HOT BRANDSCOOL PLACES

MARCH 2013FASHION CULTURE LIFESTYLE

Mother’s Day Issue

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EDITOR’S LETTER

We always want to highlight success stories of small businesses and in this issue we have two fabulous examples, Peony & Moore and Boston & Boston.

We also hear from Guy Rigby, author of From Vision to Exit, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building and Selling a Business, sharing his wisdom and advice about business development useful for every small business, whether you are starting out or looking to successfully develop your business.

Finally as Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching (March 10th) this issue is packed full of beautiful gifts for special mothers. Picture Credits Front Cover courtesy of The Handpicked Collection http://www.handpickedcollection.com/

Other images throughout the magazine supplied by the various companies, or publishers featured.Intro Image of our Cool Places Section courtesy of of Condé Nast Please Note All information about products and services are supplied to us by the individual organizations, or agencies acting on their behalf. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, it may be subject to change. Please check with individual organizations for the latest information about all events, products, or news items.

Inclusion in this magazine does not imply endorsement by Hot Brands Cool Places. Hot Brands Cool Places does not accept responsibility for the content of any external site.

ESTA ROMI

Esta Romi is the online destination for luxury Gift Collections. Whether you choose from our curated range or create bespoke, our elegantly presented collections enchant even the most

discerning of recipients. Our Mother’s Day gift selection can be viewed here:http://www.estaromi.com/catalog/category/view/id/13

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OSKIA SKINCARE

Is your Mother the most important lady in your life? If so, this is the perfect time to treat her to something a little different and a little special. OSKIA’s luxurious natural skincare products

are available at Fenwick of Bond Street or www.oskiaskincare.com. They are offering 20% off all of their products from their website, including gift sets. Simply enter the code

HBCP13 at checkout.

www.oskiaskincare.com

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DOROTHY & THEODORE

Dorothy & Theodore is an exclusive baby boutique created with the aim of providing a one-stop shopping solution where you can find beautiful yet practical products for family life, as

well as unique gifts for Mummy, Daddy and little ones.

www.dorothyandtheodore.com

6INTERVIEW

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Hot Brands Cool Places spoke with Guy Rigby, Author of From Vision to Exit, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building and Selling a Business

3. Not having a proper plan. They may have lots of ideas, but don’t think enough about execution.4. In addition the importance of having the right people. In my book, From Vision to Exit, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Building and Selling a Business, I reference the work of David Molian and others who, in Growing Your Business: A Handbook for Ambitious Owner Managers, describe the owner-manager as developing across specific roles over time.

These roles include ’artisan’,’ hero,’ ’meddler’ and ‘strategist’. It is so important to get the right support at the right time - I advocate that Finance comes first and the first person to appoint is a part-time Finance Director. If you don’t have a grasp of the numbers your business will be at risk. Next I would suggest a Non-Executive Director, someone knowledgeable about your business. Neither would involve too much cost, as they can be part-time. Later you can consider other roles like Operations and Sales.

Given the current job market, what advice would you give to schools/universities about preparing young people for the world of work?

Having a grasp of the commercial world is important - not enough knowledge is given to schoolchildren about the world of work. There has been some progress within universities, however, with the setting up of National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs (NACUE) to stimulate and support student enterprise.

You have mentored and advised many start-ups, what are the key indicators that would make you believe that a new business has the potential to be successful?

There are a number of things that make someone stand out. First, it is essential that it’s easy for people to understand what their business is about i.e. they explain it quickly and clearly. If people cannot do this, others will lose interest. Second, there is a proven need/demand for their potential business idea. For example, recently there has been activity in the Foreign Exchange marketplace, where new business models are being used to disrupt older offerings. Third, they must be extremely focused, with true vision, passion and a plan that passes the test of reality.

What are the 3 key areas that entrepreneurs often find challenging, and how do you help them overcome the challenges?

1.Not understanding the system, particularly in the area of finance, coming in with the idea on the back of a ‘fag packet’ and expecting to raise a £1 million from venture capital. 2. Failing to do their research, not understanding the likely demand, not identifying their competitors.

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Young people also need to be encouraged to foster ambition, to be healthily competitive and to develop good communication skills, along with common sense. Having said that Generation Y are likely to overtake Generation X* with their more flexible attitude to working and their advanced social networking skills.

