The art of design collaboration - for Decorex The Edit

This month, Byrne comms founder Melissa Byrne spoke to Decorex The Edit about Design collaborations and why they are so important for the industry.

From a PR perspective, why is it beneficial for businesses to form collaborations within the design sphere?

Melissa Byrne: A successful collaboration is a genuine meeting and sharing of minds, aspirations and identity that can enhance and move ideas forward. A successful collaboration can bring a new energy to all partners. With that comes greater awareness and all that brings. 

 For the interiors, architecture design and art market the undisputed silver lining of the Covid-19 shutdowns will be increased collaboration.

 What three rules would you give to any design brand considering a collaboration with another brand?

There has to be a genuine affinity, a shared identity and belief system.

Some of the most effective collaborations we’ve worked on have been unplanned and unstructured but once you get people together and talking, ideas start to flow and something really beautiful is seeded. 

Mutual respect and trust between the two parties is key as ideas and contacts are shared and collaborations work best both parties are equally invested.

 A shared work ethic and respect is also key as teams have to work together, at the same pace and communications lines have to be open as there often hold ups along the way. It’s a good idea to have a very small working group on both sides with a pre agreed timeline.

 Talk to us about some of the collaborations you’ve helped bring into fruition? What were the key learnings from those experiences? What was the reception from customers? How were the collaborations promoted on social?

Lalique and Fromental is a collaboration with a genuine affinity on both sides.  For its 130th anniversary,  the Lalique Hirondelle’s and Dahlia motifs, originally created as the top of powder boxes for women of the Belle Epoque were paired it with a highly decorated chinoiserie pattern in a winding composition with open spaces to accommodate Lalique crystal.  Fromental created a new chapter with Lalique moving the ideas for wallcoverings forward – all of which are available globally. It was promoted by introducing key journalists, taste makers and designers for the launch in an intimate setting. 

Cameron Design House and Steinway was a collaboration that started from a conversation and led to a beautiful Steinway chandelier to celebrate London Design Festival. 

 The iconic fashion designer Matthew Williamson collaborated on a new collection with British furniture brand, ROOME LONDON earlier this year. Set up by two sisters, Caroline and Laura Allnatt who have a background in art and fashion.  ROOME LONDON is the arch collaborator as all its collections are based on designs by interesting artists and designers.  The British brand appealed to Matthew Williamson as everything is made in England to the highest possible standard with an emphasis on craftsmanship and attention to detail.  Each print works well on the classic furniture shapes and the prints are stunning, inspired by travel, practical and spark joy.  Although we were promoting the collaboration in lockdown so events and meetings weren’t possible, we launched it on social and to press and influencers in a way that meant we could really tell the story of the collaboration and the joy both sides shared.

 We are also working on an exciting collaboration with Graphenstone – the world’s most certified eco paint and a well-known Interior Designer. As a product, it really is unrivalled in terms of its eco-credentials - an industry trailblazer with over 1000 colours of beautiful, high pigment paints. The collaboration has integrity at its core and will be launched in the Autumn.

In your opinion, are design collaborations helping to innovate the industry?

Absolutely. Sharing ideas leads to heightened creativity and new ways of working.

 What do you expect to see in the future in regards to interior design collaborations?

As with ROOME LONDON creative sectors are cross pollinating – art, interiors, design, fashion, luxury cars, architecture, film .. the list goes on. As long as there is a shared core identity and respect of the craft and making process behind each brand. 

Post Covid creative collaborations will be interesting - pre-pandemic we were all so focused on maintaining the established pace – we now all have a space to do something different rather than follow the previous. The future will also see galvanising events around key areas – coinciding openings and launches. By coming together independents will reach a much larger audience.

Tell us about one of your favourite collaborative designs you’ve come across recently (not necessarily one you’ve worked on). What was it about it that caught your eye?

 Whilst working as the PR for Collect, the LOT collaboration between jewellers Sarah Pulvertaft and Jed Green with embroiderer, Beatrice Mayfield was based on the ‘Exquisite Corpse’ method.  Rather than designing a piece as a trio they each began a piece and passed it on to the next until all three had contributed within a pre-agreed timeframe and with no discussion between them during the making. This way of working pushed them creatively and encouraged them to work within and beyond their normal ways and usual methods. I thought it could be a very interesting process for a set of brands to adopt.

The collaboration with fine artist Peter Doig and Dior really caught my eye as it wasn’t the obvious choice – atmospheric paintings into menswear – but it was an intensive working collaboration as well as a fitting convergence of two complimentary worlds.

Laura at ROOME LONDON pointed out the collaboration between Dolce Gabbana as her most memorable and this was a great example - everyone’s kitchen fantasy!

Are there any circumstances in which a collaboration between two brands simply wouldn’t work?

 There has to be shared brand values at the core of any successful collaboration. Size doesn’t matter – large heritage brands can benefit from smaller edgy creatives if there’s a common thread such as a respect for craft or the making process.

Dolce Gabbana Smeg