Young at Art Harry Stevens

In the final episode for our first series we are joined by interior designer extraordinaire and businesswoman Sophie Conran who has had a varied career working across fashion, food and interior design. As the only daughter of Sir Terence Conran and food writer Caroline Conran, Sophie shares with us what life was like being raised by the man who shaped British design history. Sophie also tells us the story of how she restored her exquisite Wilshire home, Salthrop House, a masterpiece of Regency era architecture and a thoroughly modern family home, designed in her signature interior style.

If you are a fan of fashion history, particularly the fabulous heights of Parisian couture, then today’s episode of Young at Art is for you. Harry is joined by renowned journalist and author Justine Picardie to discuss her latest book: Miss Dior, a Story of Courage and Couture which traces the life of Catherine Dior, the youngest sister of world famous French couturier Christian Dior. Bringing to life for the first time Catherine's story, peppered with tragedy and joy in equal measure, Picardie’s account sensitively balances the rough with the smooth, exploring Catherine’s fascinating life right from childhood until her death at the age of 90 in 2008 in an undulating tale of her personal strength. From WWII resistance fighter to couturier’s muse, her tale is gripping for start to finish.

Manchester-based young fashion designer Olivia Welsh joins Harry for this week’s episode of Young at Art. She talks about how she founded her brand, Olivia Annabelle Apparel. Olivia’s design style is influenced by historical figures, books and periods in history from which she creates a selection of pieces designed in an array of bespoke prints.

Country Houses are a huge inspiration for our host. After a childhood of being marched around the most incredible houses in the UK, he learnt to love them for their artistic and cultural importance in the landscape of Great Britain. Today, Harry is on a mission to highlight their cultural significance, dispelling their connotations of a grandma’s day-out and instead inspiring people to see the benefit of a storied artistic experience that truly connects people with the history and objects of our past.

Artist and founder of The Room Portrait Club SJ Axelby joins us for this week’s episode of Young at Art. She talks about the mixed media room portraits she started drawing in lockdown which have since been featured by the likes of The World of Interiors, Christie’sand Liberty. Her mixed media, delicate depictions of interior spaces show an array of homes; from country cottages in the Cotswolds to palatial stately homes in Austria; SJ captures the essence of a space in vivid colour and texture.

Jermaine Gallacher joins us this week from his pink office in South London for a delve into some of his recent interior design projects – including a rather fabulous Barristers office in Gray’s Inn. Jermaine shares with us his approch to interior design, and offers lots of brilliant advice for anyone wanting to start designing their own space.