping and complementary interiors has earned Octogan a number of industry awards

Octagon Developments Ltd Weir House Hurst Road, East Molesey Surrey KT8 9AY +44 (0)20 8481 7500 octagon.co.uk

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ctagon has been synonymous with the highest quality homes for almost 40 years. All Octagon properties are individually designed by its talented in-house team and each home has a distinct character while retaining the unmistakable Octagon style. The combination of classic exterior architecture, beautiful landscaping and complementary interiors, along with use of state-of-the-art technology, has earned the South East-based niche property specialist a formidable number of industry awards. Its Bespoke division is continually growing, with commissions trebling over the past 12 months and the map of Octagon Bespoke homes now spanning the entire south of England.

2018 saw two exceptional, albeit very different, Octagon schemes in London. Eagle House in Wimbledon Village is among London’s finest surviving examples of a Jacobean Manor House.

Originally built in the early 1600s, the Grade II listed property has known a number of famous residents, from co-founder of the British east India Company, Robert Bell, to renowned German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. Working

closely with English Heritage, Octagon’s awardwinning team of craftsmen painstakingly restored the property’s best period features, from stained glass to original fireplaces, and converted the accommodation into eight luxury apartments.

Across the city is Bishops Row, Octagon’s first Fulham development. With space often a premium in this enclave of London, Octagon employed innovative techniques to create nine townhouses with rooftop views over the River Thames. Featuring four to five bedrooms, these deceptively large properties offer exceptional interior features and entertainment suites featuring gyms and wine stores, sunken covered courtyards and open plan contemporary kitchens opening onto secluded private gardens.

After almost five years of planning, the Committee has resolved to approve the planning application for Broadoaks Park in West Byfleet, Surrey, with work due to start on the 25 acre site in early 2019. Properties will range from beautiful apartments to spacious detached family homes, with the flagship site seamlessly blending new build properties with the existing Grade II listed mansion and its adjoining lodges and coach houses.

The Octagon Bespoke division is well versed in handling clients’ unusual and unexpected requests as they build their dream homes, from swimming pool covers which double up as dance floors to showroom garaging and helicopter pads. However, one particular bespoke request has stuck in the memory of John Pope, Octagon’s Bespoke director: ‘Pets are something that some of our clients feel particularly passionate about and often no expense is spared when it comes to their general wellbeing. As well as a Cape Cod-style doghouse at a home on the St George’s Hill estate, complete with heating and soft furnishings, we have very recently installed an indoor, split-level dog shower for one of our canine-loving clients, which comes complete with Hans Grohe brassware and Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware, against a backdrop of book-matched slab marble. One of the dogs is quite small, so sits on the top level of the shower, while the larger dog uses the lower level, meaning they can be washed at the same time with ease and in style!’

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Octogan has been building the highest quality homes for almost 40 years

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Great British Brands 2019

PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

PDP LONDON

Award-winning international architectural practice headquartered in London

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ince its foundation in 1994, PDP London has honed its expertise in delivering both contemporary buildings and sensitive restorations of the London vernacular, in prestigious, unique and historic settings.

Mindful of traditional values and architectural heritage, and with a desire to create world class architecture, PDP London has been pivotal in shaping the built landscape and public realm both in London and further afield. It has evolved to export this great British brand of architecture internationally, starting by working with Grosvenor in Hong Kong, mainland China and Japan.

2018 has seen changes, challenges and expansion into new markets. Most recently, the practice has secured a 750-hectare, $900m masterplan at Punta Colorada in western Cuba, to create an exceptional new golf destination at the heart of a luxurious tropical resort.

The proposed scheme will also include three hotels, a marina, six residential villages and an equestrian centre, with polo fields and riding trails. Following this appointment, the practice opened a studio in Madrid, marking the start of a thrilling new chapter.

PDP’s Hong Kong Studio is currently working on the prestigious ‘Landmark on Robson’, situated on Vancouver’s answer to New

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Landmark on Robson in Vancouver; the Star and Garter in Richmond; Waterside in Hong Kong; Punta Colorada in Cuba

PDP London 5-6 Eccleston Yards London SW1W 9AZ +44 (0)20 7730 1178 pdplondon.com

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PDP London has been pivotal in shaping the built landscape and public realm both in London and further afield

York’s Fifth Avenue – an incredible contemporary development of two residential towers, with swimming pool, landscaped gardens, retail space and two floors of offices.

In London, work has started on the site of the former In & Out Club on Piccadilly – now Cambridge House Hotel and Residences. Previously an aristocratic residence and a revered London club, the property is a rare example of an ‘hôtel particulier’: a formal architectural set-piece typical of 17th-century French design, where the house is set back from the street and fronted by a private courtyard. PDP London’s heritagedriven scheme is for a 102-key, five-star hotel and seven serviced apartments, with a signature chef restaurant and bar (accessible to the public), together with a spa, pool, cellar wine bar, classically finished lounges, meeting rooms and a grand ballroom.

Also under construction are Regent’s Crescent, a residential development in Marylebone; Dovehouse Street luxury extra care scheme for Auriens; 196-222 King’s Road (mixed-use development) for Cadogan Estate; and, imminently, Pavilion Road near Harrods.

The new year will see PDP London move its London HQ to Eccleston Yards – Grosvenor’s vibrant new hub on the boundaries of Victoria and Belgravia. This move, as well as providing studio space, will make the practice part of a thriving and connected community of likeminded creatives, businesses and residents.

Eccleston Yards is an important part of Grosvenor’s 20-year vision for Mayfair and Belgravia, and something which PDP London is excited to be a part of.

PDP’s design philosophy is an approach rather than a specific architectural style, reflecting what it sees as key British values of professionalism, respect and honesty, coupled with innovation, creativity and cool design. They believe being British is also about having respect for the legacy of our surroundings, and a culture of collaboration with the best specialists in their fields. The practice strives for creative, stylish and timeless solutions which don’t mindlessly follow trends but rather adapt to each brief – marrying the history of existing buildings with the future of contemporary design.

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Great British Brands 2019

PROPERTY & INVESTMENT

RECOCO PROPERTY SEARCH

Finding the right property at the right price

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ecoco is a bespoke property finding service that takes care of the entire house-buying process, from sourcing to completion. The name is an abbreviation of Relocation, Coast and Country, and their mission is to help you find the right property at the right price.

Recoco offers the discerning client access to the very best properties, often before they have even come onto the market.

Anyone can scour the internet, but what sets Recoco apart is its unbeatable network of contacts. The company was founded

by Nigel Bishop in 1999 and now has seven offices covering the whole of the south of England, including London, The Cotswolds, The South West and Home Counties. Each office is headed by a regional specialist chosen for their in-depth knowledge of the area.

Every member of the Recoco team is constantly in touch with estate agents, solicitors and homeowners, allowing them to lead their clients through doors that others cannot. This gives the Recoco client access to properties that may never even come up for sale. It also saves the client time by avoiding wasted journeys.

Many of Recoco’s clients are busy professionals or well-known figures who value the privacy and discretion Recoco can offer.

From a vendor’s point of view, Recoco also provides a valuable service. Increasingly, people do not want their homes to go on the open market because of the digital footprint that ensues.

One client was learning to fly, so Recoco chartered a helicopter and they visited several properties by air

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FROM LEFT: The beautiful Exe Valley in Devon from the air; the front door at Recoco HQ; the River Dart in Dartmouth, Devon

Instead they will advise Recoco, who will connect them with one of its retained clients. The best property always sells quickly.

Recoco relishes the challenge of finding exactly what its clients want. The team will conduct initial viewings and provide feedback, ensuring clients only view the most suitable properties. One client was learning to fly and wanted somewhere with land, so Recoco chartered a helicopter and they visited several properties by air.

Another loved his boat, so he and Nigel travelled by yacht to find a house with a suitable berth. He ended up buying in Poole, the only place big enough for it.

Recoco’s services cover the whole process from finding a property and negotiating the terms of purchase through to completion. ‘Negotiating a purchase can be complex and stressful,’ says Nigel.

‘Impartial, objective experience can make

a significant difference to the final purchase price.

We have highly experienced negotiators who will guide you through the legal process.’

Recoco only acts for private individuals. To initiate the service a registration fee is charged, followed by a commission. Members of the Recoco team have just a few clients at any one time to ensure adequate time and personal attention is given to each. ‘Sometimes clients will end up buying something totally different to what they thought they wanted,’ says Nigel. ‘We find we’re able to make suggestions and show people areas they hadn’t considered, which is extremely satisfying.’

No matter how successful people are in their own field, when it comes to buying property, emotions dictate. Recoco is the objective, practical arm in the buying process, managing dreams and turning them into reality.

Recoco Property Search 14 Cathedral Close Exeter EX1 1EZ +44 (0)20 8938 3836 recoco.co.uk

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HOTELS & TRAVEL

BELMOND P332 ICONIC LUXURY HOTELS P334 THE LANGHAM, LONDON P336 MR & MRS SMITH P338 THE SAVOY P340 THE THINKING TRAVELLER P342

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Great British Brands 2019

HOTELS & TRAVEL

BELMOND

A world of glamour with a very British heart

Belmond has curated a menu of authentic and differentiated experiences that cater to an expanding pool of customers with discerning travel tastes

Belmond Shackleton House 4 Battle Bridge Lane London SE1 2HP +44 (0)20 3117 1300 belmond.com

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elmond has a history of creating magical luxury experiences at home and abroad. With its portfolio of distinguished luxury hotels, trains, river cruises and safaris around the world, including the iconic Belmond Hotel Cipriani in Venice and the legendary Venice Simplon-OrientExpress, Belmond has a heritage rich in old world glamour. And, thanks to a constantly expanding footprint, Belmond continues to push the boundaries of experiential luxury travel.

In the last year, Belmond launched South America’s first luxury sleeper train and opened new properties in Tuscany, adding Belmond Castello di Casole to its Italian crown, as well as a marquee resort in the Caribbean, Belmond Cap Juluca.

Closer to home, the brand has been preparing for the opening of Belmond’s first hotel in London. Following a complete renovation, Belmond Cadogan Hotel is ready to welcome guests back. Located at the heart of literary Chelsea, the stylish

retreat has long been associated with socialites, artists and writers, such as Oscar Wilde and the 19th century actress Lillie Langtry, who lived here while courting a future king of England.

Today, guests at Belmond Cadogan Hotel are themselves treated like kings.

The rooms and suites blend classic British charm with modern style and elegance, every detail honouring the hotel’s rich heritage.

Guests will enjoy all the benefits you would expect from a spoiling London stay. From unbeatable levels of luxury and service, Belmond combines world-class fine dining, with access to the most exciting cultural events, from Masterpiece, London to the Chelsea Flower Show.

And Belmond doesn’t just hold the keys to London.

The advantage of operating trains as well as hotels means Belmond can curate an itinerary of one-ofa-kind experiences.

True to Belmond’s immersive approach to travel, guests can hop on the Belmond British Pullman train at Victoria Station and discover great British destinations in proper Belmond fashion. From the luxury of a gorgeous art deco carriage, guests can visit stately homes, enchanting cities and sports events, punctuated by mouth-watering Belmond gastronomy. In 2019, a roster of celebrity chefs, including James Martin and Michel Roux Jr, will be on board the train, preparing some memorable British dishes.

Belmond really does deliver extraordinary experiences in extraordinary locations.

Whether this means getting up close to elephants in Botswana, sailing on a private barge in France or sensory travel across Asia or Peru, Belmond has curated a menu of authentic and highly differentiated travel experiences that cater to an expanding pool of customers with discerning travel tastes.

Combine this with a service culture dedicated to creating authentic escapes, as inspiring as they are personal, every journey with Belmond is a memory to treasure.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Belmond Cadogan Hotel; Belmond British Pullman; Belmond British Pullman stewards

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Great British Brands 2019

HOTELS & TRAVEL

ICONIC LUXURY HOTELS

The Best of British hotels in one exclusive collection

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hink of a quintessentially British luxury hotel and the chances are it’s one of the four properties in Iconic Luxury Hotels’ exclusive collection: Cliveden House, a majestic stately home on the banks of the River Thames; Chewton Glen, a tranquil haven on the edge of the New Forest; historic Lygon Arms in the rolling Cotswolds; or 11 Cadogan Gardens, an urban retreat in the heart of London.

While all the properties in Iconic Luxury Hotels’ collection are different in style, what makes them so successful worldwide is that each shares a commitment to delivering outstanding experiences in exceptional surroundings; to maintaining its own unique, often quirky, style; and above all, to exemplifying what it is to be a truly great hotel.

Immensely proud of its British heritage, Iconic Luxury Hotels partners with other likeminded companies, such as award-winning skincare specialists OSKIA and heritage brand Hunter, as well as many local artisan producers – Hampshire-based Naked Jam even forages in the large kitchen garden at Chewton Glen. Equally, many of the ingredients used in the hotel restaurants are sourced from a matter of miles away, serving to make this a truly British company.

CLIVEDEN HOUSE: This five-star National Trust property sits in 376 acres of magnificent Grade I-listed formal gardens

What makes each hotel in the collection so successful worldwide is that they share a commitment to delivering outstanding experiences in exceptional surroundings

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FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Iconic Luxury Hotels’ collection includes Chewton Glen in the New Forest, 11 Cadogan Gardens in Chelsea, The Lygon Arms in the Cotswolds and Cliveden House in Berkshire

and woodlands just 40 minutes from London.

The hotel recently unveiled a glorious new spa, while for those who prefer to be out and about, there’s the option of a leisurely boat trip along the Thames, followed by afternoon tea in the main house. The award-winning André Garrett Restaurant offers a menu of exceptional dishes, while The Astor Grill is perfect for a relaxed lunch.

CHEWTON GLEN: Chewton Glen is a true English original, offering 72 bedrooms, 14 romantic treehouses, an award-winning spa and leisure facilities and a stateof-the art James Martin cookery school. Ninety minutes from London, close to the South Coast and on the edge of the New Forest, the 130 acres of woodland, gardens and parkland that surround the hotel are home to a tennis centre, nine-hole golf course, heritage orchard, 70 working beehives, kitchen garden and croquet lawn.

THE LYGON ARMS: Set in the pretty village of Broadway, this charming old coaching inn is perfectly placed for exploring the surrounding Cotswolds. Boasting a rich history coloured by the many characters who have stayed here, the hotel offers a range of dining experiences, from brunches and drinks in the Lygon Wine Bar to a seasonal British menu in the Lygon Bar & Grill. There’s also a new spa tucked away in a tranquil corner.

