On December 8, Jing Daily partnered with Artestar for a webinar exploring the booming world of brand-artist collaboration. Artestar is a global licensing agency and creative consultancy that has been instrumental in some of the fashion industry’s most significant brand-artist collaborations. The company represents artists such as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Robert Indiana, Tom Wesselmann, Kenny Scharf, and many more. During the webinar, founder of Artestar David Stark; senior director of commercial at Farfetch Americas, Andrew Wong; and Jing Daily brand and collabs editor Sadie Bargeron, thoroughly dissected the realm of artist intellectual properties, covering both business and creative strategy. In case you missed the live session, here are the top takeaways from our webinar, "The Art of Luxury Brand Licensing: Learning from Basquiat and Haring’s Success." Storytelling lies at the core of collaboration success One common thread that ran throughout the conversation was how significant storytelling is to the success of brand-artist collaborations. Stark, the founder of Artestar, emphasized that identifying authentic connections between an artist and a brand serves as a starting point, stressing the need for the company's pitches to be meticulously thought out and carefully curated. Wong, from Farfetch, agreed that there is a rising desire for storytelling in the realm of fashion and beyond, with the artist often becoming an effective launch pad to tell engaging stories and tap into certain communities. Don’t get lost in fan culture When asked about the role of artist fanbases in the curation of brand-artist collaborations, Stark interestingly mentioned that they are not part of the production or research process. Despite many brands often working with artists on collections or products in order to reach the consumers who love them, Wong added that, in terms of shaping the actual concept, fans do not necessarily need to be considered. Artestar ensures that each project comes from an authentic place by focusing on the artist rather than the surrounding fan culture. When a brand collaboration extends into the universe of a talent, it naturally resonates with fans, so companies should refrain from people-pleasing. Agencies can assist the logistics side of brand-artist collaboration Though artists are able to independently orchestrate their own collaborations with brands on a small scale, agencies such as Artestar can facilitate a smoother process for both parties. As evidenced by the growing roster of artists that Artestar represents, it is a popular decision for talent to work with a licensing company in order to achieve impactful collaborations that protect and enhance their reputation. In Artestar’s case, artists are left with creative freedom to reach heights of innovation as the logistics are cared for by a company with a comprehensive understanding of licensing agreements and how artists can maximize their benefits from working with brands.
