Coffee with a CEO: Vicky White, Co-Founder of Plum & Ashby
Est. 2014
Founded by friends Vicky White and Freya Nicholson, Plum & Ashby creates beautifully considered fragrances for the home, bath and body. Drawing on their experience with luxury British brands, the pair combine fine natural ingredients with a love of British landscapes, seasons and storytelling to create scents designed to elevate everyday rituals.
Now stocked in more than 400 retailers worldwide, Plum & Ashby has become a distinctive British lifestyle brand. We caught up with Vicky to discover the story behind the brand, where she finds inspiration and to find out more about their involvement with Tommy’s Wave of Light, supporting families affected by pregnancy and baby loss.
Plum & Ashley Founders, Vicky White & Freya Nicholson
First things first, what’s your coffee order, and where’s your favourite place to enjoy it?
Oat milk flat white in a bustling little independent coffee shop. There’s something about sitting in a busy café with a good coffee that always feels like a little moment of calm in the middle of the day.
How did you two meet, and what inspired you to launch Plum & Ashby?
Freya and I met at a trade show several years ago and got chatting. Fast forward a year or two, Freya began working for Plum & Ashby before eventually becoming a co-founder. We’ve both always loved scent and wanted to create a brand that felt like something we genuinely wanted to have in our own homes, with products that not only looked beautiful but really performed too.
Where did the name come from?
As I’m a Victoria, my nickname growing up was Victoria Plum, so the ‘Plum’ came from there. The Ashby comes from Castle Ashby, which is near where I grew up, so it felt like a lovely way to bring together something personal with somewhere that has always been special to me.
Plum & Ashby has come a long way since you launched in 2014. What has surprised you most about the journey?
Probably how much the brand has evolved and how many different lives it has become part of. When we started, we had a very clear idea of what we wanted Plum & Ashby to be, but you learn so much along the way. It’s been a real mix of responding to what our customers love, learning from what doesn’t work and allowing the brand to grow and change with us. It’s also been a lovely surprise to see how much people connect with the scents themselves – they become associated with particular homes, memories, people and moments, which is something we never take for granted.
"Remember that not everything has to happen at once. The business will evolve, you’ll make mistakes, and you’ll learn as you go – and that’s all part of it."
What's a typical day and how do you balance running a growing business with family life and motherhood?
The day-to-day always varies, but more often than not my set working days are full of meetings, catching up with the team and making plans, before then doing the school pick-up, having time with the children, dinner, bath and bed, and then getting some more work done in the evenings! It can be a juggle, but I’ve learnt that there isn’t really such a thing as perfect balance. Some days are very work-heavy and others are much more family-focused, and you just have to be flexible.
Has that changed as Plum & Ashby has grown?
Definitely. In the early days, you do absolutely everything yourself, so it’s been a big shift learning to build a team and trust other people with different parts of the business. As we’ve grown, our roles have changed too – there’s much more planning and strategy now, rather than being involved in every little detail. It’s exciting, but I think one of the biggest lessons has been knowing when to let go and give other people the space to do what they’re brilliant at.
What’s your best-selling fragrance and why do you think it’s so popular?
Seaweed & Samphire is one of our best-selling fragrances, and I think it’s because it’s such a distinctive scent. It’s fresh and coastal, but there’s a real warmth and depth to it too. It captures that feeling of being by the sea – salty air, windswept walks and that sense of coming home feeling completely refreshed. It’s also a fragrance that works beautifully all year round, which I think is part of its appeal.
The Wave of Light candle and your partnership with Tommy’s have become such a special part of the Plum & Ashby story. How did the partnership come about, and what made you want to get involved with Tommy’s?
I came across the Wave of Light concept when I was on maternity leave with Rupert, my eldest. Having had a challenging journey to motherhood myself, it really resonated with me and I thought, as a candle brand, there has to be something we can do here. I pitched the idea to Freya and we got in touch with Tommy’s and Elle Wright (Feathering the Empty Nest). Together, we created the scent and agreed that we would collaborate on the candle and donate 100% of the profits to Tommy’s. This year we launched a votive to join the candle as another option and they look and smell wonderful as solo items or together …..
The first Wave of Light candles sold out in just four days. Now, seven years on, what does your partnership with Tommy’s mean to you, and what have you learnt along the way?
It’s become such an important part of Plum & Ashby and something that we feel incredibly proud to be able to continue every year. It’s now a huge part of our brand DNA and something we work on year round. What started as an idea while I was on maternity leave has grown into a much bigger community of people coming together to remember and support one another. The response every year is incredibly humbling.
I think the biggest thing we’ve learnt is just how important it is to create space for conversations around baby loss and remembrance. It’s a subject that can still feel very difficult to talk about, and if a candle can help someone feel less alone, remember someone they’ve lost or simply know that other people understand, then that means an enormous amount to us.
Do you have a favourite film?
Gosford Park is a firm favourite. I love the atmosphere, the beautiful interiors, the costumes and the whole period setting – it’s one of those films I can happily watch again and again.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
The Secret Garden was a firm favourite growing up. I loved the sense of adventure and escapism, and the idea of discovering this secret, hidden world.
What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment?
I’m currently reading Tangled Webb by Callie Coles. It’s always nice to have a good book on the go, especially when you can find a little bit of time to switch off at the end of the day.
You’re surrounded by your own beautiful fragrances but do you still enjoy wearing perfume? What is your signature scent?
Absolutely. Scent is such a personal thing and I love how a perfume can instantly transport you somewhere or remind you of a particular time in your life. My signature scent is Jo Malone’s Blackberry & Bay. It’s been my go-to for years and was actually the scent I wore on my wedding day, so it now has a very special place in my heart.
When the working day is over, what’s your favourite way to relax and switch off?
Being at home with the family, ideally with a glass of something nice, something delicious to eat and a candle lit. I love those simple evenings where there’s nowhere else you need to be. If I have a bit more time, a long walk is probably my favourite way to properly clear my head.
Heels or flats for special occasions?
Flats, definitely. I love getting dressed up, but I also want to be able to walk, dance and enjoy myself!
If you could escape tomorrow, where would you go for your dream family holiday?
Somewhere warm, beautiful and relaxed, with lots of good food, somewhere to swim and plenty to explore. I think the ideal family holiday is somewhere that feels adventurous but also gives you plenty of time to slow down and enjoy being together.
And finally, if you could sit down for a coffee with yourselves on the day you launched Plum & Ashby, what would you tell your younger selves?
To enjoy it! I think when you’re starting something, you spend so much time worrying about what might happen next that you forget to appreciate where you are. I’d probably also tell myself not to overthink everything, to trust my instincts and to remember that not everything has to happen at once. The business will evolve, you’ll make mistakes, and you’ll learn as you go – and that’s all part of it.
You have a scent for every season, but which is your favourite and what do you love most about that time of year?
At this time of year, it has to be Smoky Birch & Oak. It simply is autumn in a candle. I love those crisp, cooler days, the first fires of the season, cosy evenings at home and all the little rituals that come with autumn.
JUNIOR EDIT: Our fave Plum & Ashby Gifts
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