Walpole: Tell us about the history of your brand…
Kate Woolhouse: HOOKE was founded in 2019 by my father, Lev Mikheev, but the story began in 2012. At the time, he was a successful but burnt-out hedge fund manager. My mother Natalia (now our COO) gave him a book called Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge. The premise of the book is that most people move less as they age, becoming progressively sicker long before they die. However, those who reverse that declining movement pattern and exercise five days a week can maintain their fitness level from their early forties into their early eighties. My father likes a challenge and decided to try the book's programme. In his sixties now, not only does he run and cross-country ski faster he did in his twenties, he continues to improve his personal best times.
As a family, we are convinced that successful aging is not an exception, it can be the rule. Any middle-aged person willing to apply a concentrated effort to their physical and cognitive fitness can put the best years of their lives ahead of them.
What is your brand best known for?
We are most known for the excellence of our healthcare team who are all leaders in their respective fields. There are few entities in any industry that can benefit you with such combined high-level expertise. We are at the forefront of bringing longevity science into application, opening one of the first clinics of its kind in the world.
What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline?
Opening the doors of our beautiful clinic space in Mayfair at the start of 2023 as well as launching our HOOKE Fitness centre earlier this year.
Why do you love the brand?
I love what we do because it pushes the boundaries of what a health and wellbeing service should be. We always strive to have the best people and latest technology – all delivered with seamless service. The results our members achieve under our care reinforce our mission to help people live longer, healthier and happier lives.
Why does your brand represent the very best in British luxury?
It was one of our primary aims to deliver healthcare with the same 5-star standards as a luxury hotel and we are constantly innovating our service delivery to achieve this goal.
What attracted you to becoming a Walpole member?
Walpole represents the best of British brands, all of which are examples of field-leading excellence, bound together by a commitment to luxury. We want to collaborate with those who serve the same clientele that we do.
If you could collaborate with another Walpole member, which one would you choose?
We would love to collaborate with a brand that truly represents British luxury and has an enormously loyal customer base like Range Rover to create a panel event or interactive workshop.
Tell us about an exciting development or new launch for your brand in the coming months?
We are proud to be expanding our offering to include workshops and retreats. We will be launching one-off experiences with HOOKE practitioners and guest experts to enable a wider audience to experience and benefit from our longevity science.
On the scientific side, we are proud to announce the establishment of the HOOKE Research Fund, a joint effort between HOOKE and researchers at the Belsky Lab at Columbia University. The Belsky Lab will validate a biomarker score developed by HOOKE London. The HOOKE BioScore system is a practical tool for assessing an individual’s health in comparison to others of the same age and sex. It is based on specific markers across four key areas to create a detailed health profile: physical fitness, physiology, cognitive function, emotional fitness. The work by the Belsky lab will ensure the BioScore is scientifically robust and can guide personalised longevity strategies. The next stage of the project will be integrating wearables data to enable individuals to monitor their ageing and response to lifestyle changes.
