Après Spotlights Creative Wellbeing & Craft in Chelsea

Where sensory storytelling, British craft, and regenerative values meet refined experience.

As Chelsea Flower Week bloomed, Après teamed up with Fashion Roundtable and Aja Botanicals to showcase a more nuanced type of beauty. One that was rooted in creative wellbeing, community, and care. High above Gold Notting Hill’s rooftop garden, the evening united changemakers, designers, and artisans.

But this was no ordinary event.

It felt more like a movement than just a moment. It was a moment of pause, a sanctuary of scent, slow fashion, and shared values in a world that rarely stops to breathe. Framed by bespoke floristry and sensory storytelling, the evening captured a vision where regenerative living meets refined experience.

A Sensory Celebration Rooted in Craft 

When guests arrived at the rooftop, they enjoyed the soothing scents of Aja Botanicals’ British-made candles. They were also surrounded by floral and vegetable arrangements from ARRANGED, a florist known for its beautiful, rewilded designs. The mood brightened with demonstrations of natural dyeing by The Secret Dyery. They crafted petals and pigments into stunning pieces of wearable art. This sensory celebration sparked a feeling of wellbeing through touch, scent, and colour.

The evening wasn’t just atmospheric – it was intentional. Guests explored a curated showcase of The King’s Foundation Modern Artisan collection. These included garments made using the King’s Clip and naturally dyed wool. Each element on display reflected a deeper purpose: to reconnect us with the materials, methods, and makers behind what we wear.

Learn more about regenerative design in the Cleaning Up Fashion Report from Fashion Roundtable.

Creative Collaboration with Purpose

The evening gathered a star-studded group of guests, such as Jo Wood, Clare Press, Carry Somers, and Dominic Sebag-Montefiore. Each was invited as they were all unified by a shared belief in the power of creative practice to inspire systemic change.

At the heart of the event were co-hosts Tamara Cincik, CEO and founder of Fashion Roundtable, and Tilly Wood, founder of Aja Botanicals. Their partnership was a natural fit, and their shared belief in creative wellbeing — the idea that creativity can fuel systems change — was embedded in every detail of the event.

“It was such a joy to collaborate with Fashion Roundtable,” said Tilly. “At Aja Botanicals, we believe in the restorative power of nature and community – and this event was a beautiful expression of that.”

Tamara echoed this sentiment and spoke of her journey from stylist to policy advisor. She discussed how creativity, wellbeing, and circular design are key to the Creative Wellbeing Economy. The framework was first introduced in the Cleaning Up Fashion report. It explains how local supply chains and regenerative practices can help both people and the planet. This was an ethos echoed in every sensory layer of the evening.

UK policymakers are recognising the importance of creative wellbeing. This is detailed in the Creative Health Review (2023), commissioned by the National Centre for Creative Health.

Reviving Craft, Rebuilding Systems

One major highlight of the event was the Great British Wool Revival. This initiative involved Fashion Roundtable, The King’s Foundation, and YNAP working together. This initiative promotes fibre sovereignty by mapping more than 200 British brands. It also covers what British Wool has stated as the highest wool prices seen in seven years.

Guests discovered naturally dyed wool and the King’s Clip fastening system. They also engaged with heritage techniques still used by British makers today. These hands-on experiences demonstrated that real innovation doesn’t mean discarding tradition. Instead, it’s about carefully reshaping it.

Future-facing initiatives unveiled on the night included:

• A 2026 Wool Conference at Dumfries House
• A “Best of British” fashion and textile showcase
• A Travelling Living Museum, developed with Heritage Crafts, brings craft education to communities in the UK that need it most.

Each represents a lasting vision for cultural revival. Here, creativity strengthens resilience, equity, and connection.

Read more on the importance of heritage craft in the UK economy in the APPG Craft Report.

A Moment That Echoes Beyond Chelsea

As twilight settled over the rooftop garden, the energy in the air was more than celebratory but hopeful. What Après’ helped cultivate wasn’t simply an evening of sensory delight. It was a reminder that creativity isn’t decorative. It’s regenerative.

Après rosé is all about beauty that restores, not takes away. You can find this beauty in fragrance, textiles, soil, and stories. From AEON Black Creative’s botanical spirits to our Dorset-born Après Provence rosé, every detail of the evening was chosen with care. We were proud to honour those who craft consciously and co-create spaces that restore rather than deplete.

Because true luxury lives in intention. And beauty, when done well, becomes a legacy.

Browse more stories like this in the Après Journal, where craft, culture and community converge. Or follow along Après Club for new ways to connect.