The 2018 Esquire Townhouse is nearly upon us. In partnership with Breitling, we’ll be taking over 10-11 Carlton House Terrace from 11-14 October for a weekend packed with exclusive conversations, masterclasses, supper clubs, fitness sessions, and how-to panels galore.
With only two weeks left until we open our doors to the city’s savviest socialites, it’s time for you to start grabbing your tickets. We’d obviously recommend going to every event on offer; however, if you’re the sort of person who always yearns for self-improvement (perhaps your inability to finish your ever-expanding to-do list is getting you down), we’ve included a breakdown of the various how-to panels that will help make you a better man.
Friday
8:30am – 10am: From inspiration to enterprise: how to turn your passion into a business
This is an exclusive networking breakfast and invaluable discussion in association with St James’s London. Featuring Tom Broughton of eyewear brand Cubitts, who in just 6 years has skilfully carved a niche in a well-established industry; Emma Willis, the first and only female bespoke shirt maker, who launched back in 1989 and whose clients now include Daniel Craig; and Iré Hassan-Odukale, the co-founder of modern-African restaurant Ikoyi. Expect a frank, fascinating and informative insight into how three different ideas became reality – and perhaps some inspiration on how yours can too.
5:30pm – 6:15pm: The Watch Panel – ‘Buying Vintage’
The market for pre-owned luxury wristwatches is soaring, from one-off Sixties’ icons fetching record prices at auction, to lesser-known 21st Century brands being traded among collectors. But how do you find a bargain that will keep its value? Whether you’re a paid-up watch connoisseur or simply curious about taking your first step towards making a purchase, the 2018 Watch Panel has the inside track on the market. Speakers include Danny Pizzigoni, founder and director of The Watch Club, the UK’s leading specialist in pre-owned watches, Chris Hall, digital editor of QP magazine and collector and authority Fred Mandelbaum. The panel is hosted by Johnny Davis, editor of Esquire’s annual publication The Big Watch Book.
6:30pm – 7:30pm: The Esquire Trend Report
Esquire’s Fashion Director Catherine Hayward and Style Director Charlie Teasdale will be discussing, demonstrating and decoding the key trends in men’s style for the season ahead. Joined by a panel of special guests including model & businessman David Gandy, footballer and Instagram favourite Hector Bellerin, and Esquire columnist and Mr Porter Brand and Content Director Jeremy Langmead, we’ll be unveiling the key pieces you should be investing in for Autumn/Winter 18 and running through the dos and don’ts of dressing well. Join us for an informal but informative fashion forecast.
Saturday
12:15pm – 1:15pm: How To Start An Art Collection: A Bluffer’s Guide
Fancy yourself as a bit of an art aficionado? Well, we’ve assembled a crack team of experts to tell you everything you need to know to get your own collection started: Gemma Barnett, Director of print sales at The Photographers Gallery; actor, art enthusiast and collector Russell Tovey; Robert Sheffield, Associate Director of the Dominique Levy galleries (and chairman of the Serpentine Future Contemporaries Committee); and Nick Boyce, former E-Commerce Director at King & McGaw. Chaired by art historian, writer, and broadcaster Ferren Gipson, the panel will be dropping invaluable insider tips and advice for all levels of knowledge and budgets.
3pm – 4pm: Entrepreneurs’ Panel: How To Disrupt An Industry
Starting a business that completely shakes up the landscape of the market takes a lot of guts. This panel discussion offers you the chance to hear first-hand from the people who have done just that: Adam Breeden – the man behind popular late-night locations All-Star Lanes, Bounce, and Flight Club – who has helped change the way we socialise, Phoebe Hugh will explain how she has taken on the might of the insurance business with her innovative app Brolly, And former Olympic swimmer Lee Forster, co-founder of Neat Nutrition, will explain how simplifying an established system can sometimes be the most disruptive thing of all.
4:30pm – 5:30pm: How To Start a Hit Podcast
Turning a podcast into a viable business venture is no easy feat. Thankfully, this ‘How-to’ panel on turning a podcast into a profession features a selection of the country’s top talk talent: The Football Ramble’s Luke Moore, who is also behind the Radio Stakhanov network of podcasts (Berkhamsted Revisited, The Luke and Pete Show, On The Continent) and Dot Dot Dot CEO Joel Porterwill provide invaluable behind-the-scenes advice on getting your podcast off the ground and into the stratosphere (and with Ben Green as host, you’ll be in very safe hands.)
6:30pm – 7:30pm: How to get your first book published: with John Niven, Mark Gatiss and Andrew O’Hagan
Whether you have a vague dream ‘to write’ or a hefty manuscript weighing down your bag, this panel on how to get your first book published is guaranteed to be right up your library aisle. Hosted by author and Esquire contributor Ed Caesar, our talented guests will be imparting their years of publishing wisdom and writing experience on to you. You'll see John Niven, responsible for the brilliant ‘Kill Your Friends’ – britpop’s answer to ‘American Psycho’ – and the 2018 follow-up ‘Kill ‘Em All’; The League Of Gentleman’s Mark Gatiss, the actor, screenwriter and author behind a slew of fiction and non-fiction titles; and the formidable and prolific Andrew O’Hagan, our own Esquire editor-at-large, whose many works have garnered a plethora of awards. Expect a lively, honest, funny and informative session from a panel of writers at the top of their game.
