When our Co-Founder and Creative Director Sue Jones couldn’t find the perfect red frame, she turned to another design expert for advice. Lucinda Chambers, the former fashion director of British Vogue, is well-versed in sourcing beautiful and brilliant designs, having co-founded inspirational shopping platform Collagerie with fellow Vogue alumna Serena Hood in 2020 – and, naturally, she had the perfect solution. Having spent the previous weekend shopping for antiques, Lucinda had found a vintage photo frame in the exact brilliant red that Sue was hunting for. This tiny treasure, along with the red lacquer featured in our Talasa and Bobina Ranges, provided the inspiration for a very important design: a custom-made frame created exclusively to display the original ‘Unity’ oil-on-canvas, our charitable artwork by Alexandria Coe, who is represented by BCorp art agency MTArt.

'Unity' by Alexandria Coe, a blue-and-black painting with four white female figures, framed in a vibrant red lacquer frame.

We are now delighted to unveil the silent auction of this original painting. Bids are open from 9th–22nd October, and we will be donating 100% of the proceeds to our charitable partner Women’s Aid. As a business founded by three female friends, we feel passionately about the charity’s important work providing lifesaving services, empowering survivors and campaigning for change in policy, practice and awareness. Originally unveiled in March as a limited-edition series of 100 prints, ‘Unity’ is hand painted in Alexandria’s signature fluid style and depicts four women in a show of strength and power – a visual homage to all that Women’s Aid has achieved and strives for. The custom frame serves to enhance this already striking piece, creating a beautiful, eye-catching display.

“I’m a great believer that a good frame can make or break a picture, and so I felt Alexandria’s oil on canvas deserved something really special,” says Sue. “I’ve always loved blue and red together, and our red lacquer Talasa Tray and Bobina Range provided the perfect inspiration. Lucinda loved the idea and the design evolved from there. The painting is already so powerful, and this beautiful frame really elevates it.”

Sue Jones and Lucinda Chambers studying the original 'Unity' oil-on-canvas, which is laid on a table in front of them. Other shots show details of the artwork.

To celebrate this meeting of minds, we have partnered with Lucinda and Serena on another exciting project taking place in our Chelsea store this October. Collagerie’s online gallery The Art Shop features an eye-catching edit of limited-edition prints, with each artist chosen for their distinctive vision, as well as their use of colour and creativity. From 9th–22nd October, you can discover 18 of these prints at The Art Shop Pop-Up, a two-week display at OKA Chelsea curated by Lucinda.

Among the exhibits are abstract prints by artists Lauri Hopkins and Veronique Villaret, intricate florals by Emma Larsso and Nina Pace, and figure paintings by Katja Leibanath and Rosie McGuinness. “The artworks Collagerie has selected represent the diverse and dynamic gallery that is The Art Shop,” Lucinda says. “A mix of abstract and figurative pieces that blend beautifully with OKA's aesthetic. We have introduced two new artists to launch our collaboration with OKA – Katja Leibenath from San Francisco and Veronique Villaret from Paris.”

In addition to the Collagerie pieces, you will find the original ‘Unity’ oil on canvas on display, so you can see Alexandria’s exquisite artistry in person. Look out for the ‘Collagerie Loves’ tags peppered throughout the store, too – Lucinda has picked her favourite artworks from our collection. You can also discover her edit online.

A quote that says "What makes Collagerie and OKA such a great fit is the eye for detail and love of beautiful things" – Sue Jones
Lucinda Chambers sits in her red sitting room, looking away from the camera. She wears a blue top and brown trousers.
© Rachael Smith

“What makes Collagerie and OKA such a great fit is the eye for detail, the love of beautiful things, the bravery and being unafraid to do things differently,” says Sue of the partnership. “Lucinda and Serena have extremely sophisticated taste and I totally trust their judgement. We all recognise what’s right, and when you need a bit of drama ­– and for the ‘Unity’ artwork, that meant giving the piece the respect it deserves.”

The Art Shop Pop-Up runs from 9th–22nd October at OKA Chelsea. 

Bids are open on the ‘Unity’ by Alexandria Coe for OKA Silent Auction from 9th–22nd October.