Introducing 'Shirley Smith'
Sophie Lombardi
We hope you have had the opportunity to explore Poppy and Honesty’s beautiful Autumn Collection. One of this season's standout prints is the eclectic fabric 'Shirley Smith.' Designed by Sir Grayson Perry for Liberty of London's 150th Anniversary, this print features intricate images of Perry’s latest muse, rendered in his wonderfully imaginative, rococo-inspired style.
Shirley Smith is a character created by Sir Grayson for his exhibition ‘Delusions of Grandeur,’ currently on display at The Wallace Collection. A recurring theme in Grayson Perry’s work is the depiction of a tragic, downtrodden woman, and Shirley certainly embodies this. Having fallen on hard times, she spent time in a psychiatric unit, where she discovered art. Now convinced that she is the rightful heiress to the Wallace Collection, she is utterly infatuated with this delusion. However, Shirley is also glorious and glamorous, with beautiful frocks, hairstyles that would make Marie Antoinette envious, and an obsession with cats. In his typical style, Grayson plays with the concepts of beauty and tragedy.
Bedding made with Liberty fabric ‘Shirley Smith’ . Image by Dee Campling.
We chose this extroverted print to contrast with our classic Liberty of London florals. 'Shirley Smith' is illustrated in a beautiful warm palette of pinks, oranges, and browns, which work beautifully alongside Liberty fabrics like Mitsi and capel We have utilized the fabric to create a duvet cover, allowing the drawings to be appreciated in full. Additionally, we have crafted beautiful cushions adorned with ruffles and stripes in our unique velvet, ‘Boujie.’
‘Delusions of Grandeur by Sir Grayson Perry is available to view at The Wallace Collection until October 26th.
