Compelling with Katy Wellesley Wesley

How do you bring a nearly forgotten object back into everyday life? In this episode of Compelling, Katy Wellesley-Wesley speaks with Eloïse Gilles, CEO and artistic director of Duvelleroy, about reviving the Parisian fan-making house founded in 1827. Eloïse traces her path from a childhood around art fairs and couture to brand strategy, and the chance encounter with a hand fan that led her and Raphaëlle Le Baud to the house’s extraordinary archives. She explains why finding customers proved easier than rebuilding the supply chain, and how a network of specialist ateliers helped turn early orders into a viable business. Their conversation ranges from runway collaborations and the distinction between couture and ready-to-wear fans to the challenges of growing without losing the handwork that gives each piece its character. Eloïse also shares plans for Duvelleroy’s 2027 bicentenary and her hopes for the next generation of fan-makers. (00:00) - Welcome to Compelling (03:27) - Art Fairs, Family and Early Influences (10:06) - Brand Identity and Discovering Craft (14:21) - Finding the Fan and Duvelleroy (18:26) - An Attic Full of Archives (22:40) - Rebuilding the Fan-Making Supply Chain (27:55) - Couture, Ready-to-Wear and Fashion Collaborations (34:32) - Growing a Market for Hand Fans (39:33) - The 2027 Bicentenary Exhibition (46:52) - Investment, Growth and Passing On Skills (50:04) - Creative Leadership and Learning to Fail (57:41) - A Dream Shop in the Countryside Eloïse Gilles: Eloïse Gilles is CEO and artistic director of Duvelleroy, the Parisian fan-making house founded in 1827. With a background in literature, business and brand identity, she helped revive the house in 2010 with Raphaëlle Le Baud and its archive holder, Michel Maignan. Her work brings historical designs and specialist craft into contemporary fashion and interiors. In 2026, FEDORA featured Eloïse in its ambassador series, discussing her interest in connecting fan-making with opera and dance.Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris seven years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four In partnership with Cahiers D'art

What happens to the family photographs and videos scattered across old hard drives, phones and albums? In this bonus conversation on Compelling, Katy Wellesley-Wesley speaks with Geoff and Rebecca Letchford about Memory Bank, the service they developed after clients asked for help with images taken before their work together began. The couple describe the worry of lost files and the challenge of turning a collection into something a family can find, share and enjoy. Rebecca explains how the service has grown to include scanning photographs and film, restoring images and building a digital platform for families in different countries. She also discusses the difficulty of choosing photographs of ourselves, and why a moment of connection can matter more than a perfect pose. Geoff Letchford: Geoff Letchford is an Australian-born photographer whose practice includes long-term work with families around the world. After discovering photography through a job in a photographic lab, he worked in commercial and fashion settings before developing the private family commissions discussed in this episode. His approach combines technical experience with direction that gives people room to behave naturally. Rebecca Letchford: Rebecca Letchford works alongside Geoff on the art direction, image selection and design of their family commissions. A former competitive swimmer who represented Australia, she moved towards graphic design and developed a practice centred on understanding people and translating their experiences into books and bespoke artworks. Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris seven years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four In partnership with Cahiers D'art

What makes a family photograph worth returning to decades later? In this episode of Compelling, Katy Wellesley-Wesley speaks with Geoff and Rebecca Letchford about a family photography practice built through personal referrals and relationships that can last for decades. Their work takes them into families’ private lives, where familiarity helps people feel comfortable enough to be themselves. Geoff describes finding photography through a university job in a darkroom. Rebecca explains how competitive swimming shaped her approach to practice and criticism, and how she now selects images for their emotional meaning rather than technical perfection alone. They discuss the cost of bespoke work, the demands of photographic curation and why they have chosen closer client relationships over expansion. Their finished books and artworks depend on knowing the people behind the photographs. This conversation considers images made for a private audience: the families whose histories they preserve. For creative professionals, it offers a detailed account of earning trust without using clients’ names as publicity. (00:00) - Welcome to Compelling (03:05) - Geoff’s Unlikely Start in Photography (07:20) - Rebecca’s Life in Competitive Swimming (13:10) - From Graphic Design to a Shared Practice (19:02) - Moving into Family Photography (26:06) - Referrals, Compatibility and Lasting Relationships (32:14) - The Cost of Bespoke Work (39:37) - Choosing Depth over Expansion (43:12) - Selecting Images That Matter (48:09) - Being Present and Remembering Families (53:12) - Passion, Discipline and Staying Curious (57:28) - Discretion and the Time It Takes to Build Trust Geoff Letchford: Geoff Letchford is an Australian-born photographer whose practice includes long-term work with families around the world. After discovering photography through a job in a photographic lab, he worked in commercial and fashion settings before developing the private family commissions discussed in this episode. His approach combines technical experience with direction that gives people room to behave naturally. Rebecca Letchford: Rebecca Letchford works alongside Geoff on the art direction, image selection and design of their family commissions. A former competitive swimmer who represented Australia, she moved towards graphic design and developed a practice centred on understanding people and translating their experiences into books and bespoke artworks. Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris seven years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four In partnership with Cahiers D'art

