IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2012 - 31

DIVERSE PRODUCTS, DIVERSE RElATIONShIPS The very nature of

designer-manufacturer collaborations has diversified in recent years. Maya Romanoff’s partnerships exemplify how companies have been thinking beyond the straightforward design-us-a-newproduct relationship. “We’ve worked with three interior designers in three different capacities,” Romanoff explains. Rockwell performed in a fairly traditional capacity, designing new product and giving an existing one his own spin. Lau acted as a muse and curator, contemporizing archival patterns. And Thomas, in addition to releasing an eponymous collection earlier this year, will serve as an ongoing artist in residence.

Such previews also give Shaw a chance to reach out to designers they admire but don’t know well. “We select participants based on their market expertise,” Duncan says. “The ideal person is outspoken, shares a holistic view of design, and is reasonably familiar with our brand and products. The fresh perspective of the interiors associate is often what we’re looking for.” In some cases, Shaw’s relationship with the designer is long-standing, though that’s not always the case. “It’s a great exercise to build relationships”—and pave the way, perhaps, for future collaborations.

All manufacturers are looking for novel concepts that let them stand out from the crowd and that bear the stamp of their brand without hewing too closely to existing designs.

Another intriguing initiative is Mannington’s Design Local. The program is an outgrowth of the floor-covering maker’s Tx:style competition, which invites interior designers to submit a modular-carpet concept; the winner gets to develop a full collection. Design Local convenes six designers in each Increasingly, it’s not just a single of four cities—Chicago, San Francisco, designer—or studio—creating a product Austin, and Washington D.C.—for 24 to add to a manufacturer’s catalog. hours to create a pattern and colorways Multiple fi rms or creatives are often that expresses their genius loci. The tapped to refine designs initially generated in house. In this case, companies designers come from different firms but work as a team; San Francisco are formalizing what they’ve long done participants included Gensler, NBBJ, behind he scenes: reaching out to their Huntsman Architectural Group, Fennie+ primary constituency to help edit and tweak products still in prototype phase. Mehl, and IA. Following an inspirational “scramble” through the city with cameras Some brands are making that process and sketchpads, teams assemble for more transparent—and part of the resulting product’s narrative and mystique. a creative session with Mannington To wit: Shaw’s On The Edge. To develop product designers, and then agree on a group submission. The results will go to the collection, the brand corralled 12 an online voting competition in January interior designers for what Duncan calls and winners will create a full collection a “sneak preview,” during which they that will be showcased at NeoCon. also shaped the concept and refined While democratic technology can help patterns and colorways. “One of the most manufacturers court interior designers’ important questions we posed was input more actively, social media– about carpet-tile size,” Duncan explains. channeled feedback can risk undermining “Was the concept best suited for our or diluting expert opinion. Although sites traditional 24-inch-square or our new like Quirky are making wiki-style product 18-by-36-inch rectangle?” Session participants encouraged Shaw to explore design a reality, the makers of contract goods seem to know that that a digital the rectangle, a format that allows free-for-all can never replace face-to-face for more installation options. “It was the dialogue and in-person strategy sessions. right conclusion,” she affirms.
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IIDA Perspective - Fall/Winter 2012