Alexandra Miller on IWD: Founder of EL&N London on creating the world's most Instagrammable café
EL&N London is picture-perfect. In 2017, the first café opened on Park Lane, London. At the time, visitors would come from around the world, and take a photo by the fantastically floral wall. Today, they can do this closer to home, as there are more than 32 stores in locations ranging from Dubai to Doha. Founder Alexandra Miller was born in the United States, lived in Egypt and is now based in London. In honour of International Women's Day, she shared her story on combining beauty with business.
All our stores around the globe have a unique charm about them. We really try to keep the brand design and menu consistent when we open a new store, but at the same time, we like to have some fun with localising the brand to suit the demographic. For example, our brand colour palette will always tie the stores together. We switch up our slogans to have a nod back to the relevant country – from London to Dubai is always a popular one.
We disrupted the café culture scene in such a way that some people felt we were prioritising aesthetics over our core product. I believe that the brand entered the market at a unique time. The core consumer didn't know how to feel about a food and beverage brand as visual as ours. It encouraged us to work harder and find the perfect balance between style and substance. Our guest always comes first. Ensuring the menu and customer experience matched our beautiful interiors was imperative. It's been one of the driving forces for growth across the globe.
I have the opportunity to work among such a talented team. I lead with creativity and vision in an industry that's so heavily known for setting trends. Our brand is diverse, and we are incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with likeminded individuals that I learn from. Every day brings a new challenge. This makes this role rewarding.
As a team, we all felt an incredible sense of pride and excitement with our final international opening. The first store we opened outside of the UK was in Doha, Qatar. It still remains absolutely stunning. It's adorned with our iconic feather wing swing and so many beautiful picture-perfect moments. It was a milestone that really helped showcase our global vision and solidified the universal appeal of EL&N's unique concept. Every new opening is monumental, and we will never take it for granted.
I can't reveal much. This is probably going to be the most monumental year yet for EL&N. We are gearing up to launch in a market that we have been eager to enter. We have so many fantastic openings coming up in existing countries and new territories. We have a new sister brand and unique collaborations around the globe.
I've learnt along the way to be bold and confident. If it's something you believe in, don't be afraid to pursue your dreams. Embrace the creativity and stay resilient through challenges. There will always be challenges along the way, but it's how you overcome them and learn from them that builds your DNA. Support each other, support your colleagues and don't give up on the hard days. There is room for everyone to shine in business.
GO: Visit https://elnlondon.com for more information.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Campaign ME
How MENA consumers shop during Father's Day
Ahead of Father's Day on June 21, MENA-based gifting marketplace Flowwow and Admitad, affiliate marketing platform, have released insights into shifting gifting habits in the MENA region, based on over 55,000 online purchases. Admitad analysts studied the behaviour of online shoppers in MENA countries (with the UAE and KSA analysed separately) during the 'calm period' of June 20–22, 2023 and May 20–22, 2024 and 'the peak period' June 20–22, 2024. In Saudi Arabia, 25 per cent more gifts for men on Father's Day were purchased online, choosing thoughtful and family-oriented options, the study reveals. Online orders during the 2024 Father's Day period across MENA rose 16 per cent year-over-year, with Saudi Arabia leading at a 30 per cent rise. According to Flowwow's market study, Father's Day 2024 saw a 129 per cent increase in gift orders year-over-year, with gross merchandise value (GMV) up 121 per cent. The overall trend of gifting to men continues to grow, showing a more than 20 per cent year-over-year increase, the study reveals. Looking ahead to 2025, Flowwow forecasts a 30 per cent increase in Father's Day sales in Saudi Arabia, with strong demand for gift sets including hamper boxes and gourmet sets, as well as themed Father's Day cakes and premium chocolates. From material to meaningful Customers in Kuwait and UAE spent the most on gifts for dads, with the highest average order values (AOV) at $114 and $57.2 respectively. They were followed by Jordan ($38.6), Egypt ($31.6), and Saudi Arabia ($29.1), where spending was more modest. The average order value for gifts dropped by 3.4 per cent to $73.75, approximately 12 per cent lower than other major holidays like Mother's Day or International Women's Day, which the report suggests is due to a preference for personal and meaningful options over costly gifting in MENA. 'Father's Day is becoming more meaningful in the MENA region, especially in Saudi Arabia, where gifting for men is growing alongside a strong cultural appreciation for fatherhood. It's not just about fathers any more, people are celebrating all the important male figures in their lives, including stepdads, and grandfathers, showing that their presence truly matters to families across the GCC,' said Slava Bogdan, CEO at Flowwow. New e-commerce trends on Father's Day According to research by Flowwow and Admitad, Google Trends confirms the rising relevance of Father's Day in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. The search volume for Father's Day-related content – such as quotes, greetings, cards, and gift ideas – surged more than 30 times this week from June 15. Google Shopping data also shows a peak in gift-related searches ahead of the celebration, indicating that more people are preparing for the holiday with purposeful intention. 'Father's Day is quickly becoming one of the key drivers of e-commerce growth in Saudi Arabia and in the MENA region. Between June 20 and 22, we saw a 16 per cent year-over-year increase in orders across the region, with Saudi Arabia as a digitally advanced country showing the strongest growth – a 30 per cent surge in order volume during the holiday period,' said Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad. According to data from Admitad, the best-selling gift categories for men in MENA include home and tools (30 per cent), electronics (22 per cent), and automotive accessories (9 per cent). In Saudi Arabia, customers favoured electronics and gadgets even more, accounting for 28 per cent of all sales. Overall, family-oriented holidays like Father's Day are becoming more significant in the GCC gifting market. Flowwow claims. Consumers are making emotional and meaningful purchases as they search for ways to connect more deeply with loved ones – often choosing simple, thoughtful gifts or shared family experiences over expensive items.
