Art and brands (collaborations)

What is an art and brand collaboration?

It is a collaboration between an artist and a fashion or luxury brand producing a joint product, collection or visual motif. The artist's hand is thus carried over onto a handbag, a scarf or a bottle. Art and the commercial world meet halfway in such a project.

How does it work?

The brand gains an artistic hand and a story; the artist gains reach to an audience they would never meet in a gallery. Takashi Murakami with Louis Vuitton, or Ewa Juszkiewicz for Dior, are examples. The result then reaches a far wider circle of people than a painting on a wall.

Why does it matter to a collector?

Such a collaboration raises an artist's visibility, and with it the value of their independent work. When more people know a name, demand grows for works with no direct connection to the collaboration. For a collector it can be a signal that an artist is entering wider awareness.

What should you watch out for?

It is worth distinguishing between a mass-produced product from a collaboration and an artist's original, unique work, because their value on the market differs. A limited edition to go with a handbag is not the same as an original canvas. So always ask what exactly you are buying: an artwork, or an attractive consumer object with a signature?

— Anna Pulkertová, founder of Art Part Club