Charlie Thomas

3 weeks ago | therake.com | Charlie Thomas

In a relatively short space of time, Finn Cole has become one of Britain’s leading young acting talents. He got his first break aged 18, playing Michael Gray in Steven Knight’s hit T.V. show Peaky Blinders. One of his older brothers, Joe Cole, was already in the first series, and when an open audition came up for season two, he thought Finn would be perfect for the job. It turns out he was, and with only a couple of school plays to his name, Finn made the character his own over the next decade.

3 weeks ago | therake.com | Charlie Thomas

Watches have long been closely associated with motor racing. There is the element of timing, which is an integral part of the sport, measuring the success of teams and their drivers throughout a race weekend. But there’s also a synergy between the mechanical aspects of both. Both fine watches and racing cars are powered by a complex array of moving elements that are greater than the sum of their parts. Watch brands have been tied into the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1, since the 1970s.

2 months ago | therake.com | Charlie Thomas

The Land Rover Defender OCTA is entirely unnecessary. Nobody needs a 626bhp Defender, a car derived from military use and adopted by farmers and landowners. But that is exactly why it is so brilliant. The OCTA is the most powerful, most exaggerated Defender ever made, and the antithesis to many a new car. This is not a machine that relies on big batteries for its power, and while it is a mild hybrid, it defers to a huge 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 for kicks.

Feb 3, 2025 | therake.com | Charlie Thomas

After taking a wrong turn and driving up an unused slender mountain road, the Polestar 3 should have struggled. But thanks to its smooth power delivery, adaptive four wheel drive system and active suspension, as well as its trusty Continental winter tyres, it made light work of the ice track. The road slimmed further halfway up the mountain and eventually ran out, but the 3’s ability to tackle tricky road surfaces was just getting started.

Jan 27, 2025 | therake.com | Charlie Thomas

There is something about Paris and style. The city is, and always has been, the home of fashion, and it is this allure that ensures it remains a crucial destination for many a design house. Paris has birthed a number of important tailors, couturiers, and style muses, from Cifonelli and Camps de Luca to Serge Gainsbourg and Francois Hardy. That many of the world’s greatest names choose to showcase their latest clothing collections here every year is testament to the city’s lasting appeal.