After working with various producers in Nairobi, actualizing some of my ideas into prototypes, ranging from jacaranda wood products and leather bags to sandals and recycled shopping bags imbued with immense added value, I have come to respect the artisan producer as a primary source of knowledge and high level of skill. Many of these products have made their way into the market as limited edition premium products.
For any designer who has no production capacity (that is machinery and sophisticated tools) or prefers not to (as in my case), the sketch remains an idea until it becomes a three-dimensional item from which the designer can earn a living. Each artisan has a creative ego-sphere that the designer must approach cautiously and respectfully in order to be accommodated in a mutually fulfilling collaboration. This creative ego-sphere is defined physically by the space the artisan works in – the workshop - into which the designer will be entering. It is also defined by the work the artisan is already occupied by, other suppliers he/she caters to, among other things.
In a sense, the two are training each other in a new skill – the new design – and the partnership will only work if both identify and recognize a point of synergy. I approach these artisan-designer partnerships, in this Kenyan market that knows no boundary for respect of copy right, in several ways, all of which are aimed at both sustaining my relationship with the artisan and making money from my design. Sometimes, it may require the designer to learn and understand any cultural peculiarities that may become a barrier to the partnership, especially when working with an elderly producer or in a cross-gender situation.
One way, is to come up with two concepts that if successful at the production and focus target group testing stages, I verbally agree with the artisan to produce the item with significant modifications for his/her own market as long as he/she can produce a certain number of my design for “my” target market within an agreed period. It’s a formal agreement that preempts the natural human inclination to copy an idea.
The other way is identifying a “lock-in factor” that will visually set your design apart from the copies. This is a mark or embellishment that only I, as the designer, know how to make or source. That way, I can ensure the longevity of my design on the market, as well as the uniqueness of the design, until I can modify the design or come up with a new product. It is one of the least stressful partnership methods.
The third way is to uniquely brand your design either using a label or in the case of leather goods, using a leather stamp with your unique mark. This is probably the cheapest approach.
The other approach is to define a period for the production of that particular item after setting a mark in terms of target earnings from that design, after which I abandon that design in favour of a new product or a modified version of the same design. This can be a capital-intensive method as it takes time to create a workable and market acceptable prototype. On the part of the artisan it also occupies more time in determining how best to produce accurately. This is simply staying innovative so as to stay ahead of the competition. If you are consistently innovating you will always find a new market for your product or invoke new demand for your products within the same market.
The other method that I use with more sophisticated producers, is an actual written contract drafted jointly in simple language (not law jargon). The contract must clearly stipulate the duration of the contract, price per product (inclusive of labour) and a detailed description of the product including a photo(s) of the prototype, among other things that make a written contract valid. Depending on the level of trust developed between the artisan producer and the designer, this is the least stressful of the methods.
In all the above relationship approaches, it is important to identify minimum quality standards, a strict adherence to timelines and a mutual vocabulary to define product peculiarities.
Patience and understanding is paramount as you develop this relationship.
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