And what a year it has been.
The Purpose was born after years of travelling, years of collecting stories and never quite having a place to hold them all. After more than a decade of writing and styling covers for House of Coco, it became clear that it was time for something new. A new chapter. A new platform. Something more intentional, more refined and more aligned with the way I experience the world.
As one page turned, another began.
I honestly did not anticipate the support we would receive. Like building anything new, we knew we would have to start from the bottom. We knew we would have to prove the concept, find our audience and create something people actually wanted to be part of – but we have been incredibly lucky. So many of you understood the vision from the beginning, and the response from the people, brands, creatives, entrepreneurs and businesses who wanted to be part of The Purpose has been genuinely overwhelming.
The idea was always simple. Carefully curated, elevated experiences, telling stories with purpose. But somewhere along the way, it became so much more than that.
This year has taken us everywhere.
From London to Paris, Rome and Switzerland and further afield to India, Thailand and Bali. We found ourselves wandering through Bang Niang Market in Thailand, surrounded by sunset skewers, silk shirts and the wonderfully chaotic energy of Thailand. We walked through Versailles and experienced what really does feel like a living masterpiece.
India gave us a completely different kind of adventure. We explored ancient temples, bustling markets and streets filled with colour, fragrance, food and the incredible energy of everyday life. We discovered the country’s extraordinary architecture, textiles, jewellery, craftsmanship and traditions, with every corner offering something completely different. From incredible food to moments of calm inside beautiful temples, India constantly gave us something to stop and look at. It was exactly the kind of experience The Purpose was created to capture, finding the stories, people, culture and details beyond the obvious.
Travel has always been at the heart of what I do, so seeing The Purpose begin to travel with me has been incredibly special.
Bali gave us some of the most memorable hospitality experiences of the year. At Apéritif at The Viceroy, five courses, exceptional service and the wider resort experience came together in a way that reminded us that luxury is about far more than simply having beautiful surroundings. At K Club Ubud, nature, design and escapism became part of the experience itself. It was immersive, considered and completely different from anything else we experienced throughout the year.
And then there was Rome, where Nomos Hotel gave us another perspective on hospitality. With its raw rooms, low lighting and pared back aesthetic, it was a reminder that luxury does not always need to announce itself. Sometimes the most interesting spaces are the ones that allow the design, atmosphere and experience to speak for themselves.
Fashion, naturally, has been another huge part of the story.
Paris Fashion Week became a particularly memorable chapter as we looked at Dior Men SS27 and Jonathan Anderson’s vision for modern masculinity. It was a reminder of why I have always loved fashion. It is never simply about clothes. It is about culture, identity, attitude and the conversation happening around us.
We also stepped into the world of Sif Jakobs Jewellery, a brand that has found its place on the international stage. We met and discovered designers such as Primaewan and Alisa Dudaj, explored the vivid and contextual world of Studio Shoo, and followed Hu Bing as he marked ten years at London Fashion Week with HuBing Selects Equal Ethereal.
Then there was Vogue Codes 2025, bringing together fashion, technology and ideas about where the industry is heading, alongside the return of Topshop.
We were also lucky enough to experience London Fashion Week and Australian Fashion Week. For us, that access meant being able to see the industry from a different perspective, not simply watching the clothes come down a runway but watching the people, the energy and the ideas behind them.
And then there were the people, because ultimately that is what The Purpose has always been about. The entrepreneurs, founders, designers and creatives who are actually making things happen.
Our conversations with Michael Young, Melissa Timperley and Siobhan Jones showed three very different perspectives on hairdressing, but all shared the same underlying ambition. Hair is no longer simply about the finished look. It is about creativity, leadership, education, business and building something that lasts.
Food and hospitality became another huge part of our year.
In Manchester, Lucky Cat brought Gordon Ramsay’s theatrical approach to Pan Asian dining, while Swine offered something completely different, proving that sometimes the most interesting restaurants are the ones that simply know exactly what they want to be.
At Pavé, Rachel and Andrew created something deeply personal, bringing French influence together with Yorkshire hospitality and local flavour. It was the kind of place that reminded us why independent restaurants matter.
London gave us another collection of stories. Vivat Bacchus London Bridge brought smoke, salt, wine and storytelling together in a restaurant experience that felt almost theatrical. The Broadcaster gave us the city from a different perspective, with its rooftop setting and social energy, while Parasol in Hackney brought that dark, moody and effortlessly cool atmosphere that makes you want to stay for another drink.
There were also the stories that took us away from fashion, food and travel. We explored the people and ideas behind some of the most interesting businesses and creative movements we encountered throughout the year. From designers and jewellery makers to hairdressers, chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality teams, the stories always came back to the same thing: the person behind the idea.
Looking back, the year feels like one long conversation. One that began with fashion and somehow found its way into food, travel, hospitality, beauty, art and culture. One story led to another, one introduction opened another door and before we knew it, this little idea had become something much bigger than I ever expected.
We have met people building businesses from the ground up, creatives pushing their industries forward and people who have simply decided to do things differently. We have been given access to rooms, runways, kitchens, studios, salons and spaces that have allowed us to see what happens behind the finished product. For me, that is where The Purpose really comes alive. It is not simply about telling you what something is, but finding out why it exists, not simply showing you somewhere beautiful, but understanding what makes it worth visiting, and not simply interviewing someone because they have a successful business, but finding the person, the story and the purpose behind it.
One year ago, The Purpose was an idea. Today, it is a collection of people, places, experiences and conversations that I am incredibly proud of.
And I cannot talk about this first year without talking about the people who have helped bring it to life.
To our writers, Cara, Lee, Sonia, Dahlia, Priyanka, Alanna, Daniel, Nads and Sabrina and of course my creative team Narita Drew Jazmine and Laura! thank you for giving your time, your words, your ideas and your own perspectives to The Purpose. A publication is nothing without the people willing to sit down, experience something and put it into words, and I am genuinely grateful to every one of you.
And to everyone who continues to push me, challenge me, encourage me, question me and remind me that there is always another level to reach, thank you. You know who you are.
The Purpose may have started with an idea, but it has been built by people. People who believed in it, people who gave us a chance, people who opened doors, people who shared their stories and people who kept pushing me when I probably needed it most.
So when I look back at everything we have managed to do in just one year, I realise that perhaps the biggest surprise has not been how far we have travelled. It is how far The Purpose has travelled with us.
So thank you.
To everyone who has read a story, shared an article, followed along, opened a door, invited us in, sat down for an interview, cooked for us, dressed us, styled us, showed us around, handed us a room key, given us a front row seat or simply believed in what we were building.
The first year has been one hell of a ride.
And if this is what we managed to do in year one, I cannot wait to see where the next chapter takes us.
The Purpose is only just getting started.
