Imagine two expert upholsterers. One lives in America and the other in the Netherlands. Their heads are bent over the same challenging project. They swap hard-earned trade secrets, both fully in the thrall of creation. That’s the utopia Jay Chapman, Vice President of Product Development at Studio TK, describes when building a partnership with a new furniture brand. It’s a collaboration that’s played out since the founding of Studio TK, first with B&B Italia and soon followed by Alki and Artifort. But more than just establishing a manufacturing agreement, Jay says that it’s the human connection that really makes a successful partnership.
Nowhere is this more evident than with Studio TK’s partnership with Artifort and its most recent collaboration on the F500 Series by designer Geoffrey Harcourt. For Jay, to understand how two companies fit you need to look beyond furniture design. Often, it’s a matter of understanding the company you’re working with, and in particular, its culture – what motivates them, how they approach problem-solving, or how they live out their values at work.
Finding common purpose among two brands with two distinct cultures is ultimately what lies at the heart of a fruitful collaboration. Jay explains it’s a lot like a marriage: you need patience to put the work in and to build trust. “Artifort was truly caring, which made them extremely excited to explain, almost over-explain, their process. Everybody was invested in the product and understood the importance.”
At the core of the partnership is a shared affinity and love for their craft. In many ways, the design is just a by-product of a bigger story rooted in a common humanity. “It’s amazing the amount of personal connection—that has nothing to do with product—that arises from these partnerships,” Jay explains. “People across the world are entrusting their creation with you. Even if they’re doing it old school or differently than you, you still do it that way. It’s a sign of integrity and mutual respect. It’s moving, honestly.”
