GHH Newspaper Issue 4 Plan August 24 Spreads - Flipbook - Page 29
In conversation with...
Katherine Pye
We sat down with Katherine, General Manager at Wildsmith. She’s one of the
Brighton-locals we’re inspired by and here’s what she had to say.
What originally inspired you to get into the spa and wellbeing sphere?
Best things to do for wellbeing in Brighton?
I joined The Body Shop aged 20, in the 1980s, when it was rising to
prominence as a beauty industry disruptor. I was drawn to it because of its
campaigning – in particular I found Anita Roddick to be inspiring beyond
measure with everything she stood for in terms of her values and her vision
– a true pioneer.
People sometimes think of ‘wellbeing practices’ as requiring quiet times
of contemplation and reflection which can feel at odds with life in a busy
town. But I find the sea one of the most exhilarating ways to clear my mind.
When they made the decision to enter the spa industry, I was seconded to
head up the project, opening the first Body Shop spa in Knightsbridge.
I swim year-round along with lots of other women and find it brilliant for
my mental health, for friendships, for connection with the space – I adore it.
In fact, I recently swam around the Palace Pier and may have finished near
the end but was delighted with the achievement.
Immediately I noticed the transition from having a nice but brief
exchange with someone on the retail floor to enjoying more intimate and
transformative interactions with spa guests; I loved seeing the difference to
our guests from when they entered the treatment room to when they left
and it was here that I fell in love with spa and wellbeing.
How to create a sense of wellbeing at home?
How would you explain what you do?
I love finding a recipe in the Saturday papers and heading out to source the
ingredients – I am a particular fan of the Sussex Pheasant food trucks and
sourcing local ingredients when I can. Then spending the afternoon bringing
something delicious together before opening our home to people in the
evening – that shared experience is my idea of heaven and wellbeing.
As General Manager at Wildsmith, my role is really to lead and guide an
incredible group of individuals on our quest to bring an exciting, different
form of science-backed, plant powered skincare and wellbeing experiences
to the market.
Home for me is about cocooning and I am a great believer in the power of
creating a space of warmth and welcome. One of the ways in which I do
this is to regularly cook for friends and family.
What’s the best thing about living in Brighton?
Where do you usually find inspiration for your work?
The people, the sea, the diversity, and the madness.
You can trace everything we do at Wildsmith back to the profound
connection between plants and humans. We take our inspiration from the
fragile balance of the natural world’s growth and renewal and then weave
in the very latest in scientific innovation to create products and wellbeing
experiences to transform skin health.
We have a quote in our office by Albert Einstein which states ‘Look deep
into nature and then you will start to understand everything better’ – I think
that really sums it up.
You have a day away from work, what would be your ideal way to
spend it?
Increasingly meaningful connection is important to me and my own sense
of wellbeing, be that with friends, nature, or my community. And so, if I do
have a day away from work, my ideal way to spend it is to get out of town
and head into the South Downs for a fantastic walk with friends or family.
Through my years working in wellbeing and particularly with Wildsmith, I
have found there is a sense of peace and freedom in nature that facilitates
enjoying much deeper exchanges. Whether about something personal, or
reflective, much deeper than you tend to have on a day-to-day basis.
Soul soothed; I would head to a really nice pub for lunch.
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