For the fourth edition of Sexy Jobs, I’m joined by Annabelle Jordan, the mind (and face) behind the home fragrance brand Flammes. Before founding her brand, Annabelle worked in fashion, PR and marketing. If 2026 is the new 2016, the girlboss has gotten a makeover. She’s still aspirational, but now with a healthy dose of honesty about the struggles behind the glamour. On a Zoom call that felt more like a much-needed catch-up with a girlfriend, we talked about experimenting in your twenties and figuring out your purpose, how there’s really no such thing as cringe, and the ups and downs of starting a business on your own.
How would you define a Sexy Job?
I think that ultimately, a Sexy Job is something that you love to do. I think an unsexy job is a job that you hate, that doesn’t align with your values, that doesn’t creatively stimulate you, and that doesn’t fulfil your life. We spend so much of our lives working, so if you don’t enjoy it, then that’s not very sexy.
What is your current role? What do you do, and what does that look like day to day?
I’m the founder of Flammes, a home fragrance brand that launched just over a year ago. Within 9 months of launching, it became exclusive to Selfridges, one of the most well-known department stores in the world. It’s been pretty wild, and I still don’t quite know how to describe what the experience has been like (laughs).
If you’re not slightly delusional, you’re probably not thinking big enough
I’ve always been fascinated by entrepreneurship and the idea of creating something of my own. I was raised by parents who built something for themselves, which I found incredibly inspiring. Growing up in that environment gave me this belief that anything is possible if you’re willing to go for it, and maybe even be a little bit delusional in your thinking. If you’re not slightly delusional, you’re probably not thinking big enough. For a long time, though, I wasn’t sure what that thing would be for me.
Everything changed when my mum was diagnosed with cancer. It was a real sliding-doors moment where life suddenly flashed before my eyes, and I thought, holy shit, I’ve really got to try and create something for myself. I think until you experience something traumatic like that, you can feel somewhat invincible, but that’s not reality. Watching my mum fight for her life was incredibly difficult. Thankfully, she’s now in remission, but it was truly life-altering.
Towards the end of her treatment, I worked closely with Jenny Halpern Prince MBE, an incredibly inspiring businesswoman who founded Halpern PR, one of the first PR agencies in London in the 90s, and who is also the co-founder of The Lady Garden Foundation, a gynaecological health charity raising awareness and breaking taboos around women’s health.
After going through such a difficult period with my mum’s illness, I really started questioning what I wanted from my life and what my purpose was. Flammes had actually been brewing in my mind for about a year, but I hadn’t quite found the courage to go for it. Jenny was unbelievably supportive and encouraged me to take the leap.
Flammes is all about redefining home fragrance for a brighter generation, combining unique design with feel-good scents. I saw a gap in the market for a design-led, next-generation home fragrance brand, and I was delusional enough to believe I could create it.
Honestly, I think that’s such a common theme among a lot of my friends - that question of when do you know you’re ready? It comes up all the time. And I really do think it comes down to being a little bit delusional and just deciding to go for it. You are very present in the brand’s identity; your face is the face of Flammes, so how was your experience stepping into that very public-facing role compared to your previous experience in PR, where you’re more behind the scenes?
When I started Flammes, I didn’t consciously decide to be the face of the brand. But very quickly it became clear that I would have to, firstly because it’s just me running it, and secondly because so much of Flammes’ story is tied to my own journey - finding my inner flamme, encouraging self-expression, and of course creating scents that people genuinely connect with.
If you want the world to know your brand, you have to shout about it. And today, consumers don’t just want to know about the product - they want to know about the person behind it. They want to understand the story, the personality and the intention behind the brand.
Coming from PR, where you’re typically behind the scenes building someone else’s narrative, stepping into that more public-facing role was definitely a shift. But in many ways, it also felt natural, because I understood the importance of storytelling and brand identity from the very beginning.
In such a digitally driven world, I don’t think there’s really an option to be completely incognito as a founder anymore. People want that connection. So embracing that visibility became a really important part of building Flammes and sharing its story.
Quite frankly, I don’t think cringe exists. If people think something is cringe, that’s their problem, not yours.
Putting yourself online can feel really vulnerable, especially at the beginning when you’re worried about what people might think. Was that ever a barrier for you?
Quite frankly, I don’t think cringe exists. If people think something is cringe, that’s their problem, not yours. That’s what I always tell my friends who say they’re too scared to post online. At the end of the day, who really cares? There are far greater things in life to be afraid of, and posting online should definitely not be one of them. I realised that when my mum was fighting for her life. Experiences like that really shift your perspective. Suddenly posting something online just doesn’t feel that deep anymore.
It’s really not that serious!
It’s really not that serious. People’s assumptions and judgments are usually a reflection of themselves, not of you. Once you realise that, it becomes a lot easier to just put yourself out there.
You document a lot of your journey founding Flammes, but what would you say is the biggest challenge of your job today?
