Culture & Commerce, a small New York design agency, is the reason Los Angeles designer Sami Hayek's $20 bedspreads are stars of Target's back-to-school campaign. Its relationship with the retailer
dates back to 2001, when it convinced Philippe Starck -- then known for luxury goods sold at upscale boutiques -- to design a line for Target that would increase his visibility without diminishing his
high-end reputation.
Before introducing designers to companies like Target or other clients such as Microsoft, Morgans Hotel Group and Puma, co-founder Michele Caniato analyzes their
mass-market potential and spends up to nine months coaching them on how to work with large corporations.
Roger Martin, dean of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of
Toronto, says Culture & Commerce's approach is smart. The arrangement helps product designers to drum up new business. And it helps businesses source fresh talent.
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