The founder of The White Company shares her tips on Christmas shopping, sleep and the exclusive new British Airways amenity kits

What are your top three hidden London stops for Christmas shopping?
Egg in Belgravia, owned by Maureen Doherty, for special pieces of jewellery and ceramics. Rose Uniacke near Sloane Square, is always full of the most beautiful antiques, and she has a lovely selection of notebooks and small leather gifts. The Hand Sale, held regularly in the Century Theatre in Westbourne Grove has a fantastic mix of jewellery, antiques, one-off pieces of clothing and vintage glass from different craftspeople.

Favourite London restaurants?
Mazi in Notting Hill is a tiny but fabulous Greek restaurant. The Ivy Kensington Brasserie, is a favourite for early-morning breakfast meetings. Scott’s – we love seafood and it’s been a favourite for years.

Where do you go to escape from London?
The Pointer in Brill, Buckinghamshire is our fantastic local pub when we’re in the country at the weekend. They have recently opened four guest rooms with lots of The White Company home comforts. The Yeotown spa in Devon is a wonderful tonic. Visits involve long walks by the sea, delicious food and unbelievable reflexology.

What’s your favourite winter holiday destination?
We ski in Klosters (above). The mountains are beautiful and there’s something magical about cosy Alpine style with big log fires.

What three non-essential items do you always pack?
Our travel-sized set of The White Company Advanced Skincare; our lovely cashmere-rib shawl to wrap up in; and our clever clear cosmetics case, which means no more plastic bags for toiletries going through security.

What are your top New York hangouts?
I often stay at Soho House, which is perfect for breakfast meetings. Another favourite is The Greenwich Hotel, it has a gorgeous spa and beautiful garden courtyard (below). Shopping haunts include the kitchen department of ABC Carpet & Home and John Derian, where there’s a great selection of Hugo Guinness drawings.

How do you prepare for Christmas?
As a mum of four with a large family, I try not to get too stressed. I get shopping and wrapping done by the end of November and decorate by mid-December. My top tip is don’t try to be a perfect host – ask everyone to muck in.

What is the best way to be sure of a good night’s sleep ahead of a big business day?
Since launching 23 years ago, we have learnt a huge amount about sleep quality. If our bed is blissfully comfortable and we can switch off and fall asleep, we can gain an extra hour of better sleep every night. Invest in the highest-quality bed and mattress great quality pillows, duvets, mattress toppers and linen. It can feel like a big investment, but long term they are worth it.  

What’s your latest project?
We’ve recently opened our first two US stores, the first at 155 Fifth Avenue, New York and the other in The Mall at Short Hills, New Jersey. We are currently finalising our future plans with our new CEO, Mary Homer, formerly at the helm of Topshop, as we hope to double the size of our business through expansion both in the UK and internationally. It’s a very exciting time. 

How did you choose the products in The White Company British Airways amenity kits?
We wanted it to feel special so it contains two pieces from our much-loved Spa Relax and Restore range. Each kit contains: a super-soft jersey eye mask with a blackout lining to block out the light; a Spa Relax pulse-point with lavender for relaxation; and the essentials (soft comfy socks, luxury lip balm, ear plugs, pen, toothbrush and toothpaste). Plus our special Spa Restore Gentle Moisturiser to give passengers a lovely boost before leaving the plane.

And the new bedding?
The new on-board pillow is a complete upgrade on the previous Club class offer. It is both blissfully soft and comfortable, yet properly supportive for our head and necks. And the lovely, slightly padded base layer now fits the Club seat well and gives an extra layer of comfort. The new luxury quilted duvet is now softer to drape and mould around us as we sleep, while the super-soft blanket is great on its own or as an additional layer.

New, luxury bedding and amenity kits designed by The White Company can now be enjoyed by customers flying on selected flights with Club World. Visit ba.com to find out more

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