LONDON, May 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading European design brand MADE.COM has launched the 4th collection of its TalentLAB initiative with its first ever independent curator. The collection, which features 18 independently designed products, has been curated by the expert design eye of Michelle Ogundehin. The designers come from eight countries, including France, Spain and Denmark, with seven talented designers based in the United Kingdom.
Internationally renowned as an authority on interiors, trends and style, Michelle Ogundehin is a writer, consultant and TV presenter and the award-winning former Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Decoration UK. Michelle's curation spans from upholstery to accessories and Michelle has deliberately underpinned her selection with touches of wood and brass, which she believes have an intrinsic sense of truth, honesty and authenticity.
TalentLAB enables up and coming designers and enthusiasts to submit designs for the chance to see it come to life. Michelle has curated a collection of the 18 best submitted designs and now customers can support the ones they want to see produced by pledging a £5 refundable deposit on their favourites. The most popular will be produced and sold on MADE.COM.
For designers, this is a chance to gain access to MADE's vast network of producers across the globe, the Europe-wide catalogue of customers and to the technology which enables distribution to MADE's thirteen commercial markets. All successful designers who have their work put into production and sold on MADE.COM are paid in the exact same way as current MADE designers, via royalties on their product.
Michelle Ogundehin comments: "TalentLAB gives anyone who has a good, innovative idea the chance to be a designer. When I pulled together the colour palette, I wanted a sense of timelessness, with a top note of fashionability. Pieces that capture the attention for being different, as well as great forever buys that work now, tomorrow and onwards.
Michelle has also offered up her top tips for up and coming designers in a new video available to view here: https://youtu.be/Lcj_oXcFND0
TalentLAB Collection Four
Blush Accent Chair, Vintage Pink Designed by Frederik Eksteen, South Africa | Bias Teapot and Mug Set, Teal |
Enso Flower Holder, Brass Designed by Corinna Goehlich, Germany | Fold Wall Hanger, Black Designed by Phan Thao Dang, Germany |
Knotto Knitted Cushion, Pink Designed by Gosia Rusek, UK | La Latina Shelves, Oak and Blue Designed by Osabel Cambiella, Spain |
Ox Chair, Blue Designed by Jon Christie, UK | Schema Mirror, Marble Effect and Brass Designed by Studio Lav, UK |
Stak Planters, Graded Pink Designed by Natasha Duda, UK | Stick Desk Lamp, Brass Designed by Samy Rio, France |
Clamshell Pendant, Black Designed by Marc Sicard, France | Funen Stool, Dark Stain Oak Designed by Christian Hansen, Denmark |
Timeless Wall Clock, Black Designed by Ivana Blaskova, Netherlands | Slump Accent Chair, Grey Designed by Liam Sholicar, UK |
Vases Mes Petites, Brass Designed by Thomas Glorian, France | Up Up Wall Lamp, Black Designed by Florian Brillet, UK |
Zzino Set of 2 Coffee Tables, Black Marble and Mango Wood Designed by Mihajlo Juric, Serbia | Schema Mirror, Tinted Glass Designed by Studio Lav, UK |
Images available to download HERE
For more information or further comments, please contact press@made.com
Notes to Editors
ABOUT TalentLAB
- MADE.COM launched TalentLAB in 2017 as the first crowd-sourced and crowd-funded design platform. The initiative invites designers from around the world to submit a design and when a design receives sufficient customer pledges, MADE.COM will commit to producing and selling the product.
- MADE.COM is committed to helping talented designers get a foothold in the industry. The platform will launch 200 new designers each year.
- TalentLAB is a new way for designers to launch their careers, and for customers to support up and coming designers.
- TalentLAB is a place to discover new talent and unique products that can't be found anywhere else.
About MADE.COM
- MADE.COM believes everyone should have access to great design and is dedicated to making that happen.
- MADE.COM has revolutionised the buying model, has a sizeable in-house design team and partners with amazing designers,including Supermundane, Darkroom London's Rhonda Drakeford, and Tom Pigeon. MADE.COM works closely with manufacturers and craftsmen across the world to offer consumers unique furniture and homeware products at affordable prices.
- The product range is expanding, having grown by some 40% since the start of 2016 and now totals some 4,500 SKUs. Ranges are continually refreshed, with an average of two new collections launched every week.
- From its roots in furniture, MADE.COM has recently successfully entered the categories of Lifestyle, Leisure and Gifting. The newest addition being pet beds and accessories designed by the in-house design team, MADE Studio.
- MADE.COM operates a small network of innovative, unconventional showrooms as an extension of its website, combining real and virtual products and helping to inform and excite customers before making their purchases online. MADE.COM now operates seven showrooms, including its newly extended flagship in Soho, London.
- Today, MADE.COM employs more than 500 staff across its operations in the UK, Continental Europe and Asia and is led by Philippe Chainieux, formerly CEO of Meetic, a publicly traded company in France and a division of IAC.
