About Walpole

OUR MISSION

Promoting, Protecting & Developing British Luxury

Walpole is the official sector body for UK luxury. Founded in 1992 as a not-for-profit organisation, it counts more than 250 British brands in its membership and is recognised in both Westminster and Brussels. As the voice of British luxury, Walpole’s purpose is to promote, protect and develop a sector worth £81 billion to the UK economy, and destined to become a world leader in sustainability.

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DAKS Simpson

The Savoy Group

The Financial Times

William Grant & Sons

British Airways

Chewton Glen

History

Formed in 1990 as ‘The Churchill Group’ by top-tier British companies, including British Airways, Chewton Glen, Coutts & Co, DAKS Simpson, The Financial Times, The Savoy Group and William Grant & Sons, the aim of the organisation was to promote British excellence, providing a community for the exchange of best practice ideas to drive business development. In 1992, The Churchill Group became Walpole, and in 2005, Walpole refined its mission statement from promoting British excellence to promoting, protecting and developing British luxury.

What Walpole does

Walpole is the UK’s only business organisation for luxury brands. Effective and influential, it speaks on behalf of more than 250 of Britain’s finest and most famous brands across a wide range of sectors, collectively worth £81 billion to the UK economy, contributing 3.7% of the UK’s GDP, and supporting over 450,000 jobs throughout the country.

Walpole’s members include British luxury icons such as Alexander McQueen; Burberry; Bentley; dunhill; Farfetch; Fortnum & Mason; Gleneagles; Glenfiddich; Harrods; The Macallan; McLaren Automotive; Mulberry; Penhaligon’s; Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; The Savoy and Wedgwood. It also represents many prestigious heritage brands - Church’s; Henry Poole & Co; Johnstons of Elgin; Ettinger; Lock & Co Hatters; Turnbull & Asser, for example - as well as emerging high-end British brands like Chapel Down Wines; Biscuiteers; Miller Harris and Bremont Watches, many of whom have come through Walpole’s flagship development programme, Brands of Tomorrow. Member brands are united by a common focus on discerning and affluent consumers and a shared mission to deliver world-class products and experiences.

View Walpole's members

Walpole’s mission is to protect, promote and develop a sector that is the jewel in the crown of British business and a global calling card for British creativity, quality, entrepreneurship and sustainability, representing the very best Britain can do. Walpole achieves this by representing its members’ interests at home and abroad, building networks and encouraging collaboration within our community, and providing members with knowledge, insight and expertise.

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Walpole News

Walpole Awards

19th Aug 2024

Anabel Kindersley on Neal's Yard Remedies' journey since winning Walpole's Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year award

At the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2023, Neal's Yard Remedies was honoured with the Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year award in recognition of its application of sustainability best-practice to all aspects of its ecosystem. Now, as the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2024 approaches on Monday 18th November, we caught up with Anabel Kindersley, CEO and Co-Owner of Neal's Yard Remedies, to discuss the brand's ongoing dedication to sustainability, its advice to this year's entrants and its new initiatives to secure a bee-friendly future

In The Know

20th Aug 2024

How to approach luxury marketing with a Gen Z mindset

Earlier this year, Walpole launched the Modern Luxury Mindset, a new event series aimed at understanding and unlocking the new codes of marketing. The first session was dedicated to the Gen Z luxury customer – and here, strategist Nimi Raja, breaks down the key factors all high-end marketeers should be thinking about when looking to appeal to this increasingly important audience

Walpole Awards

13th Aug 2024

Michael Wainwright on Boodles' journey since winning Walpole's British Luxury Brand of the Year award

At the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2023, Boodles was voted British Luxury Brand of the Year by our membership, in recognition of its commitment to culture, from its sponsorship of the Cheltenham Gold Cup to its gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. As the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2024 approaches on Monday 18th November, we catch up with Michael Wainwright, Boodles' Chairman, to discuss the development of the Boodles brand over the past year, his advice to this year's entrants and the company's plans moving forward