Walpole British Luxury Summit
THIS WEEK, OUR FOUNDING PARTNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, SHARON LILLYWHITE, AND MARKETING AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, TORY ASHBY, ATTENDED WALPOLE'S BRITISH LUXURY SUMMIT. HELD AT THE LONDONER HOTEL THE EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE LUXURY SPHERE TO EXCHANGE INSIGHTS AND PROVOKE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF BRITISH LUXURY.
Well-known for her dedication to British Luxury, Helen Brocklebank, CEO of Walpole, opened the event, shining a light on the role British Luxury plays as a global ambassador for the UK. Highlighting the impressive figures included in the Luxury in the Making report, Helen reminded us all of the important role we play, not just to the UK economy, but to the preservation of craft and the protection of the highly skilled workers that make our luxury brands what they are today.
Throughout the day speakers covered an expansive and important range of topics from global biodiversity, tech, macroeconomics, the luxury consumer, East v’s West, fashion, and DEI. The speakers all shared experiences, learnings, advice, and encouragement as we all look to shape our brands for the future.
We particularly enjoyed listening to Amandine Ohayon, CEO, Stella McCartney in conversation with Samantha Conti of WWD, who highlighted the importance of dedicating time to small creators. Particularly those who are innovative and way ahead in delivering sustainable product but who may not be able to scale up without guidance and support. Amandine also talked about the rich storytelling at the heart of Stella McCartney and how communicating these stories across the business has ensured everyone shares great pride in the brands clear sense of purpose.
A very timely and sobering presentation from Doug Gurr, Director of the National History Museum titled, Nature: we no longer have the luxury to take it for granted, really hit home. As members of Positive Luxury, we are fully invested in being nature positive but talk of potentially being decades rather than millennia away from a mass extinction event has further focused the mind. Doug talked about the need to protect and conserve 30% of the planet but that it must be the right 30%. In order to revive ecosystems and safeguard the diversity of species on Earth, the effectiveness of such a target depends on whether we are conserving the right places.
With our core ethos of Thoughtful Luxury, it is no surprise that we enjoyed hearing from Arnaud Champenois, Senior VP, Global Brand and Marketing at Belmond on their approach to Slow Luxury. Successfully blending the golden age of travel with a touch of modernity, Belmond look to give their guests an authentic and curated experience, allowing them to rediscover the luxury of time. Of course, we were delighted to hear that they have more trains in the pipeline and a hotel on Lake Como to mention a few new projects.
As always, it was a wonderful opportunity to down tools for a moment and take inspiration from others in the luxury space, connecting with colleagues old and new. Our thanks to Helen, Charlotte, and the wonderful Walpole team for yet another incredible summit.
This year’s list of inspiring speakers.
Amrita Banta, Managing Director | Agility Research & Strategy
Giorgio Belloli, Chief Digital, Innovation & Customer Officer | Burberry
Jennie Baernreuther, Managing Director | The Glenturret
François Dossa, Executive Director, Strategy & Sustainability | Jaguar Land Rover
Jason Eis, Partner | McKinsey & Company
Ekow Eshun, Writer, Curator and Broadcaster & Chairman | Fourth Plinth
Jamie Gill, Founder | The Outsiders Perspective
Doug Gurr, Director | Natural History Museum
Anabel Kindersley, CEO and Co-Owner | Neal’s Yard Remedies
Libbi Lee, Partner | McKinsey & Company
Federica Levato, Partner | Bain & Company
Kirsty McGregor, Executive European Editor | Vogue Business
Amandine Ohayon, Chief Executive Officer | Stella McCartney
Anthea Peers, President EMEA | Christie’s
Erwan Rambourg, Global Head of Consumer & Retail Research | HSBC
Anant Sharma, Founder & CEO | Matter Of Form
Abi Weeks, Chief People Officer | Harrods
Katy Wickremesinghe, Founder & CEO | KTW London and The Wick
Geoffrey Williams, Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Burberry
Walpole, British Luxury Summit at THE LONDONER
Spring is one of our favourite times of the year, and it’s been a busy and inspiring month — from our photoshoot at our client’s gorgeous Grade II* listed residence (stay tuned for the launch, coming soon), to discussing new projects, curating our weekend wind-down playlist for Walpole (listen below!), and Sharon’s press interviews. In this edition, we share what we’re talking about in the studio - including our ongoing fascination with the developments in ai, Walpole’s advocacy for British luxury in the face of tariffs, and the most recent happenings in Abu Dhabi’s art scene.
Spring is one of our favourite times of the year, and it’s been a busy and inspiring month — from our photoshoot at our client’s gorgeous Grade II* listed residence (stay tuned for the launch, coming soon), to discussing new projects, curating our weekend wind-down playlist for Walpole (listen below!), and Sharon’s press interviews. In this edition, we share what we’re talking about in the studio - including our ongoing fascination with the developments in ai, Walpole’s advocacy for British luxury in the face of tariffs, and the most recent happenings in Abu Dhabi’s art scene.
As the Mediterranean season draws to a close, September marks the return of the world-renowned Monaco Yacht Show and as many prepare to discover the latest innovations in marine design and engineering, we were inspired to dedicate this month to “The Rarefied World of Yachting.”
As the Mediterranean season draws to a close, September marks the return of the world-renowned Monaco Yacht Show and as many prepare to discover the latest innovations in marine design and engineering, we were inspired to dedicate this month to “The Rarefied World of Yachting.”
We are often asked as a design studio, where do we source our creative inspiration from. The answer is not a short one! We like to live by the philosophy that design is everywhere around you, you just have to know where to look. From the buildings that tower above you to the organic shapes in nature, we look far and wide for the influences that shape our luxury homes. Below we share just some of the many places we source inspiration.
We are often asked as a design studio, where do we source our creative inspiration from. The answer is not a short one! We like to live by the philosophy that design is everywhere around you, you just have to know where to look. From the buildings that tower above you to the organic shapes in nature, we look far and wide for the influences that shape our luxury homes. Below we share just some of the many places we source inspiration.