Helen Riley-Duddin is the owner of Tinch Design and a founding designer of Dunedin’s premiere collective design store, Guild. While setting up for one of her workshops, we caught up with Helen to talk about Guild and building connections between designers and the local community.
Tell me about Guild.
Guild is a beautiful retail & gallery space set in Dunedin’s historic Moray Place Arts Quarter. It’s the first project of Dunedin Designed INC - a non-profit society conceived to support Dunedin designers, artists and makers. The store is staffed, 100% of the time, by one of our twelve resident designers.
This means that to operate the store six-days, we each work a weekly, half-day shift. Customers are always served by a designer on duty which helps to extend the designer's stories from maker to customer. People love to meet the makers; it's a unique and meaningful shopping experience.
Guild provides 12 designers a small part of the CBD to sell their wares; a place where, independently, we probably wouldn't or couldn’t be. We share fixed costs, and sales reimbursements go directly back to the designers, who each share approximately one square metre of shop “real estate”.
This means that to operate the store six-days, we each work a weekly, half-day shift. Customers are always served by a designer on duty which helps to extend the designer's stories from maker to customer. People love to meet the makers; it's a unique and meaningful shopping experience.
Guild provides 12 designers a small part of the CBD to sell their wares; a place where, independently, we probably wouldn't or couldn’t be. We share fixed costs, and sales reimbursements go directly back to the designers, who each share approximately one square metre of shop “real estate”.
How did this group come about? Did you know each other before starting the store?
The current12 designers has evolved and grown from the founding five who initially worked together to found the Society and start the shop. At the time we were a mix of acquaintances with some friendships already established. We were all in similar places with our labels: ready to have a presence in the CBD to complement our web presence, and to have a base retail store to collectively sell from.
To begin with we had representatives from a broad cross-section of design disciplines: fashion, jewellery, and homewares. The mix of product offerings ebbs and flows with each new designer: recently we've had perfume, fine art, ceramics, skincare, textiles join the mix.
To begin with we had representatives from a broad cross-section of design disciplines: fashion, jewellery, and homewares. The mix of product offerings ebbs and flows with each new designer: recently we've had perfume, fine art, ceramics, skincare, textiles join the mix.
Guild doesn’t only stock products from Dunedin designers; there’s a space for “pop-up designers” too.
Yes, a dynamic part of the shop’s offering is that, every month, the stock changes. Every four weeks we showcase and sell products from other creatives around Aotearoa. These are our pop-up guests whose products are selected to complement our existing ranges and offer an ever-changing experience for our visitors. This is generally an invite-only opportunity. Having a curator managing the pop-up designers maintains a consistently high-quality and diverse range of stock; representative of creative work from around the country.
For our pop-up guests, it’s an amazing opportunity to expand their reach into Dunedin city. They can raise their profile and generate some sales without the typical consignment agreement or retail margins. Being run by a non-profit society means the shop aims to support these designers; helping to tell their stories and to grow their independent labels. We manage to run the pop-up opportunity on a zero-commission model. Guests only pay a fixed rental sum that helps to cover the running costs of the shop. The pop-up spots are highly coveted and well earned by the designers who are invited.
For our pop-up guests, it’s an amazing opportunity to expand their reach into Dunedin city. They can raise their profile and generate some sales without the typical consignment agreement or retail margins. Being run by a non-profit society means the shop aims to support these designers; helping to tell their stories and to grow their independent labels. We manage to run the pop-up opportunity on a zero-commission model. Guests only pay a fixed rental sum that helps to cover the running costs of the shop. The pop-up spots are highly coveted and well earned by the designers who are invited.
Can other people become involved with Guild?
Absolutely! There are three ways to be involved with Guild.
Resident designers are locals who are permanently involved in the shop. They help to staff the store every week and their products have a permanent place in store, managed by them. The opportunity to become a resident designer is rare, but comes up when one of our current residents moves on. We like to have a pool of keen, local designers for when the opportunity arises, so expressions of interest to join Guild are always welcomed. We'll always put a call out when there is a vacancy. Interested designers can visit our website for more information.
Pop-up designers, as mentioned above, are generally contacted by our curator and booked several months in advance, but we also welcome designers and makers of high-quality, unique goods to introduce themselves and their wares. We are always interested in discovering new talent and aim to showcase a diverse mix across a year. Designers can email popup@guiddunedin.co.nz or visit our website to learn more about this.