Some creative entrepreneurs may not want to stay and grow a business. If someone has the vision and the business has scalability how can they successfully exit a business?

One of the challenges here is that if a visionary entrepreneur exits too early they may undersell themselves and someone else will reap all the profit/benefits. My advice would be: listen to the market but unless you are presented with a wonderful offer, which is really too good to refuse, keep going and build the revenues and the structure.

You have had many successes in your business career, what ambitions still remain for you?

I feel more passionate and more capable now, than I did 10, or even 20 years ago. With age comes knowledge - I sleep less and I love the social networking world. There is so much content and information that I feel more engaged and interested. I am also passionate about my role as Head of Entrepreneurial Services at Smith & Williamson and my vision is for us to be the ‘go-to’ firm for entrepreneurs. But if I am forced to hang up my boots, I’d like to write another book, do some mentoring and increase my angel investing in early stage businesses.

What makes a perfect weekend for you? Sun, sea and snow! I race a small boat and I enjoy skiing - I love the mountains and the scenery, preferably doing all this with my family!

http://www.smith.williamson.co.uk/@guyrigby

Who are Generation X and Y?•Research show various results, but Generation X are often defined as post the baby-boomers generation, being born from the early 60s to early 80s and Generation Y are usually defined as being born between the early 80s and the early 2000s. From Vision to Exit - The Entrepreneurs Guide to Building and Selling a Business. Guy Rigby

Synopsis: There are many differences between a good business and a great business, but they aren’t beyond a business leader’s control. In From Vision to Exit, Guy candidly explains how entrepreneurs can develop strategies, plans and tactics to get their businesses to the top.With an easy and engaging style, this book is a definitive and practical guide that covers almost every business area. From strategy to finance, management to marketing and business planning to exit, Guy leaves almost no stone unturned. The result is an invaluable tool for entrepreneurs seeking to navigate the minefield of successful growth, and a must for those wishing to maximise value from a sale.

Hot Brands Cool Places VerdictIf you are thinking of setting up in business this is a really valuable and helpful book. What we especially liked about From Vision to Exit was that it really does as it says in the title, it will support you at every stage of your journey. Essential reading for all would be entrepreneurs whether you are starting out or those looking to successfully develop their business. Highly Recommended!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/

SASS & BELLE

Sass and Belle have handfuls of Mother’s Day gifts to amaze your favourite person on the 10th March. Purrfect cosy cushions, jewellery trees, and photo frames to present cherished

memories for the Best Mum. More gifts ideas available at

www.sassandbelle.co.uk.

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GIFT ATELIER

Make this Mother’s Day one to remember with a perfect gift from The Gift Atelier who are offering an exclusive 10% discount on all purchases made before Mother’s Day. Simply apply the discount code MUM123 to your Shopping Basket. www.giftatelier.com. Offering a collection of high quality, luxury brands. From supple cashmere accessories to indulgent organic body

treats and the ultimate coffee table books, Gift Atelierhas the ideal present for any occasion. Brands include Bamford Bath & Body,

Linley, Tom Ford and Vivienne Westwood.

www.giftatelier.com

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ARTS AND CRAFTS LIVING

All Mums will be delighted with a beautiful and useful gift from Arts and Crafts Living www.artsandcraftsliving.co.uk. We sell unique home interiors and gifts in the style of the British and American Arts & Crafts era (c.1870 – 1930).

www.artsandcraftsliving.co.uk

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INTERVIEW

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Hot Brands Cool Places spoke with Lucy Clayphan and Pam

Palmer for an exclusive interview.

What was your inspiration for setting up Peony & Moore?

I had been working for many years as a Marketeer for companies, I began my career with Heinz, and for the previous 7 years I had freelanced as a virtual marketing department for many local companies. Pam had run businesses throughout her career, and she was at the time running a jewellery company for a local designer. The idea of creating our own fashion brand happened organically in my back garden over a bottle of wine. We both had a passion for handbags (and shoes) and we identified a gap in the market beween the high street offering and designer handbags. We wanted a collection which was priced between £100 - £250 which offered a high level of quality & design so we started looking at Italian brands we could introduce to the UK. Although initially these Italian brands did well, we soon realized we wanted to be designing them ourselves. We sourced a factory in Portugal to make our handbags as their heritage in leather is renown and we bought our leather off the same tanneries the brands in Italy were using to gain the same level of quality and our first own label handbag, the Lucia, was launched in August of 2010. By September, Red Direct had asked to see the Lucia and subsequently launched it in January 2011 with great success. By the June of 2011 we had designed and created a full collection and by December 2011 we had ceased to sell the Italian brands we had originally bought into the UK and we were solely own label.

