Walpole news and archive

Walpole British Luxury Awards 2025 celebrates “resilience and renewal”

Walpole, which represents the British luxury industry, including Burberry, Alexander McQueen and Harrods, celebrated its annual Walpole British Luxury Awards at The Dorchester, Mayfair in London last night, November 10, spotlighting brands and individuals who define British luxury's creativity, innovation and global cultural relevance. Helen...

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Retail

London is the beating heart of European luxury. But for how long?

Every so often, the luxury world produces a report that reads less like market data and more like a mirror. Walpole’s State of London Luxury, in partnership with Cadogan, is exactly that, an X-ray of a city that insists, against all rivals, on remaining the gravitational center of European wealth and shopping. While the headline sounds familiar:...

People

Walpole names Fortnum & Mason CEO as chair

Luxury trade association Walpole has named Tom Athron as its new chair, a role he will take up from July 1. Athron, who currently serves as chief executive of Fortnum & Mason, will succeed Michael Ward, managing director of Harrods, who is stepping down after finishing the maximum tenure of nine years. Ward will continue on in the newly created...

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Business

‘Brexit effect’: New study by Walpole reveals impact of Brexit on UK luxury

A new study by Walpole has stated that luxury exports from the EU to the UK were on average 43 percent lower than they may have been without Brexit. According to the platform’s ‘Trading with Europe’ report, the fashion and accessories sector has been the hardest hit by Brexit-impacted trading, reporting a decline of 64 percent on exports to the...

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Fashion

Walpole unveils 2025 ‘Brands of Tomorrow’

Fresh off success at London Fashion Week, British luxury brand E.L.V. Denim, dedicated to handcrafting timeless fashion pieces from 100 percent upcycled materials, has been named as one of the 12 ‘Brands of Tomorrow’ for 2025 by industry body Walpole, which represents the British luxury sector. The annual ‘Brands of Tomorrow’ initiative, now in...

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Fashion

Erdem, Jo Malone London and Clothsurgeon win at Walpole awards

The Walpole British Luxury Awards, which celebrates British luxury brands and individuals who define “the exciting creativity, innovation and global cultural relevance of Great Britain,” honoured beauty brand Jo Malone London, menswear label Clothsurgeon and fashion designer Erdem Moralioglu at its 2024 event held at The Dorchester in London....

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Business

London: Luxury retailer confidence drops despite surge in affluent population

Luxury retailers have reported a drop in positivity towards business prospects in London despite a surge in affluent customers both living and visiting the city. According to Walpole’s ‘State of London Luxury Report 2024’, retailer positivity dropped from 71 percent in 2023 to 53 percent in the current year. The cause for such sentiments was...

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Business

UK luxury sector worth 81 billion pounds to the economy

The British luxury sector is now worth 81 billion pounds annually to the UK economy, supporting more than 450,000 jobs across various sectors, making it one of the top industry drivers of the economy, according to a new report from Walpole. The ‘Luxury in the Making’ report from the industry body that represents more than 250 British luxury...

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Fashion |Beauty

Walpole names Brands of Tomorrow for 2024

Walpole, the industry body for the British luxury sector, has named 12 early-stage brands for its year-long ‘Brands of Tomorrow’ programme, including sustainable eyewear brand Monc and bridal destination Gigi & Olive. The ‘Brands of Tomorrow’ mentoring initiative, in association with law firm Mishcon de Reya, will help each of the brands...

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Fashion |Beauty

Ozwald Boateng, Boodles and Sunspel win at Walpole awards

The Walpole British Luxury Awards, which celebrates the contribution that luxury and high-end businesses make to the UK, honoured Boodles, Neal’s Yard Remedies, and fashion designer Ozwald at its 2023 event. The awards featured ten categories celebrating design, innovation, talent and craftsmanship at the heart of Britain’s luxury sector, from...

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Management

Walpole pushes for the reinstatement of tax-free shopping for visitors in the UK

Walpole, the industry body that represents more than 250 British luxury companies, has published its inaugural ‘State of London Luxury’ report in partnership with Cadogan, which manages more than 90 acres of Chelsea and Knightsbridge and is calling for the reinstatement of a tax-free shopping scheme for international visitors. The report, which...

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Business

Walpole to promote British brands in New York

Walpole, the industry body that represents more than 250 British luxury companies, is taking a delegation of 25 members including Neal's Yard Remedies and Harris Tweed Hebrides to New York this week. The Anglo-American luxury trade delegation will host a programme of events and meetings in New York to promote British luxury in the US, as well as...