The Walpole British Luxury Awards 2023 is only a week away. Taking place under the sparkling chandeliers of The Ballroom at The Dorchester on London's Park Lane on Monday 20th November, the jewel in the crown of an already starry evening is the presentation of our British Luxury Brand of the Year gong, in association with Times Luxury.
Over the past year, the recipient of this award will have demonstrated the kind of creativity, innovation, and social and environmental responsibility that is at the core of our luxury sector, not to mention the far-reaching appeal a British company can have on the international stage. In short, the winner of this award encapsulates everything it is to be a progressive, influential British luxury brand circa now.
And to win this honour is a real honour; the recipient is not only selected by an esteemed panel of industry experts from a variety of disciplines within the luxury sector, but also by each Walpole member organisation. Who will take home the trophy this year? You'll have to wait a week to find out...
In the meantime, read more about the four brands in the running for British Luxury Brand of the Year, in association with Times Luxury, at the Walpole British Luxury Awards 2023 below.
“Our 110th year promises to be just as exciting as our first” pledged CEO Amedeo Felisa on 15 January 2023 – 110 years to the day since founder Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford officially formed the partnership that went on to create the first Aston Martin car. The marque has firmly delivered on its promise, with 2023 proving to be a landmark year delivering industry-leading product innovation, unprecedented brand desirability and strengthened financial position enabling further investment in UK.
The globally acclaimed launch of the world’s first ‘Super Tourer’, DB12, the opening of the brand’s first flagship luxury location, Q New York, and the overwhelming demand for its 110th anniversary model, Valour, provide just three phenomenal examples of Aston Martin’s ability to transcend the automotive world in 2023 through innovation and excellence, representing the best of British on a global stage.
In April, one year on from the inception of its sustainability strategy, ‘Racing. Green.’, Aston Martin took another step to becoming a world-leading sustainable ultra-luxury business by achieving carbon neutral manufacturing at its Gaydon and St Athan facilities. And in July, Aston Martin announced it was accelerating its ambition to create the world’s most highly desirable electric performance cars. The investment in electrification forms part of a £2bn commitment to advanced technology over the next five years, while the company is also making significant investment in training, education and apprenticeships.
> View Aston Martin's member profile here
Boodles is one of the few remaining family-owned jewellers on London’s Bond Street. Founded in 1798, it has grown from a county jeweller to become a leading British luxury brand, with ten shops across the UK and Ireland, a record-breaking financial year and a new campaign launched this year, with twin sisters Eliza and Amelia Spencer as the new faces of the brand.
For six generations Boodles has been managed and owned by the same family, with that feeling of family permeating the business. From gallery exhibitions to horse racing, Boodles is also famed for the sheer variety of its events and 2023 was no exception, with headline sponsorship of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, a third successive garden to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in conjunction with esteemed British garden designer Tom Hoblyn, and The Boodles Tennis at The Stoke Park Club in Buckinghamshire.
Traceability is also a central focus for Boodles, envisioning a future shaped by its sustainable development efforts and underpinned by its commitment to setting a gold standard for ethical and sustainable practices in the jewellery sector.
The company’s contributions to projects such as schools surrounding The Cullinan Mine in South Africa and support for the Royal Ballet Schools programme, exemplify its commitment to charitable causes
> View Boodles' member profile
The Londoner is a first-of-its-kind super boutique hotel and a game-changer on the global hotel scene - its commitment to sustainability aspiring to position it as one of the foremost eco-friendly establishments in the UK. As a pioneering purpose-built hotel, The Londoner embraces the energy of its West End neighbourhood through its striking architecture and design whilst creating an exclusive, luxurious experience, setting it apart from any other hotel in the vicinity and making an important contribution to the regeneration of Leicester Square.
The Londoner is also perfectly positioned to be at the heart of the city’s cultural events, supporting the profile of London as a cultural hub of activity on the world stage. Over the past year, it has introduced broad new programming, partners and activations, and played host to a multitude of local and international VIPs and talent during pivotal city events, including London Fashion Week, The Fashion Awards, London Film Festival, Frieze and film premieres. Highlights include the Vogue Forces For Change Gala, BFI Luminous Gala and Paramount Press Junket. The Londoner’s location gives it a strong connection to London’s theatreland, with the hotel being official hotel partner of the Olivier Awards, creating curated experiences including tickets to sold-out plays such as Prima Facie starring Jodie Comer and A Little Life with James Norton.
> View The Londoner's member profile here
Noble Isle is a fine-fragrance bath and body brand, made in Chester using natural extracts and ingredients from celebrated producers around the British Isles including rhubarb from Yorkshire, samphire from Ireland, barley from Scotland and beetroot from Wales.
Founded in 2011 by Katy Simpson, and born in 2012 with an exclusive launch in Liberty, its pursuit of excellence through design, quality and craftsmanship is central to Noble Isle’s ethos. This year has seen the launch of several new products, including The Greenhouse Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hand Sanitiser, as well as Fine Room Fragrances in four fragrances and a perfume collection launching in 2024, underscoring the brand’s continuous evolution. It has also continued to collaborate with prominent British suppliers and farms, ensuring that its products are quintessentially British in essence.
At the heart of everything Noble Isle does lies an unwavering commitment to the planet and its inhabitants. The brand’s many-pronged eco-conscious endeavours, from sourcing to packaging, confirm its dedication to responsible, sustainable business growth, while collaborations with The Hygiene Bank and Clean Conscience aim to mitigate waste while bolstering community welfare. Noble Isle exemplifies what it means to be a pioneering, influential, and forward-thinking British luxury brand in 2023. Its impressive strides in innovation, sustainability and international growth are rooted in British values and standards of excellence.
> View Noble Isle's member profile here
