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Shirley Conran, journalist, campaigner and bestselling novelist, is best remembered for her ground-breaking books Superwoman (1975) and Lace (1982), the latter a global publishing phenomenon. Before her literary success, Conran studied art and design, working first as a textile designer before moving into women’s pages at the Daily Mail, where she launched and edited the pioneering Femail section. She later launched the magazine Over 21 and wrote widely for The Sunday Times, The Observer and Vanity Fair. A tireless advocate for women’s independence, it is unsurprising she decided to focus her collecting on one of the leading British female artists of the 20^th Century, her lifelong friend the abstract painter, Gillian Ayres. The two first met as schoolgirls at St Paul’s Girls’ School in London, and their friendship endured for decades with Shirley buying many significant pieces; also the artist gifting many paintings to her during their lifetimes.

Shirley dedicated much of her later life to improving numeracy education and was appointed DBE in recognition of her work shortly before her death last year.