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Ever wonder how a company like Target gets their designers, from marquee names like Starck to and up-and-comers like Sami Hayek? Businessweek's got the answer with their write-up on Culture & Commerce, an NYC-based design "talent scout" company:
[Materials consultant] Michele Caniato...founded Culture & Commerce with entrepreneur George M. Beylerian in 2000. They applied the concept of Hollywood talent management to product design. "We're a matchmaker and guardian angel," says Caniato, adding that the firm has negotiated $65 million in designer contracts to date....Before introducing designers to companies like Target or other clients...Caniato analyzes their mass-market potential and spends up to nine months coaching them on how to work with large corporations. He also negotiates financial and legal details of a deal and acts as a liaison between the two parties, managing scheduling, budgeting, and contracts.
In return, the designers, who retain final say on the look of their products, pay 25% to 30% commissions under 4-to-10-year contracts with the agency. And they get to focus on coming up with unique products. "Before, I wasn't designing a lot," says Hayek. "After, I began designing again."
Read all about it here.
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Comments
I find it funny that the article alludes to Starck as Targets forray into exclusive product by noted designers, when it was actually Michael Graves who did the first line of products designed specifically for Target. While Starck's products were in and out of the store like so many of the other designers who have come and gone over the years at Target, the Michael Graves products are still there. Has anyone seen these lately? They are great!