True Tales Of Luxury

Mariella is back for more True Tales of Luxury with a host of new guests, including Sam McKnight and the duo behind palmer // harding. 

A name synonymous with luxurious nights, Olivia von Halle rewrote the rules of sleepwear with her silk creations. Here, Mariella meets the designer who took pyjamas into our everyday wardrobes, blurring the lines between lounge and ready-to-wear.  "You have to give yourself space for your imagination to be able to run riot."  Sparked by a love of her tailor-made pyjamas, Olivia von Halle put nightwear on the map with her eponymous brand. The original advocate of sleepwear as outerwear, the British designer has long been wearing her silk nightclothes beyond the bedroom. Launching with the archetypal Lila pyjamas in 2011, her classic aesthetic has since evolved into ready-to-wear with boudoir-esque slips and bias-cut skirts, with comfort and luxury ever at the forefront of her designs. 

Designer and philanthropist Gabriela Hearst is paving the way to a sustainable future for luxury fashion. Mariella meets the woman behind the eponymous label that's captured hearts with its steadfast ethics and quiet elegance.  "Sustainability is luxury — it shouldn't be two competing concepts."  Having grown up herding cattle on the family ranch in Uruguay, Gabriela Hearst's childhood was far from conventional — much like her approach to the business of fashion. Her focus on sustainability speaks to a 'buy less, wear more' mentality, creating pieces you'll love for life and never need to replace. Hearst's luxury is one of integrity and subtlety, from ranch-reared wool and recycled cashmere to anti-radiation pocket linings. But it's her eye for design that brings in the style set, with her cult Nina bag attracting a lengthy waitlist since being spotted on the arm of many an A-lister.  "My sense of luxury is this well-crafted, beautiful product that can last. It's made with integrity and noble materials."

It was in 2012 that Annoushka Ducas was decorated as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Recognised for her three decades of service to the jewellery industry, hers is a name that’s synonymous with luxury.  “Jewellery is so much about moments in time. Those are the luxuries: the moments that it commemorates, or what they mean to you.” Annoushka Ducas MBE wasn’t always destined for the world of luxury jewellery. The keen businesswoman, and now mother of four – who co-founded Links of London in 1990 alongside her husband, John Ayton – studied at the Sorbonne before alighting in the industry almost by chance. Despite her lack of formal training, Ducas’ innate sense of style and inimitable aesthetic has redefined the jewellery industry as we know it today. 

After a serendipitous meeting on the streets of London, power couple Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo launched a label that would become the biggest British couture house in over 100 years. Hear their extraordinary story as Mariella gets the low-down on the business of haute couture.  "We have this belief together that nothing is impossible. We have no doubt in our minds that what we're trying to create is one of the biggest luxury houses ever."  The enormous success of couture label Ralph & Russo can be traced back to one chance meeting between its eponymous founders on the streets of London. Love at first sight between a designer and a banker grew into, years later, the foundation of a fashion house that would become the first British label in 100 years to be invited to show at Paris Couture Week. Today, the brand's creations are spotted on a prestigious roster of clients from Angelina Jolie to Meghan Markle, who wore Ralph & Russo for her official engagement photograph with Prince Harry. 

In many ways, Hannah Coffin of Needle & Thread is a rebel of the fashion industry. Defying the seasonality that holds so many designers hostage, Coffin creates spellbinding collections at a pace that suits her. It’s a philosophy that, as Mariella discovers, is clearly working… “I don’t think luxury these days is necessarily about the price tag. It’s more about the experience.” Best-dressed guests have one thing in common: Needle & Thread. Brainchild of Hannah Coffin, the British label is an events season staple, beloved for its intricate embroidery, fin de siècle references, and elaborate detailing. It’s a story that begins in childhood. Bought a Singer sewing machine at 11 years old, Coffin was taught her craft by her Grandmother (“Looking back, it was probably just a way to keep me quiet.”), who impressed upon her protégée the importance of time-honoured skills and traditional textiles. The rest, as they say, is history.

Clinical hypnotherapist and all-round mindfulness guru, Terrence the Teacher is loved and lauded for his ability to endow patients with the tools to turn their lives around. Here, he tells Mariella of pursuing the ultimate luxury — self-healing.  "When you do mindfulness, you're changing yourself for the better and then the world's your oyster."  Having coached clients from Christian Louboutin to the Great Ormand Street Hospital staff in the art of mindfulness, Terrence the Teacher has garnered a devoted following for his life-changing effect on people. His expertise in clinical hypnotherapy and neurolinguistics helps patients kick bad habits from smoking to stage fright — simply put, it comes down to unlocking the subconscious and overturning the thought process. His is a world of positivity, where negative language is outlawed and the power to change lies within — as his long list of loyal clientele will attest. 

For Charlotte Olympia Dellal, creating shoes has become something of a therapy. A self-confessed podophobic (“I took what I hate, and have tried to make feet look as pretty as they can!”), the designer has defied her distaste – making her name with fantastical pairings that push the parameters of footwear. Here, she takes Mariella back to where it all started…  “There are certain things in life that make you feel a different way. I know it’s an aesthetic thing, but I feel that it’s important.” “I’m very nostalgic,” says Charlotte Olympia Dellal on her love of 1940s glamour. As is often the case, hers is a passion that began in childhood, cultivated by her mother – Brazilian model, Andrea de Magalhaes Viera – and her grandmother, with whom the young Dellal would revel in the films of old Hollywood. Twice crowned Accessories Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, and trained at Cordwainers School following a foundation at London College of Fashion, the designer celebrates retro glamour through a

Fourth-generation jeweller Carolina Bucci tells Mariella how she rebelled against traditional design in favour of her winningly wearable aesthetic, all the while nurturing a true love of time-honoured Italian luxury — perfectly captured when she reveals her most treasured piece of craft.  "To me, the ultimate idea of luxury is when something is perfect just for you." Adored for her wearable, everyday approach to fine jewellery, Carolina Bucci has Italian luxury in her DNA as a fourth-generation jeweller in Florence's famous Ponte Vecchio. Surrounded by beautiful jewels as a child, she soon came to resist the restrictive traditions of design in favour of a contemporary and playful aesthetic, inspired by childhood friendship bracelets for her first collection. Yet her rejection of conventional design comes hand in hand with a deep-seated appreciation of Italian craftsmanship, championing a slow, patient and bespoke approach to craft in pursuit of perfection. 

