Alexandra Schafer founded VELVENOIR to offer an alternative to how art is typically introduced into private and public spaces. Her work brings together contemporary art, hospitality thinking, and cultural strategy, supporting clients who seek depth, reliability, and long-term relevance rather than short-term statements.

Her professional roots lie in international hospitality. Trained in Salzburg and shaped by years in London and Sydney, she developed an early sensitivity to how environments influence emotion, behaviour, and wellbeing. This understanding continues to guide her advisory approach today: art is considered from the perspective of lived experience, not isolated objects.

Since establishing VELVENOIR in 2014, Alexandra has built an international practice working with private collectors, hotels, corporations, and healthcare settings. The studio operates across the full lifecycle of a collection. From concept development, artist collaboration, procurement, installation, and communication to ensuring continuity, coherence, and reduced complexity for clients.

Her methodology is informed by a long-standing interest in slow living, holistic wellbeing, and cultural sustainability. Rather than treating collections as finished outcomes, she approaches them as evolving systems that shape identity, support wellbeing, and accrue meaning over time.

Through close relationships with artists, galleries, and institutions worldwide, and ongoing engagement with the global art scene, she positions VELVENOIR as a long-term partner. Her work centres on stewardship, discernment, and trust—building collections that remain relevant, grounded, and quietly influential within the spaces they inhabit.