What do you enjoy most about running your own business?

We both have a love of fashion, scouring the catwalks each season to see what the trends are, therefore a natural extension of that was creating our own fashion brand. I think reacting to the trends and then translating that into own collection, which is then loved by our customers, is so satisfying and enjoyable. We also love to go the extra mile, so receiving emails and feedback from customers who we have helped is immensely satisfying.

As a young business what have been the challenges and what have been your highlights?

The first challenge was starting a new business in a poor economic climate. We had many who thought we were mad creating a luxury brand in 2011. However, we’re not only still here after 3 years, we’re thriving! Any new business faces challenges, as an online retailer we faced a lot of internet fraud during our first year and had to tighten up our fraud protection to not allow it to happen again. In terms of our highlights, there have been many! Bath in Fashion last year was incredibly exciting for us, showing our collection down our own catwalk was exhilarating! Becoming the Wiltshire finalists for the Deborah Meaden Local Business Accelerators Programme was fantastic, we won advertising spend and 3mths mentoring which was supremely helpful! However, seeing someone in the street wearing one of our handbags is the biggest highlight.

What are your own personal favourites in your range?

I adore the Mariella, I have had one in every colour so far and I swap them over week to week. I have children so they are just so practical with the second across body strap. Pam currently loves the new Gilly in navy and her black Camilla, she cannot wait to get her hands on the new Vanilla cream one which is coming out for spring!

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How would you like to see the brand developing?

Internet retailing is seeing immense growth, far exceeding the high street. I see our brand becoming one of the top sites to visit for beautiful leather handbags. We sell worldwide already, so I would also like to see our export business grow.

When the weekend finally comes what do you do to relax?

Relax? I have 2 small children, so they keep me pretty busy, however I love a good game of Monopoly, although my 4year old keeps beating me which is disconcerting! Pam has always liked pottering with pots in the garden in the summer or just walking in the open countryside away from the office tends to recharge her batteries. It’s just been confirmed that Peony & Moore will be a part of Bath in Fashion 2013 again, their new spring collection will be shown in the SS13 Collections Catwalk on 18th April. http://www.bathinfashion.co.uk/

http://www.peonyandmoore.com/

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MOLLY B COUTURE

Anniversary gifts to woo, luxurious birthday keepsakes and romantic gifts to treasure, as well as a fine collection of elegant staples; unparalleled in simplicity and loveliness. Molly B Couture’s jewellery collections house an exquisite range of sophisticated and feminine jewellery in sterling

silver, gold, cultured pearls, diamond and gemstones.

http://www.mollybcouture.com

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CRUMPET

Preview and shop the new Spring collection which introduces fresh, colourful knits into the mix, designed to take you effortlessly from this season to the next. For Mother’s Day choose

luxurious feather light cashmere in pretty pastel shades.

http://www.crumpetengland.com

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COBRA AND BELLAMY

Cobra and Bellamy jewellery is available online at www.cobrabellamyjewellery.co.uk and at John Lewis stores in Oxford Street, Peter Jones, Cheadle, Exeter and John Lewis online. For Mother’s Day choose from an eclectic mix of modern one off pieces, mainly in 18ct gold with gem stones, some silver, re- worked antique coral, turquoise and amber and Period pieces

from the 19th century up to the 1950’s.

www.cobrabellamyjewellery.co.uk

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THOMAS LYTE

Thomas Lyte is a modern English luxury lifestyle brand specialising in exquisite leather and silver gifts, accessories, trophies and bespoke objet. The brand was established on a strong set of founding values: Craftsmanship, Englishness, Heritage, Luxury and Modernity. Elegant

choices for Mother’s day! Available from Thomas Lyte Boutique, 12-13 Burlington Arcade, Mayfair W1 or on-line at

www.thomaslyte.com

PAPERCHASE

Paperchase have a variety of Mother’s day cards and gifts for you to choose from including our designer collections sky lanterns and cakes. What card will you choose for Mum this year? Treat your mum to our range of Mother’s Day gifts. Indulge in the soft pink colours from our

cakes range. Fall in love with our fresh spring colours this Mother’s Day

www.paperchase.co.uk/

Hot Brands Cool Places spoke with Deborah Simpson Boston and

Jonathan Boston, Founders of Boston&Boston.

