S5E24: The Politics of Luxury with David Leigh Pemberton, Deputy Director of Policy & Engagement at the British Fashion Council
Release Date: 10/27/2025
S5E27: A New Pace of Travel with Belmond's Senior VP of Global Brand, Marketing and Communications, Arnaud Champenois
What The Luxe
Belmond has spent decades redefining the romance of travel—inviting guests to slow down, savour time and inhabit destinations rather than pass through them. Across 43 properties in 24 countries, the brand has become synonymous with slow luxury. Arnaud Champenois, Senior VP of Global Brand, Marketing and Communications, is the architect of that vision, balancing Belmond's storied heritage with the cultural shifts reshaping modern travel. In this episode, Arnaud sits down with Anant Sharma to discuss what slow luxury actually means in practice. They explore Belmond's property-first approach,...
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S5E26: Rituals of Listening with Grace Lo, President & Head of Global Marketing at KEF Audio Group
What The Luxe
For over 60 years, KEF has redefined what it means to listen—turning sound into sculpture and engineering into art. Under the leadership of Grace Lo, the brand continues to push boundaries in both technology and design, shaping the future of high-fidelity audio for a new generation. In this episode, Grace joins Anant Sharma to explore what luxury means when it comes to sound. They discuss the founding spirit of Raymond Cooke, the shift from passive to active systems, and why the ritual of listening—whether that's filling a room with music or the deliberate act of putting a record...
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S5E25: Mia Reay on Defiance of Trend & English Eccentricity
What The Luxe
Each of Mia Reay’s wallpapers begins as a painting - layered with history, character, and a quiet defiance of trend. Inspired by centuries of craftsmanship, from Islamic ceramics to Swedish palaces, her designs bring storytelling back to interiors with a distinctly English eccentricity. In conversation with Fred Moore, Mia shares the accidental origins of her brand, her belief that true luxury is measured in time and craft, and why she designs for beauty that lasts, not trends that fade. A celebration of imagination, patience, and the enduring power of the handmade.
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S5E24: The Politics of Luxury with David Leigh Pemberton, Deputy Director of Policy & Engagement at the British Fashion Council
What The Luxe
Behind the gloss of London Fashion Week lies a complex machinery of trade, taxation and soft power. David Leigh Pemberton sits at its centre — navigating the delicate relationship between creativity and government as Deputy Director of Policy & Engagement at the British Fashion Council. In this episode, he unpacks how fashion’s future depends on the policies shaping it — from the campaign for VAT-free shopping and the realities of post-Brexit trade to the quiet diplomacy that keeps British design globally relevant. We explore how advocacy sustains artistry, why creativity is one of...
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S5E23: Designing Human Tempo with Founder & Creative Director, Tatjana von Stein
What The Luxe
Luxury hospitality is evolving—dissolving the boundaries between home, hotel, and cultural space. Few designers navigate that shift more intuitively than Tatjana von Stein. As Founder and Creative Director, she leads a London and Mallorca-based studio reimagining how people experience place through narrative-led design that incentivises human behaviour. From award-winning members' clubs and boutique hotels to her collectable furniture line Mise en Scène, her work explores what she calls "human tempo"—the rhythm and psychology of how we move through multifaceted spaces. In this...
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S5E22: Cultural Gravity: Divia Thani, Global Editorial Director of Condé Nast Traveller, on Luxury’s Eastward Pull
What The Luxe
As Global Editorial Director of Condé Nast Traveller, Divia Thani is witnessing a profound shift in the balance of cultural influence. Once defined by Western ideals of taste and sophistication, luxury is increasingly shaped by perspectives from the East—by travellers who value meaning over display, connection over consumption. In conversation with Anant Sharma, Divia reflects on travel’s evolving power centres, the rise of India and the Middle East as arbiters of modern luxury, and how storytelling can restore depth in an age of infinite access and instant gratification.
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S5E21: The Business of Flight with Edwin Brenninkmeyer, Founder & CEO of Oriens Aviation
What The Luxe
In this episode of What The Luxe, host Fred Moore sits down with Edwin Brenninkmeyer, Founder and CEO of Oriens Aviation, to unpack the mechanics, mindset, and meaning behind modern private aviation. A commercial and private pilot with more than two decades of experience, Edwin brings the precision of a pilot and the perspective of an entrepreneur to a conversation about what true craftsmanship means in an industry often mistaken for theatre. He shares the founding story of Oriens Aviation, its partnerships with Pilatus, Tecnam, and Cirrus, and how integrity and long-term value creation sit...
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S5E20: Designing Desire with Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer—From James Bond’s DB10 to Tomorrow’s Icons
What The Luxe
What does it take to design pure desire? For over two decades, Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin, has shaped some of the most iconic cars in history—from the One-77 hypercar to James Bond’s DB10. In this episode, he shares how Aston Martin became a “love brand,” why luxury is shifting from utility to emotion, and how sound, scent, and craft define the future of mobility. From London’s Routemaster bus to Miami apartments, Reichman’s vision extends far beyond the road. A rare look inside the creative mind driving tomorrow’s icons.
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S5E19: Building Premium Differently with Hinesh Shah, General Manager of Diageo Luxury Company
What The Luxe
Hinesh Shah, General Manager of Diageo Luxury Company, shares how heritage spirits brands like Johnnie Walker and Don Julio are evolving for today's luxury consumer. Recorded in July 2025, Fred Moore explores with Hinesh why luxury spirits require a fundamentally different approach—from cultural partnerships with Live Nation and Perfect Moment to exclusive launches at Harrods. They discuss the surprising growth of tequila in the UK market, why premium rum could be the next category to break through, and Diageo's significant investment in the on-premise trade, adding over 40 staff focused...
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S5E18: The Anti-BuzzFeed: How Skift's Rafat Ali Built Media's Most Trusted Travel Voice
What The Luxe
Rafat Ali has spent thirteen years building Skift into travel's most respected publication by prioritising original thinking over scale. The founder who coined the term "overtourism" joins What The Luxe to discuss why mainstream media is becoming obsolete, how AI will transform travel's backend operations, and what authentic hospitality really means. From framing industries through language to raising resilient children in an on-demand world, Ali offers sharp insights on media, travel, and human connection.
info_outlineBehind the gloss of London Fashion Week lies a complex machinery of trade, taxation and soft power. David Leigh Pemberton sits at its centre — navigating the delicate relationship between creativity and government as Deputy Director of Policy & Engagement at the British Fashion Council.
In this episode, he unpacks how fashion’s future depends on the policies shaping it — from the campaign for VAT-free shopping and the realities of post-Brexit trade to the quiet diplomacy that keeps British design globally relevant. We explore how advocacy sustains artistry, why creativity is one of Britain’s most undervalued exports, and what it takes to make luxury a national priority rather than a cultural afterthought.