The monarchy is often pointed to as our country’s ultimate soft power – a force that epitomises (and sells) the values that exemplify what makes Britain great on the world stage. While far more subtle, our head of state holds similar sway on home soil. Unlike many other countries around the world, our nation defines its historical epochs in the name of the ruling monarch: the Edwardian age, the Victorian era, the Regency period. So, when a monarch passes and a new one ascends the throne, it’s only natural to feel like a new chapter is beginning in our nation’s story. But what will it mean to be British as we venture together into our new Carolean era? What are the values, hopes and desires that will come to define our country – and how will these shape our luxury sector as we move forward?
One of the small ways Brits interact with the royals on a daily basis is through royal warrants – little monarchical stamps of approval we see on everything from shops to cars to packets of cereal in our kitchens. Formerly issued by the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales, over the coming year these will all be reimagined and reissued due to the ascent of King Charles III. While we don’t know which brands he’ll choose to endorse, we do know that, as a man who has always been passionate about sustainability, the royal warrants he issues will underscore his values, and the values our country aspires to. That’s why writer Shane C Kurup takes a closer look at how a company achieves this high honour – and the sway a royal warrant still has for British brands on the global stage.
In fact, throughout the issue, we bring you a closer look at how our country is being perceived around the world circa now, and the factors that continue to get Britain noticed internationally. In Tokyo, writer Ashley Ogawa Clarke – who recently moved from the UK to Japan – pens a missive about the story behind British luxury’s enduring appeal in Asia. In London, ELLE UK Editor-in-Chief Kenya Hunt – an American who moved to the UK – has composed a heartfelt article about the importance of diversity as an intrinsic part of our national identity and key to what makes our fashion scene so special. You’ll also find gallerist Robert Diament – who you might know as one half of the Talk Art podcast alongside actor Russell Tovey – speaking about the next wave of British artists flying the flag for British creativity abroad and helping to create new communities here on home turf in the process.
Speaking of home turf, we’ve also embraced the opportunity in this issue to take a closer look at how luxury consumers are changing here in the UK. Ben Spriggs, Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Decoration, takes us behind the curtain into the burgeoning demand for bespoke interior design among next-generation HNWIs. Meanwhile, Evening Standard’s restaurant critic Jimi Famurewa explains how terroir and providence are the two buzzwords getting people talking about Britain’s cuisine scene around the world.
Embracing new ideas while staying true to our innate Britishness has always been one of our country’s most attractive draws for tourists – that unique ability we have to combine pageantry and pomp with the present day. As Millennials and Gen Z start to catch up with Baby Boomers as luxury’s biggest spenders, it’s important to see this changing of the guard as an advantageous moment for British luxury brands. What’s trending with them? Take golf, one of our country’s oldest sports, which is currently seeing a resurgence in popularity with a younger, more diverse audience. Golf expert Dan Davies investigates what’s behind this boom, and why embracing it is a golden opportunity for our historic hospitality venues.
Sustainability is another key trend for younger “luxurians”, as trend forecaster Jenny Southan puts it in her article assessing their changing travel priorities. In this, she looks not only at how environmental concerns are fuelling (pun intended) the decisions Gen Z and Millennials are making with their holidays, but also looks at other interesting new factors such as a focus on trips powered by silver-screen storytelling.
This step change in generational thinking isn’t just limited to downtime, it’s also having an impact on our country’s office culture. That’s why we asked life coach Roxie Nafousi, an expert in the practice of manifestation, to give us her guide to incorporating visualisation and goal setting into your work life to achieve career success.
Of course, as a country, we wouldn’t enjoy the success we have on the international stage if it weren’t for creative ambassadors. With that in mind, we asked world-renowned homegrown photographer Rankin to pull together a retrospective of the high-profile faces he’s shot who represent the very best examples of modern Britons – and the ones who he thinks are setting the agenda for Britain globally.
All this begs the question: as we venture into this new era with many changes on the horizon, what are the British qualities we carry forward? Humour has to be one – our self- deprecation is not only world-renowned in pop culture, but also one of the ties that bind us as a nation. It’s something bestselling author Raven Smith knows all too well, which is why you’ll find him taking a hilarious look at the ten things that make him feel all-too-British.
However, perhaps our most enduring national characteristic is entrepreneurship, a quality that means our relatively small island continues to punch above its weight globally in many fields. Few characters from history embody this better than Josiah Wedgwood, one of the brightest business minds this country has ever produced, whose work is the inspiration for our cover (created exclusively for Walpole by Wedgwood Creative Director Alice Bastin). Who better to pay tribute to this British icon than Tristram Hunt? As Wedgwood’s most recent biographer and as Director of the V&A, Hunt is acutely aware of the continuing influence of British design worldwide. In his essay for us, he takes a look at why craftsmanship and ingenuity will always be at the heart of what makes Britain and its people truly great – and what makes our luxury industry so inspirational.
We hope that the Walpole Book of British Luxury 2023/2024 leaves you feeling just as inspired for this new chapter in the UK’s history.
> Read the Walpole Book of British Luxury 2023/2024 digital edition here
