The Bespoke Commissioning Specialist at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars on craft, creativity and unique master pieces for the luxury marque
What is your background?
I’ve been here at Rolls-Royce for 12 years and started as an apprentice. I am now a Bespoke Commissioning Specialist, which means that I deal with special, one-off, high-concept pieces. So, if someone said they wanted their horse painted on their car, it would be my job to work out how to do that. I deal with speciality paint finishes, airbrushing and hand painting.
When I first started as an apprentice in the paint shop, I got to work with so many different people in so many different areas, which helped me understand my role now. Anything that I work on, I want to enhance it. For example, I want to bring out the marquetry, I don’t want to cover it with my painting; I want to make it look elevated. We get opportunities to work with different specialists and we all come together to create something amazing.
What did you want to be when you were little? How did you find out about the Rolls-Royce apprenticeship?
I have always been very enthusiastic about art, and when I was younger, I wanted to be an art teacher or do something creative. I had a very impressive art teacher at school, and she inspired me to pursue a career in the world of art and craft. I heard about the amazing opportunities [at Rolls-Royce] through word of mouth. I was impressed by the high level of training and the opportunities that the apprenticeship offered, and this drew me to want to choose this apprenticeship.
Did you have any idea that this level of artistry existed within the car world?
I have been here for 12 years, and in that time the level of art and craft has evolved and changed. Even today I am still amazed and in awe of the level of creativity, imagination and meticulous attention to detail that goes into our cars.
What has been your most memorable request?
I have had some crazy requests – there’s too many to even think about. When I first started here, I worked on the Black Badge Cullinan Blue Shadow [a Bespoke Private Collection released in May 2023, inspired by the Kármán line, the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space located 100km/62 miles above sea level]. There were 62 cars in total and only two of us working on them in the bespoke department. That was pretty much a year of my life.
You must have an enormous sense of pride when you finish a project like that.
Oh yes, definitely, Sometimes you miss it as well. When you work on a project for that long, you get into a routine. And then once we had finished it, we were like, ‘Oh, what now?’
Can you give us a bit of insight into the different processes and what’s involved?
Everything has to fit perfectly in the cars. It’s a lot of maths, as I have to measure at every single stage. So when I hand-paint something, use lacquer or airbrush, I have to measure it precisely, otherwise it would not fit inside the car. With lacquering, everything that goes inside the car is supposed to be a nice, flat finish. For us to achieve that, we have to put 12 layers of lacquer on our artwork, which then gives us the right thickness so that things sit flush with the apertures and bezels within the cars.
Rolls-Royce uses a clearer, softer lacquer to achieve the brightest colours possible. It’s completely different from the version of lacquering used in the paint shop, which is more for repairs. We get masks [stencils] developed and then we can tweak them to make them look the best they can on the car. A mask enables you to create things in a really nice, organic way and then there’ll be a hand-painted element to
The work is very varied then?
I have to be like a chameleon. I have to adapt myself to so many different things, as there are so many different techniques. And there are so many different car parts – picnic tables, head rests, dashboards… But I’m always learning something new. What we are doing in bespoke is expanding and becoming ever more confident and ambitious. The clients are always pushing, too, and they also then showcase their cars, which is in itself self-promotion.
What’s the most important thing you've learned in your career to date?
When you are looking and striving for perfection, it is OK to get something wrong. What is important, however, is to learn from your experiences, helping to achieve a better overall result.
Who are some of the most inspiring women in your life?
My art teacher has always been a source of inspiration for me. She inspired me to pursue a career in art and helped me find my passion for creating beautiful things.