INTERVIEW

What prompted you to set up Boston&Boston?We were both in the fashion business for many years, I (Deborah Simpson Boston) work as a fashion PR as well as heading up Sales and Marketing for B&B and db. My husband J, (Jonathan J Boston) founded Men’s accessories company denisonboston ten years ago. We sell wholesale to Selfridges, John Lewis and leading Independent stores as well as selling direct to customers online, www.denisonboston.com. Setting up a luxury online boutique to showcase our favorite accessory designers seemed like the next obvious step. Also we have a love of working closely with the customer after really enjoying our Pop up Shop experiences over the past years….(I’m secretly a closet boutique owner!)

How have you combined your experience to develop the brand?We buy together, me women’s accessories and J buys for men, although we are both usually in on the final decision.

How do you know that a product is right for your brand?We only ever buy accessories that we wear and use. Most of the designers we know personally, I’ve been wearing Sam Ubhi Jewellery and Modern Love scarves for years, people began to ask what I was wearing, setting up Boston&Boston feels like a chance to share our favorite brands.

You have had a busy few months since your launch what have been the highlights for you? Boston&Boston.com was launched in November 2012 which meant a very busy run up to Christmas with a launch party then a Pop Up Shop. The pop up concept works very well for us, you can drive a lot of publicity around the idea of something constantly changing and emerging. As we mentioned before interaction with the customer is also a lovely thing, I love the look on someone’s face when you have styled a scarf or introduced some Jewellery and it’s “Wow!, I have to have it!” There’s a lot of enjoyment in customer satisfaction.

How would you like to see the brand develop? The next few months are very exciting, being buyers for the first time we are looking forward to launching SS13. For this season we are widening our existing brand collections to include more products and possibly some new brands…potentially a B&B collection at some point….although I can’t say too much right now, we will be announcing news soon through the website, twitter and Facebook.

You run a number of businesses, how do you manage to create a balanced work/lifestyle?We have an amazing team! We work hard and multitask and are at our happiest spinning lots of plates! We try not to bring work home and don’t have a home office. The ipad at home is strictly for pleasure, we are huge Netflix fans and have just completed all 13 episodes of House of Cards (Amazing TV!). We are also on the road quite a lot, both home and abroad, our antidote to this is a beautiful hotel or a Spa day at the end of our trip this keeps us revived and ready for the next adventure…You never know what’s around the next corner!

Mr&Mrs Boston launch new Spring Summer 2013 collections this March on

www.bostonandboston.com

Boston&Boston Blog http://blog.bostonandboston.com/?page_id=89

BRAYBROOK & BRITTEN

Every year we produce a collection of designer jewellery, sterling silverware and crystal. These are made exclusively for Braybrook & Britten. This Mother’s Day make your choices with the convenience of modern mail order shopping you can trust with the service, skills and standards

of an old-fashioned family firm of jewellers. The best of both worlds.

www.braybrook.co.uk

MARLBOROUGH WORLD

Marlborough World handcraft all our products in our purpose built workshop in the home of the English leather industry, Walsall. Our crafts people have years of experience working with the finest materials and are able to make products of timeless quality. Our collections for Mother’s

Day include weekend bags, satchels, cartridge bags and tote bags along with more traditional gifts such as leather hip flasks.

www.MarlboroughWorld.com

BY ELISE

By Elise the home of baroque freshwater pearl jewellery. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets and brooches designed, created and sourced by Elise herself from the finest materials to provide

a modern interpretation of classical jewellery – It’s Classic with a Twist. Choose something special for Mother’s Day

www.byelise.com

LINLEY

David Linley founded his eponymous business in 1985 with the aim of designing and manufacturing furniture of the highest quality. Some 28 years on, the now well established British design company LINLEY enjoys prominence as both a retail and bespoke business

specializing in the design and production of furniture, upholstery, interiors and home accessories of a superlative quality.

www.davidlinley.com

Estée Lauder

Give the gift of Beauty this Mother’s day

Zodiac CompactA Wonderful GiftMirror inside for convenient touch-ups.Arrives in an elegant presentation box.Includes a velvety pouch to keep the compact safe.Filled and refillable with Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder (small size refill).

