The British luxury industry reveals the seven new stars set to transform the luxury sector  

Each year Walpole identifies between six and eight British luxury brands that we feel have the potential to become tomorrow’s stars.  These brands are given the opportunity to utilise the expertise of the Walpole mentoring group, through a bespoke mentoring and coaching programme. This unique programme, sponsored by Mishcon de Reya helps the brands input the necessary infrastructure and luxury disciplines to fulfil their potential and go on to become global leaders in their fields. The 2010 Brands of Tomorrow are:

  

·         Abahna – the luxury, British-made bath, body and home fragrance brand – sold in more than 20 countries around the world. 

 

·         Basso & Brooke – the pioneers of digital print process in fashion – one of the first British designers to dress Michelle Obama. 

 

·         Charlotte Olympia – exclusive shoe and accessories designer with clients that include: Sarah Jessica Parker, Sienna Miller and Beyonce. 

 

·         Josephine Home – providers of the finest linen used in homes and hotels throughout the world.

 

·         Mawi – jewellery house which cleverly combines contemporary style with traditional influences.

 

·         Rococo Chocolates – the luxury chocolate brand – one of the first houses to convey the joys of chocolate to the British public.  Sarah Brown chose a box of the chocolates to give all World leaders at the G20 summit last year.

 

·         Wolf & Badger – unique lifestyle brand which helps promote exciting and independent talent – showcasing the best emerging new generation fashion and design companies. 

  

The ‘Brands of Tomorrow’ programme sponsored by Mishcon de Reya was launched in 2007 by Walpole and is chaired by John Ayton, co-founder & former owner of Links of London.  Although John is now an established player in the world of luxury goods he founded Links of London with his wife in 1990 with £2000 of his own savings and no knowledge of the jewellery industry. They subsequently built sales to over £50 million before selling the company to Follie Folli SA in late 2006. John is currently the chairman of Bremont Watch Company and has recently launched Jewellery Brand Annoushka.

 

Aside from John, the Walpole mentoring group comprises some of the UK’s most experienced luxury entrepreneurs and commentators, including the jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas, Lucia Van Der Post, luxury commentator, Sarah Elton, former MD of Smythson, Mark Esiri, Michael Ward, MD of Harrods, Demetra Pinsent, strategist at McKinsey, Guy Salter, Deputy Chairman of Walpole and James Henderson, Managing Director of Pelham Bell Pottinger. 

 

 John Ayton, Founder & Chairman of Walpole Brands of Tomorrow commented “Walpole believes strongly in nurturing talent.  We need to help foster the great tradition of British luxury brands to ensure that the British luxury industry continues to remains as strong as it has been for the past 200 years”   J

ulia Carrick – CEO of Walpole commented: “Our Brands of Tomorrow programme goes from strength to strength and since its launch in 2007 we are delighted with the number of young, talented brands Walpole has identified and developed.  This is a direct result of the skill and vision of our mentors who work tirelessly to help these brands through all stages of their development.”   

Detailed information on each of the brands can be found below.

Abahna      

Founded in 2005 by husband and wife team, Ed & Claire Croft, Abahna is a brand of luxury, British made, bath, body & home fragrance products with a focus on quality, natural ingredients. Combined with elegant and distinctive packaging, the collection manifests an exotic flair and is inspired by the many great bathing traditions of the past. Abahna represents ‘the ceremony of bathing’ for the modern world, and with exquisitely scented oils, lotions & candles, our aim has been to re-awaken people to the idea of bathing as a rewarding, multi-sensory and therapeutic ritual. The collection is sold by many of the most prestigious retailers in over 20 countries worldwide.

http://www.abahna.co.uk/

 

Basso & Brooke        

Basso & Brooke are the pioneers of the digital print process in fashion.  They made history with their groundbreaking 100% digitally printed collection, earning them the inaugural Fashion Fringe award in 2004.

Vogue UK championed them in their annual Vogue list, and they have a piece archived in the Metropolitan museum of New York’s Costume Institute – the first digitally printed piece in their collection.