Hairstylist to the A-list, George Northwood takes Mariella behind the scenes of his star-studded career, from cutting Alexa Chung's now-iconic bob to styling The Duchess of Sussex's wedding reception up-do.  A pioneer of today's undone yet polished look, George Northwood's hairdressing journey has soared from playing make-believe salons in his parents' loft to styling The Duchess of Sussex's wedding reception hair. Finding his niche in creating a perfectly tousled effect, Northwood's creative vision prefers impeccably cool, manageable elegance over a just-left-the-salon look — marked by his famed handiwork with Alexa Chung's game-changing textured bob. His approach to luxury is a pragmatic one, throwing out extravagance in favour of efficiency and unintimidating surroundings at his eponymous Fitzrovia salon. 

It’s tricky to imagine Sarah Shotton being anything other than the body-confidence advocate she is today. And yet, as the designer reveals, it was only upon discovering Agent Provocateur – the iconic and “filthy elegant” lingerie brand of which Shotton is now Creative Director – that she would learn to love her figure. “Underwear is very important… It makes you feel good about yourself; it makes you feel confident; it’s fun; it pulls you in. It is the most important thing that you put on every day  What Sarah Shotton doesn’t know about lingerie isn’t worth knowing. Creative Director at Agent Provocateur since 2010, the Central Saint Martins alumna can trace her trajectory to the brand’s helm all the way back to shop assistant in 1999. Now, Shotton is rewriting the rules of luxury lingerie – whether by utilising Leavers lace, more typically associated with couture, or introducing a nursing bra that marries ergonomic design and elegance – to, quite literally, shape the future of the female silhouette. 

For Ashley Hicks, acclaimed interior and architectural designer, an eye for good taste runs in the family. Here, the son of David Nightingale Hicks recounts his illustrious upbringing amidst the upper echelons of British society – and reveals the secret behind his indefatigable ‘assistant’, Francis. Ashley Hicks’ formative years were as extraordinary as you’d expect from the son of David Nightingale Hicks – esteemed interior designer – and Lady Pamela Hicks, the younger daughter of Earl Louis Mountbatten. Luxurious and eccentric in equal measure, their influence lives on in Hicks’ own practice, from the designer’s signature totemic sculptures and opulent textiles, to his varied oeuvre of familial memoirs and photographic journals. The latest of these, Buckingham Palace: The Interiors, was published in 2018 by Rizzoli in partnership with the Royal Collection Trust.  

In any conversation about Mary Katrantzou, the words ‘colour’ and ‘print’ are never too far behind. And yet, in reality, the Greek-born fashion designer is poles apart from the maximalist that people believe her to be, as she explains... It wasn’t until studying under the late Professor Louise Wilson OBE that designer, Mary Katrantzou, would find her creative confidence. Now, just over a decade after presenting her seminal Central Saint Martins MA collection, Katrantzou is regarded among the leading lights of the global fashion stage – collaborating with the likes of Swarovski and Longchamp, and designing for the New York City Ballet. In 2018, the Dallas Contemporary Museum hosted Mary, Queen of Prints – a curation of 180+ looks, to coincide with her label’s 10th anniversary.

Season Two has arrived! Join Mariella as she continues exploring what luxury truly means in a modern world in conversation with the industry’s most notable minds and creatives. In this series, she's joined by designers Mary Katrantzou and Charlotte Olympia Dellal, Interior Designer Ashley Hicks, Agent Provocateur Creative Director Sarah Shotton, Jeweller Carolina Bucci and hairdresser George Northwood.

Terry de Gunzburg is a trailblazer in the beauty industry. After a 15-year career as Creative Director at Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, where she created the cult classic Touche Éclat concealer pen, she launched her eponymous beauty range, By Terry, which has become renowned for its distinct approach to colour, light and texture. In this exclusive bonus episode, Terry talks to Mariella about her addiction to buying shoes, how she believes make-up should enhance our beauty and never be used to hide what is natural, and the development of her 'haute couleur' bespoke colour creation service.

Jeweller Stephen Webster describes his extraordinary journey from the east end of London to designing for Elizabeth Taylor. He reveals why he's racked up a million air miles, and showcases a personalised cutlery set that means so much to him. 

A Royally-favoured designer, OBE Amanda Wakeley takes us on a walk down a fashionable memory lane, from her favourite teenage looks to her mission to empower and elevate women.

Top London chef and restraunteur Jackson Boxer takes us back to where his love of food was born, his history as a bad-boy chef and the story behind his favourite knife. 

The Serbian designer discusses what makes clothes luxury, her love of colour and her architectural approach to design, plus the ceramic that she thinks does something extraordinary.

We hear artist David Batchelor, creator of wonderful colour-filled installations, discuss the relationship between art, colour and luxury. Then he reveals something that came from inside a volcano.