Meet Alex Dauley: United In Design
Alex Dauley is an award-winning multidisciplinary Interior Designer, who founded her own interior design studio in 2016, Dauley Designs. Since then she has seen many successes’ being awarded the Black British Business 2021: Senior Leader Consumer & Luxury award as well as being featured in numerous interior design magazines such as Vogue, Elle Decoration and LivingEtc. More recently she has been a part of the new Channel 4 program The Great Home Transformation in association with IKEA.
We had the pleasure of meeting Alex at Design London back in September and then again at Decorex in October, where she held a talk on the organisation, United in Design. An organisation founded by herself and Sophie Ashby, Founder & Creative Director of Studio Ashby @studioashby.
United in Design is driven by a clear need to deliver an equal opportunity pathway for entry into the Interior Design industry for people from black, Asian, ethnic minority, and socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This is something that we really connected with as a company and as individuals. We spoke with Alex to further ask her about UiD and share some of the amazing work that they are doing.
Firstly, a little about you - can you talk us through your journey as an interior designer and how you got started?
I have always loved property and home but didn’t actually start my journey into Interior Design until I went to study at KLC School of Design in 2015. I then decided to start my own company, despite not having any clients or portfolio, which seems a bit crazy but I didn’t want to be a Junior undertaking menial jobs and I knew with hard work, persistence and drive I could do it. I started working free of charge for friends and colleagues to build up my portfolio and spent time working on my offer and building relationships with contractors, trades and suppliers. Then once I had built up my team and a small portfolio I began advertising and it took off. I now work on residential, commercial and corporate design work and also star in the Channel 4 property show “The Great Home Transformation”.
What is it that sparked the vision for United in Design?
UiD was started because of the murder of George Floyd and the spotlight was shone across the world highlighting racial injustice. Our Interior Design industry was not free of barriers to entry for people from ethnically diverse or socio/economically deprived backgrounds so it was clear something needed to change. I didn’t know Sophie beforehand, but we were put in touch, hit it off immediately and began to get to work. We aim to level the playing field and provide equal opportunities for all, therefore creating an industry that is representative of all ethnicities and open to all.
Why do you think that having an organization like this is so important?
The landscape is extremely lacking in diversity. People from a Black African or Caribbean background are the least represented and there are barriers to entry. Barriers that exist start at a young age, children are not aware of careers within the creative sector and there is a lack of funding and awareness around access courses for these young people. Then we have prohibitively expensive design schools which can only be attended by those in a position of economic privilege, nepotism is rife within the industry and there are no visible Black role models in significant positions to encourage people of colour that this is an industry that would welcome them. All of these barriers contribute to the landscape we see today.
How can people help/get involved?
You can get involved with UiD by donating funds to the charity and also participating in the 7 pledges if you are a business or brand. I genuinely believe that our 7 pledges at UiD are the answer to creating a more diverse and inclusive industry. It covers education for businesses to learn how to create a diverse workforce, encourages you to look at your recruitment, marketing, suppliers you use etc. It provides practical experience via Apprenticeships, work experience and career insight alongside ongoing support with mentoring. We just need more companies to sign up and commit to these pledges which are simple and accessible.
What are the goals for United in Design?
Our ultimate goal is to create a diverse and inclusive industry so that no person of colour will ever feel less than or have a negative experience simply because the doors are not open to them. Our industry will be richer and gain hugely by widening the talent pool and embracing cultural difference in all it’s brilliance.
If you want to learn more about United in Design and make a donation you can check out the website here: https://www.unitedindesign.com/ and follow them on Instagram @united_in_design
Thanks again to Alex for taking the time to speak with us and doing such an amazing job with the organisation and the everything else she’s doing. You can check her out here @alexandriadauley or on https://dauleydesign.com/