Shrewsbury High School’s annual Art Show opened at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery in December with a very special guest of honour in attendance. Shrewsbury High School alumna and former Creative Director of Kate Spade New York, Deborah Lloyd returned to her former school to spend a day with junior and senior school artists. Deborah held a Q & A session with GCSE and A level art students, giving them an invaluable first hand insight into the creative and business aspects of a career in the fashion industry.
For 10 years, Deborah was the Chief Creative Officer at Kate Spade, responsible for overseeing design, store design, and creative marketing. Deborah joined the company in 2007 and made it the iconic brand that it is today. Deborah was a pupil at Shrewsbury High school until 1977 and then went to Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication, London, followed by the Royal College of Art. Her big break came as Vice President of Women’s design at Burberry responsible for the reinvention of a classic heritage brand. After five years she was headhunted to become creative director of Banana Republic in New York when she moved to Kate Spade to become President and Chief Creative Officer. Celebrity clients included well known names from the worlds of showbiz, sport and politics, including the huge honour of being asked to design outfits for Sasha and Malia Obama for their father’s inauguration.
Deborah Lloyd at SHS
Her advice for our current girls is to be tenacious. To stand out from the crowd and have a point of view. To always do your homework before meeting people. To have pride in your work – if something is worth doing, do it to the very best of your ability. To always be gracious. And smile, it will get you so much further!