11 CADOGAN GARDENS: Overlooking a quiet street behind Sloane Square, this boutique property is the ideal London base for a shopping trip, romantic weekend away or a city break. Comprising four townhouses, the hotel is an intriguing maze of corridors and staircases, with interiors as dramatic as they are elegant. The hotel’s new all-day restaurant, Hans’ Bar & Grill, has proved hugely popular with guests and locals alike.

Iconic Luxury Hotels iconicluxuryhotels.com

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Great British Brands 2019

HOTELS & TRAVEL

THE LANGHAM, LONDON

The original grand hotel has evolved as a major player in contemporary London’s hospitality scene

British traditions and innovation coexist at The Langham and today’s guests are attracted by this symbiosis in the heart of the West End

The Langham, London 1c Portland Place Regent Street London W1B 1JA +44 (0)20 7636 1000 langhamhotels.co.uk

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he Langham, London has been delighting guests since 1865, when it opened as Europe’s first ‘grand hotel’. Located almost at the epicentre of London’s four famous villages of Mayfair, Soho, Marylebone and Fitzrovia, the hotel offers a quintessential London experience, combining history, style and modern amenities in a magnificent Victorian building.

The Langham’s history is long and rich. When the hotel first opened it established itself as a ground-breaking institution, offering the most contemporary features of the age. The largest building in London at the time, it was the first hotel in the world to install hydraulically operated lifts. From its opening, attended by the then Prince of Wales, right up to today, it has been a favourite haunt of the capital’s literati, political leaders, captains of industry and royals.

British traditions and contemporary innovation co-exist at The Langham and today’s guests are attracted by this symbiosis in the heart of the West End. The Langham Club Lounge, for example, is a unique concept among five-star hotels in central

London, where guests can enjoy a private check-in, full breakfast, canapés throughout the day, freeflowing champagne and butler services. Extending across two floors, it also has private access for those who wish for a higher level of discretion.

Roux at The Landau, The Langham’s restaurant in partnership with Michel Roux Jr, was restyled during 2018 with an elegant dining counter and a new, pared-back and delicious menu, focusing on the provenance of the ingredients and complemented by a 525-bottle wine list. Roux also oversaw the creation of a menu of reinvented classic pub snacks for The Wigmore, the hotel’s luxurious take on an English tavern.

Designed with rich colours and period details by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, The Wigmore has a great ‘London’ drinks list, including a saison made for the hotel by Bermondsey’s Brew By Numbers.

Some of the most memorable experiences are made at The Langham’s glamorous bar, Artesian. Here the cocktails are inventive and the atmosphere fun and welcoming.

The Artesian Moments menu takes a metaphysical approach, centring around the flavours and feelings associated with key moments in one’s life – the kind of thoughtful creativity set to inspire cocktail lists of the future.

In Palm Court, SeasonaliTea is a must-try – a fresh new take on English afternoon tea based around the best seasonal ingredients, from Isle of Wight tomatoes in summer to fruit from the orchards of Kent in autumn. The Langham was the first hotel to serve afternoon tea when it opened in 1865, and today’s guests can still enjoy this delicious tradition in one of London’s most elegant settings. Come evening, Palm Court transforms into a romantic destination for food and music lovers, with a jazz duo to accompany your cocktails or dinner.

The Langham, London’s 380 rooms, suites and residences are skilfully designed to offer today’s guests contemporary style and convenience, without compromising on the Victorian charm of the setting. The hotel’s Signature Suites, which include a residential penthouse with six bedrooms, are an indulgence for even the most elite traveller.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Roux at The Landau is The Langham, London’s restaurant in partnership wtih Michel Roux Jr; the building was the largest of its time when it was first built; the drawing room in the Sterling Suite

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Great British Brands 2019

HOTELS & TRAVEL

MR & MRS SMITH

The world’s best boutique and luxury hotels, curated by experts

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he story of how Mr & Mrs Smith came into being contains the brand’s very essence. James and Tamara Lohan had the idea after a series of disastrous minibreaks involving chintzy hotels with starched bed sheets, UHT milk and sniffy waiters. Their litany of disappointments came to a head in the Lake District, when what they believed to be a spa hotel turned out to be a strict health retreat – something the guidebook review had not made clear. It compelled them to think: enough is enough, let’s just write our own guidebook.

After assembling a small, passionate team, enlisting some notable guest reviewers and photographing 41 made-thegrade hotels, the Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection was born in 2003, its name inspired by the pseudonym favoured by couples on illicit weekends away. Their distributor said they’d be lucky to sell 5,000 copies over three years. Instead, they sold 20,000 in the first three months and went on to sell more than 100,000.

Fifteen years on and there are now more than 1,100 hotels in the collection and the company has evolved into a global brand,

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Mr & Mrs Smith stays include Lime Wood in the New Forest; Heckfield Place in Hampshire; Foxhill Manor in the Cotswolds; Cliveden in Berkshire; and Beaverbrook in Surrey

Mr & Mrs Smith +44 (0)333 363 6564 mrandmrssmith.com

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Mr & Mrs Smith members can now add private, insiderled encounters to their city-break stays

albeit one whose heart – and headquarters – is in Britain.

It’s precisely this Britishness, they say, that gives them their distinctive tone of voice, tapping into that playful, discerning British spirit, together with a typically wry eye for detail.

A lot has changed since those early days and when Mr & Mrs Smith marked its 15th birthday last year with a new coffee table book, The World’s Sexiest Bedrooms, it was able to draw on a vast selection of the most romantic hotels around the globe, from city crash pads to desert-island hideaways, enlisting an in-demand art photographer to record those most alluring of stays – and reflecting the brand’s mischievous side as she did so.

It’s not all seduction and mischief though: what people have always loved about Mr & Mrs Smith are the wise words from undercover reviewers; advice about those nearby places truly Worth Getting Out of Bed For, or perhaps a suggestion on which outfits to bring with them.

Last year the brand announced the acquisition of SideStory, whose bespoke cultural experiences offer rare, behind-thescenes insights into cities such as London and Paris. Mr & Mrs Smith members can now add private, insider-led encounters to their city-break stays, such as fascinating antiques tours curated by star of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, Mark Hill.

As for the future – a recent crowdfund initiative featured a video in which James and Tamara talked about the company’s next chapter. In typical tongue-in-cheek style, the couple delivered their vision from the comfort of a fourposter bed at Cliveden, dressed in hotel dressing gowns.

The crowdfunding means Mr & Mrs Smith will now embark on an accelerated period of growth, adding hotels and villas to its collection at an increased rate. It also aims to further break into the US market.

It turns out those early minibreaks weren’t such a disaster after all.

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HOTELS & TRAVEL

THE SAVOY

Offering its guests a quintessential British experience for 130 years

Constant innovation ensures that The Savoy remains true to its pioneering spirit, retaining its worldwide reputation for excellence

The Savoy Strand London WC2R OEU +44 (0)20 7836 4343 fairmont.com/savoy

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he Savoy was the first purposebuilt deluxe hotel in London. It was the first to be lit entirely by electricity and the first to install hot and cold running water in its guest rooms.

Today the hotel, synonymous around the globe with exceptional service, rich experiences and lasting memories, continues to create and innovate. What began as a ‘hotel of firsts’ 130 years ago is still very much a hotel of firsts in 2019.

Take Simpson’s in the Strand. In 2017 this world-famous restaurant, which is set in the Savoy Buildings and a part of The Savoy family, underwent a restoration that both respected its incredible history and brought it to the forefront of the modern London dining scene.

Last year, the restaurant partnered with satirical cartoonist Zoom Rockman, who created six pieces of artwork inspired by Sir Winston Churchill, one of Simpson’s in the Strand’s most eminent former guests.

This juxtaposition of heritage and young talent – Zoom is just 18 years old – perfectly captures The Savoy’s determination to look

forward rather than getting stuck in the past, as did a recent partnership with Canadian photographer Dennis Gocer. Gocer’s company, The Collective You, supplies high-profile parties, galas and weddings with portable photography studios. Last year, as well as offering Savoy guests private portrait photography in a dedicated studio, Gocer attended prestigious events at the hotel, including the array of glittering receptions taking place during the British Academy Film Awards (The Savoy is the Official Hotel Partner to BAFTA).

The Savoy has always had literary connections – novelist Arnold Bennet used to write at the hotel and his eponymous omelette remains a signature dish here – and it was the first London hotel to have its own official writer in residence, with past incumbents including Fay Weldon and Michael Morpurgo.

Last summer The Savoy appointed author and Sunday Times journalist Damian Barr as Literary Ambassador to oversee an exciting programme of new literary initiatives, including the relaunch of the writer-in-residence programme with author of The Essex Serpent, Sarah Perry.

There’s another Savoy first that is every bit as crucial in providing a seamless experience: it recently became the first luxury London hotel to partner with Alipay, which allows Chinese guests to use their preferred method of payment across the entire hotel, including Simpson’s in the Strand. London is the third most popular European destination among Chinese tourists and China is clearly an important market for The Savoy. So this year it will be exploring the idea of dedicated online channels in China, ensuring the brand is represented on microblogging website Weibo and multipurpose messaging, social media and mobile payment app WeChat.

Constant innovation ensures that The Savoy remains true to its pioneering spirit, retaining its worldwide reputation for excellence and attracting a new generation of visitors from around the globe. A stay at The Savoy creates memories that are shared across generations or, as The Savoy puts it: ‘You don’t just stay at The Savoy. The Savoy stays with you’.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Savoy boasts fabulous views across the Thames; relax in the Beaufort Bar; The Savoy’s iconic entrance

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HOTELS & TRAVEL

THE THINKING TRAVELLER

Exclusive villas and thoughtful experiences, in the heart of the Mediterranean

The teams regularly visit the company’s destinations and properties and offer expert advice based on first-hand experience

The Thinking Traveller The Old Truman Brewery London E1 6QL +44 (0)20 7377 8518 thethinkingtraveller.com

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hat makes a villa rental company stand out from the rest? The Thinking Traveller, which offers a collection of over 200 beautifully alluring properties in Sicily, Puglia, the Ionian and Sporades Islands and Corsica, believes it is down to three principles: exceptional villas, in-depth local knowledge and expert personal service.

That was the basis on which the company was founded in 2002, and it has since been voted Best Villa Rental Company no fewer than four times at the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards (most recently in 2018).

A fourth aspect that undoubtedly plays well with its savvy, international clientele is that The Thinking Traveller’s properties cannot be found on any other website or booked through any other channels. This suggests a strong element of curation, as well as reassuringly long-term collaborative relationships with the property owners. Clients can book online (if they wish), safe in the knowledge that a high level of quality is guaranteed.

In October 2018, The Thinking Traveller

opened an office in New York to provide a more personalised service to its growing American client base. Based in Manhattan, the new US team works in the same way as its London counterpart, regularly visiting the company’s destinations and properties and offering expert advice based on first-hand experience.

In line with its tireless pursuit of excellence, The Thinking Traveller continues to enrich its portfolio with exciting new properties, including a number of superb contemporary homes designed by renowned architects.

This is particularly true of the company’s collection of villas in southern Corsica, built to harmonise with the unspoilt, natural environment; but there are outstanding examples of this trend throughout its destinations.

The Thinking Traveller combines its Britishness (its head offices are in London’s Brick Lane and one of its founders, Huw Beaugié, is British) with a passion for all things Mediterranean. The company’s international team is a true reflection of modern Britain, where diversity inspires and enriches. Clients, who hail from over 50 countries, from Australia to America and from Chile to China, appreciate this combination of Mediterranean authenticity and impeccable British service.

The Thinking Traveller’s expertise and extra-mile service can also be seen through the work of its teams of personable, local concierges. Available 24/7, they have the connections to organise practically anything the company’s clients may desire, from tours of private aristocratic palazzi that are closed to the public, to arranging the delivery of a Steinway concert grand piano for a Lang Lang recital at a villa.

Problem solving is also second nature to them, and they leave no stone unturned in their pursuit for transforming awkward situations into positive experiences. One outstanding example of this was the rescue of a client’s dog from a cave. Liaising with the local fire brigade in a three-hour-long night time mission, the local team successfully helped to reunite Fido with his overjoyed family. All in a day’s work for The Thinking Traveller’s team.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Thinking Traveller has some of the world’s finest villas on its books, from Cala d’Istria in Corsica and Madreterra in the Ionian Islands to Rocca delle Tre Contrade in Sicily

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FOOD & DRINK

12 HAY HILL P346 BERRY BROS. & RUDD P348 BOROUGH MARKET P350 D&D LONDON P352 HILDON P354 JOHNNIE WALKER P356 TANQUERAY P358 TEN TRINITY SQUARE P360

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Great British Brands 2019

FOOD & DRINK

12 HAY HILL

London’s foremost private members’ club for business

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et in an imposing, six-storey building at the heart of the most coveted postcode in Britain, 12 Hay Hill has pioneered ‘club-working’ as a modern way to do business.

Conceived as a private members’ club for business, it is the first to provide businesspeople with five-star service and a high-specification curated environment in which to meet, entertain, base their enterprise and conduct business. In an age where technology is increasingly blurring the line between the spheres of work and home-life, it modernises the very British concept of the private members’ club as a hive of activity as well as leisure.

While many other modern clubs shun business activity, 12 Hay Hill’s Director Stephanos Issaias explains that club-working offers the exclusivity, leisure space and social networking of the City clubs of old, combined with an unashamedly work-friendly environment. It’s this combination that makes 12 Hay Hill so different.

12 Hay Hill is completely international in its membership and outlook and has had an exciting year of growth, establishing itself as a leading barometer of trends in working

12 Hay Hill in Mayfair offers the leisure benefits of a private members’ club with the business-friendly environment that allows you to work effectively

12 Hay Hill London W1J 8NR +44 (0)20 7952 6000 12hayhill.com

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While many other modern clubs shun business activity, 12 Hay Hill offers an unashamedly workfriendly environment

culture. Its fast-growing membership comprises a diverse community of industry leaders, influencers and innovators.

From finance to fashion, the club prides itself on being a hub of inspiration where ideas are born and nurtured, deals are signed and business flourishes.

Members speak approvingly of 12 Hay Hill as a place where they are able to work, meet and impress seamlessly – the club’s restaurant offers fine dining, while a basement bar provides the perfect place to unwind with friends and colleagues.

The club curates an ever-changing backdrop of spectacular artwork, most of which is for sale. Nine meeting rooms offer private areas for board meetings, confidential conversations or private dining for members. Each has a distinct style, allowing members to choose the perfect environment for any client meeting. Facilities are constantly being updated and augmented and the club plans to open a new roof terrace overlooking Berkeley Square in the coming months.

Events for members feature some of Britain’s finest minds and thought leaders, and range from talks by business leaders and politicians to insights from leading brands and lively discussion of cultural or business developments. One highlight of the club’s annual calendar is the 12 Hay Hill Davos Debrief, created in partnership with the Financial Times. The Debrief provides members and guests with thought-provoking content from business people and politicians who have spoken at the summit, who share their insights and analysis alongside celebrated Financial Times journalists and commentators.

