The Commissioned Artist: Alice Shirley and Hermès Paris

Summer Term, sees the return of the Royal Drawing School's Creative Conversations; dialogues between artists, curators and writers. Curated by Dr Claudia Tobin, lectures are held Wednesday evenings either at the School or on Zoom.

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Alice Shirley, 'Cheval Sirine', original gouache painting for the silk carré design for Hermès Paris S/S 2023 collection. Courtesy/copyright of the artist.

Drawing Year alumna Alice Shirley and Managing and Heritage Director of the Hermès Design Studio, Christine Duvigneau will discuss the collaborative process between freelance artist and commissioning fashion house. The working relationship began whilst Alice was studying at the Royal Drawing School in 2010 and has continued ever since; Alice’s designs have been featured on silk scarves, beachwear and homewear. At the heart of the collaboration is a dedication to sustainability and social and ecological responsibility. Whilst Alice’s designs highlight endangered species and threatened habitats, Hermès is committed to preserving resources, supporting the regions in which its manufacturers operate and preserving its integral humanist values. They will discuss the commissioning process, from brief to final product. 

Alice Shirley (b.1984) is a London-based artist and designer, whose work is primarily focused on the human relationship with nature and stories. After studying Fine Art at Byam Shaw Central St Martins, she studied drawing at The Royal Drawing School in London. Alice has worked closely with the Natural History Museum in London, and its specimen collection, producing a series of Sea Monsters for her solo show Fathoms in 2013 at the Royal College of Art, in aid of the charity Art For Youth. Alice has maintained this relationship by curating the Threadneedle Space, and awarding the Parker Prize for creative excellence, at Art For Youth’s annual shows at the Mall Galleries, London. Over the years, she has also worked closely with conservation charities, including the IUCN and Synchronicity Earth, with whom she collaborated for the Biophilia Ball in 2014, creating 550 hand-painted and hand-decorated masks depicting endangered species, for the guests at the ball to wear. 

Since 2012, Alice has had an ongoing collaboration with Hermès Paris, designing silk scarves, and items for jewellery, beachwear, home and children, and Hermès special event commissions in the UK, France, Canada and Singapore. She also took part in the touring event Hermès Carré Club in New York, Singapore, Milan, LA and Paris. 

Alice has also collaborated with the French fashion house Dior, designing their Christmas packaging and advent calendar for 2021. In 2017, Alice was honoured to have her work exhibited in a solo show hosted by The Royal Drawing School in the State Ballroom at Buckingham Palace, and a number of her pieces are now in the Royal Collection. In addition to her exhibited work, Alice has had three books published – two books for children (Pavilion Books, UK), as well as a limited edition collectors’ book of her recent works (Édition La Pionniere, France). Alice has completed commissions in United Kingdom, Jersey, India, Germany, Switzerland, America, Singapore, Italy and France, and her work features in private collections throughout the world. 

Alice Shirley, 'Sous Le Charme D'Orphée', original gouache painting for the silk carré design for Hermès Paris A/W 2022 collection. Courtesy/copyright of the artist.

Christine Duvigneau graduated from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris. Her early career at Hermès Paris began in the Artistic Direction department, with Jean-Louis Dumas in 1998. She then became the director of the Studio Dessins, the Drawings and Graphic Design Studio of the company, which liaises with freelance artists and the production side of the business. She is now in charge of the heritage of drawings and artworks, as well as school collaborations. 

Cover image: (detail) Alice Shirley, 'Sous Le Charme D'Orphée', original gouache painting for the silk carré design for Hermès Paris A/W 2022 collection. Courtesy/copyright of the artist.

Please note this Summer Term some lectures will take place in-person at the School and some will take place online with Zoom. Please check the individual event listings for details.

Please note: This lecture starts at 5pm (GMT+1) instead of the usual time of 7pm (GMT+1).