Many designers dream of designing their own collection—be it fabric, furniture, lighting, rugs, bedding, tabletop, hardware—but don’t exactly know where to start and what’s involved. Whether you partner with an established company or go it alone, developing and marketing a collection is no task for the weary. But when done right, the payoff can be huge—not only for your bank account but also for elevating your brand.

If your 5-, 10-, 20-year plan includes building an empire, complete with licensing deals, brand extensions and possibly becoming a household name, then you’ve come to the right place. For this two-part series, we’ve enlisted licensing guru Kate Verner of Kate Verner + Associates to lead the charge and share her expert knowledge. She has worked with clients like David Easton, Laura Kirar and Rockwell Group to develop and launch countless product lines and is well-versed in the crazy worlds of wholesale, retail and trade commerce.

In Part II of this two-part series, Kate will focus on the business and legal aspects of licensing once you’ve signed the deal. She’ll share what you need to do to protect your designs, and how to make the most of your licensed collection.

In this class you will learn:

• The importance of intellectual property
• How to trademark your brand and protect your designs
• Contract terminology, such as royalties, fees, and advances
• How to negotiate the marketing and advertising of your line
• What to do with your collection, post-launch

By the end of this class, you will have:

• A solid understanding of what happens once you’ve landed a partnership, including protecting your intellectual property and trademarks during the product development process, and navigating and negotiating the financial and legal aspects of your deal. 

Additional Information:

This is an online course conducted through AdobeConnect. You will receive an email with information on how to join the evening before the class. 

Thank you to our friends at Ivy.co, the community and business management tool for interior designers. Schedule a demo to learn how to use IVY to propose product to clients, generate tear sheets, invoice clients, track & bill for your time, send purchase order to vendors, and more.