LAST week over 375 luxury industry professionals gathered to recognise the work of both legendary and cutting-edge talent in British luxury at the annual Walpole British Luxury Awards, taking place at The Dorchester, Mayfair and hosted by the Golden Globe, BAFTA and International Emmy Award-nominated actor Jason Isaacs.
Helen Brocklebank, CEO Wapole and British actor Jason Isaacs
Now in its 17th year, the Walpole British Luxury Awards both honours and celebrates brands and individuals who epitomise excellence within Britain’s luxury sector. Walpole itself are committed to promoting, protecting and developing the industry, worth over £32 billion to the UK economy.
Awards were presented by a number of fashionable faces, including Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Yasmin Le Bon, Justine Picardie, Bonnie Takhar, June Sarpong MBE, Jenny Tsai, Lady Kitty Spencer, Cressida Bonas, Jodie Kidd and Finn Cole.
Lady Kitty Spencer at The Dorchester
Both fashion and the arts were recognised by the British Luxury Awards, with winners including a cocktail of fashion houses, luxury hotels and cultural landmark institutions. The “Luxury Brand of the Year” Award was bestowed upon Belmond, a hotel and leisure company that operates luxury hotels, train services and river cruises around the world.
Helen Brocklebank, CEO, Walpole with model Jodie Kidd, Roeland Vos, President of Belmond and Danny Brennan, PR Director of Laurent-Perrier Champagne
Erdem Moralioglu’s collaboration with The Royal Ballet, which included the British designer working with acclaimed choreographer Christoper Wheeldon to design costumes for his latest works at the Royal Opera House, received the evening’s “Creative Collaboration” accolade. Another cultural institution receiving an award was the Victoria & Albert Museum for Fashioned From Nature, an exhibition that featured fashionable dress alongside natural history specimens, taxidermy and unprocessed plant and animal fibres, inviting visitors to think about the materials of fashion and the sources of their clothes.
Christopher Wheeldon of The Royal Ballet and British designer Erdem Moralioglu at The Dorchester
As for Luxury Legend, this honour was awarded to Manolo Blahnik, recognising his career surpassing four decades as one of the most influential footwear designers worldwide.
Yasmin Le Bon and Anne Murphy accompany Manolo Blahnik with his Luxury Legend Award
Walpole’s CEO, Helen Brocklebank said, “As we’ve seen celebrated so beautifully this evening, British luxury, the arts and culture in the UK make such a massive contribution to the global reputation of the country and it seems more important than ever to celebrate the innovators, inventors and creatives who help to make Great Britain famous all over the world. My thanks to Jason Isaacs for being the perfect host and congratulations to all of our winners and shortlisted brands, you each make a towering contribution to the continuing success of our sector.”
Alice Temperley and Cressida Bonas at The Dorchester
Guests were greeted with a Laurent-Perrier champagne reception followed by an exquisite three-course dinner, accompanied by Sumaridge Syrah 2013 and Sumaridge Estate White 2016. The festivities were followed by a lavish after-party hosted by the Dovetail Agency Cocktail Club where guests could sample Royal Salute whisky and sip on The Lakes Explorer gin and tonic.
THE FULL 2018 LIST OF WALPOLE BRITISH LUXURY AWARD WINNERS:
BRITISH LUXURY BRAND OF THE YEAR: BELMOND
In association with Laurent-Perrier
LUXURY LEGEND: MANOLO BLAHNIK
In association with The Times Luxx and Style
LUXURY LEADER: ALISON LOEHNIS, PRESIDENT, NET-A-PORTER AND MR PORTER
In association With G . F Smith
LUXURY MAKER OF THE YEAR: MULBERRY
In association with Elite Associates
BRITISH LUXURY OVERSEAS: FORTNUM & MASON
In association with Forter
CREATIVE COLLABORATION: THE ROYAL BALLET X ERDEM
In association with LetsBab
LUXURY WITH A HEART: V&A: FASHIONED FROM NATURE
In association with MyLoveAffair
CULTURAL CONTRIBUTION: CLIVEDEN LITERARY FESTIVAL
In association with Wearisma
THE BRANDS OF TOMORROW AWARD FOR EMERGING TALENT
In association with Mishcon de Reya
DEMELLIER
LUKE EDWARD HALL
RORY DOBNER
THE VAMPIRE’S WIFE
The winners of the 2018 Walpole British Luxury Awards were chosen by a panel, chaired by Michael Ward, MD, Harrods & Chairman, Walpole, and includes: Helen Brocklebank, CEO, Walpole; Mark Harvey, CEO, Chapel Down; Gillian De Bono, Editor, How to Spend it; Michael Morley, CEO, Deutsche Bank UK Limited; Mark Henderson, Chairman, Gieves & Hawkes; Richard Carter, Director of Global Communications, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Jonathan Heilbron, Chairman, Walpole Brands of Tomorrow; Philippe Warnery; Senior Vice President and GM of Estée Lauder; Dr. Frederick Mostert, Research Fellow, University of Oxford IP Research Centre and Justine Picardie, Editor-in-Chief, Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country.
by Lucy May McCracken
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.