Pure Colour Nail Lacquer French Nudes Collection ‘This collection is about foundation for nails, it’s all about enhancing nails rather than make a big statement with colour.’ Tom Pecheux ,

Estée Lauder Creative Make-Up Director

Youth Dew Anniversary 60Th Anniversary Limited EditionEstée Lauder Youth Dew 60th Anniversary Limited EditionYouth-Dew’s daringly sexy oriental blend of flowers, spices and woods is as exciting today as ever. Discover Youth-Dew for yourself and the story behind its creation. It’s as fascinating as the fragrance itself. Now available in this luxurious limited edition Eau de Parfum Spray.

http://www.esteelauder.co.uk/

Mother’s Day Beauty

Mother’s Day Offers from Boots

Champneys Spa Indulgence Distant Shores Pamper Collection, WAS: £40.00, NOW: £19.00

Indulge yourself with this range of body products, all packed with our uplifting blend of grapefruit, lemon, orange peel and cedarwood oils, evoking lush, sun-drenched shores. This gift contains:§ Distant Shores Body Scrub 200g§ Distant Shores Body Butter 300ml § Distant Shores Shower Mousse 200ml § Distant Shores Dry Body Oil 100ml

Mother’s Day Beauty No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Collection, WAS: £89.50, NOW: £43.00

The complete anti wrinkle collection.Including:· No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Day Cream· No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Night Cream· No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Beauty Serum· No7 Youthful Eye Serum

DKNY Red Delicious Eau De Parfum 50ml, WAS: £48.00, NOW: £23.50 It opens with a glittering Lychee Champagne Cocktail mixed with Crisp Apple accord. The middle notes shimmer with velvety Rose, while in the base notes red Raspberry flirtatiously mingles with Amber. Emporio Armani Diamonds Eau De Parfum 50ml,WAS: £49.00, NOW: £29.99 The rose, a symbol of femininity is made edible and succulent through the addition of a touch of litchi and raspberry. Of course, an Emporio Armani sexiness is achieved through the combination of woods and amber. The Champneys and No7 gifts are available in-store and on Boots.com from now until the 10th March 3012. The DKNY and Emporio Diamonds fragrances are available in-store and on Boots.com from now until the 2nd April 2013.

www.boots.com

Crabtree & EvelynThis Mother’s Day surprise her with one of Crabtree & Evelyn’s stylish gifts, from indulgent treats to luxurious pampering sets. Crabtree & Evelyn’s beautiful gifts make it easy to show your Mum how much she means to you.

Rosewater Perfect Pair This beautiful set contains gently cleansing Rosewater Bath & Shower Gel and nourishing Rosewater Body Lotion to help keep skin velvety soft. Fragranced with the captivating scent of rosewater surrounded by light notes of violet, florals and musk. Contains Rosewater Bath & Shower Gel 250mL/ 8.5 FL OZ; Rosewater Body Lotion 250mL/ 8.5 FL OZ Also available in Rosewater; Lavender; Iris; Wisteria; Citron, Honey & Coriander; Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed; La Source®; Jojoba and Goatmilk

www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk

COCOONU

Buy a natural and luxurious Mothers Day gift from CocoonU Organic. Our Cleopatra body lotion, bath & shower gel and soap make the perfect gift – a heavenly fusion of aromatic

fragrances and pure, organic ingredients to nourish and lightly perfume the skin.

http://cocoonu.com/

ELLA JAMES

Go to the ‘ New Arrivals’ section at www.ellajamesliving.co.uk for pretty gifts and inspiration for Mother’s Day. Our favourites are the Botannical ceramic measuring spoons and matching floral cake plates. They are available in pretty pinks and blues , gorgeous to gift or to dress

the table for Mother’s Day

www.ellajamesliving.co.uk

ANCIENNE AMBIANCE

For Mother’s Day hand-poured luxury candles with exquisite fragrance oils inspired by ancient times, natural beauty, jewellery & gifts. Ancienne Ambiance produces superior quality goods

in the UK, presented in beautiful packaging. “The most beautiful perfumed candles to burn in your home” VOGUE

www.ancienneambiance.com

HOT BRANDS COOL PLACES

www.hotbrandscoolplaces.com