Can a work of art make visible the experience of being Black in America? In this bonus conversation on Compelling, host Katy Wellesley-Wesley asks Keith Rivers how race, politics and representation shape his life as an African American collector. Keith reflects on the difficulties he and people close to him have faced in the United States, where he grew up in Florida, and why he moved to Paris. He describes finding artists whose work helps him understand those experiences and seeing his own experience treated as worthy of attention in museums. He names Rashid Johnson, Kerry James Marshall and Glenn Ligon among artists who have informed him. Katy recalls Henry Taylor’s portraits of everyday Black life, including the force of a portrait titled I Am a Man. They consider how art can hold history and invite viewers to look closely at the people and stories pictured. On 23 October 2026, Artforum reported that the Studio Museum in Harlem named three artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent for its 2026–27 residency, which provides material support, workspace and professional guidance. The report gives a current example of an institution supporting artists whose work explores Black experience and diaspora. Keith Rivers: Keith Rivers is a contemporary art collector, patron and former NFL linebacker who divides his time between Paris and Los Angeles. After studying at the University of Southern California, he was drafted ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008 and later played for the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. His collection includes work by John Edmonds, Barbara Kruger and Glenn Ligon, reflecting his interest in photography, language and the connections between artists. In 2022, he curated Courage Before Expectation at The FLAG Art Foundation, bringing together artists whose work and experiences spoke to perseverance and changes of direction. In this conversation, he discusses his continuing education through exhibitions and reading, and his interest in further curatorial projects. Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris seven years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four In partnership with Cahiers D'art

Can the discipline that takes someone into the NFL also teach them how to look at art? In this first episode back of Compelling, Katy Wellesley-Wesley speaks with former NFL linebacker and contemporary art collector Keith Rivers about learning a new language after professional sport. Keith recalls the injuries that shaped his football career, the museum visit that sparked his curiosity and the experience at Art Basel that convinced him to take his own education more seriously. Keith describes how reading, exhibition visits and recorded artist talks helped him develop his taste. He explains why he looks for conversations between artworks, what Albert Barnes taught him about collecting and why patience matters more than filling empty walls. For anyone starting a collection or reconsidering a career, this is a candid conversation about building confidence through sustained attention. (00:00) - Welcome to Compelling (04:37) - Finding Football and Choosing USC (08:54) - Hard Work, Repetition and Visualisation (13:13) - Joining the NFL (18:12) - Injuries and the Mental Cost of Playing (22:50) - Knowing When to Leave Football (28:49) - Bringing Discipline to Art (33:38) - Art Basel and Learning to Trust Your Eye (37:43) - Conversations Between Artworks (43:03) - The Collector as Custodian (49:34) - Living Between Paris and Los Angeles (55:31) - Exhibitions, Future Plans and Advice Keith Rivers: Keith Rivers is a contemporary art collector, patron and former NFL linebacker who divides his time between Paris and Los Angeles. After studying at the University of Southern California, he was drafted ninth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008 and later played for the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. His collection includes work by John Edmonds, Barbara Kruger and Glenn Ligon, reflecting his interest in photography, language and the connections between artists. In 2022, he curated Courage Before Expectation at The FLAG Art Foundation, bringing together artists whose work and experiences spoke to perseverance and changes of direction. In this conversation, he discusses his continuing education through exhibitions and reading, and his interest in further curatorial projects.Katy Wellesley Wesley: With over 18 years of leadership across galleries, foundations, and startups, Katy has built a career shaped by curiosity and a drive to explore new ideas. She spent a decade at leading commercial galleries—first at Gagosian, then at Pace, where she was Director of Exhibitions in London. She went on to lead the Villa Lena Foundation in Italy as Director, before joining the founding team of ROKBOX, a pioneering environmentally focused art logistics startup, as Sales Director. After relocating to Paris seven years ago, Katy developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and luxury. She now works as a consultant to brands, artists, foundations, and collectors. Art direction by Eddie Harrop Studio Website and Production by Story Ninety-Four In partnership with Cahiers D'art