In terms of the future, Issaias is planning to lead a management buyout, an indication of the confidence those running the club have in its future as a great British brand. There are also plans to take the pioneering concept of 12 Hay Hill’s ‘club-working’ to other parts of the world, with sister clubs being considered in Continental Europe, the US, Middle East, China and Singapore.

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FOOD & DRINK

BERRY BROS. & RUDD

Britain’s oldest wine and spirit merchant extends its underground and overground reach

Today, there are almost two acres of cellars beneath and beyond Berry Bros. & Rudd’s historic premises housing 15,000 bottles

Berry Bros. & Rudd 3 St James’s Street London SW1A 1EG +44 (0)20 7022 8973 bbr.com

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erry Bros. & Rudd’s new Kingsman Dining Room just opened its doors at 4 St James’s Street. Fans of Matthew Vaughn’s blockbuster films will know that after the Kingsman HQ is destroyed in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the last two remaining agents escape to Berry Bros. & Rudd and down a bottle of Bourbon in their Napoleon Cellar. This venerable wine merchant isn’t commonly associated with Hollywood capers, but it nonetheless has many a story to tell from its 300-year history.

In its cellars, the exiled Napoleon lll, sheltered by a friend, plotted his return to power. And when the Sussex Cellar was built, a secret passageway was discovered leading to St James’s Palace. Today, there are almost two acres of cellars beneath and beyond its historic premises on St James’s Street. These house 15,000 bottles and buzz with wine tasting evenings and dinners hosted by winemakers and famous names and cooked by chefs led by Stewart Turner (formerly of The Waterside Inn at Bray).

Berry Bros. & Rudd has supplied the British royal family since the reign of George lll.

Its wines were on the Titanic and smuggled into prohibition-era America. These days the company’s services have grown to include a wine club, a cellar plan, private wine events, a wine school, and an online wine exchange.

It has outlets from Hampshire to Hong Kong.

There is a new state-of-the-art shop around the corner at 63 Pall Mall with enomatic wine sampling machines and hundreds of wines to buy, ranging from £10 to £10,000.

Over the past year, Berry Bros. & Rudd has concentrated on bringing its special experience to more people. Building on the momentum created by the launch of the new shop in Pall Mall, it has renovated its entertaining spaces in St James’s Street (including the new Kingsman Dining Room). In May in south London it set up a pop-up bar. It has also partnered with artist Kate Boxer to launch its third limited-edition wine label for its best-selling Good Ordinary Claret, following similar collaborations with Luke Edward Hall and Paul Smith in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Located in the heart of London’s food and drink community for over 320 years, the brand’s British heritage is central to Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant.

It has two Royal Warrants, a very British attitude to service and strong relationships with its wine growers and chateau owners nurtured over generations. Lizzy Rudd recently took over as the new chairman from Simon Berry, continuing the unbroken tradition of having a member of one or the other family at the helm.

It currently offers a selection of over 4,000 bottles, many own-brand wines crafted by some of the most accomplished winemakers in the world, such as Burgundian stars Nicolas Potel and Patrick Javillier.

It eschews pretension and is open to learning from its customers in an everevolving conversation about wine, which contributes to crystalising its ongoing success.

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Berry Bros. & Rudd’s pop-up bar at London Wine Week; the new Kingsman Dining Room; the Fine Wine Reserve within the shop at 63 Pall Mall, just around the corner from their historic home at No.3 St James’s Street

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FOOD & DRINK

BOROUGH MARKET

The best market in London just keeps getting better

Surplus produce is distributed to local charities rather than being thrown away – providing 100,000 meals for those in need to date

Borough Market 8 Southwark Street London SE1 1TL +44 (0)20 7402 1002 boroughmarket.org.uk

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orough Market is London’s oldest food market, but it’s more than just a place to buy or sell. It’s where people come to connect and awaken their senses. Its inimitable atmosphere attracts visitors from around the world, making Borough Market a major London landmark.

As far back as 1014, and probably much earlier, London Bridge attracted traders selling grain, fish, vegetables and livestock.

In the 13th century, traders were relocated to what is now Borough High Street and a market has existed there ever since. Today, Borough Market is a first-class food market where people can discover the unusual, and rediscover the familiar. Its atmospheric mix of Victorian, Art Deco and modern architecture hosts a range of attractions, from cookery demonstrations to a monthly Cookbook Club.

But the greatest draw is, of course, the food.

Borough Market is synonymous with quality. It is home to over 100 traders selling outstanding British and international produce.

People come to buy fresh carrots pulled from the Kent soil just the day before; cheeses the

flavours of which reflect the environment in which they were made and which evolve in character day by day; sweet, firm scallops, plucked by hand from the Dorset seabed; beautifully marbled beef from rare-breed cattle, raised on a family farm by one brother, butchered at the market by the other.

A commitment to the environment by reducing waste is a vital part of the market’s identity. None of the rubbish disposed of in the market goes to landfill – cardboard, paper, plastic, glass and wood are all recycled and food waste is sent to an anaerobic digester.

In 2017, the market installed three public water fountains – the first in Britain to do so – to help phase out singleuse plastic bottles. Worldwide media attention ensued, with Borough becoming the inspiration for an industry-wide trend against using plastic bottles. The packaging provided by traders is almost entirely bio-degradable and compostable and the market’s surplus produce is distributed to local charities rather than being thrown away – an initiative that has to date led to over 100,000 meals for those in need. Every year Borough Market also produces its own sustainable beer, brewed from hops grown on site.

Borough Market is a striking venue, making it an outstanding setting for film shoots. Perhaps, most famously, it was home to Bridget Jones in all the film adaptations of her diaries. Bridget’s blue soup may not make it onto the menu at Borough, but for those seeking inspiration, The Borough Market Cookbook has just been published.

Borough Market is a dynamic, ever-changing institution: an incubator for start-ups and social enterprises, a platform for the wider debate around what we eat and where it comes from and an influencer in the world of sustainability, food-waste, ethical farming and education. Customers are encouraged to eat with the seasons, to consider the social and environmental impact of their purchases, to buy only what’s needed and to eat every bit of it. Their aim is to show that delicious food and deeply held convictions can go hand in hand.

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Borough Market leads the way when it comes to sustainability, environmental concerns and ethical awareness, not to mention the most delicious fresh food and produce

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FOOD & DRINK

D&D LONDON

Iconic restaurants in Britain, Paris and New York

‘Britain and London are very much part of D&D London’s DNA and “Britishness” will be an integral component of every restaurant we open’

D&D London +44 (0)20 7716 0716 danddlondon.com

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ome think that London has had its best years, but I don’t believe that,’ says Des Gunewardena, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of D&D London. ‘We know the restaurant scene very well and still believe that everyone wants to come here, be a part of it and make their mark.’

Few are in a better position to comment than Des Gunewardena. Together with cofounder David Loewi, he has been the force behind some of the most iconic restaurants in the capital, including Quaglino’s, Le Pont de la Tour, Bluebird and Coq d’Argent. In 2012 the group opened South Place Hotel, near Liverpool Street Station, and in 2014, it launched its first restaurants outside the capital – Crafthouse & Angelica in Leeds, shortly followed

by Issho and East 59th in 2017.

Not that D&D London has all its eggs in one exclusively British basket: international restaurants already include Alcazar in Paris and Guastavino’s in New York. Last year the company opened Bluebird London in New York’s Columbus Circle. Occupying over

10,000 sq/ft and comprising an all-day lounge, wine bar and brasserie, Bluebird NYC boasts an interior inspired by what designer Nancy Ruddy calls ‘Britain’s most creative decades: the 1950s and 1960s’.

This year, D&D London will open queensyard in the Hudson Yards development, the largest private real estate development in the history of New York City, offering luxury retail, work and residential space in West Side Manhattan.

The new restaurant will join a collection of renowned fashion brands, global business offices and dining spots, including Thomas Keller’s latest restaurant as part of the new development.

‘Like Bluebird London, queensyard will add a bit of Britain to New York and we hope New Yorkers like it just as much,’ says Des. ‘We’ve always loved New York. With so many parallels between our Bluebird London NYC two cities, we are confident that New Yorkers will enjoy both concepts – restaurants celebrated not only for their food and wine but also for their design, buzz and glamour.’

London, too, will see an expansion this year with the launch of a new restaurant at 120 Fenchurch Street. The restaurant will operate on the floor below a public garden and will boast stunning views of the capital, including the River Thames, Tower Bridge, Tower of London and The Shard.

‘120 Fenchurch Street represents a return to London for what will be our largest new venture here since Aster in Victoria,’ says Des. ‘London continues to be a significant part of D&D’s growth strategy and the project also reflects our continuing commitment to the City. 120 Fenchurch is a remarkable building and I hope that we can create a restaurant to match.’

As Des says, ‘Britain and London are very much part of D&D London’s DNA and “Britishness” will be an integral component of every restaurant we open in the future, including those overseas.’

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German Gymnasium, London

Hudson Yards, New York

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FOOD & DRINK

HILDON

A secret jewel in the heart of Hampshire

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ought after by top retailers such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols and sitting on the tables of the finest restaurants and hotels in Britain from The Ritz to The Waterside Inn, Hildon Natural Mineral Water is the go-to brand for those who value quality, provenance and sustainability both at home and abroad. Hildon is now exported to over 30 countries, flying the flag for British quality the world over. The water has also won blind tastings conducted by some of the world’s most discerning palates and is the only bottled water to have scooped the prestigious Chef’s Choice award, nominated and voted for by chefs themselves, for the past six consecutive years. In 2018, Hildon was proud to be awarded the coveted Royal Warrant to provide its services to Her Majesty the Queen, for which it had to meet very strict criteria for ethical and sustainable business practices.

On entering the discreet gates of the 160-acre Hildon estate, deep in the heart of the idyllic Hampshire countryside, visitors would be hard-pressed to see any signs of commercial activity, noticing only deer roaming freely, red kites wheeling overhead and hares and other wildlife darting around the unspoiled landscape. No-one would guess that this is home to Hildon, one of the most successful English mineral waters ever created, whence it is drawn from a single source.

The Hildon team is a very close-knit family, some of whom have worked for the brand for over 15 years. The team is united in its common goals to preserve the estate for

Hildon water is now exported to over 30 countries, flying the flag for British quality the world over

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FROM LEFT: A frosty sunrise over the offices on the Hildon Estate; the Hildon horses enjoy a beautiful golden morning on the Estate

generations to come and to operate ethically with staff, neighbours and with the wider Hampshire community. Hildon’s Environment Manager works closely with the Hampshire Wildlife Trust and Hampshire Waterways to ensure that any activity has only positive impact on the environment. In addition, Hildon’s own Foundation supports local charities and proudly sponsors two local children’s hospices, Naomi House and Jack’s Place.

Preservation of the environment is vital to protecting the very heart of Hildon’s success, its own taste, which comes from the land itself.

As rainwater filters through the unique composition of nine different soil types, including Test Valley chalk, it undergoes a natural filtration and gathers new flavour attributes and trace minerals of its own.

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When the water is drawn, aside from the finest filtration and quality checks, nothing is done to it before it reaches the bottle – which is why Hildon has the Natural Mineral Water status, the highest quality designation that bottled water can carry.

Every glass of Hildon has the same composition and consistent pure taste and Hildon is chosen by wine experts and top chefs for this very reason.

While many of the more recognisable premium bottled water brands are European, research has shown that British consumers prefer British brands and they would also be prepared to splash out a little more for a water with guaranteed quality, purity and composition.

And Hildon, with its impeccable environmental credentials and proudly English heritage, fits that description perfectly.

Hildon Ltd Broughton Hampshire SO20 8DQ +44 (0)1794 301747 hildon.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Johnnie Walker’s new limited-edition whisky blend, White Walker, inspired by Game of Thrones; Johnnie Walker cocktails served at Taste Festival in the summer; limited-edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Port Ellen

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Great British Brands 2019

corners of the world. Led by Master Blender Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker blenders uphold the brand’s reputation for quality and consistency and are driven by a constant desire to innovate. And this year is no exception, as the brand adds some exciting innovations and limited editions to its portfolio.

Building on its status as one of the world’s biggest whisky brands, Johnnie Walker has carved out a place and played a role within popular culture. Black Label featured in Ridley Scott’s cult classic film Blade Runner as a whisky that would stand the test of time and be enjoyed long into the future. Earlier this year the brand partnered with Secret Cinema for its fully immersive ‘live cinema’ experience of Blade Runner – The Final Cut: A Secret Live Experience, where guests experienced Blade Runner’s dystopian universe while enjoying Johnnie Walker cocktails.

Now Johnnie Walker finds itself again at the forefront of a new global cultural phenomenon through its collaboration with the critically acclaimed HBO series Game of Thrones. In celebration of the final season and inspired by the series’ chill-inducing White Walkers, Johnnie Walker has launched an exciting limitededition blend – White Walker by Johnnie Walker.

Best served directly from the freezer, the bottle’s icy white and blue design transports you straight to the Frozen North while the iconic Johnnie Walker Striding Man is now fashioned in armour to take his place among the Night King’s forces. Utilising temperaturesensitive ink technology, fans will be reminded that ‘Winter is Here’ from an icy graphic that unexpectedly reveals itself when the bottle is frozen. The Scotch has notes of caramelised sugar, vanilla, fresh red berries and a hint of orchard fruit. It also features Single Malts from Cardhu and Clynelish – one of Scotland’s most northern distilleries.

Another addition to the portfolio is the second in a series of special editions, the exquisite Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Port Ellen, which blends the rarest whiskies from all over Scotland with irreplaceable ‘ghost’ whiskies from distilleries long since closed. At the heart of this limited-edition lies the highly sought-after Islay single malt, Port Ellen, from a ‘ghost’ distillery that shut its doors in 1983.

Only one in 10,000 casks in Johnnie Walker’s unparalleled reserves of over ten million maturing Scotch whiskies has the necessary richness and character to craft the intricate ince 1820 when John Walker first started Johnnie Walker Blue Label, making the rare blending whiskies, Johnnie Walker has complex blend the ultimate gift. always thrived on being a pioneering Johnnie Walker may have been pioneered by and innovative spirit. Today it is the a tea blender from Kilmarnock, but today the global world’s best-selling Scotch whisky, Scotch brand is much more than whisky: it defines enjoyed in more than 180 countries worldwide. celebration and brings people together through First crafted in a humble grocer’s shop, its rich and diverse 200-year heritage, ensuring its Johnnie Walker has taken blended Scotch whisky place within popular culture for centuries to come. from the four corners of Scotland to the four

JOHNNIE WALKER

A pioneering spirit, crafted with passion

In celebration of the final season of Game of Thrones and its chill-inducing White Walkers, Johnnie Walker has launched an exciting limitededition blend

S Johnnie Walker johnniewalker.com

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FOOD & DRINK

TANQUERAY

The long-established gin whose new flavours and perfectly balanced taste continue to delight

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n an era when gin distilleries appear to be popping up in every archway from Hammersmith to Hackney, there’s something reassuring about exploring a brand whose perfectly-balanced taste has been pleasing customers for almost 200 years.