Also, we are working to extend the programme of creative workshops on offer through Guild. Our resident and pop-up designers are encouraged to offer these, but the opportunity exists for other creatives to run a workshop as well. So far, we’ve had workshops covering painting, book-binding, ceramic crafting and illustration, and we’ve had amazing feedback from people who've taken part. Our aim is to offer more regular opportunities for the community to 'meet the maker' and learn new skills.
Resident designers are locals who are permanently involved in the shop. They help to staff the store every week and their products have a permanent place in store, managed by them. The opportunity to become a resident designer is rare, but comes up when one of our current residents moves on. We like to have a pool of keen, local designers for when the opportunity arises, so expressions of interest to join Guild are always welcomed. We'll always put a call out when there is a vacancy. Interested designers can visit our website for more information.
Pop-up designers, as mentioned above, are generally contacted by our curator and booked several months in advance, but we also welcome designers and makers of high-quality, unique goods to introduce themselves and their wares. We are always interested in discovering new talent and aim to showcase a diverse mix across a year. Designers can email popup@guiddunedin.co.nz or visit our website to learn more about this.
Also, we are working to extend the programme of creative workshops on offer through Guild. Our resident and pop-up designers are encouraged to offer these, but the opportunity exists for other creatives to run a workshop as well. So far, we’ve had workshops covering painting, book-binding, ceramic crafting and illustration, and we’ve had amazing feedback from people who've taken part. Our aim is to offer more regular opportunities for the community to 'meet the maker' and learn new skills.
So, the store’s been around for two years? What have been the highlights?
I think it's fair to say we experience highlights almost every week. Whenever we sell each other’s work, there's this sense of excitement, support and validation. We know each other’s work and are able to help customers to find the ideal piece, or have something made especially by one of our colleagues. It's really encouraging for all of us.
We've had some great publicity in our first two years, including stories in Harpers Bizarr, Air NZ Kia Ora magazine, Your Home & Garden magazine, Mindfood and the local Otago Daily Times. They’ve all helped to extend our reach and tell our story and each time someone mentions an article there's that sense of success all over again. Just recently, we were successful in receiving some funding from the Dunedin City Council in support of our efforts. It is a huge sense of achievement to have the recognition that our aims are in line with the City's strategy for economic development, particularly for the arts and design. It means we can continue to focus our energy on things like our workshop programme, and our work with the Otago Polytechnic design school where we have a growing relationship to support emerging designers.
We've had some great publicity in our first two years, including stories in Harpers Bizarr, Air NZ Kia Ora magazine, Your Home & Garden magazine, Mindfood and the local Otago Daily Times. They’ve all helped to extend our reach and tell our story and each time someone mentions an article there's that sense of success all over again. Just recently, we were successful in receiving some funding from the Dunedin City Council in support of our efforts. It is a huge sense of achievement to have the recognition that our aims are in line with the City's strategy for economic development, particularly for the arts and design. It means we can continue to focus our energy on things like our workshop programme, and our work with the Otago Polytechnic design school where we have a growing relationship to support emerging designers.
Obviously there’s been a lot of work that’s gone in to setting up the store. Were there any particular challenges?
Probably, our overriding challenge is time! The store is run by the Society, and our members are volunteers who each have their independent design businesses and projects to focus on. All accomplishments are due to the kindness and dedication of our members and generosity of time given to grow the shop and achieve our aims. At every meeting there's so many ideas for growth, evolution, and improvement, which are all really time-dependent. Looking back at what we've achieved in two years, though, it's incredible what a creative collective can do with pockets of spare time and energy.
This model obviously works well, and could work anywhere in New Zealand. Do you have any advice for others who might want to set up something similar?
Perhaps the rules of our founding Society are the keystone to the success of our model. Whenever there's been any uncertainty, they've helped to steer the course.
A shared aim, a unified concept, a collective commitment, and a common sense of purpose from all members also helps our model to work. Each of us contributes something unique and has strengths in different areas. Fostering these different strengths is really important. Combining our skills and networks, and learning from each other is central to our success and we're really proud of what we've accomplished together.
A shared aim, a unified concept, a collective commitment, and a common sense of purpose from all members also helps our model to work. Each of us contributes something unique and has strengths in different areas. Fostering these different strengths is really important. Combining our skills and networks, and learning from each other is central to our success and we're really proud of what we've accomplished together.
