We protect what matters most - the client, the craft, and the clarity that connects them.
We bring one-of-a-kind
designs to life
We orchestrate the specialist procurement of Owners’ Supply for world-class private aviation, yachts, and architectural interiors, ensuring the final layer of every luxury project is delivered on time, within budget, and to uncompromising standards of quality.
Our work is independent, informed, and impartial - defined by discretion, clarity, and complete transparency.
HELM operates globally, based in both the UK and the USA, reflecting the dual heritage and perspectives that shaped its creation.
Our Heritage
John William Durant, working inside the historic Durant Sail Loft.
A century later, his commitment to craft still informs how we honour materials, makers, and quality.
HELM is shaped by the union of two worlds: a century-long heritage in maritime craftsmanship and a two-decade career in luxury design, brought together through the British–American partnership of its founders.
In 1926, the great-grandfather of co-founder Ryan Durant established Durant Sails in New Bedford, USA, handmaking sails for large vessels that demanded durability, material mastery, and unwavering precision. This legacy instilled a deep respect for makers, materials, and the skill required for craftsmanship to endure and withstand the elements.
Co-founder Gillian Brooks built her career within the world of custom and collectible design, collaborating with specialist makers, ateliers, artists, and artisans to deliver complex interiors across yachts, private aviation, and architectural projects. Her work at the intersection of design and making fostered a holistic understanding of how exceptional interiors are imagined, crafted, and realised.
Together, these perspectives form the foundation of HELM: a studio grounded in craftsmanship, guided by design, and shaped by an appreciation for the skills, stories, and traditions that define true luxury.
The Durant Sail Loft, New Bedford, 1926 - the beginning of a family legacy in marine craftsmanship.
John William Durant, master sailmaker.
Every seam mattered. The quiet concentration behind sails built to endure at sea.
Work at full scale. Sailmaking demanded space, discipline, and an intimate understanding of materials in motion.
Craft in collaboration. Multiple hands, one shared commitment: materials understood, quality uncompromised.
At the HELM
RYAN DURANT-
As a Co-Founder of HELM, Ryan brings a lineage of maritime-grade craftsmanship to the studio’s ethos. His great-grandfather was a master sailmaker who owned the historic Durant Sail Loft in New Bedford, USA, where hand-making and material mastery defined every project.
His own twenty-year career as a fine-dining restaurateur instilled a tireless dedication to service and anticipating client needs. Drawing on his family heritage and expertise, Ryan champions makers and the art of craft, ensuring that beauty, intention, and individuality are held in equal measure on every project.
Now leading the studio at HELM, he works with a niche roster of trusted partners who share our commitment to master craftsmanship, sustainable luxury, and artisanal preservation - allowing the studio to deliver with clarity, discretion, and exceptional quality.
GILLIAN BROOKS-
As Co-Founder of HELM, Gillian shaped the studio’s philosophy of creativity with commercial clarity, following a two-decade career in global procurement, supply chain strategy, and the delivery of interiors across superyachts, private aviation, and architecture.
She spent a decade working internationally with two of the most respected names in luxury interiors, Winch Design in the UK and Pollaro in the USA - collaborating with UHNW owners and their project teams with the discretion, trust, and fluency required on one-of-a-kind projects.
Her understanding of collectible design, craft, and client stewardship gives her a rare, holistic view of how exceptional interiors – and true luxury – are realised. Today, Gillian advises HELM at a strategic level while remaining closely connected to the luxury landscape, advocating for craft, clarity, and interiors built to endure.
PIPPA-
Pippa may be the smallest member of HELM, but she is absolutely convinced she runs the place. A toy poodle with big opinions and even bigger travel ambitions, she has flown between New York, Paris, and London, inspected beaches on both sides of the Atlantic, and confidently attended industry shows and events as if personally responsible for client relations.
A devoted guardian of her bright orange ball, she graces the occasional meeting, Teams call, and studio visit, and is known for her refined palate - only carefully chosen treats earn her approval.
True to her water-dog roots, she loves the sea almost as much as she loves people, fully expecting every single person to say hello. Whether on land, at sea, or in the air, Pippa’s mission remains the same: keep spirits high, make time for play, and ensure no one goes un-greeted.
