"At Jo Malone London, our Social Impact mission has been intrinsic to our brand identity for over a decade now. We are committed to shining a light on mental health and the profoundly restorative effect that nature has for those living with painful personal challenges. Raising awareness. Providing support and stamping out stigmas, one step at a time."
Melissa Mullen, VP, General Manager, Jo Malone London UK
Love Letters from Britain is a new series of short documentary-style films uncovering the untold stories of UK’s most innovative luxury brands, produced for Walpole by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions and including stories supported by the GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign.
Please click here to watch the full series.
To find out more about the project and Jo Malone London's mission to support those with mental health issues, we spoke with the brand's VP General Manager Melissa Mullen.
What was your motivation for taking part in the Love Letters from Britain series?
At Jo Malone London, our Social Impact mission has been intrinsic to our brand identity for over a decade now. We are committed to shining a light on mental health and the profoundly restorative effect that nature has for those living with painful personal challenges. Raising awareness. Providing support and stamping out stigmas, one step at a time.
We know that one in four people will be affected by mental health in their lifetime. Yet, it is still an underfunded and often unacknowledged illness, and we want to break that taboo. Our mission has always been to inspire, connect and uplift people through fragrance. And so, our work with mental health charities over the past decade is a natural evolution of this mission. To nurture the most vulnerable members of the community. To help people talk about their feelings. To create gardens where people can discover the restorative effects of nature. We are therefore committed to funding all stages and aspects of mental health, focusing on: awareness, prevention, support and treatment.
Being a part of the Love Letters from Britain series has enabled us to share more about our social impact mission, raising awareness both to those who may be looking for support and others who may wish to donate by purchasing one of our Charity Candles. For more information please click here.
Tell us more about your film and the stories that are being shared?
For so many, green spaces can be a haven, places to go when emotions need processing. A safe space to reflect and re-centre. So, who better than our first charity partner, Thrive, to be the focus of our short film to highlight how gardening can form part of a therapeutic programme.
Since 2012 we have supported Thrive with the opening of The Old English Garden in London’s Battersea Park. Together with Thrive, whose mission is to harness the power of gardening to transform lives, we have worked collaboratively to create a safe, peaceful environment where individuals can develop their physical and mental health.
This garden has been restored and is cared for by the ‘client gardeners’ who live with the challenges of mental health, and enrol onto the dedicated programmes, run by Thrive and funded by Jo Malone London. The film depicts just how important the programme and the space itself has been for the client gardener’s recovery, and how it can bring around positive change.
What do you think makes British luxury so special?
As a brand, we are deeply connected to our British roots; our love for our landscapes and eccentricity of character run through all that we do. For us, there really is no place like home, which is why 97% of our products are made in our home country, where we endeavour to protect craftsmanship and handmade processes along with utilising solar energy in our manufacturing plant to contribute to our mission to achieve a net zero carbon footprint.
The British character is a distinctive one; as a brand Jo Malone London has prided itself on being unexpected, whimsical and a little bit eccentric, but at the heart remains our spirit of kindness and generosity. In addition, the British luxury sector truly is one of the UK’s greatest export success stories, and this series is complete testament to that. Whether it be through a culture of innovation, the preservation of craftmanship or the commitment to sustainable practices, there is no denying that the great British spirit underpins this new era of luxury.
The impact of this series lies in sharing these brand narratives loud and clear, spotlighting the unique practices that contribute to each brand’s success and subsequent international appeal.
Melissa Mullen will also join us at this September's Walpole Future of British Luxury Summit, in association with Facebook, ESW & TONG, where she will join the 'Calling the Shots: Covid and the Empowered Customer' panel.
Click here to find out more and to secure your tickets.