Tanqueray has always made a virtue out of executing everything it does faultlessly – from the crafting of botanicals and product design to setting up convivial summer terraces, where stylish Tanqueray cocktails are served to an enthusiastic audience of gin aficionados. No stranger to innovation, Tanqueray is now riding the current wave of interest in the gin category, with the introduction of evocative new flavours set to charm customers traditional and new.

The Tanqueray story can be traced back to 1830, when Charles Tanqueray went to work in the Vine Street Distillery in Bloomsbury, together with his brother, Edward. Refusing to accept the status quo, Charles spent years testing botanicals brought back from around the world, bravely

Tanqueray’s new flavours charm customers old and new and are best enjoyed on sun-drenched terraces at London’s best bars

Diageo Plc Lakeside Drive, Park Royal London NW10 7HQ +44 (0)20 8978 6000 tanqueray.com

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The development of Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla and Limited Edition Tanqueray Lovage drew inspiration from Charles Tanqueray’s own notebooks from the 1830s

mixing them in his own distinct style. After extensive trialling over the course of six years, his pursuit of perfection finally paid off. The result was Tanqueray London Dry: a gin based on achieving a perfect balance between the four key botanicals of juniper, coriander, angelica root and liquorice. It has been winning awards ever since.

After the original Tanqueray London Dry – many people’s first choice for the perfect G&T – came the introduction of Tanqueray No. TEN – a small-batch gin distilled with whole fresh citrus fruits and chamomile. It was particularly wellreceived by the top mixologists as a drink they could position as the insider’s choice – a best-kept secret that only true connoisseurs would pour into their cocktails.

In 2018, in response to growing demand, the brand added two more new gins to its portfolio, pushing botanical boundaries in a way that would have delighted Charles Tanqueray. The development of Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla, with the uniquely bittersweet taste of Seville oranges, and Limited Edition Tanqueray Lovage, with its savoury, earthy, herbaceous heart, drew inspiration from Charles Tanqueray’s own notebooks from the 1830s. Both are ground-breaking new flavours for the industry.

The brand also announced the expansion of its distribution into new markets – it has historically been most popular in the US and southern Europe – and unveiled a new look for Tanqueray Rangpur. This variant, inspired by the BritishIndian tradition, is based on the distinct zestiness of the rare Rangpur lime and the exotic juiciness of mandarin orange.

With the new flavours adding interest to its portfolio and offering fresh opportunities for the world’s most creative bartenders, Tanqueray is successfully taking on the newcomers to the gin trade. It seems that its rigorous quest for taste and perfection established all those years ago is keeping this giant of gins firmly in the mix.

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Great British Brands 2019

FOOD & DRINK

TEN TRINITY SQUARE The City’s finest private club for business, wine and culture

This is the first time that Château Latour, the famed firstgrowth estate from the Medoc wine region, has given its name to a place outside the vineyards

Ten Trinity Square 10 Trinity Square London EC3N 4AJ +44 (0)20 3297 9200 club.tentrinitysquare.com

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en Trinity Square Private Club officially opened its doors in autumn 2017 with the world’s first Château Latour Discovery Room outside France.

Set within the former headquarters of the Port of London Authority, one of London’s historical landmarks, the Club presents a partnership between Reignwood, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Château Latour.

In a building of power and prestige, Ten Trinity Square celebrates its place within the capital’s rich history and culture. Designed

by Bruno Moinard, the Club has been shaped around the boardrooms and executive offices of the original building, comprising a series of lavish yet discreet rooms, ideal for conversation, relaxation and escaping the demands of City life.

The Club has been restored back to its former glory with ornate fireplaces and chandeliers, generating a warm and informal ambience.

Each room features wood-carved panelling and the walls of the Château Latour Discovery Room are adorned with carved medallions of prominent Britons, proudly representing the history and status of the building.

This is the first time that Château Latour, the famed first-growth estate from Pauillac in France’s Médoc, has given its name to a place outside the vineyards, offering a dining and discovery experience available only to members and their guests. The wines are complemented by canapés specially created by celebrated three Michelinstarred chef Anne-Sophie Pic, whose food is inspired by three generations of French gastronomy.

The wines themselves are expertly curated by award winning sommelier, Jan Konetzki.

The Château Latour experience forms a unique and much-anticipated part of the Club’s offering, allowing members access to a range of Château Latour vintages unmatched elsewhere in Britain.

The extensive list includes an unprecedented 45 wines by the glass, including the legendary Grand Vin de Château Latour 1982. Bottles of the iconic 1959 and 1961 vintages are also available on request.

Accompanying the gourmet offering, the Club has an intimate cigar sampling lounge with an exceptional collection of cigars from rare vintage Havanas to Montecristos and Cohibas. Here members can indulge in handmade cigars, guided by a dedicated cigar sommelier, while enjoying the Club’s extensive offering of Cognac, whisky and rum.

Since opening its doors, Ten Trinity Square Private Club has provided members with a forward-thinking and innovative programme of events. These range from talks by current business leaders including Stewart Ferguson from the China-Britain Business Council, GQ Editor Dylan Jones and British fashion designer Anya Hindmarch, to live debates, business challenges and frequent networking opportunities among the Club’s members.

The Club has also extended its offering to include access to the luxurious spa at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, as well as launching a ‘Future Business Leaders’ membership for aspiring industry leaders under 30.

True to the building’s legacy as a centre of London’s trade, leaders and key thinkers from diverse industries meet here to share ideas and nurture relationships. Hidden in plain sight, cherished by those who know, The Club at Ten Trinity Square is where a discerning community meets, rich in heritage with a future-facing philosophy.

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Ten Trinity Square offers its members the first Château Latour Discovery Room outside France, as well as a curated series of events, talks, debates and networking opportunities

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P402

BRANDS TO WATCH

CHARABANC P364 DUKE & DEXTER P366 ELICYON P368 FAIRFAX & FAVOR P370 GORDON CASTLE P372 GUINEA P374 HUMMINGBIRD P376 IFFLEY ROAD P378 KNIGHTSBRIDGE MANAGEMENT P380 LIFE KITCHENS P382 MAVIADA P384 NO.1 BOTANICALS P386 ONDINE P388 PAPIER P390 RADAR POP-UP P392 RALIEGH GOSS P394 SABINA SAVAGE P396 SNOW FINEL P398 SPORTS HAI P400 SUTTON AND TAWNEY VICTORIA GRANT P404 W&W JEWELLERY P406

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

CHARABANC

The world’s first luxury fragrance automobile accessory

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aving spent many years working in the advertising world, M&C Saatchi’s CEO Carrie Hindmarsh and Strategy Director Barbara Behan knew that finding a true gap in the market was like searching for the Holy Grail. So when they saw that despite a burgeoning luxury home fragrance market there was no high-end fragrance brand oriented solely around the car, they knew they’d found it. They landed upon the idea of creating a luxury fragrance ‘objet’ for the automobile, inspired by the golden age of travel.

Charabanc has been truly engineered, as befits a product designed for the motorcar.

Its aesthetic takes its inspiration from classic car interiors with all their unmistakable attention to detail. Furthermore, the product is made using the very best of British manufacturers.

The fragrance carrier was inspired by the pomander, one of the earliest scent holders.

It is manufactured using the very distinctively British tradition of metal spinning, which is particularly suited to forming circular objects. So the finished pomander not only has a distinctive beauty that is highly valued

Charabanc is inspired by the golden age of travel and one of the earliest scent holders, the pomander

Charabanc info@charabanc.com charabanc.com

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Charabanc has been truly engineered, as befits a product designed for the motorcar. Its aesthetic takes its inspiration from classic car interiors

by designers but it also has an unmatched functionality, prized by engineers. Charabanc leather is sourced and hand-finished by one of Britain’s oldest suppliers. The leather is natural and sustainable and of the highest quality and is vegetable-tanned so every piece will age to develop a patina over time. The leather lid is ‘wet moulded’, borrowing from an old Tuscan artisan technique which involves hand-shaping each lid on a wooden mould. This tradition has now been taken to a workshop in London’s East End. In short, Charabanc has been classically engineered and is a beautifully manufactured piece of British design.

The fragrances – or fragrance journeys – have been developed by one of the most globally renowned perfume houses to have all of the complexity of a fine fragrance.

They have been designed to evoke the flora and aromatic qualities of some of the world’s most resonant drives. So ‘Across Pennine Fells’ suggests a fresh British earthiness and ‘Along the Plain of Castellucio’ conjures up the wild meadows of Umbria. Further afield, the heady, smoky scents of the Middle East are captured in ‘The Golden Road to Samarqand’ while ‘Journey to Tai Mo Shan’ resonates with the after-the-monsoon lushness of China. Finally ‘Monument Valley Drive’ delivers a big, audacious, American desert scent.

Each scent has notes of leather and wood to suggest the olfactory microcosm of a vintage car.

Charabanc has launched in three classic motoring colours – London Tan, Racing Green and Orient Black. The pomander has been cleverly engineered to hang free from a rear-view mirror, fit neatly into the a/c unit, using the magnetic metal clip, or rest snugly in a coffee cup holder, depending on one’s preferred aesthetic and fragrance throw.

The brand launched in the appropriate setting of Goodwood Revival in August 2018 and is currently available at Harrods and online at charabanc.com.

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Designed and crafted in the UK, Duke & Dexter shoes are bold, eye-catching and determinedly British

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BRANDS TO WATCH

DUKE & DEXTER Adventurous footwear design: made in England, worn worldwide

Duke & Dexter strives to retain a British attitude in everything it does, starting with its approach to design: confidence without arrogance

Duke & Dexter 12 Eccleston Yards off 21 Eccleston Place London SW1W 9NF +44 (0)20 7096 1880 dukeanddexter.com

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uke & Dexter is a British-born footwear label that appeals to men who appreciate the traditional, delivered on contemporary terms. Bold, eyecatching and with an unapologetically rebellious streak, its shoes are designed in London and handcrafted in England.

The materials, colours and textures challenge expectations of what a heritage British shoe can and should be. They strike a balance between familiar British charm and progressive fashion, without losing sight of the fundamentals that underpin D&D’s footwear design: exceptional

Great British Brands 2019

comfort and an enduring quality that will support the modern lifestyle.

Since launching in 2014, Duke & Dexter has received international recognition. Its shoes are dispatched to over 120 countries, and the company has worked with worldwide retailers including Harrods, The KaDeWe Group, Level Shoes and Tsum. A winner at the Drapers Footwear Awards, fans of D&D also include Eddie Redmayne, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Timberlake, Jonah Hill, Tinie Tempah and Tyson Beckford.

2018 proved to be a particularly stellar year. Following successful launches of four suede penny loafers and a playful pastel suede collection, the A/W’18 range stole the show in the latter half of the year. The defining success?

A chukka boot which provides the solution to how to look ace with lace. This coming-of-age collection focuses on Duke & Dexter’s British roots, breathing new life into heritage materials including corduroy and tweed and a standout monochrome houndstooth print with ample bite.

The S/S’19 collection continues to allow D&D’s adventurous and confident design principles to take centre stage, incorporating unique fabrics and colourways. Rumour also has it that a collaboration with a certain world famous American Hip-Hop superstar is in the pipeline for early next year.

2018 also offered an opportunity for some reflection on the brand and the bigger picture. In addition to supporting wider British craftsmanship, Duke & Dexter has become a key figure in promoting the creative manufacturing industry in Sheffield. Duke & Dexter strives to retain a British attitude in everything it does, starting with its approach to design: confidence without arrogance. There is a fearless streak that permeates everything it does.

London has long been a melting pot of world culture, creating the perfect home for the brand, bursting with international sources of inspiration.

Rooting the brand in cultural connection is symbolic of a British attitude and has allowed D&D to build a global following among people who appreciate the company’s wicked sense of humour.

One story captures this neatly. As it turns out men with big feet love to be expressive with their footwear. The USA is Duke & Dexter’s largest market and, following a decision to increase sizing options up to a size 15 bespoke, orders started flooding in from NBA and NFL stars. They were thrilled to have discovered a brand that could cater to their unique and confident styling, with no compromise on comfort. Now, Duke & Dexters are worn by sporting ambassadors across the pond, including Olympic fencer Myles ChamleyWatson, NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith and NBA star Brice Johnson.

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

ELICYON

Merging architectural rigour with beautiful interior design

E Elicyon Fairbank Studios 2 65-69 Lots Road London SW10 0RN +44 (0)20 3772 0011 elicyon.com

licyon was founded in 2014 by Charu Gandhi, with a vision to weave a story of ‘exquisite interior couture’ around every project. Today Elicyon is a multi award-winning design studio. Its approach has always been narrative and experience driven, a vision that changes constantly depending on the location, architecture, client and historical or cultural context of a project. Elicyon merges the rigour of architectural practice with the fluid beauty of interior design and takes each client on a journey, from the genesis of the project to their move into the property and beyond.

In line with its growing international recognition, Elicyon’s diverse team has grown from 12 to 20 and continues to foster the best of the best of creative talented experts.

The craftsmen and artisans that Elicyon works

with include some of the world’s leading glassmakers, crystal makers and innovative producers of plasterwork, finishes and furniture.

In 2018, Elicyon completed the concept design for a 29,000 sq/ft penthouse in Dubai and landmark projects in Shanghai and Mumbai, alongside several British projects in Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Marylebone and Chelsea.

There are few lengths to which Elicyon will not go for its clients. When a client asked Elicyon to purchase an oil painting for a London property, Charu Gandhi went with her Creative Director to the Art Basel Fair, where they were first in the VIP queue to ensure they acquired an incredible Joan Miró art work. Another time, with an extremely fast turnaround, royal Middle Eastern clients asked Elicyon to design and decorate a hospital suite for their daughter, who was due to give birth to the heir of the throne. In line

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‘For us, being British is celebrating the amazing confluence of styles and influences that London benefits from’

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Elicyon’s founder Charu Gandhi; the reception room at One Hyde Park; a double height reception room in Dubai; a master bedroom in Knightsbridge

with tradition, a reception was held following the birth. Elicyon created the entire environment in which to introduce the Royal baby, including monogrammed linen and cushions, the table setting and goody bags (in partnership with Lalique). ‘No journey is too long or difficult for a successful project,’ says Charu Gandhi.

