What’s Your Idea of A Luxury?

In launching Gladstone / Hellen, we are creating a place that offers you a complete ‘way of life’. That sounds a bit jargony; what I mean is that we sell a mix of clothes, homewares, travel goods and food.

All of these things are of great integrity and beauty, and all are made entirely in the UK. However we look at Gladstone / Hellen, this commitment to manufacturing in the UK is one of the most important components of what we’re about.

If you believe in this country and in our jobs, in age-old craft, in heritage and the beauty that these things create, then we’re the place for you.

We are not the only company that truly values British provenance (there are loads of amazing people making things here), but one of an ever-smaller breed.

Does this make us a ‘luxury’ company? Not by the standard definition, really.

But we do see our company as reimagining what ‘luxury’ might look like for people like us.

Now, I know that it’s traditional when writing the word ‘luxury’ to forearm the reader with a reminder (that might be an oxymoron, sorry) that you know it’s a ghastly, overused word. But it does effectively define a certain class of goods and services that are seen as refined, crafted, timeless, built to last, and of the highest quality. Conventionally these are sold by (generally) massive pan-global companies offering heavily advertised and branded goods at eye-watering prices.

As you know, something of the sheen has started to rub off these companies; discovery of fibs about provenance, the burning of excess stock, rapidly doubling prices, court appearances over abuse in the supply chain and the downturn of demand in China have somewhat dented the profits. But don’t lose sleep on their behalf, they’re okay. Bernard Arnault’s family, who own LVMH, are one of the richest ever known to mankind.

Good on ‘em.

I don’t want this stuff, and I don’t imagine that you -dear reader- will be queuing outside Chanel or Louis Vuitton any time soon.

So, perhaps we might start to think about what luxury means to us. If it encapsulates stuff that’s rare and life-enhancing, I suppose it might be:

Health. Fresh Air. Quiet.

Beauty.

Time with friends.

Records on a good HiFi.

Conversation.

Space to laugh.

A black cab when you’re tired.

Simple, seasonal food.

Good bread, proper butter.

Flowers, fruit trees, local honey.

And.

Goods of deep provenance that are:

Beautiful but not shouty.

Crafted, considered.

Quiet.

Stylish but not fashionable.

The earliest expression of contemporary luxury might have been found in the palaces of Mesopotamia, 6000 years ago. This notion hasn’t really changed today; jewels, fine silks, and delicious food.

The Greeks refined this notion; they associated luxury goods with aesthetic perfection, sure, but also with something deeper, more philosophical.

This is perhaps where we come in.

I love beautiful things. All three of us do. And so, I think, do you.

This is not about need, it’s about desire. But it’s also about belief in provenance.

This desire finds clear expression in fully understanding the history of the things that I own. In the craft, the people, the materials.

This is luxury. Provenance. Soul. Narrative.

It is very easy to get things made abroad and there are two reasons for doing so. Neither of these are bad reasons, but they are truths.

First, other countries have skillsets that simply aren’t available in Britain. Take China, for example; although often maligned, it is a country that’s brilliant at all sorts of complex techniques that we can’t touch in the UK.

Second, other countries make stuff that is cheaper. The reasons for this are manifold: cheaper labour, less onerous standards of working conditions, lower standards of living. And that means higher margins for something that’s essentially the same as we make. Although, of course, it isn’t the same, is it?

Anyway.

We want to make stuff that’s:

Beautiful, elegant.

Bullshit free.

Real, human.

Deeply considered.

Cheerful, open.

Crafted, sophisticated, quiet.

Limited edition.

All of these things are as luxurious as quiet mornings and fresh air. And unlike traditional luxury, ours is expensive because it costs a lot to make, not because we have huge margins.

So, that’s what we’re thinking about as we press ahead. Thank you for joining us.

Best

Charlie.