What The Luxe

In this episode of What The Luxe, we sit down with Winston Chesterfield—founder of Barton and one of the most incisive minds in wealth intelligence and luxury brand consultancy. Together, we unpack the nuanced behaviours of high-net-worth individuals, and why understanding their motivations requires far more than just access. Winston argues for the enduring power of heritage and storytelling in lu...

While most of us anchor ourselves to addresses, Jessica Hoppe oversees something decidedly more fluid. As CEO of The World—the only privately-owned residential ship in constant motion—she manages a community of 300 residents who live aboard year-round, travelling to over 1,000 ports every three years. Unlike traditional cruising, this is residential life at sea—complete with private apartments, co...

George Broke, COO of The Soke, joins Fred Moore to discuss how mental healthcare is evolving beyond traditional clinical models toward a premium, hospitality-driven approach. From their unique client services team that acts as healthcare concierges to daily multidisciplinary meetings that ensure no practitioner works in isolation, George explains how The Soke is addressing the fragmented UK mental...

Tom Barber, co-founder of Original Travel , joins special edition host Aditi Arora, Consultancy Director at Matter of Form, to discuss the evolution of luxury travel and the post-pandemic boom in three-generational trips that are reshaping how families experience the world together. From grandparents funding transformative journeys to parents seeking deeper connections with their children through...

Few people know the luxury industry like David Arnold. With a career spanning Robb Report, Town & Country, and now his own strategic consultancy, David has seen the sector evolve from old-world elegance to today's hyper-commercial, globalised stage. In conversation with Anant Sharma, he unpacks the tension between heritage and hype—from the decline of true artisanship to the rise of mass-market "l...

Anant Sharma speaks with Celine Assimon, a seasoned luxury executive who has led brands like Cartier, Piaget, and De Beers London through both triumph and crisis. From navigating company bankruptcy to empowering teams across global markets, Celine shares the hard-won lessons of luxury leadership. Together, they explore what it really takes to build trust in high-stakes environments and the evolvin...

Anant Sharma speaks with Adelina Wong Ettelson, Global Head of Residences Marketing at Mandarin Oriental, about the shifting expectations of today's luxury homeowner—and what it takes to translate a world-renowned hospitality brand into meaningful, livable spaces. With experience across Dior, Shanghai Tang, and now leading one of the most respected names in branded residences, Adelina shares her p...

What does it take to transform one of the world's oldest commodities into a force for good? In this episode of What The Luxe, host Fred Moore sits down with Sarah Vachon, founder and CEO of Citizens of Soil, to explore how her purpose-driven brand is shaking up the olive oil industry. Sarah shares the personal journey that led her from supporting family friends in Crete to becoming an olive oil so...

In this episode, we sit down with Maria Grachvogel, the celebrated British fashion designer known for her distinctive approach to craft, creativity and conscious luxury. Maria shares her journey building a brand that has always prioritised artistic integrity, timeless design, and thoughtful production over fleeting trends. Spanning her early career, the evolution of her business, and her pioneerin...

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of superyachts with Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser—the world's leading luxury yacht service provider. Anders shares why the core of yacht ownership isn't just about luxury—it's about a human desire for freedom, adventure, and, simply, messing about in boats. Spanning Fraser's evolution—from a post-war brokerage to a full-service powerhouse—to the s...

As CEO of Walpole, Helen Brocklebank leads the official body for British luxury, representing over 250 of the UK's most iconic and innovative brands. In this episode, Helen shares her perspective on how craftsmanship, heritage and storytelling converge to create a form of 'quantifiable soft power' shaping how British culture is perceived around the world. We discuss the current state of the indust...

In this episode, we sit down with Rudi Schreiner, Co-Founder, Co-Owner and President of AmaWaterways, to explore his extraordinary journey from adventurer to entrepreneur. Rudi shares how his early travels - from Afghanistan to the Amazon - shaped his passion for exploration and led to the creation of AmaWaterways, redefining luxury travel on rivers. We delve into Rudi's innovative approach to riv...

