A Brief Hiatus from the Fashion World

Hi there all you kind, beautiful, caring human souls. My darlings, I'm soooooo sorry I've been a tad aloof lately, but for once, believe it or not, I've not been getting up to mischief. Your LUC8K ambassador and favourite four-legged fashionista has been taking a little time out to contemplate life. You know, that big old thing that literally means everything, to all of us.

My original plan was to attend a sustainable fashion event in Madrid last week and represent the wonderful people at LUC8K. My flights were booked, my hooves were polished, and my gorgeous, trusty LUC8K Weekender was packed and ready to rock n roll.

But then I found out that one of my most beautiful friends on earth had sadly departed this world for the next, and my world fell apart.

"Your LUC8K ambassador has been taking a little time out to contemplate life. You know, that big old thing that literally means everything, to all of us."

Saying Goodbye to a Gentle Giant

Last week I lost Ellie, a joyful African elephant I had the absolute pleasure and honour of growing up alongside in the Savannah. She was the Ying to my Yang, my sidekick, my mischievous partner in crime, who always taught me that friendship can weigh seven tonnes yet make you feel lighter than air.

She was my grey Goddess, and my life at home - when I'm not hoof-footing it around the world living my best luxury life - will never be quite the same again.

So my dears, this week's story will be a little less sassy and more poignant than usual, but I'm sure you won't mind me going all deep and meaningful, as I try to come to terms with my loss and work out this crazy little thing called life.

Mwah! And thank you darlings for standing by me, not just through this moment, but through these crazy times we are living in right now! We are all in this together, and together we will shine, thrive and do waaaaaaay more than just stay alive!

The Cruel Circle Of Life

Unlike many of Ellie's friends, who were cruelly wiped out by those evil, nasty murdering poachers (bastards!) her ending was a cross between a Greek tragedy and some kind of weird dark comedy Netflix.

Ellie loved life, and she devoured and savoured every minute of it. Sadly, she also liked devouring over‑ripe Amarula fruit (also known as Marula), and hoovered them up with that big old trunk of hers!

Not many humans know this, but as the fruits naturally ferment on the ground, they develop alcohol content that can affect animals like Ellie who gobble up large quantities of them all at once.

"Ellie taught me that friendship can weigh seven tonnes yet make you feel lighter than air."

Ellie used to sniff them out and she was like a human child in a candy store when it came to her favourite 'tipple.' I tried to warn her several times that she was getting tipsy a little too often. On one occasion, we lost her for a few days, and we eventually found her rolling around drunk, singing ABBA songs to a group of Swedish conservationists. And I'll never forget the time we found her trying to hump a safari jeep. She honestly thought it was her other half! She ended up all over social media and going viral for that one!

But alas, Nature's Free Bar proved to be her undoing. One minute she was trumpeting a karaoke version of "Circle of Life," to a group of laughing Hyenas, the next she was gone. She passed out drunk and never woke up. The bush fell silent as she joined the Animal Kingdom in the sky, and another angel gained her wings (although I can't imagine how big they must be if my seven tonne Ellie has any chance of actually flying around in Heaven!)

An Elephant Sometimes Forgets

I guess grief affects different humans and animals in different ways. Elephants feel it more than most when they lose one of their own, especially when it's done at the hands of humans for their ivory, or for 'sport'.

If only hunters knew the pain and suffering they cause. If only Ellie knew the grief and heartache she would cause by eating too much of the 'funny fruits'. I always used to tell her 'everything in moderation my darling!' but she was a stubborn creature, and although an elephant never forgets, she would always forget the advice she was given by me and other animal friends who loved her dearly.

I'll never forget the good times we spent together. The watering hole at dawn, the deep and meaningful conversations at dusk on the plains, and making my young calves laugh with glee as she tickled their bellies with her trunk whilst doing really bad impressions of Meryl Streep.

I can still remember the leathery-warmth of her skin when she let me paint glitter rainbows on her trunk - don't ask! - and the joy in her eyes as we gazed at the stars and both thought that we'd live forever. Oh, how I wish we could, although I'd probably need a bit of Botox and a couple of lip jobs if I make it past one hundred…

Saints and Sinners: Finding Meaning in Loss

I think it's fair to say that my Ellie was a bit of a sinner, but as fate would have it, and with such poignant timing, we bid another farewell to a true Saint: His Holiness the Pope.

 

By all accounts, he was a friend to the forgotten, a shepherd to the vulnerable, and he reminded us all that tenderness can be tougher than steel. Losing the Pope makes the world feel a little emptier too, not just for me, but for millions of people around the world from all walks of life who gain strength, hope and love through their religious belief and connection to the Catholic Church.

"I look for something to be grateful for each day. My vast collection of bespoke LUC8K bags and high heels make me smile. They do bring me joy, pure unbridled joy!"

It's comforting to believe that there is a place we all go to once our time on earth comes to an end. That a new, beautiful life awaits us, and it's just the beginning of our journey beyond the stars.

