As a child, I used to roll my eyes when my parents read out the Christmas Round Robin letters, mostly because their friends didn’t fight shy of boasting about the maddeningly impressive exploits of their offspring. Now I’m older, I’m rather keen on a Christmas circular, particularly after yet another year when opportunities for catching up in person have been much curtailed and one can miss out on people’s news. Despite the infuriating emergence of Omicron, I’m still optimistic that this time next year there will be no need for one because we will have all been able to see each other as often as we might like, but whilst we’re waiting for that virus-free moment to come to pass, I thought it might be nice to share some of things that Walpole has been up to in a Round Robin of our own.
Walpole’s secret sauce is in its extraordinary community – an intimate, well-connected network of the UK’s luxury players – and wonderful as it was to have so many of you on screen at the 97 digital events and webinars we put on during the first half of the year – not to mention all the working groups – it has been indescribably brilliant to be able to see so many of you in Real Life over the last few months. The huge fun of the Book of British Luxury launch party on 1st September was quickly followed by the Future of British Luxury Summit on 6th, both at The Londoner (what a terrific addition to London’s world-class luxury hotel scene). I loved the Women in Luxury Dinner at The Connaught for Justine Picardie’s book, Miss Dior, and listening to Tristram Hunt talk about Josiah Wedgwood, father of British luxury at our cocktail party at The Savoy. To be able to host the Walpole British Luxury Awards at The Dorchester in November after having to take a break for the first time in 20 years in 2020 was an absolute joy: celebrating the creative, entrepreneurial, resilient, brilliant British luxury sector and all the people who work in Walpole member brands was exactly the counterpoint we all needed to the travails of the pandemic. It has been amazing to support and to convene long-standing Walpole members and new joiners alike, and to begin new projects like House of Walpole, a living showcase of British luxury design that will be unveiled early next year.
Covid continues to create a very challenging dynamic for British luxury, but it’s only one element of a difficult business context. Customer demand for luxury has never been higher but supply chain issues, the aftermath of Brexit, inflation and labour shortages make it hard to maximise the opportunity of that demand. Walpole has doubled down on the work we have been doing to ensure the Government understands the exceptional contribution of the sector so members are given the crucial support to return to growth. The team has been heads down in continuing the fight to reinstate VAT RES; to ensuring that UK and EU legislation enables members to manage their distribution networks and protect their business models; to fighting for fairer business rates; to defending the rights of IP holders; and shining a spotlight on the skills crisis. We’ve shouted loudly when our voice has been needed urgently, and forged alliances and talked quietly and compellingly with change-makers when we’ve recognised dangers on the horizon. We’ve done all this because our members and their employees throughout the country matter to our communities and our nations’ wellbeing, and because we passionately believe that the businesses represented in the Walpole membership capture the very best of which we are capable in this country – and should be held up as a beacon of excellence.
Looking forward into early 2022, we have – Covid willing – our new Trends Report breakfast at Auriens on 17th January, and the annual Walpole Power List party at The Corinthia on 11th January, as well as a game-changing research project into the power of high-end tourism, commissioned from Bain by Walpole and its sister luxury associations across Europe, not to mention a celebration of 15 years of the flagship Brands of Tomorrow programme. Look out for news of all these things and more on the Daily Digest when it re-starts on 4th January.
Walpole will be taking a break from 23rd December 'til 4th January but if you need me, do please drop me an email or Whatsapp me and I will come back to you.
Wishing you the most tremendous Christmas and New Year – and a huge thank you for making British luxury the powerhouse of talent and creativity it is.
