What’s Trending In British Luxury? September 2023

We love British luxury here at C&TH. From exciting new collections and innovative collaborations, to charitable initiatives and bright ideas, here’s all the British luxury news this month. 

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British Luxury News

Annoushka Launches Innovative New Unisex Collection, Created by Master Goldsmiths

The new Knuckle collection from Annoushka is set to become the fashion crowd’s everyday go-to. Featuring oh-so-wearable modern takes on chain necklaces and hoop earrings, the unisex range is crafted from 14ct gold and handmade in Arezzo, Italy
by master goldsmith Dino. The way the innovative ‘knuckle’ joint moves is truly organic and original, and could only be created by human hands.

From £495. annoushka.com

Mulberry Collaborates with Stefan Cooke

The latest collaboration in the Mulberry Editions series is with Stefan Cooke, the London-based menswear label started by Stefan Cooke and Jake Burt. The duo have put their unique craft-focused spin on 27 pre-loved Mulberry bags, which have been transformed by the brand’s artisans in the UK into one-off pieces using the pair’s signature design codes like bold bow appliqués and statement slash motifs.

It also spotlights the iconic Bayswater as it celebrates its 20th anniversary year, as well as other Mulberry classics and rare designs, including the Roxanne and the Lily. The collection was first unveiled as part of the Stefan Cooke SS24 show during London Fashion Week.

Available now at mulberry.com

Tickets Go On Sale for World Gunmakers’ Evening

Purdey AW23

Country sports fans, this one’s for you: the World Gunmakers Evening is back on this November, held at The Armoury House in London, home of The Honourable Artillery Company. It’ll bring together the very best gunmakers and shooting brands from around the globe under one roof, along with 500 guests for an elegant, intimate evening of drinks and game canapés.

Confirmed exhibitors include English heavyweights William Evans, Purdey and Holland & Holland, Italian gunmaker Zoli, Spanish gunmaker Kemen, German behemoth Blaser and Austrian gunmaker Karl Hauptmann. Plus, new for this year is Gunwerks and Christensen Arms, two American brands that specialise in long-range hunting rifles.

8 November, tickets £125; use code WGE10 for 10% discount. For more information, visit worldgunmakers.com

Garrard Adds Fresh Chapter to Wings Rising Collection

This year, historic British jeweller Garrard is celebrating 20 years of its Wings Rising collection. It has added several new designs to refresh the range, including a pendant necklace, earrings and ring, in modern combinations of meteorite and rock crystal; malachite and diamonds; pink opal and diamonds; black and white mother of pearl and diamonds; turquoise and diamonds; and lapis lazuli and diamonds.

The new pieces were designed to emanate strength, empowering women to rise up and be confident.

See the whole collection at garrard.com

Strathberry Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Charity Auction

L-R: Miffy x The Strathberry Nano Tote and the Moomins x East/West bag

To mark its 10th anniversary in operation, Edinburgh-based luxury leather goods brand Strathberry is holding a charity action to raise money for charities such as Smart Works and Dress for Success.

The online auction will take place from 6-16th October, and feature a curated selection of much-loved one-offs from the brand’s first decade.

Included in the auction are limited-edition signature pieces from sell-out collaborations such as the Ace Bag, designed in partnership with tennis champion Naomi Osaka, The Hyo Joo Strathberry Midi Tote, The Strathberry Nano Tote from The Miffy Collection, The East/West created in collaboration with Victoria Magrath from In The Frow and a NYC Subway-inspired Nano Tote launched exclusively for Strathberry’s first US retailer, Saks Fifth Avenue.

L-R: The Strathberry Nano Tote, exclusive to Saks, and The Strathberry Nano Tote (Koi)

Graff Launches New Butterfly Collection with Campaign Shot in South of France

Ever since it was launched in 1960 by Laurence Graff, the butterfly motif has been synonymous with his eponymous jewellery house, symbolising freedom, creativity and new beginnings.

The brand’s latest Butterfly high jewellery collection is celebrated in a beautiful new campaign starring supermodel Rianne Van Rompaey – a fresh face for the luxury house – styled by Emmanuelle Alt (former editor of Vogue Paris) and captured by photographer Mikael Jansson, at the legendary Villa La Vigie in France’s Cote d’Azur.

The collection features rare natural diamonds paired with white gold and transformed into exquisite earrings, necklaces and rings.

‘The DNA of Graff is very distinctive, and while a stone-led design philosophy guides us, we are also inspired by the world around us. The outline of a butterfly, which has become synonymous with Graff, has, over the decades, offered us endless opportunities for reinterpretation,’ comments Anne-Eva Geffroy, Design Director at Graff. ‘The inner fire and life a diamond holds within, make it the ideal medium to portray the natural beauty of the butterfly, and to give it permanence to endure through all of time.’