My idea of Heaven is strutting my stuff at a Paris fashion show, with my LUC8K Tote in one hoof, and a glass of bubbles in the other - so when my time is up, I'm expecting a catwalk in the clouds surrounded by plenty of stylish French waiters, and one of them is George Clooney without his shirt on, covered in baby oil, and he gently strokes my neck as I…(cough) Erm, OK, where was I? (Blush)

I can imagine Ellie up there now in Animal Heaven, trunk raised high, plodding through the pearly gates, heading straight towards heaven's finest fruit buffet (fermented or not). Adorned in a tight-fitting little pink sparkly number that is totally inappropriate for any kind of Afterlife!

Finding Light in Dark Times

Talking of inappropriate, and because we all need a little bit of light relief right now, apparently the Cheeto-coloured human dumpster fire Donald Jester Trump has set his sights on becoming the next Pope!

Yes darlings, you heard it here first. Mango Mussolini has already measured the Popemobile for gold‑plated, bullet-proof wheel trims and has ordered a monumental shipment of 'Make Heaven Great Again' hats from his friends in China. These hats escape the 'bigly' tariffs by the way…

I can see the headlines now: "Vatican chimney emits a Dorito‑hued plume of smoke." I've heard on the grapevine that he also plans to replace Cardinals with his new 'General Board of The Best Spiritual Advisors Ever' which will consist of Fox news weather presenters and a Texan beauty pageant judge. The Patron Saint of Endless Nonsense is also going to build a wall around Vatican City to keep out illegal Swiss guards and Danish people.

Look darlings, I'm joking obviously, but sometimes we have to laugh and maybe the universe reminds us that laughter really is the best medicine, even in the darkest of times. It doesn't make our sorrow go away, but it gives our soul the oxygen it needs to breathe, so that eventually, helplessness is replaced by hope.

There is always light at the end of the tunnel, and although it may take some time (4 more bloody years!!!) life always finds a way to correct itself, reward the good ones, and bring instant Karma to those who richly, bigly deserve it. Hang in there my dear friends, we will get through this clown show if we all stick together and stand up for what is right. Amen to that!

The Fruits of Ellie's Legacy

Ellie lived a full and fruitful life, and how ironic it is that the thing she enjoyed doing the most, was the thing that ended her time here on Mother Earth. She gorged on life's sweetness until it finally overwhelmed her mind, body and soul.

She was reckless, and her story is heartbreaking and human in nature. Ellie proved to me and everyone that loves her, that life is wonderfully delicious but intrinsically fragile.

"The Hardest Hug In The World was the last one I ever shared with Ellie. I will never forget that moment."

The 'tipsy fruit' she loved so much was her own personal luxury. It became a huge part of her lifestyle, and when it became more of an addiction than a special treat, that's when she should have taken a few steps back, but sadly, poor Ellie couldn't see the wood for the trees.

We all know someone like Ellie, and it's not always easy to guide them along the right path in life. Sometimes it takes a gentle nudge, sometimes it takes a little more, but never give up on them and always reach out to someone you think is struggling. So many people are right now, so let's check in more on those we care about. A simple call or text is sometimes all it takes.

The Balance Of Life's Luxuries

Right now, as Ellie is trying desperately to float above the clouds in Animal Heaven with insufficient wings to give her huge frame the lift it needs (the other heavenly animal angels are trying to make some kind of crane out of wood as we speak), she will no doubt regret her stubbornness and refusal to listen to my advice.

But she did live a life with few regrets, and I guess the challenge for us all, my dear beloved readers, is to find the right balance in our own precious lives.

I look for something to be grateful for each day. My vast collection of bespoke LUC8K bags and high heels make me smile. They do bring me joy, pure unbridled joy! My Luxury lifestyle, jet-setting around the world and meeting all kinds of different and unique human beings. This inspires me every time my head is literally in the clouds.

But true happiness can be found in some of the more simple things in life. When my calves look up to me with love in their eyes. A beautiful sunset or clear, starry night.

Our life here on earth is so short and so precious. From here on in, I intend to Channel the Pope and dedicate more of my life to serving the vulnerable. I think we should all laugh more at absurdity.

Even if Trump (the British word for 'fart') really does want to drive his Russian Spy wife around Rome in a Pope-mobile style golf cart, don't let it ruin your day - find the cosmic giggle. Make more memories to treasure. I intend to plant a Marula sapling, and when its fruit drops, I will drink a toast to my tipsy friend who taught me to treasure every single bite of life.

Ellie made a huge hole in my heart, but she also planted wildflowers there. Grief waters them, laughter coaxes them to bloom, and hope braids them into a beautiful crown.

Hold your herd tight, friends. The Amarula ripens quickly, and none of us know when the last fruit will fall.

The Hardest Hug In The World was the last one I ever shared with Ellie. I will never forget that moment. So, give someone you love a huge hug today. Hold them tight. And never let them go.

With a whole lotta love and a million warm hugs, Peace, Love, and everything in moderation!
Sophie x

Sophie is LUC8K's brand ambassador, bringing you stories that blend luxury living with life's most meaningful moments. Discover more about her adventures and explore the LUC8K collection to find your perfect balance of style and substance.