Ever since we met the EMW team at Vinexpo Shanghai 2019, we knew that we wanted to work with them,” says Michael Campion, Managing Director of Four Fox Saké. “We’re delighted that they share our vision for a modern and exciting saké brand in China, and believe them to be the best possible partner to realise our potential.” Get real: As Playbook has noted before, the reality is that thousands of businesses and millions of white-collar workers are finding home-working is a win-win for them, saving time and money all round. The idea they will be guilt-tripped by politicians or newspapers into returning to potentially COVID-ridden offices for no better reason than to save the little sandwich shop on the corner is for the birds. Mate 5 (again):“Totally agree. And you can’t tell a nation they can go to the pub, but can’t go to their parents’ or friends’ houses. It defies logic, and confuses everyone even more than they already are.”

Sake, though still a small category globally, has experienced constant year on year growth in the past decade in export markets, with volume doubling since 2006 and value more than doubling!” says Nimbility Founding Partner Ian Ford. “China is growing even faster than other areas, already taking over Hong Kong in terms of volume in 2020, and likely to exceed in value in 2021, positioning it as sake’s primary export market. The timing is therefore perfect to build a premium brand such as Four Fox Saké in China. Partnering with a leading company as serious and professional as EMW for the import and distribution of the brand is the first major step towards this goal and the Nimbility team is incredibly excited to be working with both Four Fox Saké and EMW to make this vision a reality.” With sake exports growing to 18.7 billion yen in 2018, marking the eighth consecutive year of record-setting export volumes according to Japan’s National Tax Agency, overseas demand for sake is only expected to increase and Michael is optimistic. “I’d like to think we’re at the start of what’s going to be a quite a big wave,” he says, although he recognises that Four Fox is one of a few brands taking this westernised approach. “I’m hopeful we can be the first premium sake brand that everyone is aware of, and I think the real test of that is when someone walks into a bar in London or LA or Sydney and says, I want a bottle of Fox. That’ll be the day that I know we’ve made it: when you have that brand call, that brand recognition instantly.” ICYMI: The U.K.’s High Commissioner to New Delhi Philip Barton has been unveiled as permanent secretary at the newly created Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He replaces the departing Simon McDonald and will take up his new role on September 1. The BBC’s James Landale has a profile, describing him as “a classic Foreign Office lifer who has had postings all over the world.” Also on Kay Burley at Breakfast (Sky News): Mask Our Heroes co-founder Matthew McGahan (7.45 a.m.) … Cornwall Council deputy leader Adam Paynter (8.30 a.m.).Using the chart provided, mod-sc each st. Remember to do each row of the graph twice, (to complete the graphic image on both sides of the bag). Times Radio breakfast show: Trade adviser Shanker Singham (7.35 a.m.) … Former Prime Minister Tony Blair (8.05 a.m.) … Liverpool’s Director of Public Health Matthew Ashton (8.20 a.m.) … Former Crystal Palace F.C. owner Simon Jordan (9.35 a.m.). Four Fox’s bottle design pays further tribute to its origins; the metallic finish aims to mirror the superior metal of the ancient swordsmiths blessed by Inari. This tribute continues in the Katana samurai sword strikingly cut-out on each side. To begin with, we will add the handle. I placed each handle end right in the corners of the bag, centering the handle in the corner.

PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editor Zoya Sheftalovich, research assistant Andrew McDonald and producer Miriam Webber. Rnd 2: Ch 1 and place 2sc into the same st, then place a marker in the first sc to mark the beginning of the rnd, sc the next 58 sts, place 3 sc in the next st, sc in the next 58 sts, 2sc in the last st (124 sts)

01.01.16

Also on LBC breakfast show: Tony Blair’s former chief of staff Jonathan Powell (7.20 a.m.) … Former GCHQ Deputy Director for Intelligence Brian Lord and former Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington (both 8.05 a.m.). The playful brand pays homage to the fox spirits of Inari Okami, the Japanese Goddess of rice, saké, and swordsmiths. According to myth, the fox spirits guard the Torii gates to a shrine, letting only the purest spirits through, transitioning from the human to the divine. Mate 3:“Couldn’t park on our street yesterday for all the extra cars. Three families would have been celebrating Eid and probably thought f**k it, we’ve made our plans …” The bottom of this bag is worked flat using regular sc sts. Once the base is done, project is worked in the round I placed the strap approx. 5 rows down from the top of the inside of the bag. Then I sewed around the strap end using the tail ends.