How Lorna Luxe became the ‘OG influencer’: Flight attendant’s journey from a council estate in Trafford to a millionaire business owner – as she steps back from social media following husband John’s tragic death

She’s earned millions by building a strong presence on social media, and many consider her a pioneer – the original influencer – because she was one of the first to successfully make money from her online content.

As many of you know, my heart is incredibly heavy right now. After the loss of my wonderful husband, John, I’ve decided to step back from social media for a bit. It’s the first time I’ve ever done this, but I really need the space to grieve and focus on healing. I appreciate all the love and support, and I’ll be back when I’m ready.

Lorna’s followers are mourning the loss of ‘Mr Luxe,’ who was instrumental in her success. Their deep and lasting love for each other was clear in everything she shared online.

She publicly shared her grief on Valentine’s Day, posting a photo of a kiss with Joh and saying Saturday had been the most difficult day since he passed away on Wednesday.

Lorna Andrews, who goes by Lorna Luxe online, announced she’s taking a break from social media.

Lorna, who shared a £2.5 million home in Warwickshire with her late husband John, has said he played a key role in building her online following.

She shared on the Passenger Princess podcast that she believes her husband’s support with Instagram was key to her early success, helping her grow her following when others weren’t experiencing the same results.

‘We didn’t get paid for it [posting on Instagram], so I couldn’t hire anyone to take my photo. 

If he was working during the week, he’d sometimes drive into London at four AM, and I’d end up doing my makeup in the car during the commute.

I’d typically ask where we were filming that day. We’d then head into central London, often to areas like South Kensington and Chelsea, because they had beautiful buildings and streets.

We’d take some casual photos on the street, then he’d drive to Canary Wharf while I headed home by train.

Lorna added to Claire And The City: ‘He’s my best friend in the whole wide world. 

He’s become my amazing photographer, while still managing his own work and family life. I wouldn’t have this blog if he hadn’t dedicated his time and talent to it.

It’s not just John who deserves credit for Lorna’s success; she was always highly motivated and determined to achieve her goals.

Lorna grew up in Trafford with her mother and grandparents, living on a council estate. Her father left the family when she was four years old.

She described her ambitious beginnings, explaining that she always aimed high and dedicated herself to her studies, eventually earning a place at Newcastle University to pursue her dreams.

I studied English and Music at university. I’ve also picked up a fluency in the Geordie dialect and have a real appreciation for good beer. And, if you need to know, I can handle extremely windy weather even in very light clothing while enjoying a kebab!

After finishing school, Lorna dreamed of traveling and took a job as a flight attendant with Virgin Atlantic. She jokingly described it as living a glamorous lifestyle on a modest salary.

She met John in 2009 through friends at a bar. She was 25 years old at the time, and he was 46.

Lorna told The Sun that when she first saw him, she wondered who this older man was talking to her. She was young and confident at the time, so she initially thought, ‘Who does he think he is?’

I was immediately struck by him. The moment I started talking to John, I thought, “Wow, he’s incredibly charismatic!” He was the first man I ever truly admired, and I found him fascinating right away.

Their connection was undeniable and the following year the couple tied the knot in New York.

I just adored Lorna – she seemed to have it all! The perfect career, a wonderful husband… it was amazing. But honestly, it broke my heart to later find out she was battling something so awful in private. It was this eating disorder, and it just… consumed her. It was devastating to see it eventually cost her her dream job. I was, and still am, so incredibly sad for her.

She explained to bCreator that she lost her job due to her illness. While the company initially offered five months of leave and seemed supportive, they later expected her to return to more physically demanding work. This felt like a huge contrast to the image she had of herself as an air stewardess, and she was completely heartbroken when it happened.

Lorna paused her recovery efforts, and John, who worked as a banker at HSBC, supported her during this time.

Lorna realized how helpful social media could be, so she started posting a daily selfie to track her recovery.