In an exploration of innovation that honours tradition, we welcome one of the co-founders of Maeving, Seb Inglis-Jones to What The Luxe. Their journey from a shared concern about climate change to creating electric motorcycles that capture the soul of classic British design reveals the delicate art of evolution in the world of mobility. Seb navigates us through Maeving's distinctive approach—drawi...

In an exploration of a different kind of luxury—the luxury of a thriving, abundant natural world—we welcome Ben Goldsmith, a visionary conservationist, to What The Luxe. His journey from the world of finance to the forefront of global rewilding is a testament to a profound passion for restoring ecological balance and creating a lasting legacy.

With a truly international career in hospitality, Franck Arnold brings his story and expertise to What The Luxe, telling all about London's original luxury hotel—"the place of firsts"—and its singularities; its long legacy and modern renaissance; and the thousands of guest interactions that make The Savoy so sought-after, even after 130+ years.

For two decades, VistaJet has flown passengers to over 2,400 airports in 96% of the world's countries, making it the first and only global aviation company. Sitting down with What The Luxe, VistaJet's Global CMO Matteo Atti pulls back the curtain on one of the world's most fascinating and talked-about industries, speaking to changing notions of luxury, the diversity of the UHNW audience and the fu...

From a startup in his spare room to an established and sought-after media brand, Harry Jarman and his team have built something truly exceptional with Gentlemen's Journal. In the latest episode of What The Luxe, Jarman speaks on subjects like the platform's evolution, the demand for print and the changing face of influence today.

In conversation with What The Luxe, David Burke, Chief Executive of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), delves into the history, mission and evolving role of orchestras in contemporary culture. Shifting perceptions from luxury to legacy, Burke shares how LPO is helping to keep the arts alive by democratising access to live performances and breaking barriers to musical education. 

Kicking off the fourth series of What The Luxe, we welcome a Director at the renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, Melodie Leung, as she reflects on her remarkable nineteen-year journey with the firm. Through her story, Melodie offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the world's most innovative and influential architecture practices, sharing the passion, craft and forward-thinking that d...

For over a century, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has redefined what luxury means to affluent guests time and time again. Sitting down with What The Luxe, Guiseppe De Martino, General Manager of The St. Regis Rome, walks us through what it takes to conduct not just a luxury hotel but a legendary one, and why it's perhaps one of the most difficult art forms to master.

For the last seventeen years, Anthea Peers has experienced everything Christie's is and stands for, from the drama of the auction to the stories behind the art world's most famous pieces. Bringing her best anecdotes to life, Anthea and Anant go behind the gavel – talking everything from Christie's impressive history and how the heritage brand maintains relevance today to the face of the new collec...

Wayne Bruce, known as ManBat to some and Bentley's Chief Comms and D&I Officer to many, has had an illustrious career in automotive – one he unpacks in the latest episode of What The Luxe, along with everything that makes Bentley Motors what it is today, from the strategic trifecta that turned the business around following their biggest loss in 2018 to values of craft, tech, sustainability and the...

From Blackpool to the Maldives, Paul Jones has lived a fascinating career to say the least. Sitting down with What The Luxe, Paul takes us back to the beginning, before weaving the tale of his life in hospitality to date, unveiling secrets of the trade along the way.

In 2005, Tim Butcher and Lizzie Deshayes founded Fromental, establishing their reputation with hand-painted, hand-embroidered silk wall coverings. Twenty years later, they've carved out a singular space in the interiors market. Sitting down with What The Luxe, Lizzie and Tim illuminate listeners on the innate fun of creation, the nuances of taste in designing for designers and how crafting beautif...

Always armed with a pen and something sharp to say, James was the perfect victim for What The Luxe's first video episode. He and Anant begin by debunking innovation myths and misconceptions surrounding the U/HNW cohort before moving through the subjects of status, digital assets, healthy friction in the customer experience, the importance of rewarding behaviours, creating ritual and the industry's...