Marle Woman: Charlotte Forsyth Wastell
Photography by Simon Schmidt
Marle Women is a series that delves into the lives of inspiring women. Through thoughtful and intimate conversations, we uncover the unique journeys and perspectives that shape their stories.
In this edition, we speak with Charlotte Forsyth Wastell, Co-Founder of HANDS, a London-based food styling and events consultancy known for its abundant approach to entertaining. Through immersive installations and gatherings, HANDS creates experiences centred around food and connection.
For those unfamiliar with HANDS, could you tell us a little about what it is and how it came to be?
HANDS came to be during lockdown, when we decided we would start a supper club. Before we could even host one, brands started reaching out to work with us, and it all grew from there. It’s been a whirlwind ever since!
London has been your home for many years. Which places do you find yourself returning to again and again?
I love St. JOHN, an English restaurant with white tablecloths and a big silver bar. The cocktails are great, and it’s where I discovered my favourite one, the Hanky Panky. The cooking is consistently excellent, and it always has such a great energy. I’ve spent many Saturday afternoons there!
I also love returning to Café Deco for its simple, delicious cooking, Towpath for its fresh summer plates, and Dalla for the best Italian food in London, in a beautiful setting.
You also spend a lot of time travelling. When you travel, what do you look for, and how do you find the places that resonate with you?
I look for places with great food and plenty to do. I don’t enjoy lying on the beach or being still for very long, so I generally prefer locations that have cities nearby, or a mixture of both beach and cultural elements.
I can randomly come across a design house I’d like to visit and plan a whole trip around it, or around a hotel or restaurant. I think it’s hard today not to regurgitate the trips we see on social media, especially when certain locations are shown to us over and over again. To stay excited by travel, I try to find something that genuinely interests me about a place and go from there.
Your eye for interiors, food and travel feels very distinct. Has it evolved over time, or have you always been drawn to the same qualities?
I didn’t enjoy school, but during that time I realised I loved clothes and dressing in a way that wasn’t the same as those around me. I always had this feeling that I didn’t want to be the same as everyone else, which is probably a very common feeling as a teenager, but it’s remained.
I think that made me curious. I read a huge amount and found different things to connect with when I found day-to-day reality quite tricky as a kid. My style has certainly evolved over time, and I think it’s always evolving.
Do those same qualities shape your personal style and the pieces you choose to wear?
Definitely. I think it’s all connected.
How do you balance documenting an experience with being fully present within it?
I think being interested mostly in images protects me from the constant documentation element, or from being someone who creates videos of experiences from start to finish. I couldn’t do that. I need to experience things with my own eyes.
I’m fiercely protective of photography generally. It’s such a beautiful way of remembering moments. I do think that was the original intention of Instagram, but sadly the platform is changing.
As you prepare to welcome your baby, has this chapter changed the way you think about home or your surroundings?
We’re currently buying a flat in north London in an Art Deco building that needs some work, and I’m so incredibly excited. It’s in a fairly quiet location on the top floor, and I keep imagining how it’s going to become our haven with our baby.
I can’t wait to make it our own and create a place of sanctuary for the three of us. Home is a place where you can fully express yourself, and it’s always been hugely important to me. Even though I travel a lot, which I absolutely adore, I always yearn for home too. While we’ve not always had a permanent home, we’ve found that feeling in special places while travelling. I also generally feel at home whenever I’m with my husband.
What does a typical day look like for you at the moment?
Coffee in bed if I can squeeze it in. I love to exercise, and although it looks a bit different at the moment, I still try to do something most days, whether that’s weights, a walk or a spin.
Then it’s usually appointments and meetings, lunch or dinner if I’m lucky, a full day shooting, or prepping and running an event with Sofie for HANDS.
Is there a part of your day or ritual you try to protect, regardless of where you are?
Coffee in bed when I wake up, and a bath before bed.
What are you reading, listening to or cooking at the moment?
I’m obsessed with fruit during my pregnancy, so I’m eating so many strawberries and cherries while they’re at peak season in the UK. They’re the best strawberries in the world!
My husband is feeding me a lot right now, and I’m craving anything with eggs or his incredible tomato pasta, which he cooks for several hours.
I’m reading Lena Dunham’s memoir, which is excellent. Before that I read London Falling, which I’d also highly recommend.
