I am delighted to announce that Genevieve Sweeney has been selected as one of twelve brands for this year’s Walpole Brands of Tomorrow!

The programme, which is currently chaired by Balthazar Fabricius and is sponsored by Mishcon De Reya, focuses on creating mutually beneficial relationships between both established and emerging luxury businesses. The chosen brands are guided through a series of workshops and mentoring sessions over the year, acquiring knowledge and expertise from some of the most experienced and well respected luxury executives and founders in the UK. This year’s brands all champion a commitment to both sustainability and heritage craftsmanship, honouring their crafts while preserving them for future generations of their industries. 

What is Walpole? They are the official sector body for UK luxury, dedicated to promoting, protecting and developing British luxury brands – a sector worth £81 billion to the UK economy. Founded as a non-profit in 1992, over 250 brands are included in their membership.

You can read short profiles of the other eleven brands that I’m excited to join the programme with here. There’s everything from non-alcoholic aperitifs to an events and wedding design studio. Here’s a full list: Alice Wilkes Design, Cece Jewellery, Curate Your Style, E.L.V. Denim, M J Jones, Molly Mahon, Mother Root, Original Fibres, Pott Candles, Smock London and Teresa Tarmey. Some of these brands are new to me, others I have established relationships with. I’m really looking forward to connecting with all of their founders over the next twelve months!

This year’s brands were announced at a dazzling launch party on Monday 24th February, where we were all invited to The Ned in London for the grand announcement. The party gave us the first chance to mingle – as well as 150 guests who enjoyed canapes and champagne with us, while gaining an insight into all of our brands. I’m sharing a selection of photographs from this event here, photographed by Colin Dack.

So, what will my year as one of the Brands of Tomorrow look like? There are exciting workshops and mentoring sessions in my calendar, plus the exciting opportunity to collaborate and connect with the other eleven brands on the programme. I’m also thrilled to be heading to New York with Walpole in March for a trade mission, to help champion, support and build relationships internationally for British luxury. Watch this space for more updates throughout the year …..

Photo credits: Colin Dack & Walpole.