A Chinese client wanted an authentically British apartment, so Elicyon built it in a warehouse outside London then had it f lat-packed, air freighted out and installed in Shanghai. Even the lightbulbs were from Britain and to avoid any error or delay, Elicyon’s joiners and craftsmen took their own tools.

‘For us, being British is celebrating the amazing confluence of styles and influences that London benefits from,’ says Charu.

‘London is a fertile breeding ground for creativity and a hub for the design world.

It draws talent from around the world to its museums and educational institutions like the Architectural Association, Central Saint Martins or the Royal College of Art. Adventurousness is a very British quality and at Elicyon we have a fervent sense of adventure, which takes us around the world in search of excellence and often encourages us to push the boundaries on behalf of our clients. While we may be sourcing textiles from India, drawing inspiration from France and procuring marble from Italy, we always close the circle by remaining committed to our investment in British craft.’

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

FAIRFAX & FAVOR

Combining functionality and durability with a beautiful aesthetic

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airfax & Favor is a charming, Norfolk-based brand, owned and run by two young entrepreneurs, Marcus Fairfax Fountaine and Felix Favor Parker. A multichannel shopping destination for footwear and accessories for men and women, the products are of the finest quality, designed to last a lifetime.

Celebrating fun and adventure with a spirited take on British culture and heritage, the brand’s soul lies in its cavalier attitude to life.

Since it was founded in 2013, Fairfax & Favor has experienced unprecedented growth, most notably through its digital strategy and active retail presence at the best country lifestyle and equestrian shows in Britain. Five years on, the brand travels internationally with its retail pop-up, visiting seven shows in Europe including Boekelo, Le Lion d’Angers and Pau. Product development evolved to support the anticipated differences in foot and calf sizes in overseas territories.

The biggest growth for the

Fairfax & Favor encourages customers to tag them on Instagram and invites followers to give feedback on new lines

brand has been online, with international visitors increasing by 130 per cent year-on-year. While the British market remains the strongest, Fairfax & Favor is consistently making strides to increase user experience for international customers, with geo-targeted features such as currency exchanges and size guides. This has proved effective, with collections being shipped throughout Europe and as far as Australia, America, Canada, and New Zealand.

Fundamental to Fairfax & Favor’s growth in the past year has been a customer-centric approach to its media strategy. The brand encourages customers to tag the brand on Instagram and invites its followers to give feedback on new lines, thus becoming involved in the development of the products. The best example of this engagement is its initiative to find the face of seasonal campaigns through social media competitions. As a young and growing brand, Fairfax & Favor is expanding its demographic via these omni-channel initiatives as it makes moves to create a simple, yet beautiful customer journey for existing users, as well as those who are new to the brand.

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 2018, Fairfax & Favor partnered with Breast Cancer Care for the third consecutive year. In 2016 and 2017, the brand raised a staggering £30,000 for the charity and in 2018 Marcus and Felix continued their support by designing a special limited-edition hot pink suede tassel, raising over £43,000 and donating 100 per cent of the proceeds to the charity.

With the appointment of a new Head of Product Development, the brand has brought a fresh approach to product design.

The introduction of the Loxley handbag collection is a true representation of how the brand has evolved in both style and design. The collection offers a more structured and refined feel, with the debut of the new gold plated lock, branded with the iconic Fairfax & Favor shield. All products are designed with functionality and durability in mind, which Fairfax & Favor believes are as important as the aesthetic.

In time, the brand envisages expanding its product range to include outerwear, as well as a wider choice of shoes for both men and women.

Fairfax & Favor HQ Narford Hall King’s Lynn Norfolk PE32 1JA +44 (0)1760 338199 fairfaxandfavor.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Fairfax & Favor’s suede Chelsea boot in chocolate; the Loxley shoulder bag in tan; the Regina tan suede boot

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

GORDON CASTLE The regeneration of one of Scotland’s oldest walled gardens inspires a thriving natural lifestyle brand

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he magical story of the restoration of Scottish treasure Gordon Castle’s Walled Garden is one of perseverance, triumph over nature and great imagination, and now it also has an ending in sight. 2020 has been announced as the completion date of this extraordinary project, which has seen the transformation of a derelict former raspberry garden in Moray’s Spey Valley into the largest fully productive walled garden in Scotland and the inspiration for a dedicated lifestyle brand Since 2013, owners Angus and Zara Gordon Lennox have worked closely with leading British garden designer Arne Maynard to give the eight-acre garden a new lease of life. During its heyday, the garden provided an abundance of fruit, vegetables, cut flowers and herbs for the castle and estate, as well as providing employment for many local people. It was laid mainly to raspberries in the 1950s and run as a commercial soft fruit farm during the latter half of the last century. During its best years, over 50 tons of fruit were harvested. Eventually, it became uneconomic and was kept on a low maintenance programme to preserve

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Gordon Castle has provided the inspiration for its owners Angus and Zara Gordon Lennox to create a beautiful lifestyle range of products entirely focussed on the produce from this historic estate and gardens

its integrity and the 249 espaliered fruit trees that lined the walls.

Over the past five years, the 15th-century plot has been painstakingly restored – a task that has been no easy feat. From an overgrown grass field, the garden now has four considerable vegetable beds, four colourthemed cut flower beds, perennial vegetable beds and a newly planted orchard with 54 cherry trees. There is a beautiful quince and wild strawberry meadow, a wild grass maze and even an outdoor amphitheatre. Lavender ribbons form the central heart of the garden and are used in the award-winning gin Gordon Castle Gin, sold at 1,000 outlets across Europe including Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and Marks & Spencer, and distilled

into oil for its bath and body ranges, as well as providing much needed sustenance for the honey bees. A natural children’s play area has been created from reclaimed estate materials, encouraging children to discover natural elements and determine their own play time. This winter, the south east corner is the subject of development with all varieties of soft fruit being planted ahead of next year’s season and over 48,000 bricks laid by hand to define the edges of the beds. Everything in the garden has a purpose, whether it’s grown for the range of lifestyle products, for the café or to sell in the potting shed.

What is being created is not only a wonderful visitor attraction but also a world-class luxury brand, with over 250 product lines including an aromatic chamomile loose-leaf tea, homemade chutney containing fresh, homegrown chillies and natural beauty products ranging from salt scrubs to body lotions, where every item is fragranced by essential oils derived from the garden’s plants and herbs.

This ambitious, £1.2m restoration has also resulted in the employment of 65 local staff, all of whom have taken the ongoing project of safeguarding a traditional Scottish estate to their hearts.

Gordon Castle Fochabers, Moray Scotland IV32 7PQ +44 (0)1343 612315 gordoncastlescotland.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

GUINEA

Demonstrating the eternal appeal of British equestrian chic

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uinea founder, Judie Cutting always had an eye for a superbly cut jacket. Raised in a family steeped in the equestrian worlds of racing and hunting, she had long noticed that during the winter jump racing season one type of woman invariably stood out.

That woman was the sublimely elegant dresser who made everyone else – to use a racing expression – look like an ‘also ran’. She personified everything Judie loved about classic style.

In 2015 Judie put her love of textiles and design and her sharp eye for tailoring to use by starting her own clothing brand. Her vision was to create beautiful clothes based on equestrian fashion’s cut but she needed a name to encapsulate the brand’s essence.

Clearing out a drawer one day, she found a gold guinea coin from 1775 and knew she’d found the name. ‘For 400 years the British guinea, worth £1 and one shilling, was used to price and purchase only the finest luxury goods – from works of art to wine, jewellery and fine tailoring,’ says Judie. ‘As a child, I remember my father’s accounts in guineas from his tailor or wine merchant. Racehorses

‘Britishness has a specific and recognisable feel and heritage, but trying to define it is extremely hard. It’s enigmatic but distinct’

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Navy trench coat; sky blue Windsor jacket; black down jacket; green velvet Motcomb coat; navy Knightsbridge coat

are still sold in guineas, and we still have iconic top races named after them like the 1000 Guineas and the 2000 Guineas’.

From making and selling tailored coats and jackets for the horse racing set, Guinea has expanded its range to include chic velvet coats with an edgy city look, always with an emphasis on the distinctive cut, inspired by hacking jackets or side-saddle habits with simple details that draw attention to or minimise the waist.

Guinea sources its cloth from traditional British mills, which Judie commissions to her own designs. This ensures that her fabrics are exclusive and unique to Guinea – once a fabric is woven and sold out, it is not repeated. This means Guinea can

constantly produce garments in limited edition runs.

Guinea’s classic British look has attracted customers from round the world and allowed the brand to expand internationally. ‘We don’t set out to try and be British but we’re innately British in the way we design,’ says Judie. ‘Britishness has a specific and recognisable feel and heritage, but trying to define it is extremely hard. It’s enigmatic but distinct and that is what our customers are buying into.’

With ecommerce sales from around the world Guinea is now developing stockists in Europe and America. A new exciting development is that Guinea is now stocked in China, including in the prestigious British House in Beijing and on China’s biggest luxury platform secoo.com.

‘When we do our pop-up shows at places like Goodwood Revival or the Royal Windsor Horse Show, Americans flock to us and account for about half our sales,’ says Judie. ‘Many come from the Carriage Association of America and they love the timeless equestrian style at Guinea’s heart. Wherever we go, our clothes act as a magnet. Just like our namesake the guinea, our clothes represent the finest of the fine.’

Guinea Lockley Villa Farm Wistanswick Market Drayton TF9 2AY +44 (0)345 3192039 guinealondon.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

HUMMINGBIRD Pioneering british brand who create the world’s lightest folding bikes

Fernando Alonso’s custom bike

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he story of Hummingbird began when designer Petre Craciun’s girlfriend complained that her foldable bike was too heavy to lug up the three flights of stairs to her London flat. So he set about designing and building a super-lightweight prototype. Fast forward to 2015, when Hummingbird officially reinvents the cycling experience and offers an eco-friendly and stylish solution to the daily drive with the launch of the world’s lightest folding bikes.

The remarkable lightness was achieved via radical use of carbon fibre, an advanced composite material which is used in aerospace and racing due to its lightweight yet high performance qualities.

Hummingbird teamed with Prodrive, the British motorsport engineering group, which develops some

The electric Hummingbird

of the world’s most advanced composite technologies to hand-build the frames and assemble the bikes in Banbury alongside the race and rally cars it builds for brands including Aston Martin and Subaru.

Believing that there is a perfect bike for every rider, Hummingbird offers three unique models. The single speed is the world’s lightest foldable bike at just 6.9kg, while the multi-speed version with its four-speed gear hub delivers even greater versatility. The latest addition is the Hummingbird electric, which features an in-built battery pack that can be charged in two hours and is controlled via an app, which can also be used for bike-oriented navigation or to lock the wheel.

A brushless motor also senses the needs of the rider, delivering additional boosts of power up to 25km/ph when required. Other exceptional features include

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Since the launch, public and press reaction alike has been phenomenal, with The Telegraph declaring Hummingbird bikes to be game-changing Hummingbird built alongside the racing cars at Prodrive

Hummingbird’s unique narrow fold

high performance wheels, smaller than those on average bikes, enabling a faster ride with less effort and also rendering the bikes more compact and easier to transport, and the Swinglock folding system, which allows the bikes to be folded in less than five seconds. Since all the bikes are handmade, Hummingbird also offers a bespoke design service, which allows for colour customisation. It has already created tailor-made bicycles for many happy customers including F1 legend Fernando Alonso. If you want your bike to match the colour of your car, your yacht or even a favourite bag, then Hummingbird has the solution.

Since the launch, public and press reaction alike has been phenomenal, with The Telegraph declaring Hummingbird bikes to be ‘game-changing’, T3 stating

that ‘there really has been no expense spared in designing the ultimate product for the urban cyclist’ and The Robb Report admiring ‘a serious piece of precision engineering, made of the world’s most advanced composite technologies’. Hummingbird has just been shortlisted for a coveted Dezeen award and has also announced a retail partnership with The Conran Shop, which will be selling the bikes both in stores and online, whilst the year ahead also will reveal several exciting new design and brand partnerships.

Challenging the issues of urban cycling, especially mobility and portability, and creating products that deliver not only on its revolutionary design but also on aesthetics, Hummingbird is certainly succeeding in its mission to make people fall back in love with cycling.

Hummingbird Chalker Way Banbury OX16 4XD +44 (0)1295 273355 hummingbirdbike.co.uk

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

IFFLEY ROAD

The luxury sportswear brand which is ahead of the pack

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ill Byrne and Claire Kent, the husband-and-wife team who set up Iffley Road in 2013, were both keen runners as children and met through the sport. They felt there wasn’t much kit on the market which appealed to them and wanted to produce a range of stylish, technical clothes that were for runners but also for a wider active lifestyle, as they say, ‘for running, fitness and living’.

The pair has always loved minimalist designs and the pared-back athletics apparel from the 1950s. This look was one they wished to combine with the latest performance fabrics and technical innovations. Examples include their simple laser-cut eyelets under the arms of their jackets for added ventilation, light but extremely waterproof and breathable outerwear (the waterproofing specifications of their flagship Marlow jacket are double those required for keeping ultramarathon runners safe and protected in bad conditions) and the secure but discreet zipped pockets in their tops and shorts.

The company is called Iffley Road after the famous track of that name in Oxford where Roger Bannister ran the first sub four-minute

Minimalist but technical design is at the heart of Iffley Road

Iffley Road 16 Charles ll Street London SW1Y 4NW +44 (0)20 8940 0022 iffleyroad.com

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Iffley Road’s ethos is that sport is a critical part of a balanced lifestyle and this is reflected in the practical and versatile nature of its kit

mile in 1954. The feat was the inspiration for Bill and Claire and continues to be so. They favour retro detailing such as a small tri-stripe ribbon on all their kit. This is a tribute to the Amateur Athletics Association – Bannister wore the AAA logo at the time of his world-famous run. The Iffley Road roundel is deliberately reminiscent of running club badges of the period.

The couple’s philosophy is simple: that running should be free, uncomplicated and beautiful but that it is also about friendship and camaraderie. They love the fact Bannister was paced to perfection by his training companions and that he wasn’t an obsessive runner and went climbing and hiking just weeks before his successful run. The brand ethos is that sport is a critical part of a balanced lifestyle and this is reflected in the practical and versatile nature of Iffley Road kit.

Britishness is at the root of Iffley Road and drives the couple’s design decisions, their product range, choice of fabrics, photography, models and tone. The brand reflects their own joy at running in the British countryside. The muted colour palette is drawn from their favourite routes – through parkland, forests, rivers and mountains.