Lorna also started working at Rockett St George, an online home decor store. There, she discovered her talent for style and gained valuable experience in how online businesses operate.

I’ve always been a talkative person, but I wasn’t really going out and being social,” she explained to bCreator. “So when social media became popular, it was perfect – I could chat with people all day and night without even having to meet them in person.

Since Instagram thrives on user interaction, my frequent posting helped me gain a lot of followers quickly.

By 2015, she had gained a following of 100,000 people and started receiving invitations to events from public relations teams and other online personalities.

She remembered not having gone out for months, maybe even years. But she quickly felt comfortable again, explaining that she’d gained life experience. She wasn’t the naive twenty-one-year-old she once was; she was thirty-two or thirty-three and knew herself much better.

Back then, most public relations professionals, including myself, were unfamiliar with the concept of being an influencer. We were all figuring it out together as this new phenomenon emerged.

It took about a year to build relationships with other people in the influencer world. I listened carefully to what they shared about their work and income, learning as much as I could and continuing to pursue my own path.

By 2019, many people were starting to create content online, but Lorna had already gained a dedicated following and become known as a trustworthy and consistent pioneer in the influencer world.

She’s incredibly popular, and when fashion brand In The Style asked her to design a clothing line, it earned £62,000 in sales within the first hour of release.

By 2022, Lorna’s career was thriving, and John was so impressed that he quit his well-paying banking job to help her grow her brand.

They launched two successful businesses together: a makeup line called 98 Beauty and a women’s clothing brand named L.A-Space. These brands earned an impressive £100,000 in sales on their very first day.

Lorna now earns as much as £80,000 per month from a single brand partnership, but her success wasn’t immediate. She and her partner, John, previously faced significant financial challenges, accumulating £300,000 in debt while building her career.

She remembered spending a lot of money on clothes and outfits, primarily to post pictures on Instagram. She’d often tell her husband, John, that she believed it would eventually lead to income. She didn’t know when, but she had a strong feeling her online presence would become successful.

 

In April 2023, John received a devastating diagnosis of stage three adrenal cancer and began chemotherapy treatment.

The couple regularly shared updates on John’s health with their fans, who were thrilled to learn he was in remission as of November 2023.

Sadly, John’s cancer came back in May 2024 and spread to his brain. He passed away peacefully last week, with his wife, Lorna, by his side.

Lorna shared the sad news of her husband John’s death on Instagram, writing that he passed away yesterday and that she is devastated.

We stayed together until the very end, peacefully at home in our bed, holding hands – just as he wished.

The last time we spoke, I asked how he was doing, and he said he was struggling but still felt deeply in love. That really captured who he was – honest and always prioritizing making me feel loved and safe, even when he was going through a hard time.

My husband John and I really appreciated the daily visits from the district nurses. They helped us so much and made him as comfortable as possible.

You know, I’ve seen so many patients over the years, and it’s the little things that really make a difference. There was this one nurse, Anna, who was just exceptional with one particular patient. She wasn’t just doing her job; she was genuinely kind and caring, going above and beyond. Honestly, she felt like a true angel to him – and to everyone who witnessed her compassion.

Those final days at home with John wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible care we received. And honestly, my mum was my rock – she kept me going when I needed to be strong for him, and I don’t know how I would have managed without her support.

‘John you are a class act and I will love you forever.’

Lorna and her partner intentionally chose not to have children. She shared that they did try to conceive when she was in her 20s, but it didn’t work out, and she wasn’t concerned enough to seek medical help.

Since John died, Lorna has received a lot of support from her online community, as well as from well-known figures like Molly-Mae Hague, Rochelle Humes, and Michelle Keegan.

Despite continuing to share photos of John and messages from others honoring him, she announced on Valentine’s Day that she would be taking a break from social media to grieve.

She explained: ‘Day 3 of no John and it’s been the hardest.

I came across a beautiful quote today that described the joy of both giving and receiving love, and I realized I felt that very thing happen to me.

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2026-02-16 13:20