Campaign ME
13-06-2025
- Campaign ME
Corporate Communications/Marketing Person of The Year 2024: Romy Abdelnour, TBWA\RAAD
The Gold winner of Corporate Communications/Marketing Person of The Year 2024 for Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Awards is Romy Abdelnour, Head of Communications, TBWA\RAAD. When United Arab Emirates-based agency TBWA\RAAD decided to hit the reset button in 2024, its top-down transformation was designed to redefine the agency's culture around four core values: courage, belief, hunger, and collaboration. But first they needed someone who could turn corporate transformation into compelling narrative. Enter Romy Abdelnour: the communications maestro who orchestrated agency-wide change. She turned internal transformation into external triumph through a symphony of strategic storytelling. The numbers don't lie: 81 per cent employee engagement (up 14 points), 77 per cent drop in resignations, and 10 per cent revenue growth in 2024 alone, meant Omnicom's TBWA\RAAD emerged as a new benchmark for agencies in the Middle East and North Africa. Not bad for a year's work. But Abdelnour's genius wasn't just in the metrics, it was in the execution. She transformed International Women's Day from corporate box-ticking into genuine policy change, adding 75 days full maternity pay, extra WFH days for working mothers, and annual wellbeing days. The result? A 48-point boost in female employee satisfaction and Fast Company recognition as a 'Best Workplace for Women'. From launching #IAmRemarkable workshops to hosting industry-shaping events like the TikTok White Paper Launch: 'Storytelling in the Next Creative Renaissance,' analysing how technology fuels creativity in modern marketing, Abdelnour elevated the agency's voice and influence. Her efforts amplified the work of agency leaders, garnered $10m+ in earned media, and led to soaring client trust scores with brands like Nissan and Hilton. Judges praised Abdelnour's 'strong track record on brand building, brand reputation and media relations.' This content was first published on Campaign UK.
Al Etihad
03-06-2025
- Al Etihad
M42, AstraZeneca, SOPHiA GENETICS to transform cancer diagnosis, care
3 June 2025 14:30 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)M42, a global health leader powered by technology, announced a strategic collaboration with AstraZeneca and SOPHiA GENETICS to bring cutting-edge liquid biopsy testing to the UAE, aimed at advancing cancer diagnosis, informing treatment decisions, and enabling faster, accurate biomarker testing across a broad range of part of the collaboration, M42 will integrate SOPHiA GENETICS' MSK-ACCESS®, powered with SOPHiA DDM™ technology, into its testing infrastructure, enabling non-invasive genomic profiling of cancers through a simple blood approach does not replace but rather complements routine cancer screenings, and is designed for patients who are unable to undergo a solid tumor biopsy, enabling them to be matched with a precision therapy tailored to their specific cancer the next 12 months, the partnership will enable liquid biopsy testing access across select leading hospitals across the UAE, providing patients with faster, less invasive biomarker insights compared to traditional tissue biopsies, while also strengthening testing infrastructure and capabilities for a wide range of cancers in the new testing programme will initially target lung, ovarian, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers, among others, addressing some of the most critical cancer burdens in the studies are set to commence shortly at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, marking a key milestone toward the full clinical launch planned for the latter part of Q2 El-khani, Senior Vice President, Operations, Integrated Health Solutions at M42, said, 'This collaboration reflects our vision of democratising health by making advanced diagnostics accessible to more patients, supporting not just early diagnosis but also real-time treatment monitoring and cost-effective, precise, predictive, and personalised care.'Sameh El Fangary, Cluster President GCC of AstraZeneca, stated, "Our work, and our collaborations with partners across industry, are driving towards better treatments for patients as well as a more sustainable future for healthcare systems. Through our latest partnerships, we are committed to transforming cancer care for millions in the region by advancing early diagnosis and optimising patient pathways from detection to therapy.' Ross Muken, President of SOPHiA GENETICS, said, "Expanding access to advanced testing technologies is central to our mission at SOPHiA GENETICS. Partnering with M42 and AstraZeneca in the UAE allows us to equip healthcare providers with the tools they need to personalise care, monitor disease in real-time, and ultimately improve outcomes for patients across the region." Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