This year, to minimise their carbon footprint, they are sourcing an even greater proportion of their kit from Britain. They have extended their merino base layer to include a short sleeve top (Exmoor) and a roll neck (Bodmin). The whole range is made in their Leicestershire factory using fine gauge Italian yarns.

When Iffley Road started it was purely a running brand but over the years the kit has been adapted for a broader appeal. Iffley Road now offers kit for the gym, yoga and travel.

A new website launched in November 2018 with a journal, podcast series and stories from brand ambassadors.

The founders whole-heartedly believe that running improves people’s lives in every way – mainly of course, physically and spiritually but now, with the advent of their company, sartorially too.

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT High-end concierge and home management service

L Knightsbridge Property & Lifestyle Management 34 South Molton Street London W1K 5RG +44 (0)20 7887 2617 knightsbridgemanagement.co.uk

ondon’s most rarefied areas – Belgravia, Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, and Kensington – contain some of the world’s most expensive, desirable properties, often owned by royalty, celebrities or other wealthy, cosmopolitan individuals.

Knightsbridge Management numbers many such people among its clients, providing them with an all-embracing home management service as well as offering a full concierge service and help with household staff recruitment. Founded in 2014, it prides itself on its discretion, efficiency and politeness, all qualities for which the British are renowned.

The home management team visits its clients’ houses regularly, ensuring that they remain in pristine condition. This is partly about preventative maintenance, dealing with the problems that inevitably occur in even the best-

Providing access to London’s most sought-after experiences, restaurants, entertainment, shopping and travel

kept houses. Thanks to maintenance inspections, major leaks have been prevented at several clients’ second homes which, had they been allowed to go unchecked, would have caused serious disruption and damage to the rooms below. Several of the houses in Knightsbridge Management’s portfolio are Listed Buildings and as such significant parts of Britain’s architectural history.

In addition to this, Knightsbridge Management offers active management, running clients’ property more efficiently. The company has developed systems for managing some of the largest houses in London, not dissimilar in scale to hotels, typically employing between five and 15 members of staff. Regular reviews provide a statement of annual household expenses, maintenance budgets, food planning, the number of household staff required and their recommended training. Reviews of utility and

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Knightsbridge Property & Lifestyle Management provides an all-embracing home management and concierge service as well as help with household recruitment other contracts can result in substantial savings.

One client, the owner of one of the largest houses on the company’s books, saved around £51,000 in general costs.

Knightsbridge Management also helps its clients with the often difficult task of recruiting the staff they require, frequently at short notice.

One family was provided with a French-speaking nanny within three days. The company found an excellent British governess for one client’s child, with the result that the child was fluent in English within seven months. Another client was provided with a personal chef able to cater for his dietary requirements within 24 hours.

The concierge service that Knightsbridge Management offers provides the icing on the cake for clients, allowing them access to the most in demand but often sold-out events.

The company secured a block of eight seats for a sold-out performance of The Nutcracker, one of the season’s most sought-after performances.

As a result, the whole family was able to sit and enjoy the show together. Knightsbridge Management organised a screening of La La Land in a private cinema complete with red carpet, Hollywood-themed decorations and popcorn for another client’s birthday party.

More generally, clients of the concierge service enjoy substantial discounts and upgrades in many hotels: the company’s biggest success was saving one client 60 per cent on her Maldives holiday.

Charitable giving is a British tradition, so Knightsbridge Management is proud to donate ten per cent of its profits to charity. Its clients love knowing that they are, albeit indirectly, helping the less fortunate.

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

LIFE KITCHENS Creating real kitchens for real lives

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ife was born out of Oli’s belief that the British kitchen industry had lost its way, both in terms of design and consumer experience.

‘It needed something fresh and new to shake things up,’ he says. And he should know: the Stephenson family has been in the kitchen trade for five generations and Oli quite literally grew up in the kitchen. After spending seven years working in the industry himself, he launched his disruptive kitchen company in summer 2018.

Set in spacious premises under the railway arches near Waterloo, Life’s cool new showroom is certainly like no other.

For a start there are eight inspirational kitchen concepts on display, with gogetting names like Decadent, Opulent and Strong. Three of the kitchens are fully operational and regularly host supper clubs, demonstrations and other related events. There are designers on hand to chat through options and a virtual reality service that allows customers to experience a simulated version of their new kitchen.

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Designs cover modern handleless styles to more traditional painted shaker designs; the showroom aims to provide an inspirational mix of design possibilities

points out, while the kitchens on display are an indication of how a design might look, they are intended to be inspirational rather than prescriptive. ‘Our specialist kitchen designers will guide customers every step of the way, but how the kitchen actually looks and feels – that has to be up to the people who will be living in it.’

Visitors to the Life showroom are invited to touch the surfaces, open cupboards, pull out drawers, turn on the working taps and appliances. They’re encouraged to think about their musthaves and share their ideas with the designers, who will throw in a few of their own. It turns out design rules are made to be broken: a state-of-the-art

contemporary kitchen in a rambling period house? Why not.

At just 27, Oli is part of a new generation of young entrepreneurs motivated by and responding to the sea change in the way people shop.

‘Consumers buy in a different way now.

They’ve done a lot of research before they make a purchase so they’re better informed. They expect more in terms of service – they won’t put up with being fobbed off with a few glossy brochures or a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude from staff. And in terms of kitchen design, they don’t want to be limited to either ‘contemporary’ or ‘classic’ look, with nothing in between. They want to mix up materials, looks and colours.’

Life works with some of the best kitchen craftsmen in the business, many with decades of experience.

It also collaborates with other young entrepreneurs, including chefs and drinks manufacturers, as well as an up-and-coming ceramicist.

Having launched just a few short months ago the aim now, says Oli Stephenson, is for Life Kitchens to maintain momentum, keep evolving – and earn a place among the very best of British brands.

Life Kitchens 213 Newnham Terrace London SE1 7DR +44 (0)20 3972 0150 life-kitchens.co.uk

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

MAVIADA

Fine jewellery inspired by the chic colours of the Mediterranean

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ast year Maviada made its entry into Great British Brands as ‘one to watch’. It has not disappointed. Maviada continues to grow and inspire, with its beautiful, playful designs and cool, sophisticated style.

Created in 2016, the Maviada brand designs and produces stylish, contemporary jewellery inspired by the chic lifestyle and vibrant colours of the Mediterranean. (Appropriately, the name Maviada means ‘blue island’ in Turkish.) The collection is characterised by the way it creatively mixes 18k gold with smooth, coloured gemstones, turquoise and gorgeous baroque pearls. There is also an entry-level collection based on 18k gold vermeil.

Maviada is the creation of Eda Elbirlik, who originally practised as an endodontist (a speciality branch of dentistry) in the US, but now brings her astute attention to detail and creative flair to bear on what is her true life’s passion. She hand-draws every design on paper, exploring combinations of ethically sourced gemstones, before each piece is hand-finished in her chosen atelier to her specific instructions. History, fashion, architecture and

Maviada is an international brand achieving that soughtafter balance between elegance and cool

nature all play their part in forming her aesthetic, which is becoming increasingly recognisable as Maviada breaks into new markets in Bodrum, Doha, Istanbul, Mauritius, the Seychelles and the US. While the 18k Solid Gold Collection uses vibrant, top-quality natural gemstones, interestingly the Vermeil Collection is entirely set with stones that are handmade. Not to be confused with faux stones, these have all the gemmological properties of mined stones, but none of the adverse ethical and environmental implications. Using lab-grown gems is ethically sound and also dramatically reduces the retail price without losing any of the intrinsic style.

Spurred on by early successes, Maviada has this year expanded its 18k gold collection and nudged new boundaries with its stunning wooden and 18k gold disc bracelets and necklaces. In response to demand, a debut ring collection has been presented: designed around black, turquoise and white enamel. Of this new venture, Eda says, ‘These rings represent clean lines, sophistication and modern elegance – all the things our brand is about.’

Attracted by Maviada’s fresh perspective and clear vision, notable businesses in other sectors of the luxury industry have seen an opportunity to collaborate, among them Aman, Quintessentially and Beyond Bespoke.

The brand continues to work with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts worldwide – an early-adopter which recognised Maviada’s natural appeal to an upscale travel clientele. Maviada also retails through Harvey Nichols, La Maison Couture, and more. The brand was well received at London Fashion Week, most recently at a September 2018 showcase on Bond Street, curated by the exciting new editorial platform The Jewellery Cut. Headquartered in London, inspired

by Mediterranean sensibilities, Maviada sees itself as an emerging international brand, which is achieving that rare CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: and sought-after balance between The model elegance and cool. ‘We’re working wears wooden bead necklace hard to design jewellery that with 18k gold showcases a modern, playful style discs, Tanzanite quartz and and enjoying the journey as our Capri earrings, brand grows,’ says Eda. ‘After all, 18k vermeil; isn’t that what life is about?’

Large diamond hoop earrings, 18k gold; Black enamel ring, 18k gold; 13 stone baroque violet pearl earrings, London blue topaz, 18k gold

Maviada One London Square Guildford Surrey GU1 1UN +44 (0)20 7736 7438 maviada.co.uk

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

NO.1 BOTANICALS

Herbal drinks that harness the power of nature and are authenticated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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he story of No.1 Botanicals starts in a tiny Italian hamlet that, for a long time, hid a big secret. In Acciaroli, more than one in ten residents live to over 100 years old. Scientists from Rome’s La Sapienza University and the University of California’s San Diego School of Medicine identified rosemary as the key ingredient added to their otherwise classically Mediterranean diet.

When David Spencer-Percival heard this story, he set out on a mission to capture the herb’s goodness within a new drink.

He created No.1 Rosemary Water, the first single-extract botanical drink, and the adventure into the world of herbs began.

Throughout history, herbs such as meadowsweet, basil, sage and thyme have been used to flavour foods and drinks and to relieve ailments. According to legend, students in Ancient Greece wore garlands of rosemary around their necks to help them concentrate in exams, while meadowsweet was one of the forerunners of the Aspirin many of us use today. In fact, over 50 per cent of the drugs approved for medical use over the past 30 years are derived either directly or indirectly from plants.

No.1 Rosemary Water was well received, both in Britain and internationally. It was listed by mainstream retailers such as Waitrose and Marks & Spencer. Its success spurred David SpencerPercival to spin out the concept. He says, ‘People are looking for more from their soft drinks today, seeking out more sophisticated

‘People are looking for more from their soft drinks today, seeking out more sophisticated flavours while being more mindful of what they’re putting in their bodies’

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No.1 Botanicals have upped the ante when it comes to drinks that are not only delicious but are good for you too

flavours while being more mindful of what they’re putting in their bodies than ever before.’

Tasting, learning and immersing himself in the history and flavours of botanicals, David collaborated with the team at Blue Sky Botanics to select nine more herbs – each with its own history – that could harness the power of nature and become Rosemary’s new family. No.1 Botanicals, the world’s first collection of single-extract herbal drinks, launched in autumn 2018 at Harvey Nichols and Harrods: Basil, Fennel, Juniper, Lemon Verbena, Meadowsweet, Mint, Olive Leaf, Rosemary, Sage and Thyme.

As with No.1 Rosemary Water, the new botanical extract drinks contain no added sugar, preservatives, sweeteners, additives, artificial colours or flavours. The herbs go through a complex process of both cold and hot extraction, in order to preserve the fresh herb, capture the compounds and ingredients found in nature, and get

them into the bottle. The result is a collection of deliciously refreshing flavours, best served over ice: some sweet, some light, some earthy, but all of them delicate, aromatic and completely natural, with nothing added except lightly carbonated spring water.

David describes collaborating with the scientists at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as an honour – and authentication of his collection by world experts in botanical science will certainly do No.1 Botanicals’ credentials no harm. As Professor Monique Simmonds, Deputy Director of Science at Kew, points out, ‘Kew has a long history of promoting a more natural approach to our everyday lives and the products that we consume.’

No.1 Botanicals represents an appealing alcohol-free alternative in an era that is witnessing a transformational shift towards natural health, alongside a much greater awareness of general wellbeing. ‘Still or sparkling’ just got a whole lot more interesting.

No.1 Botanicals 6 Burnsall Street London SW3 3ST +44 (0)20 3905 2222 rosemarywater.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

ONDINE

Graceful, elegant and enduring cookware that is non-toxic and sustainable

Marie Guerlain’s artistic eye means that the pans are irresistible as well as enduring.

They gleam reassuringly and are stunning to behold

Ondine 4th Floor 180 Great Portland Street London W1W 5QZ +44 (0)20 3858 0601 ondine.com

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arie Guerlain is from one of the most famous families of perfumiers in the world but is a businesswoman in her own right. In 2016, she launched Ondine at Harrods, and has already been awarded the Luxury Briefing ‘Emerging Luxury Brand of the Year’ for her range of beautiful cookware.

Despite her French heritage, Guerlain was brought up in London, France and Switzerland but has really spent most of her life in Britain. She certainly feels British.

Her idea for the pans blossomed in an environment in which British consumers were becoming increasingly aware of their impact on the planet and ever more mindful of wishing to be more healthy in every aspect of their lives, starting at home, and very particularly in the kitchen.

Formerly an artist, Guerlain has three sons and, while cooking for her family, began to worry that the pans she was using were leaking toxins into the food. She was always trying to live in a non-toxic household and

found there were no pans available that ticked all her boxes. There was a gap in the market, which she set out to fill. She decided to create her own range and before she knew it found herself meeting manufacturers in Italy. Months then years followed of learning about manufacturing, 3D design, rendering and prototypes – and going back to the drawing-board a million times to get the pans just so. She sourced the finest raw, nonrecycled, new titanium, which is non-leach, non-porous and nontoxic. These pans will never poison anyone or become landfill.

Titanium is so tough they make spaceships out of it, and the food will remain untainted and pure. She worked for seven years with top craftsmen. Every detail, from the simplicity of the ergonomic shape, to the hand-finished brass handles, has been considered for a timeless style and functionality. Every aspect, from the milling of the pan body to the intricate 2D relieved pan bases, has been innovative and a labour of Guerlain’s love.

Her artistic eye means the results are irresistible as well as enduring and safe.

The pans gleam reassuringly and are stunning to behold. The lids’ knobs are decorated with intricate monograms.

Guerlain’s intention is that they should be passed down the generations, just as beloved cookware always was before the advent of a throwaway culture, which produced cheap pans that fell apart.

‘Every pan is like a jewel and such a joy to use,’ she says. ‘The brass rivets make them appear industrial,’ she observes, ‘just to add to their cool.’ No wonder Ondine’s products are available online at Goop, LuxDeco and Wolf & Badger, and they had an airing on Masterchef recently with chef Francesco Mazzei. No wonder, too, that Guerlain is seeking to expand her cookware line and to move into utensils. She also wants to produce a recipe book and to film herself cooking her favourite osso bucco with saffron risotto or fried chicken – with her Ondine pans taking a starring role.

