'I always liked furniture but never thought of opening a furniture brand myself,' Nuno Gomes, CEO and founder of Collector Group says. We had the opportunity to sit down with Nuno to discuss the inspiration behind the Portuguese brand, its approach to design, and the challenges in the market right now, especially in the US.
Inspiration behind Collector Group
Nuno's passion for furniture grew during his travels, where he would immerse himself in furniture magazines. His career took a decisive turn when he became a sales director for another furniture company. 'I enjoyed it a lot and knew this was what I wanted to do,' he recalls.
In 2017, Nuno decided to launch Collector Group. Leveraging his network of designers he met at various trade shows, Nuno quickly built a team of talented yet not widely known designers. This strategic move allowed the brand to grow rapidly. 'It's really nice to see that the designers grow with us.'
A significant milestone was the collaboration with the Saccal Design House. 'I met the two sisters from Lebanon who founded the design studio at Maison & Objet. They designed the Hygge collection for us, which was really well received. After this Collector really took off.' The Hygge Collection is inspired by the contemporary architecture in Portugal and its Romanesque past by honouring shapes, such as the arch and the column. Saccal Design House chose to reflect these elements of the past in the collection but in a contemporary way.
A more recent collaboration is with the Russian designer Natalia Komarova from Alter Ego Studio. 'Her work for us is sold really well, especially in the contract market,' Nuno says. The philosophy of her work is based on the idea of creating furniture alive. That is why in her works there are a lot of rhythms, bends, rotations and curves. She designed the Lucky and the Djembe collection.
Portuguese tradition and contemporary design
Working with different designers, Nuno emphasises the importance of maintaining the brand's DNA. 'We receive many designs, but we have to decline those that don't resonate with our brand identity,' he explains. Being a Portuguese brand, Collector Group draws from the country's rich craftsmanship heritage.
'Although Portugal may not have a strong design identity like Italy for example, its tradition of craftsmanship inspires international designers who come to Portugal. We are now working on a collection relaunching furniture from past Portuguese designers, bringing back pieces from the history of Portuguese design. This is tricky because we need to pick timeless pieces that are still relevant today. It's important to us, because right now Portuguese designers aren't that well-known, and we want to put them in the spotlight,' Nuno says. The collection will be revealed at Maison & Objet in Paris next year.
Global presence and market challenges
Collector Group has a significant global footprint, selling to over 35 countries. The US, France, and the UK are the main markets, with the US accounting for around 25% of sales. Despite noticing a temporary dip in sales earlier this year, Nuno is optimistic as sales have been increasing compared to the previous year.
'One of the biggest challenges for the furniture industry right now is the cost of transport,' Nuno explains. 'Some suppliers are really struggling. The costs are high, especially for our sales in the US. We always try to provide the client with customs duties paid by us directly so they don't have to stress about anything at customs. Before, there was a big difference in price between transport by plane or boat. Right now it's more or less the same. We often transport by plane, but sometimes the price for a chair to the US is the same as the full transport in the past. Luckily the customers in the US still buy the products and it's good to see their trust in our brand.'
More information:
Collector Group
Rua Fernando Palha, 51A,
1950-130 Lisbon, Portugal.
+ 351 916 926 167
[email protected]
www.collectorgroup.pt