What The Luxe

Chris Sanderson is the co-founder of The Future Laboratory, one of the world's most renowned futures consultancies, and the best guest to kick off the second series of this podcast. A clear authority in what makes timeless brands, Chris and Anant tap into the science behind trends, sources of newness and the intricacies in the cycle of innovation; unpicking the trajectory of luxury as they go — all the way from antiquity to tomorrow.

A long-time friend of Matter Of Form and all-round luxury industry ace, Julia Perowne gives What The Luxe a glimpse of her innate sense of what makes a hotel special, some guidelines on what an exquisite hotel proposition looks like and why she is another hater of the term 'luxury'.

With an intuitive understanding of people, Adam Blackwood, Founder & Creative Director of Private Drama Events, illuminates Fred on the power of complete immersion in one-of-a-kind experiences and creating the mystery of a lifetime on Belmond's legendary British Pullman.

Continuing our channel-wide deep dive into fine jewellery, Fred is joined by world-renowned designer, jeweller & CEO of Ming Jewellery, Ming Lampson — whose love for gemstones has spanned both decades and continents — to mine her philosophy for crafting one-of-a-kind pieces, the story behind the stones and where fine jewellery is headed.

Keith Vincent, CEO of Wilderness, a world-leading conservation and hospitality company, fascinates and entertains Fred with his tales from the wild — both in nature and the unpredictable landscape of business & ecotourism.

A total legend in the industry, he leads Wilderness' 3000-strong collective with over 60 camps across 8 countries, acting as a force behind their mission to preserve the world's ultimate, untamed places no matter where they may be.

Everyone knows about Dishoom, the decade-defining success story of London's restaurant scene. To dive deeper, Fred is joined by Kavi Thakrar, Dishoom's formidable and admirably humble Co-Founder & Head Babu.

Weaving truly fascinating tales of both his life and business, Kavi tells Fred all about Bombay's beautiful melting pot of culture, the challenge of replicating that in the UK restaurant industry, the secret to success in hospitality (answer: soul) and the importance of deepening a brand with storytelling, rather than diluting it.

Fred & Anant are joined by Charlotte Shaw, CMO of BlockBar — the world's first DTC NFT marketplace for luxury wines and spirits — talking everything from their blockchain business model, the benefit for both brands and buyers as well as Web3's potential to revolutionise luxury. Disclaimer: You will find yourself googling how to buy shares in BlockBar after listening.

Throwing up a middle finger to conventional notions of luxury travel, Fred is joined by Sam Highley, Founder of All Roads North – an unpretentious luxury travel company that custom designs unforgettable American road trips.

Tune in as these two old friends tap into All Roads North's 'unpretentious luxury' ethos, the many faces of the luxury road tripper and whether tech has the potential to displace the bespoke travel advisor.

Covering everything from the blanding phenomenon and eccentric brand ambassadors to NFTs and Anant's hypothetical life as a DJ, What The Luxe's first episode is a one-on-one between MOF co-founders as Fred dissects Anant's distaste for the term 'luxury' despite their line of work, complimented by some light-hearted jabs and the acknowledgement of a decidedly small audience. For now.