Ah, autumn! Season of lists and mellow mindfulness. Traditionally, it’s a time for recalibration: a new school year, a rebooting of goals and directions, a settling in for the cooler days ahead. The leaves might be beginning to tumble, but there’s a topsy-turvy spring-like resurgence in the capital as creativity takes centre stage and blooms at a portfolio of cultural events, including Frieze London, London Design Festival, PAD London and more.

The economy may be shot while the cost-of-living crisis gives the population cause to shiver, but in the arts and culture world there’s reason to be cheerful, with the city’s vitality, verve and pre-eminence in the global arts scene on show.

This issue, we preview some of the most interesting experiences to be had at the London Design Festival and look at some key pieces to be found at PAD London with its dedicated 20th-century and contemporary design focus, and we pay tribute to top-tier Parisian jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels’ enchanting and vibrant precious creations celebrating the art of movement, showcased in the upcoming Design Museum exhibition.

Elsewhere, we round up some properly British brands moving forward by looking back, combining traditional heritage techniques with innovative new materials, creating future classics, and we drop in on fashion maestro Giorgio Armani’s fine collection of photography – for him, a lifelong passion – and find the work he chooses doesn’t always mirror the nuanced elegance of his own understated aesthetic.

Finally, we are proud to include the annual Brummell Inspirational Women in the City listing, honouring 30 of the Square Mile’s most dynamic females. These trailblazers are not only responsible for “firsts” in their companies, they are also leaders and thought leaders, driving momentum for significant change in their companies or externally, and achievers of incredible results in their respective fields. We salute them all and thank the three well-respected industry professionals who sat on the judging panel, applying rigorous shortlisting criteria to an impressive longlist to select the top 30. Entrepreneurial spirit, drive and original thinking are all key markers in the CVs of these remarkable women.

Taking inspiration from such role models, let’s reconfigure our goals while taking time to be energised by some of the mellow fruitfulness in the art and culture scene on offer this season.

We hope you enjoy this issue.