Business

Exclusive Organic Perfumes made in the Heart of the...

Ffern, an organic perfumery, appears four times a year, always in a different form with different base and head notes and new ingredients and accords. Created in both Somerset and east London by brother and sister Owen Mears and Emily Cameron, they are counting down the days till the release of their fragrant autumn equinox and winter solstice scents. Somerset’s self-described “quietly disruptive perfumers”, blend, barrel-age, bottle & release their organic, small batch, limited-run fragrance four times a year. “We’re really proud of finding the sense of each season’s fragrance,” says Owen. “We don’t try and reinvent the wheel every season - we try to evolve and build on what has come before.” For each fragrance, Ffern sources the best in organic, sustainably harvested natural ingredients and distils at source wherever possible. Sustainability has been woven into every area of Ffern which is one of the first perfume makers to create entirely recyclable bottles.

Women In Art: Kate Daudy & The NFT Gallery

Situated on the historical Dover Street famed for its parade of London clubs, hotels and contemporary art galleries, The NFT Gallery is Mayfair’s first physical NFT Gallery to open. One of the first of its kind in Europe, the female-founded and female-first gallery is an exciting new physical space for art collectors and creators alike to purchase, produce and learn about NFTs and digital art. Existing to make NFTs more tangible, from the moment you step inside the gallery you are thrust into an immersive experience. The mirrored floor functions analogously: refracting and reframing its digital and colourful surroundings, where one can enjoy the curated selection of NFTs in a physical space, as well as online.

In Defence of Private Jets: The Truth About Luxury Charters

In Defence of Private Jets: The Truth About Luxury Charters

On the evening of Saturday 10th September, embassies worldwide received a private document advising leaders, where possible, to board commercial flights to the UK for the Queen’s State Funeral. Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said he would be attending the service in his official jet. This follows months of increasing outcry on social media over the use of private jets by A-list celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey and Taylor Swift, who’ve allegedly racked up 68 and 170 trips this year, respectively. However, the fact of the matter is, private jet charters have experienced an unprecedented growth which the industry expects to continue, and not just thanks to celebrities and world leaders. Here, Andy Christie, Director of Private Jets at Air Charter Service, shares the industry growth they’ve experienced from momentum gained at the start of the global pandemic.

Women In Whisky: A Global Revolution

The ‘workmans’ perception led to early film imagery of miners, farmers and lonesome cowboys being pictured drinking whisky. However, a typically masculine drink is being diluted with femininity by women around the world.

Women Who Launch: Li Boatwright & Storrington PR

“Absolutely Fabulous first aired in 1992. I was 13 and didn’t have a television in my bedroom so I had to beg my mother to let me stay up and watch it. After the first few episodes, I knew I wanted to work in PR!” exclaims Li Boatwright, Founder of UK-based luxury agency Storrington PR. Fast forward and that 13-year-old girl now has an impressive list of clients under her belt such as iconic Mayfair restaurants Wiltons and Franco’s, the Croatian Relais & Châteaux property Maslina Resort, and the five-star Cora Cora Maldives among others. Boatwright says it was during a backpacking trip around Thailand at age 19 when her interest to work in the travel industry was ignited. Whilst staying at the Jolly Frog Inn in Kanchanaburi, she was told by the housekeeper to keep the door between the bathroom and bedroom closed at all times or else she risked rats entering her room.

Women Who Launch - Marie Soliman and Sarah Colbon of...

The design industry is captivating to many primarily because it doesn't sit still and is constantly in a state of transformation. "Design is the reflection of the era we live in, and with more conscious choices and well-travelled individuals, we are seeing—and getting asked to design—more sustainable and meaningful luxurious spaces," shares Marie Soliman, Founder and Creative Director of Bergman Design House, the luxury design studio that lists BXR London and the Hilton Hotel Brussels as some of its clients. Soliman tells me that the pandemic has dramatically influenced this transformation with a significant focus on sustainability, vintage pieces, and an ethos of meaningful luxury. It was also in 2020 that the team saw their clients spending more time out at sea on their yachts in a bid to get more privacy and stay away from crowds—superyachts had turned into a home away from home, and clients were on the lookout to put their stamp on these floating mansions.

