IN CONVERSATION WITH:
GROUP DIRECTOR,
LUCY DAY-SHANKS
AT HOME WITH A.LONDON September 2020
At A.LONDON, many of our team members have come from a variety of creative industry backgrounds, including our Group Director, Lucy Day-Shanks. First a fashion enthusiast, to interior expert, Lucy has a wealth of knowledge and a variety of expertise, playing a big part of the team at Accouter Group of Companies. From directing buying to managing marketing, no day is the same for Lucy.
How did your journey in the interior industry begin?
Fate! I feel like the industry found me. I am a big believer in everything happening for a reason and when I least expected it, an opportunity presented itself for me to make the move out of fashion and into interiors. My role has evolved a lot since I first walked through the doors of AGC nearly 7 years ago, and upon feeling right at home from the moment I joined the rest, as they say, was history.
I have always specialised in the luxury consumer market from sales to managerial roles, and this was a client base and environment I was familiar with. I studied at the London College of Fashion, completing a FdA degree in Fashion Marketing and Communications, before going on to complete a BA (Hons) in Retail and Business Management. During my summers I would work with Anya Hindmarch and MyWardrobe.com as a Buying & Merchandising Intern, before going on to secure a role within the Buying industry. What followed was a year living on the East Coast of the USA, where the experience of luxury consumerism was taken to new heights. Here I was able to launch several stores in the US for a well-established UK retailer and cement my ambitions to work with luxury brands, delivering a superior product to the world’s most discerning clientele.
Interiors, fashion and truly defining the meaning of luxury through service and a unique offering has quickly become part of my DNA, and experiences within these fields go hand in hand. I feel very fortunate to now be a part of what I consider one of the most rewarding industries, working with a global client base, creating unique spaces in a variety of residences.
“Interiors, fashion and truly defining the meaning of luxury through service and a unique offering has quickly become part of my DNA, and experiences within these fields go hand in hand.”
– Lucy Day-Shanks
Group Director
What are your 3 interiors must-haves at the moment?
Whether it be to hold your special glassware for that well-deserved glass of wine or to house your favourite whisky, my biggest must-have is a home bar. I love a drinks trolley placed conveniently in the reception room for the nights you enjoy with friends, slouching into the sofas after a spoiling meal. Last year I invested in a Jonathan Adler piece which sits proudly as our bar, with a neon pink ‘Cocktail’ sign set on a timer to come on every night 8-11pm. It’s rather fun and also rather teasing.
My second wish list item is the gorgeous ‘Bow Street’ minimalist finished, scalloped detailed dining table from Bazaar London. Our team recently designed this piece for our Hexagon Apartments show home and I know there is more than one of us with our eye on the stunning handcrafted piece. I am simply a sucker for anything scalloped and this is the perfect statement piece, a real conversation starter!
Thirdly, something from the past, a childhood treasure or heirloom which ignites nostalgia and a sense of home every time you see it. I think this goes hand in hand with building upon the interiors of your home gradually, picking up pieces on your travels or in an antiques shop you stumble across unexpectedly. For me, I love to collect crockery and I have been really lucky to have been handed down some beautiful china from different family members. Some of it is still waiting for our next move where I hope to find a cabinet befitting to display an eclectic mix of different collections. On the other hand, we have a traditional regency style executive desk with an antique captain’s chair. This sits amongst a mix of modern furniture and the warm character this pulls into the home, for me, creates the perfect balance. For this reason, mixing the old, new and rescued is a must-have.
Your role is so dynamic, what is the most rewarding aspect as a Group Director at AGC?
The people. The team is at the heart of everything we do, and our successes are down to the amazing people we are fortunate enough to work with. We truly love what we do, and all enjoy doing it together which makes for a powerful result. This secret ingredient is something we are very proud of; our values remain lived by and it’s a huge part of our recruitment process.
I feel very fortunate to have been able to be a part of one of the fastest-growing companies within the design industry, starting as the 11th employee of a now 60 people strong business. 7 years has allowed me to learn, develop and progress into positions where I am able to offer the same guidance, support and mentorship given to me, to the team I am now privileged enough to manage.
I have always thrived from nurturing clients, but the part I have loved most in my career to date is the management of people and creating a strong team unit. For me there is nothing more rewarding than identifying talent, nurturing those strengths to reach their full potential and working in a positive, motivating environment where anything is possible as a result.
I work closely, in a Group Director role, with the Senior Management team and oversee Sales, Marketing and the Buying & Procurement, divisions. No two days are the same but one thing all departments have in common is unique talent, all achieving some exceptional milestones both personally and professionally. It’s a joy, pleasure and privilege to watch and I am never not excited to see what the next year of business will bring.
What can we expect next from A.LONDON?
Starting with our people and working together, we are putting in place important steps to make a genuine difference to the lack of diversity in our industry.
We have set up an internal task force, to include the A.LONDON team, who will focus on the development of our ‘AGC Diversity and Inclusion Pledge’ and help focus on the practical steps such as education, outreach programmes, apprenticeships and mentorships, as well as continued discussions on industry initiatives to be a part of.
We are pledging to proactively go further in our business as well as help the wider interiors industry to be inclusive, representative of the society it aspires to serve and be creatively stronger with the most talented people.
Alongside our pledge and inclusivity value, we join forces with United in Design, a charitable organisation set up to address the lack of diversity in the interior design industry. We have committed to a minimum of three actionable pledges which will aid positive change and are pleased to join our industry peers in a bid to deliver an equal opportunity pathway into the interior design industry.
A team is in place with our very own Lottie Simonson taking a keen leadership role in driving forward our sustainability initiatives within our organisation and we look forward to sharing further updates in due course.
A.LONDON have also been shortlisted for SBIDs Property Design Awards for our Hexagon Show Apartment. We also look forward to submitting our recent W1 Townhouse scheme, featuring Nat Bowen, for this year’s International Property Awards.
If you would like to vote for Hexagon Apartments at the SBIDs Property Design Awards, please follow the link here. Voting close Wednesday 30th September 2020.