S5E2: Lessons in Leadership, Luxury and The Bigger Picture with Celine Assimon
Anant Sharma speaks with Celine Assimon, a seasoned luxury executive who has led brands like Cartier, Piaget, and De Beers London through both triumph and crisis. From navigating company bankruptcy to empowering teams across global markets, Celine shares the hard-won lessons of luxury leadership. Together, they explore what it really takes to build trust in high-stakes environments and the evolving expectations of today's luxury consumer. Celine opens up about the personal cost of executive life—including the realities of single parenthood at the C-suite level—and why she's learned to chase harmony instead of balance.
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47:18
S5E1: What Makes a Brand a Home? With Adelina Wong Ettelson, Global Head of Residences Marketing at Mandarin Oriental
Anant Sharma speaks with Adelina Wong Ettelson, Global Head of Residences Marketing at Mandarin Oriental, about the shifting expectations of today’s luxury homeowner—and what it takes to translate a world-renowned hospitality brand into meaningful, livable spaces. With experience across Dior, Shanghai Tang, and now leading one of the most respected names in branded residences, Adelina shares her perspective on what buyers are really seeking: identity, integrity, service, and soul. The conversation explores the rise of lifestyle-led property, the pitfalls of brand overreach, and why trust and emotional resonance matter more than ever. As the branded residences market accelerates—with fashion houses, car marques, and hospitality giants all vying for relevance—Adelina argues that not every brand belongs in the home, exploring what makes a brand truly suited to residential living.
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43:51
S4E12: From Commodity to Community — The Value of Provenance, with Sarah Vachon of Citizens of Soil
What does it take to transform one of the world’s oldest commodities into a force for good? In this episode of What The Luxe, host Fred Moore sits down with Sarah Vachon, founder and CEO of Citizens of Soil, to explore how her purpose-driven brand is shaking up the olive oil industry. Sarah shares the personal journey that led her from supporting family friends in Crete to becoming an olive oil sommelier and launching a business built on transparency, sustainability, and fair compensation. Discover how Citizens of Soil champions small-scale, often female-led growers, pays producers above market rates, and promotes regenerative agriculture-turning every bottle into a story of provenance and positive impact.
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45:33
S4E11: Designing Beyond Trends: Maria Grachvogel on Durable Luxury
In this episode, we sit down with Maria Grachvogel, the celebrated British fashion designer known for her distinctive approach to craft, creativity and conscious luxury. Maria shares her journey building a brand that has always prioritised artistic integrity, timeless design, and thoughtful production over fleeting trends. Spanning her early career, the evolution of her business, and her pioneering circular stock model, Maria offers a candid view on what it means to design sustainably without sacrificing soul. With host Fred Moore, the two explore how technology is reshaping creativity, why true luxury lies beyond price tags, and the challenges of staying timeless in a world addicted to speed.
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42:34
S4E10: Owning the Horizon: Inside the World of Luxury Yachting with Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of superyachts with Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser—the world's leading luxury yacht service provider. Anders shares why the core of yacht ownership isn't just about luxury—it’s about a human desire for freedom, adventure, and, simply, messing about in boats. Spanning Fraser’s evolution—from a post-war brokerage to a full-service powerhouse—to the staggering diversity of yacht owners, crews, and designs, Anders lifts the curtain on a world that's both wildly ambitious and surprisingly grounded. With host Fred Moore, the two also cover how the industry is racing ahead with tech-driven sustainability and how the soul of the experience often comes from the people behind the service. This one is a rare glimpse into an industry balancing heritage, ambition, and a greener future—all wrapped up in a timeless spirit of adventure.
From the flawed masterminds at the heart of Matter Of Form, global leaders in Brand & Digital Experience, comes a series set on reframing luxury. With some strong – and mostly sound – opinions on the state of the sector, MOF CEO Anant Sharma and COO Fred Moore are debunking convention and conducting (occasionally) gracious debate surrounding what’s next with an enviable line-up of industry leaders.
Ireland