It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. I honestly don’t even know where to start. When I launched Flammes, I was completely blindfolded. It was my first time starting a business, so I’ve really been learning as I go. Sometimes it feels like being on a permanent driving lesson. There hasn’t been a moment when I’ve thought, okay, I’ve completely got this now. Every single day, there’s something new to figure out, especially as a solo founder.
I also think there’s a lot of glamourisation around entrepreneurship. I fall for it too. Online, everything looks very easy and very achievable. Everyone seems to be starting a business or founding a brand, and I have friends who feel like if they’re not doing that, they’re somehow falling behind. Social media has definitely made the whole landscape feel more competitive.
But the reality is that it’s hard work. Every day I’m balancing marketing, financials, projections, raising investment, planning for the year ahead, retail opportunities - all while still figuring everything out as I go.
What’s really important, though, is trusting the process. I have to remind myself of that constantly and try not to be so hard on myself. Whether you’re a freelancer, starting a business, or running one, I think we’re often our own toughest critics. It’s much easier to be self-critical than it is to acknowledge what you’ve actually achieved.
I think it’s especially intense when it’s a personal project. When you’re working for someone else, even if you take a lot of pride in your work, it’s ultimately their responsibility at the end of the day. When it’s your own project, you want to put your whole self into it.
Definitely! I went to an event this morning and was speaking to a co-founder of a creative agency. I asked her something I’m always curious about, how do you sleep? Because I really struggle with sleep sometimes.
She was very honest and said, “I don’t really sleep.” Not because she’s constantly working, but because she’s wired from running a creative agency, being a co-founder, and carrying the responsibility that comes with it - especially when the business is still so new.
When you work for someone else, and your name isn’t really on the line in the same way, it’s much easier to switch off. You clock in, and you clock out. But when it’s your own business, that boundary doesn’t really exist. It stays with you all the time.
Pivoting a little to your life outside of work, I’ve seen that you’re training for a marathon. What are the things that help you switch off, or at least attempt to switch off, from work?
Running is probably my favourite thing in the world, other than Flammes. Honestly, my life is pretty simple: I work on Flammes, I run, and I spend time with my partner. Who I am before a run and who I am after a run are two completely different human beings. I find it incredibly therapeutic.
For the last three years, I’ve been trying to get into the London Marathon through the ballot and never managed to get a place. Then I tried to get a charity spot through my mum’s hospital, The Royal Marsden. I was rejected last year, but this year I finally got a place1. A lot of people asked me if it was really the right time to be training for a marathon when Flammes is still in its early years. But for me, it didn’t really feel like a choice - running is the thing that keeps me balanced. Without it, I honestly don’t think I’d be able to do everything else!
I totally get that. I ran my first marathon this past October, and it was the one thing that kept me from going crazy. I’m so excited for you, the London Marathon is the dream!
I’m very much a Type B person, and I don’t have that early-morning, perfect routine. My life is generally quite chaotic, and somehow it works. But the marathon training plan I’ve been following has honestly been life-changing. It’s the first thing in a long time that’s really held me accountable to something outside of work. And I think that structure has been really good for me.
I think your twenties should be a time to explore. You’re not supposed to have everything figured out
I’m still very much figuring my life out, so this is something I tend to ask everyone around me. When you were figuring out your path, what were the priorities that mattered most to you? I know we don’t always get to tick every box on our dream list.
I think your twenties should be a time to explore. You’re not supposed to have everything figured out. I definitely still don’t have it all figured out. For me, it was about exploring in ways that felt possible and interesting at the time. I’ve worked in fashion, art advisory, PR and marketing. Each experience helped me understand a little more about what did and didn’t feel right for me.
I also think the journey can be more complicated if you’re pursuing something creative. I have friends who were very academically driven and went into fields like law or medicine, where the career path is quite clear. With creative careers, it’s often much less linear and a lot more competitive.
So I think the most important thing is trusting the process and giving yourself permission to try different things. The more avenues you explore, the more likely it is that eventually something will click.
And finally, what’s the best career or life advice you’ve ever been given?
I think it’s simply: ask! Ask for help, ask questions, ask for opportunities. People are often much more willing to help you than you think. And if you’re working for yourself, you have to be a little bit delusional. It’s the only way you’ll move the needle forward. If you think too logically about everything, you’ll never start anything - you’ll see all the risks straight away and talk yourself out of it. You’ll also find your people along the way, and that’s incredibly important. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good and who support what you’re trying to build.
Thank you for keeping up with the fourth edition of Sexy Jobs. You can shop Flammes at https://flammes.co.uk/, as well as Selfridges and Maison Flâneur. Follow Flammes on Instagram @officialflammes and keep up with Annabelle on Instagram @annabellejordan and TikTok @annabelllejordan. If you (or someone you know) has a Sexy Job and would be down to talk about it and give me life advice in the process, please reach out to sexyjobsjulia@gmail.com.
And if you’re new to the Sexy Job universe, check out the piece that started it all:
 | A guest post by
|
Dream job is a sexy job !! Love this series