Michelle Obama made headlines by wearing one of their pieces, making them one of the very first UK designers to be worn by the first lady.

They have shown their collections, by invitation, in Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Moscow, Berlin & Singapore and have collaborated on unique projects with Coca-Cola, Converse, Swarovski, SkyHD, L’Oreal Paris and the Dorchester Collection hotel group.

http://www.bassoandbrooke.com/

 

Charlotte Olympia  

Luxury accessories designer Charlotte Olympia Dellal launched her London-based shoe brand ‘Charlotte Olympia’ in February 2007.

Charlotte Olympia designs have become synonymous with classic shapes and meticulous attention to detail.  Each shoe is finished with the brand’s signature gold spider web on the sole. Inspired by the allure of Hollywood glamour of old, Charlotte Olympia’s leopard prints, fan detailing and arresting use of colour have been coveted by Sarah Jessica Parker, Sienna Miller and Beyonce amongst others. 

Each shoe is handcrafted in Italy using only the finest materials, retailing between €500- €1,000. Her vertiginous heels and urbane ‘island’ style platforms are sold at some of the world’s most prestigious retailers, including Dover Street Market, Browns, Harvey Nichols, Net-A-Porter,Plum, Podium and Joyce.

The brand continues to collaborate with international fashion designers for their catwalk shows, including Temperley London, Emilio de la Morena, Issa and Peter Som. 

http://www.charlotteolympia.com/

 

Josephine Home       

Josephine Home -  driven by the search for the perfect set of crisp, white bed linen, nothing more, nothing less: one of life’s simplest pleasures. Simplicity of design, faultless performance, timeless quality; from these beginnings Josephine Home now accompanies seasoned voyagers to and from all corners of the globe:

18th century European palazzos to the Arabian desert to urban retreats in the hippest capitals. Our undercover luxury will cosset both the discerning traveller and the smallest child, from the most luxurious hotel resort to the private home, we are with you every step of the journey. Lasting classics, to be handed down the generations while being enjoyed today. Bed linen – the stuff of dreams.

http://www.josephinehome.co.uk/

 

Mawi

A jewellery house with an emphasis on luxurious statement pieces Mawi cleverly combines cutting-edge contemporary style with traditional influences and materials synonymous with old-school glamour. Described as having a life of its own, the Mawi brand continues to attract interest through its seasonal metamorphosis whilst managing to stay true to the designer’s signature.

 A skill that has enabled the house to evolve with age yet still remains recognisable. Mawi’s pieces are those that are bought, worn, collected, cherished and treasured. Transcending seasonal whims and appealing to those of all ages and tastes, Mawi has well and truly captured a niche in the fashion market for contemporary costume jewellery. Marrying together her love for trinkets of yesteryear and a bold contemporary vision, Mawi’s collections provide an ornamental meeting place for the past, present and the future.  http://www.mawi.co.uk/

 

Rococo Chocolates   

Founded in 1983 by pioneer Chantal Coady, Rococo Chocolates is the luxury brand that brought the joys of real chocolate to the British public. Coady has blazed a trail for high quality chocolate shops in London today, and was the first to bring wine terminology to chocolate tasting. Sarah Brown chose a box of Rococo Chocolates to give to the world leaders at G20 summit in her showcase of British Creativity. Coady’s background in textile design ensures an ever changing collection of packaging, which is both quirky and instantly appealing to all generations. Not content with making some of the finest chocolate in the world, Rococo also partners with the radically different, super ethical Grenada Chocolate Company, with whom they have a cocoa farm. It is a radically different business model for cocoa production, adding real value for the farmers.

http://rococochocolates.com/

Wolf & Badger        

Wolf & Badger is a unique lifestyle brand that creates innovative retail space to showcase the best fashion and design talent from the UK and beyond. The cutting edge products represented span fashion, accessories, jewellery, homewares and objets d’art.

An exciting and unique retail concept, Wolf & Badger promotes and supports exciting, independent talent and showcases only the best emerging, new generation fashion and design brands.

http://www.wolfandbadger.com/flash.html

 

Select company for more details

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