Find out more at graff.com

Bid on this Unbeatable Charity Experience from The Last Drop

The Last Drop Distillers seek out and collect remarkable spirits from around the globe. This autumn, the Great British Brand is taking part in The Distillers’ One of One fundraising auction, as a founder donor, with all proceeds going to the Distillers’ Charity, which supports the Youth Action Fund to transform the lives of young people across Scotland.

The auction, in partnership with Sotheby’s, brings together an unparalleled collection of one-off, never-to-be-repeated Scotch whiskies from distilleries across the length and breadth of Scotland.

The Last Drop will offer a one-of-a-kind experience as its charity prize. Under the skilful guidance of Colin JP Scott, The Last Drop Distillers’ Master Blender, and a 50-year veteran of the whisky industry, the brand will offer the opportunity to create a unique Blended Scotch Whisky with a minimum age of 30 years. The final blend will be bottled into a set of twelve bespoke engraved Last Drop bottles.

The experience will take place at Scone Palace, the historic seat of Scottish royalty, with an overnight stay and a tasting dinner accompanied by treasures from The Last Drop archive, guided by Colin.

Auction takes place on 5 October 2023. Register your interest at distillersoneofone.com

Dame Judi Dench Visits Araminta Campbell Atelier

Beloved British actor Dame Judi Dench stopped by the Araminta Campbell atelier in Edinburgh to check out its one-of-a-kind hand-weaving, and to commission a tartan. The star was filming for long-running BBC show Countryfile, and made the visit with her grandson Sam. Together, they were shown around by the brand’s founder and Creative Director, Araminta Birse-Stewart, who encouraged them to try out their skills on the vintage George Wood looms. Dame Judi explained that she chose certain colours and thread patterns for her tartan to reflect her love for trees and birds, as well as her her 30 years of marriage with her late husband Michael, and the date of Shakespeare’s death.

In this special edition of the programme, Dame Judi expresses an affinity with Scotland and talks of her love for the country, ‘I would say, actually, that my spiritual home is Scotland, simply because I just feel comfortable here.’

In the days and weeks to come, Araminta will weave Dame Judi’s tartan. ‘It is always an honour to be asked to create a tartan but whilst working with Judi it became clear how much this means to her which has made the project all the more special,’ she said.

You can watch the Countryfile Dame Judi Dench Special on Sunday 3 September at 7:00pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. aramintacampbell.co.uk

British pottery brand Burleigh Collabs with UK Fabric Studio Barneby Gates

British pottery brand, Burleigh, which was founded in 1851, has collaborated with fellow home-grown interiors name Barneby Gates, which makes elegant printed wallpapers, fabrics and accessories.

The partnership sees Burleigh’s 1862 Asiatic Pheasants and 1968 Calico patterns reimagined into a classic yet contemporary floral wallpaper collection, designed in-house and printed by Barneby Gates.

‘With our shared brand values, working with Burleigh has felt symbiotic from the outset,’ says the wallpaper brand. ‘When they approached us to collaborate on a wallpaper collection, we felt confident we could transpose their iconic designs, but the results have far exceeded our imagined aspirations.’

The pretty prints are ideal for adding a touch of English classicism to your next home makeover project. burleigh.co.uk; barnebygates.com

DeMellier London Launches on Net-A-Porter

Key styles from DeMellier London’s AW23 collection have just launched on Net-a-Porter. The British bag brand – carried by the likes of the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex – is known for its ethical, thoughtful and sustainable approach, using leathers that are a by-product of the meat industry and created in tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group, as well as sustainable cashmere, plastic-free raffia and recycled reinforcements.

‘We are very excited to launch with Net-a-Porter globally and partner with such an iconic online store,’ says DeMellier’s founder Mireia Llusia-Lindh. ‘We believe the Net-a-Porter customer will value our modern designs crafted with luxury materials but also our values of sustainability and giving back to those who need it most.’

See the range at net-a-porter.com

Barbour Celebrates 40 Years of the Beaufort Jacket

Forty years ago, Dame Margaret Barbour had the idea for creating a new, shorter waxed jacket, which could be worn in town as well as in the countryside. The resulting style, christened the Beaufort, has only gone from strength to strength in the last four decades, with the jacket becoming a truly timeless essential for every wardrobe.

To mark the anniversary, Barbour is releasing a limited edition of the Beaufort jacket, which maintains all the original elements to the jacket, whilst featuring a back neck label marking the 40th anniversary with studs engraved with Beaufort 40. It’s available in the original colours of sage, navy, and olive.

There’s also a campaign called The Evergreen Icons, featuring fashion designer Charlie Casely-Hayford, stylist and founder of Re-Luxe Fashion Clare Richardson, illustrator Fei Wang and, ecologist and model Zinnia Kumar. barbour.com

See more British luxury news here