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Marie Guerlain’s mission was to bring beautiful, enduring and, most importantly, non toxic products into her home

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Papier continues to partner with British brands and charities, as well as embracing local designers

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BRANDS TO WATCH

Great British Brands 2019

PAPIER

Creators of beautiful personalised stationery on demand

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n this, the age of the email, it’s heartening to come across a company that not only inspires people to connect with each other in a more thoughtful way, but gives them the tools to do it with.

Taymoor Atighetchi launched Papier in 2015 with a mission to become the global leader in personalised, design-led products. His contention was that as digital communication proliferated in our lives, so we would appreciate hand-written notes, invitations and paper announcements all the more. He also believed that if he married a carefully curated collection of designs with quality printing and premium paper, he would be offering customers not just something they would be proud to send, but which recipients would also love to receive and keep.

He was right: Papier has grown tenfold since in its first trading year and continues to go from strength to strength, expanding last year into France, Germany and the US. ‘We launched Papier at a time when many of our friends were getting married or having kids,’ says Taymoor. ‘Seeing them use our products for the most special occasions in their lives was really encouraging and made us think that we were doing something right. But the greatest feeling is when you start seeing people you don’t know using your product. And there are now over a quarter of a million Papier customers around the world.’

Papier products are printed and produced in the UK, US and Australia, using state-of-the-art digital printing and the highest quality paper. At the heart of Papier’s success is always its inspiring designs, the result of creative collaborations with fashion designers and cultural organisations.

‘We’re proudly British,’ says Taymoor, ‘and have collaborated with British artists and brands from the beginning, such as “design wunderkind” Luke Edward Hall, fun-loving fashion designer Henry Holland and 2017’s winner of the British Fashion Council

& Vogue Fashion Fund, Mother of Pearl.’

Papier has also partnered with British institutions such as the V&A and Liberty London, alongside smaller independent artists such as Emma Block. ‘It’s this mix of collaborations that gives Papier its unique angle in the market. We’re keen to continue supporting new British talent as well as working with more established British brands as we grow and internationalise, introducing them to new audiences. But as we expand into new markets, we’re also keen to embrace local designers and introduce them to our customers.’

One of Papier’s most successful products has been a delightful, personalised children’s book called All The Things I Wish For You, with illustrations by Allison Black and words by renowned picture-book author Mark Sperring. A second book, The Great Alphabet Chase, has just been launched with illustrations by renowned illustrator, Rose Blake.

Papier has also worked with several British charities, including Breast Cancer Haven, CALM and The Prince’s Trust to raise money from the sale of Papier products and last year had its first London pop-ups at Anthropologie and Liberty.

In the digital age it’s heartening to come across a company that inspires people to connect with each other more thoughtfully

Papier +44 (0)20 7770 6477 papier.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

RADAR POP-UP

London’s leading experiential agency is championing the pop-up

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ost companies associate experiential agency RADAR with helping luxury brands create amazing spaces at global trade shows. However, following ongoing client feedback concerning the rising costs and increased lack of flexibility associated with many trade shows, the group has used 2018 to launch its sister company RADAR Pop-Up, a company dedicated to providing clients with extraordinary bespoke, pop-up experiences around the world.

Founder Nick Marks describes the transition as one that is ‘best suited to the current market climate’. ‘As our high streets continue to look for ways to adapt,’ he continues, ‘we are seeing landlords becoming more flexible and all this is happening at a time when brands also seem to be becoming increasingly frustrated by the traditional trade show experience. For example, this year, for the first time, The Crown Estate allowed us to utilise some of their spaces and it worked perfectly for all the parties involved.

An otherwise empty shop in the heart of London became a marketing showcase for an incredible brand and a wonderful visitor experience. You can’t compare this to lugging

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RADAR’s multi-disciplinary design team has over 25 years’ experience working specifically with temporary spaces

a large team to a three-day trade show in an awkward and costly location, especially when the pop-up costs less and gives more!’

The project referred to is the much-revered Last Drop Distillers pop-up atelier, which opened this summer in Piccadilly Arcade.

Set over two floors within a 500 square foot space in the famous Edwardian arcade, the pop-up provided an invite-only client experience that included learning about the brand’s history, meeting the people behind it and, of course, plenty of tasting. With an average of 12 visitors attending two sessions per day and press events in-between, The Last Drop ended its six week residency with hundreds of wonderfully personal client experiences and an unprecedented level of glowing press coverage.

Rebecca Jago, Managing Director at The Last Drop, described the experience as ‘the perfect atelier’ and ‘a phenomenal success for the Last Drop’ and credits RADAR’s vision and management as being central to its success. The Last Drop is already looking to return with something even more incredible in the near future and RADAR Pop-Up continues to roll our flagship projects across the capital for major brands.

2019 will be an exciting year for RADAR Pop-up, as it launches its first dedicated ‘all-in-one’ pop-up spaces across London’s West End in partnership with a leading estate. As well as being able to offer clients even more exclusive spaces, this new addition will also make arranging pop-ups faster, easier and more cost-effective while additionally improving the environmental credentials of projects, due to reduced logistics and single-use materials required.

From its studio in London’s Kensal Rise, RADAR offers a genuinely in-house, full service solution including design, production and management. Its multi-disciplinary design team has over 25 years’ experience of working specifically with temporary spaces, with skilled production and installation teams made up of master craftspeople with the attention to detail that high-level retail demands.

RADAR Pop-Up Scrubs Lane London NW10 6RE +44 (0)20 3735 9912 radarpopup.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

RALIEGH GOSS A new generation jeweller

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ollowing the launch of their brand a little under two years ago, award-winning jeweller Raliegh Goss and her partner Angus Law have relocated from London’s Hatton Garden to open their flagship store and workshop in Burnham Market, Norfolk. At the same time, they launched two new collections: their natural fancy-coloured diamond ‘bridal’ collection and their signature collection.

Prior to the launch, Raliegh, who trained as a goldsmith, had designed for high-end Mayfair jewellery brands, celebrities and wealthy individuals. Her days were once spent walking through electronic airlock security doors and surrounded by more diamonds than most of us will see in a lifetime. Angus, meanwhile, was in hot demand from many of the Bond Street jewellery brands for his precision manufacturing skills.

Making predominantly bridal jewellery and bespoke jewels for private clients, Raliegh Goss has quickly become the brand of choice

Making predominantly bridal and bespoke jewellery, Raliegh Goss has quickly become the brand of choice for a younger generation

for a younger generation willing to step out of the confines of the luxury bridal marketplace.

At Raliegh Goss, they found coloured diamond engagement rings at unmatched prices with serious design and craftsmanship.

A visit to Raliegh Goss involves an initial discussion in which it is stressed that the duo work only with eco diamonds of fine quality, all certified by the GIA. Raliegh and Angus will always provide comparisons so clients can see how much more they are getting for their money.

Says Raliegh, ‘The best feeling is seeing someone who might elsewhere get something small, get so much more.’

A proudly British brand, Raliegh Goss is also one of a very select few jewellers in the world not to outsource. While its diamonds and gemstones come from a variety of sources, including Hong Kong, Israel, New York, Antwerp and London, everything else, with the exception of hallmarking, is done in house.

The duo design the pieces and are expert in 3D design and 3D print; they cast, mount, polish, plate and set stones themselves.’

While Raliegh and Angus have become renowned for their supreme expertise and craft, what is less obvious is why they opened their flagship in Norfolk. ‘I spent part of my childhood in North Norfolk and went to school at Gresham’s in Holt,’ says Raliegh. ‘I chose Burnham Market because it is the go-to shopping destination in North Norfolk.’

She and Angus have redesigned the shop in such a way that customers can see them at work in a visible workshop within the store. Raliegh has also filled the shop with precious natural objects which she has curated from all over the world, such as fossils, petrified wood, museum shells, brass sculptures, entomology collections and ancient Cycladic marble.

‘We think of our shop as a cave of wonders,’ says Raliegh, ‘a place where people can come and glance at bewildering artefacts and grasp a true understanding of how jewellery is made and see it happening live. Or simply pop in and have a coffee or some fizz while looking through designs and be inspired to create something new and wondrous.’

Raliegh Goss 5 Emma’s Court Burnham Market King’s Lynn Norfolk PE31 8HD +44 (0)1328 738485 ralieghgoss.com

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Raliegh Goss delights in giving clients a truly personal service and everything, apart from the hallmarking, is done in house

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Sabina Savage hand draws each illustration before it is printed onto the finest silk, wool and cashmere, so it’s like wearing your own work of art

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BRANDS TO WATCH

Great British Brands 2019

SABINA SAVAGE

so desirable, it’s rumoured that even HM The Queen has one.

Having grown up in Somerset, Sabina studied in Paris before working with several prestigious fashion houses, including Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh. ‘I worked alongside some hugely inspirational people and designers,’ says Sabina, ‘and they taught me a lot of the skills I use today on a daily basis.’

For Sabina, the creative process starts with an idea or a theme that intrigues her. Each new season means a new story, usually inspired by historical or cultural events, art movements or foreign lands. ‘I like to draw themes which feel slightly exotic to me, and yet people always tell me that the scarf prints are incredibly British,’ says Sabina. ‘I have been told that the innate Britishness lies in the level of detail in the illustrations, the historical references and the antique colour palette.’

As with most artists, there are certain things Sabina loves drawing, ‘I’ll always try to fit in a little of what I love into each collection or story. In my case, this is birds and feathers, big cats and hares,’ she says.

‘I am a bit of a purist about the details, so nothing will ever be drawn in for the sake of it.’

Given the highly intricate execution, does Sabina worry her hard work will be hidden in the wearing of the scarf? ‘I spend so much time drawing the details that each way you fold the scarf, a different aspect will be seen,’ she says.

‘I also like the element of intrigue if the full design is not immediately evident, for example, a flash of an armoured leopard or an alligator’s tail.’

In 2018, the brand launched its first-ever range of printed, silk womenswear, using Sabina’s scarf illustrations to create placement prints. Great care has been taken with the print placement, meaning every garment, down to each cuff, collar and hem, is the perfect composition both to display the distinctive print and flatter the body. ‘I am trained in the art of French tailoring, so have ensured the cut and proportions of each garment are perfect,’ says Sabina. ‘The beautiful silk twill is sourced and printed in Como, Italy, alongside the scarves, and the clothing is then produced to the highest standard in London.’

Sabina Savage exhibits at both New York abina Savage’s eponymous luxury and Paris Fashion Week every year and has scarf brand offers heritage-inspired, accrued a wide range of stockists worldwide, elaborate prints on exquisite fabrics. which grows every season.

Each illustration is intricately hand And the Sabina Savage scarf HM The drawn by Sabina, sometimes taking Queen is said to possess? It’s a charming design up to six weeks for a single design, before depicting two corgis with a selection of crown being printed onto the finest silk, wool jewels, called The Coronation Corgi. If the and cashmere. In the four years since she Queen doesn’t own it, she certainly should. launched, Sabina’s scarves have become

Heritage-inspired scarves beautifully crafted from hand-drawn prints

‘I spend so much time drawing the details that each way you fold the scarf, a different aspect will be seen’

Sabina Savage 57 Mildmay Grove North London N1 4PL +44 (0)20 7254 2403 sabinasavage.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

SNOW FINEL Stylish, functional and adaptable skiwear for on and off piste

Designed in beautiful colours with contrasting detailing, Snow Finel can be combined to ensure the perfect match for all ski conditions

Snow Finel snowfinel.co.uk

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t all started in 2013 with the search for a ski jumper. After many years of skiing in Switzerland, founder of Snow Finel, Hampshire-based Louise Waldron, realised that there was a need for stylish jumpers and base layers for skiers to wear under a jacket.

‘I felt amazing when I was actually on the slopes, dressed in beautiful jackets from great brands like Moncler and Spyder,’ says Louise.

‘But when I took my jacket off at lunchtime or in the après-ski bar, I just had on a rather unattractive sports top. When I tried to find the type of ski jumpers that I wanted to wear, they were nowhere to be seen, so I decided to make my own.’ And Snow Finel was born.

Snow Finel’s unique products combine top-quality merino wool with signature zips and embroidery to create a style that evokes both mountain action and après-ski fun.

Merino wool was the obvious choice, says Louise, as it allows the body to regulate its temperature naturally during exercise or,

indeed, dancing on the tables after a busy day on the pistes. Cut to fit and flatter in beautiful classic and statement colours with contrasting detailing, Snow Finel garments can be combined to ensure the perfect match for all ski conditions or worn without a jacket in spring.

Louise designs all the jumpers herself and takes pride in Snow Finel being a purely British brand. ‘It is very important to me that all Snow Finel garments are manufactured in Britain,’ she says. ‘I am always keen to support British businesses and I never really considered having the jumpers made anywhere else. I want this brand to have real integrity and I am proud to say that I have established great working relationships with the factories we use.’

From small beginnings the Snow Finel range has grown and evolved through listening to what customers want and through unique product development tested on the slopes by the Snow Finel team. The range, for both men and women, now includes base layers, mid layers, tanks, gilets and classic ski jumpers.

There is also a selection of hats. Perfect for stylish skiers on and off the slopes.

And the name? It was inspired, says Louise, by the Swiss ski resort of Mürren, a fairytale village in the Jungfrau region where she has skied for more than 20 years.

‘The last run of the day back to the village is called the “finel”. It’s a wonderful route down towards my favourite après-ski bar, Gondelbar (quite literally, a bar in a gondola car), for hot chocolate and glühwein.

The finel is a run that always makes you smile as you speed home towards Mürren and I felt the word would give my brand a warm, positive and very personal vibe, at the same time adding great authenticity to a new ski product.’

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Louise Waldron launched Snow Finel when she couldn’t find stylish base layers and jumpers to complement her outerwear

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BRANDS TO WATCH

SPORTS HAI

Long-lasting beauty products for athletes, developed on the playing fields of Britain

‘Britishness is what defines our brand,’ says Dorset-based Grace de Alvaro, founder of a new cosmetic brand inspired by athletes and developed on Britain’s playing fields

Sports HAI +44 (0)7532 021450 sportshai.com

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keen sportswoman herself, Grace de Alvaro created Sports HAI last year when she realised there were no beauty products on the market suitable for sportswomen (and men). ‘I’m around athletes all the time and I know that while they tend not to be obsessed with their appearance, they still want to look good,’ says Grace.

‘There’s a great story about Ester Ledecká, the first woman to achieve double gold in skiing and snowboarding in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Ester refused to take her goggles off during the press conference because she wasn’t wearing any make up. Athletes like Ester need products that are easy to apply, but which stay on and are resistant to things like water, chlorine, sea salt and sweat.’

