I can not think of how many times I have walked through the galleries at the V&A wishing that I could be surrounded by so much beauty in my everyday life. How wonderful would it be to have these lovely patterns all around me at home, in the room where I can enjoy my morning coffee or regroup after a long day? Perhaps dotted about on my desk, or hanging in my wardrobe? Day-to-day life would surely feel much fancier.
As someone who has worked in the V&A’s Visitor Experience team and spent a lot of time in the galleries, I have fond memories of the discoveries I made as I learnt about the collections. Now that I work in the Brand Licensing team, a new world of creative possibilities has unfolded before my eyes. Patterns, motifs and themes from the V&A’s collections and archives can be combined with contemporary ingenuity and craftsmanship, leading to new products that seamlessly integrate the functionality of modern production with the beauty of the V&A artworks. I have found that creativity truly has no limit and that with a few colours and an imaginative mind, the simplest examples of foliage can make for the most exquisite and charming pattern.
For those who are not familiar with Brand Licensing, it is a term that refers to a collaboration where the licensor (the V&A, in this instance) allows use by another brand (usually a manufacturer or retailer), called the licensee, of its logo, designs, or other intellectual property for the purpose of creating something new. At the V&A, this programme supports the museum’s mission of making its archives accessible to all, to raise the profile of our family of museums across the globe, and to generate revenue that supports V&A’s activities.
The V&A offers visitors the opportunity to discover a 5,000-year-old story of creativity, with a mission to champion design and creativity in all its forms. In line with this vision, the Brand Licensing programme enables the museum to advance cultural knowledge and inspire creativity around the world through exquisite products that include wall art, home furnishings, apparel, jewellery, gifting, stationery and crafting.
Bottom row (left to right): 1838 Wallcoverings Kilburn’s Maze design inspired by a textile design by William Kilburn (1745 – 1818) / FILA apparel range inspired by Victorian tile designs by William De Morgan (1839 – 1917).
KitchenCraft tableware range featuring designs adapted from 1865 Alice in Wonderland illustrations.
We work with over 85 licensees globally with distribution networks to 72 countries across the UK, Europe, USA and APAC (Asia-Pacific). The products can be found in retailers around the world and online, which takes the V&A’s collection outside the museum’s walls.
As someone who enjoys painting and other creative endeavours, I admire how the Brand Licensing programme offers an almost infinite source of design inspiration, enabling new and existing customers to connect with the museum’s magnificent collections. It’s a fantastic feeling to see that our programme is appreciated in the industry as well.
Some of my personal favourites are from our collaborations with Sofas & Stuff and Samsung, both equally exciting and intriguing for different reasons.
Sofas & Stuff is a UK-based manufacturer of home furnishings, including sofas, armchairs and footstools. We have collaborated on many upholstery fabric designs, but my favourite one to date is the Mughal Garden Safari design, part of the Threads of India range. I was delighted at how a 17th century Indian hunting coat of silk-embroidered satin inspired such a charming pattern.
Interestingly, as part of the collaboration, two of the Sofas & Stuff’s sumptuous sofa models were inspired by furniture and technical drawings found in the V&A’s renowned furniture and upholstery collections, reinterpreting the Victorian style for contemporary interiors. The cushions and the gently curved sides look so elegant, and it’s amazing to see how creativity can travel across time.
And, having sat on them a few times, I can also guarantee that, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, the sofas and armchairs are also very comfortable!
Meanwhile, our collaboration with Samsung, the renowned technology brand, seamlessly merges the worlds of modern technology and timeless, ancient crafts. It’s hard not to be impressed! The Frame TV allows for a selection of artworks to be displayed on-demand through a state-of-the-art TV that is customisable with different frames and sizes to suit any interiors. The artworks are displayed when the TV is off, transforming a blank TV monitor into a customisable, decorative piece. It is amazing to see so many objects from our collections and archives being celebrated in such an innovative way.
The whole team hope that you are inspired by our collections just as much as we are. Discover more about the V&A’s Licensing programme here, on Pinterest and in selected retailers.
