THE GUESTLIST

Previously at MR PORTER, MODA OPERANDI and most recently at Soho House where she was Chief Membership & Communications Officer, curator of exceptional content, Jodie Harrison tells us what makes the perfect party and the ideal guest

- AMY SESSIONS

What do your first 30 mins of the day look like, your morning routine? I wake up early – generally around 5 or 6 am (much to the annoyance of my husband who is a night owl). I check my phone and walk our dog, Jed, up to Hampstead Heath or down to Primrose Hill. I’m at my most creative in the morning, so I spend a lot of this walk writing down ideas and thoughts on my iPhone.

How did your previous roles set you up for success and did you always know you wanted to work in the luxury industry? I started out my career at GQ as their Style & Grooming Editor, having always dreamt of working in magazines. As a consequence, print holds a special place in my heart. In every job since, I’ve enjoyed seeing how print evolves in the ever-growing shadow of digital. At MR PORTER it manifested as a way to reach new customers in The MR PORTER Post and books we published with Thames & Hudson. At Soho House I edited their second coffee-table book, MORNING NOON NIGHT, and again, this was often someone’s first, proper introduction to the brand. There will always be a sense of luxury to a printed page – and now more than ever, there’s a desire for something tangible, crafted. The confidence, time, meticulousness and energy of putting something in ink will always be a luxury to me.

You have to wear multiple hats in your role. Do you feel more drawn to the creative or the business side? In my gut, it’s always the creative side. That’s my default setting, the place that makes me get up in the morning and breathe happy. The business side takes more study, planning and method for me but over the years as I’ve moved from magazines to digital and e-commerce, I often found myself thrilled at the business acumen I’ve built up.