Sophie Conran

Henrietta Sophia Conran (born October 1965)[1] is an English interior designer, cook and author.

Early life

Conran is the daughter of designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran and food writer Caroline Conran,[2] the sister of fashion designer Jasper Conran,[3] restaurateur Tom, artist Edmund and product designer Sebastian.

Career

After leaving school at 17, Conran worked as an apprentice for couture milliner Stephen Jones before joining the fashion team at the studio of her brother Jasper. Following this, Conran interior-designed apartments and show flats in the Butler's Wharf development and overhauled the Design Museum Shop's collections where she also acted as a buyer. At the same time, she worked as a buyer for The Conran Shop and eventually launched her own store 'Wong Singh Jones'.

Aged 20, Conran bought her Bayswater flat, then a cluster of bed-sits, and then reunited the rooms, renovated. Shown to friends and family, private interior design commissions followed.

In the early 1990s, Conran lived in Australia. On returning to the United Kingdom, Conran worked for her father accessorising his restaurants whilst renovating a dilapidated farm in Devon, rearing pigs and growing vegetables. After a few years she returned to work for as a Colour Director and then as a Product Manager in a variety of areas. She helped with Jasper's Sackville Street townhouse store before the 2005 opening.

Sophie Conran Pies,[4] a collection of pies launched in 2004[5] -winners of 4 Fine Food Awards in 2005 – were not her first foray into the food world. In her twenties Conran created a supper club and then collaborated with brother Tom on a catering company.[6]

Conran's debut cookbook – Pies – was published in November 2006 by HarperCollins,[7] and was a success, with a mini version entitled Easy Pies later released. Her second book, Soups and Stews, was published by Collins in October 2008. She has written food and entertaining stories for many UK titles including InStyle and Living, and has been a contributing editor to Junior magazine.

In March 2006, Conran's kitchen, glass and tableware range for Portmeirion[8][9] launched nationwide in the UK.[10] It received an Elle Deco Style Award for Best in Kitchens 2006 and the House Beautiful Award for Best in Tableware in 2008.[11] Conran then created a fine dining range, White Oak, launched in the USA.

In December 2007, Conran was a designer in the Save the Children's Festival of Trees fundraising event.[12]

In 2007, Conran collaborated with Notting Hill Melt chocolates,[13] to create a chocolate inspired by sweet pies from her first book Sophie Conran's Pies. The chocolate uses a combination of flavours including Earl Grey tea, ginger and cranberry.

In 2008 Sophie teamed up with bathroom store Drummonds of Chelsea[14] to redesign their Chelsea showroom. In 2011 a range of coloured baths were launched.

Also in 2008 Sophie began a collaboration with UK wallpaper company Arthouse,[15] to create collections for B&Q stores.

In 2009, Sophie launched 'The Cook's Companion' with Harvey Jones Kitchens,[16] a freestanding kitchen bench.

In 2010 Conran launched a cutlery collection with British manufacturer Arthur Price. In 2011 she designed range of garden tools with the Sheffield-based company Burgon & Ball. The range was shortlisted for Product of the Year at the Chelsea Flower Show 2011.

Personal life

Sophie has two children, Felix and Coco, with her ex-husband Alex Willcock.[17] She later married Nicholas Hofgren, a London-based financier.[18]

References
  1. "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  2. "Celebrity offspring: One degree of separation – People, News – The Independent". London. 14 January 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  3. Carl Wilkinson (16 July 2006). "Pendennis – 7 Days". The Observer. London. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  4. "We love...pies". Caterer & Hotelkeeper. 193 (4350): 22–23. 18 November 2004. ISSN 0008-7777.
  5. Slater, Lydia (12 May 2004). "Pie and mighty". The Sunday Times. p. 73.
  6. Pigott, Sudi (13 November 2004). "Just like daddy used to make". The Times. Features, Food & Drink. p. 102.
  7. Conran, Sophie (18 November 2007). "The knowledge: how to teach your children to cook". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  8. Portmeirion.
  9. Sophie Conran for Portmeirion.
  10. Anstead, Mark (26 March 2006). "Live like a Conran". The Sunday Times.
  11. The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2006/03/08/garden/20060309_CURR_SLIDESHOW_4.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. "Save the Children's festival of trees fundraising event" July 2008
  13. "Luxury chocolate, handmade chocolate gifts and chocolate delivery from Melt Chocolates". Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  14. Drummonds, UK.
  15. Arthouse.
  16. "The Cook's Companion by Sophie Conran". Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  17. Lynn Palazzi, "Decorating Secrets From a Pro", InStyle magazine, Vol. 14, Fall/Winter 2007
  18. "Family feuds amid the fine furnishings: what makes Sir Terence Conran tick". Retrieved 17 September 2020.
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