After talking exhaustively to both fellow athletes and friends in the beauty industry, Grace set about launching her own line.

‘Finding a manufacturer wasn’t easy. I decided the best fit would be a company in Milan that works with many of the world’s luxury beauty brands. They turned me down

three or four times, so in the end I got on a plane and flew to Italy. I managed to convince them that this really was something both unique and viable. Our success really is all about team work and we’ve been joined by some star players along the way, such as Madrid businessman Antonio Moya.’

The Sports HAI range currently comprises a mascara, 2-in-1 lip transformer, duo eye shadow and liner, moisturiser/balm and bronzer. The products are multi-purpose to create a more comprehensive, complete look and each is waterproof, weather resistant, paraben free and sweat proof, and made from crueltyfree, natural ingredients suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The eye liner, eye shadow and lipstick shades are named after long-distance race horses, a touch that no doubt appealed to the Dianas of the Chase – those fearless female equestrians who race sidesaddle – who tested some of the Sports HAI products last year.

‘Before you launch something like this you have to ask yourself, does the world need it?’ says Grace. ‘It’s also vital to me that my products have integrity. What makes us different is that we test the products on professional athletes. We also test in the toughest conditions: the boxing ring, the Ironman triathlon, the Tough Mudder, the cross country track… I’ve run, swam and sweated in them myself and I’ve taken them into gyms in Britain, New York and Madrid to get feedback.’

Just as Sports HAI is no typical beauty company, so you won’t see its products shot on typical beauty models. ‘We use boxers, flamenco dancers, skate boarders. We want to show the world – especially young girls who often avoid sports because they’re concerned about their body image – that not only can you enjoy swimming, running, cycling and riding, but you can look great while you’re doing it.’

PHOTOS: MILLIE PILKINGTON, GONZALO MARQUES OBESO, GEORGINA PRESTON & RIOTSPACE.COM

Great British Brands 2019

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PHOTOS: MILLIE PILKINGTON, GONZALO MARQUES OBESO, GEORGINA PRESTON & RIOTSPACE.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Grace de Alvaro uses real sports people like boxers and gymnasts in her campaign; Sports HAI products allow you to feel confident when working out

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

SUTTON AND TAWNEY Creating womenswear and homewares that are ‘Beautifully British’

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utton and Tawney is a new, British-made and manufactured womenswear and homeware brand, established in the British countryside and launched in September 2018. With a particular focus on design and quality, hands-on founder Lovisa Pelosi oversees every stage of the manufacturing process herself. Despite her unusual name, Lovisa grew up in the English countryside, honing her interest in design from an early age, and Sutton and Tawney’s brand name combines the name of Lovisa’s family home, Sutton Manor, with the area in which it is located, Stapleford Tawney.

Lovisa’s interest in British manufacturing and design intensified after completing a degree in Fashion Marketing when she noticed a gap in the market in terms of finding well-made and sustainable products that are traceably British.

After initially focusing on alpaca fleeces and fabrics, it became apparent that the quality and variety of British lifestyle brands were falling well under the radar. This led Lovisa to develop Sutton and Tawney to her own personal taste and aesthetic. After a year of intense product development and market research, it was time to launch Sutton and Tawney upon the world.

The debut A/W’18 range includes candles and diffusers scented with essential oils in a choice of four classic scents, including Bergamot and Orange & Cinnamon, a staple leather ‘Sutton’ bag, Donegal merino and Hebridean Tawney wool throws and a range of cashmere loungewear, made from

One of the driving forces of the brand is to engage honestly and openly with the customer and share the history and development of each product

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Sutton and Tawney is authentically British in all its aspects with a transparency of provenance and supply chain available for all to see

the softest Scottish cashmere yarn and with each item proudly named after past women of Sutton Manor.

The Sutton and Tawney brand is now constantly in development, with new ideas being implemented as well as new manufacturers researched to expand on the range of British products.

The Sutton and Tawney ethos is quintessentially British, combined with an undeniable sense of indulgence. The premiere collection is created entirely using local resources and producers in order to add to the growing British-made community.

Seasonal products are made in limited runs and use individual artisans where possible – Sutton and Tawney honey is harvested from the multiple hives located within the Sutton Manor grounds. With these values in place, Sutton and Tawney is on track to become a household favourite for lovers of quality

and design with a commitment to buying British.

One of the main driving forces of the brand is to engage honestly and openly with the customer and share the history and development of each product.

Each stage of production is listed on a map of Britain on the brand’s website to show exactly where everything is made. Sutton and Tawney aims to be the front-runner in showing that you can be a luxury brand and still be transparent regarding provenance and your supply chain. To Sutton and Tawney, being British means not only exuding the air and aesthetic associated with British heritage, but developing each product from start to finish locally, within Britain.

The Sutton and Tawney mantra is simple – a dedication to bringing customers ‘Beautifully British’ products which are designed and manufactured with great distinction.

Sutton and Tawney Unit 4, Woodside Thornwood Epping Essex CM16 6LJ +44 (0)1992 579283 suttonandtawney.com

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

VICTORIA GRANT Celebrity hatter with a passion for British heritage

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Victoria Grant Notting Hill Atelier By appointment: +44 (0)20 7221 1395 victoriagrant.co.uk

PORTRAIT PHOTO: BARNEY COKELISS

f you want to get ahead, get a hat, goes the maxim. And if you want to get a hat in 2019, better make sure it’s by Victoria Grant. Dubbed the ‘celebrity hatter’, Victoria is the milliner who is making heads turn across the globe with her mix of heritage techniques and quirky design that could only be British.

Victoria Grant launched her millinery business in 2007. Six years later she is one of Britain’s leading hat designers, with an exclusive client list that includes Madonna, Anna Dello Russo, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Cara Delevingne. Her creations are regularly photographed

by Mario Testino, Ellen Von Unwerth, Annie Leibovitz, Karl Lagerfeld, Nick Knight and Juergen Teller and grace the covers of fashion magazines. Her Kiss beret, adorned with goose pointers and a crystal veil, was voted ‘best hat’ at the wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Victoria’s interest in matters millinery began at a young age with visits to the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) with her father. Her father – who as a Pikeman with the Pikemen & Musketeers – is no stranger to eccentric headgear himself and had amassed

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Hats should be part of a woman’s everyday wardrobe, Victoria firmly believes

PORTRAIT PHOTO: BARNEY COKELISS

Dubbed the ‘celebrity hatter’, Victoria is the milliner who is making heads turn across the globe with her quirky design that could only be British

a fine collection of military hats and ceremonial dress from his travels which Victoria found inspiring. It’s no coincidence that much of Victoria’s work today has a military aesthetic.

Fast forward to an early career as a fashion stylist, Victoria often had trouble sourcing the type of headwear that could facilitate her vision and stylistic approach. So with no formal training, she started making her own pieces for shoots. These promptly sold and she quickly became inundated with requests for bespoke designs.

‘I’ve done a lot of hats for really amazing, wild and fabulous people, from royal circles to rock royalty,’ says Victoria.

‘We are known for our whimsical style but a lot of the hats are art-based, avant garde or high fashion. We also do classic sophisticated elegance. It’s important to me that my clients are appropriately dressed for the occasion. A royal wedding is history in the making and you have to honour tradition.’

Today her exquisite hats are still hand-blocked and handstitched at her London atelier.

Victoria’s passion for British heritage has led her to a number of interesting collaborations, including one with British portrait artist and friend Lorna May Wadsworth.

Showcased at the Philip Mould & Co gallery in 2017, the exhibition featured a large-scale portrait of Victoria

by Lorna and a hat collection by Victoria, adorned with a selection of Philip Mould & Co’s portrait miniatures.

She has also collaborated with British jeweller Stephen Webster, artist Antony Micallef, Swarovski, designer Isabel Marant, Temperley Bridal and legendary French beret-maker Laulhere. ‘Laulhere has been creating berets since 1840 and I loved the idea of joining British eccentricity with French heritage,’ says Victoria.

Victoria firmly believes that hats ought to be worn, even without occasion. ‘Every woman should embrace them as they would an everyday statement accessory,’ she says.

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Great British Brands 2019

BRANDS TO WATCH

W&W JEWELLERY Independent bespoke jeweller

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ucked away behind Northcote Road’s fashionable boutiques in Battersea is jewellery’s hidden gem. W&W Jewellery was founded in 2008 by third-generation jewellers, Richard and Simon Warrender, to make one-off pieces for clients craving originality and distinctiveness.

This is the antithesis of the high-street jeweller.

Combining their expertise with a penchant for the extraordinary, the brothers have created a business that offers a fusion of design and craftsmanship with a passion for truly personal jewellery. The result is a range of exquisite pieces that will be enjoyed for generations.

The studio provides a calm and inspiring environment – comfortable seating and work benches lined with craftsmen’s tools set the tone – where clients feel at ease and indulged. Downstairs is the workshop where a skilled goldsmith brings each piece to life.

Whether clients commission an engagement ring, anniversary gift or remodel a family heirloom, the process of designing jewellery at W&W is an experience like no other. Specialists in converting a client’s vision, taste and style into a remarkable piece of jewellery, W&W provides an exceptional opportunity for clients CLOCKWISE FROM FAR RIGHT: W&W Jewellery collaborated with leather goods maker Pickett London; platinum opal and tsavorite garnet ring (boiled egg inspired engagement ring); W&W Jewellery HQ; emerald and diamond earrings

Storytelling through jewellery is at the heart of W&W’s identity, taking inspiration from the client’s taste, style and story

to engage with the materials, process and design for each commission. The opportunity to hand-pick each gemstone or diamond, carefully sourced and selected

by W&W’s gemologist, is unmissable.

There are no boundaries to W&W Jewellery’s design process. From minimalist and classic styles to the most theatrical, each piece is animated by its owner’s character and story. W&W is frequently commissioned to remodel heirlooms. Embracing the spirit of the original jewellery, W&W breathes new life into the piece. The result is a reinvigorated design, which retains its history and will celebrate the union of past, present and future for generations to come.

Using both modern and traditional methods of manufacture, W&W’s designs have a special British flair that is coveted by its international clients.

This flair captures the spirit and eccentricity of British style and tradition, without sacrificing quality – a hallmark that has become synonymous with products made in Britain.

So it was that one American couple, having seen the jeweller’s opal ring inspired by the shape of the British boiled egg, commissioned their interpretation of the design as an engagement ring – in honour of their favourite breakfast.

Storytelling through jewellery is at the heart of W&W’s identity, taking inspiration from the client’s taste, style and story and transforming it into a unique piece of jewellery.

This year, to mark its tenth anniversary, W&W unveiled its first Jewellery Box Collection, a judicious selection of its own jewellery complemented by notable pieces sourced from further afield. Drawing on the treasure trove of jewellery that W&W has created over the years, the collection takes as its theme unusual and rare gemstones. To launch the collection W&W joined forces with Pickett London, a brand that shares the jewellery firm’s passion for distinctive style, exceptional design and impeccable craftsmanship. The collaboration not only launched W&W’s inaugural collection but also celebrated British flair and design at its best.

W&W Jewellery 19 Webbs Road London SW11 6RU +44 (0)20 7924 2386 wandwjewellery.com

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Index E

A Alexander McQueen Anthony Sinclair Aquascutum Ascot Aston Martin Asprey

54 136 56 186 208 100

B Backes & Strauss Barbour Begg & Co Belmond Berry Bros. & Rudd Boadicea the Victorious Boodles Borough Market Brompton Bicycle Brora

80 188 64 332 348 112 82 350 210 66

C Cabbages & Roses Cadogan Carol Joy London Catchpole & Rye Celine Estates Charabanc Christy Church’s The Conran Shop Coutts Coze Crockett & Jones Czech & Speake

254 102 114 256 222 364 258 164 260 314 262 166 116

D D&D London D.R. Harris David Hunt Lighting David Morris Davidson Deakin & Francis Deirdre Dyson Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour Dr Sebagh Duke & Dexter Dyson

352 118 264 84 266 138 268 224 120 366 228

E.J. Churchill Edward Green Elicyon Elizabeth Gage Elizabeth Marsh Floral Design Emmy London ESPA Ettinger

190 168 368 86 270 68 122 170

F Fairfax & Favor Favourbrook Fiona Barratt Interiors Floris Foster & Son

370 140 230 124 172

142 372 272 300 192 374

H 12 Hay Hill Hackett Hamilton & Inches Harrods Hay Festival Heirlooms Linens Helen Green Design Henry Poole Hildon Holland & Holland Holland Cooper House of Bruar Hummingbird Hunter Huntsman

346 144 88 104 302 274 232 146 354 194 196 198 376 200 148

I Iconic Luxury Hotels Iffley Road Indian Ocean

234 318 106 278 174 356 70 280

K Katharine Pooley Kent & Curwen Knight Frank Knightsbridge Property & Lifestyle Management

236 150 320 380

L

G Gieves & Hawkes Gordon Castle GP & J Baker Grange Park Opera Guards Polo Club Guinea

Jamb James & James Jermyn Street John Cullen Lighting John Lobb Johnnie Walker Johnstons of Elgin Josephine Home

334 378 276

The Langham, London Lanserring Life Kitchens Linley London Sock Company Loomah Lucas Rarities

336 282 382 284 152 286 90

M Maddox Gallery Martin Kemp Design Maviada Mayfair & Belgravia McLaren Molton Brown Morgan Motor Company Mr & Mrs Smith Mulberry Mylands

304 238 384 108 212 126 214 338 58 288

240 290 154 242 386 176 322 306

O Octagon Developments Ondine Oyster Yachts

324 388 216

R Radar Pop-up Raliegh Goss Randle Siddeley Really Wild Recoco Property Search Rigby & Rigby Roja Dove Rolls-Royce RWD

392 394 244 72 328 246 130 218 248

S Sabina Savage Savoir The Savoy Simon Wright Jewellery Snow Finel Sports Hai Sunspel Sutton and Tawney Swaine Adeney Brigg

Tanqueray Ten Trinity Square The Thinking Traveller Theo Fennell Thomas Goode Timothy Oulton Tom Davies Tricker’s Truefitt & Hill Turnbull & Asser Tusting

396 292 340 94 398 400 156 402 178

390 326

358 360 342 96 294 296 74 180 132 158 182

V Victoria Grant Vivienne Westwood

404 62

W W&W Jewellery Walker Slater Welsh National Opera Wentworth Westminster Abbey

406 160 308 204 310

Y Yiangou Architects

P Papier PDP London

128 202 92 60

T

N Natalia Miyar Atelier Neptune New & Lingwood Nina Campbell No.1 Botanicals Noble Macmillan Northacre Nousha

Penhaligon’s Polo in the Park Pragnell Pringle

250

Z Zaeem Jamal

76

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