The Maldives edition – an intimate Q&A with Finolhu’s GM...

Since the Seaside Management took over, what were some of the changes made to the resort?  Interesting point is that Finolhu has always been colorful in personality and I think when we opened, the management company that was involved then never wanted it to be known as a party island but they opened with a huge party and then six months later, Cara Delevigne took over the whole resort, I think for her 21st birthday. That was a huge party as well and by the time I arrived, which was two weeks after Cara’s birthday, it was already regarded as the party island of the Maldives. The management company that was involved didn’t ever want us to be known as a party island but it evolved from that, and I think the greatest lesson to be learnt today about media is that no longer can we control our PR, it is controlled by the public and we’ve got to be very careful in how we present ourselves and how we communicate because they will interpret it as the way they like. 

The Luxury Gent recommends: Sam Harris’ Making Sense podcast

The consumption of media is changing around us at an unbelievable rate. Podcasting is a phenomenon, and Sam Harris is one of its juggernauts. The beauty of the format to its makers, is that they can't be de-platformed, they control their own production, and distribution is de-centralised, effectively granting them complete autonomy over their content. And with no scheduling windows, or network timeslots to fit into, they can spend hours giving complex subjects the time and air they deserve. As listeners, we've embraced the flexibility of the content; it can be consumed in pieces, or wholesale, in often otherwise "dead-time," commutes & gym sessions for example, as well as on the sofa.

Our lifestyle expert reviews Oona series

However, I was instantly impressed by how lively and expressive she was through the screen, making it immediately feel like we were in the same room. Miller is the CEO and creative director of Oona Series, which she launched alongside co-founder Boniface Verney-Carron. We’re having an introductory chat before I start my one-month trial of the platform so that I could get an idea of how Oona came to be. “Oona Series is a personally curated space dedicated to the alignment of the physical, mental, and social. Born for those in pursuit of one's complete self. Rooted in my eternal passion of dance and movement,” says Miller. She tells me about how she first met Verney-Carron at her Marylebone studio where she was training his wife. “I remember vividly Boniface walking into one of my classes. It was a Saturday morning and the session was fully booked. He ran in with his motorcycle helmet and quickly jumped into class. He proceeded to move through my Barre class with an impeccable technique which instantly had me intrigued,” she shares.

Featuring Perfect your smile at Smile Architect dentists on 111...

With so many stories of botched cosmetic procedures and dodgy dental work, it’s important that you know that you are getting the best treatment out there. For the past year I have been a patient at Smile Architect in Harley Street, a private practice owned and run by Dr Adam Slade. Adam is a very experienced dental surgeon and has extensive experience in Prosthodontics and implant placement. He was awarded Master of Clinical Dentistry (Prosthodontics) in 2004 from London University having studied at Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’ Dental Institute to add to his other dental qualifications. I first met Adam when I was working on a documentary series which saw patients who had medical treatment disasters corrected. Adam was the resident dental expert correcting their smiles. It was then that I watched some of his more invasive and technically skilled work first-hand. Our case studies would arrive with very complicated issues, many needing all their teeth removed.

Review of The Luxury Insider reviews – the Queen of positive ageing

When we met, she was the beauty presenter on ITV1’s This Morning, which she did for 15 years, alongside her work as beauty editor of Hello! magazine. Now a huge YouTube star, she shares the beauty and lifestyle secrets that she’s learned over the years to thousands of subscribers. When we met I was just 21, now I am 41, her words to me then, ‘Don’t have Botox until you are 40!’ - It felt like such a long time to wait. But the years passed quickly and my young wrinkle free skin began to show signs of motherhood, sleepless nights and a life of working hard and playing hard.  Botox became my friend and for the first 6-12 months I was relatively happy with the results. However that was until Nadine introduced me to a cosmetic doctor, who I now hope will be in my life forever! Dr Vicky Dondos is regarded as one of the UK's ‘best face-perfecting doctors’ by the British press and is highly regarded for her sophisticated application of Botox, fillers and lasers - and after meeting her it was easy to see why.