The best way to start your search is not by focusing on whose portfolio you like, but by defining what patterns you actually need. Only then should you consider where to source them.

To make it easier, you might first read a comparison of pattern sources,which will help you understand what kind of designer you need, and if you need one at all.

Don't focus solely on portfolio and opinions.

Even if you already know what kind of patterns you're looking for and what type of design collaboration you should consider.

Focus on the questions that can help you make a good decision. You might find them in the materials provided by the designer, and if not, always ask. This will help you avoid poor quality collaborations and save you a lot of trouble.

Above all, you will know what to expect: which areas the designer can handle and which tasks are on your side.

Even if the pattern's cost is a small percentage of your fabric or wallpaper production, the outcome of the collaboration can have a massive impact on your sales results—and sometimes even on your production costs. 

While a portfolio shows a designer's style or skills, it reveals very little about their collaboration process or creative workflow.

What's more, it's rare to see step-by-step examples that trace a pattern from its initial concept to its placement on the final product. Since we believe this is quite important, our portfolio always shows such examples of the pattern creation process. 

Deadlines are important, but no more so than the type of license and the contract. Finally, there are the technical matters—to what extent the designer will develop the pattern. Will it be a conceptual design or a machine-ready file? Does it have specific color palettes or separations?

When reviewing it, focus on how the pattern's concept was executed.

Consider how the designer approached both production capabilities and the end customer's preferences. If you can't get this information, first ask the designe

• What were the guidelines for the patterns you selected from their portfolio?
• Where did they draw inspiration from? How did they research the market?

While you might be tempted to ask who the patterns were made for (which may be a designer's secret), the answers to the above questions are certainly not. 

Why is this important?

It will tell you how the designer works, how much they focus on what you truly need, and whether they can adapt their style to it.

Find out at what stage you will take over the technical work on the design. A project might be prepared in a version that still needs adjustments: preparing color separations, palettes, or weaves, as is the case with jacquard fabrics. Alternatively, it can be prepared directly for printing or for a specific machine, which is what large design studios specialize in.

Consider what should be on the designer's side and what you can handle yourself, and then ask:

• Are they familiar with the production specifics you'll be using for your product?
• How will the final pattern be prepared? Not just in terms of file extensions, but also how the color palettes will be developed? How many will there be?
• To what extent will the pattern be technically developed? This can be especially important for projects like jacquard fabrics or carpets.

Why is this important?

It's worth asking these questions from the very beginning, as you might find that you're only purchasing a conceptual design and will need to ask someone else to prepare it for production.

The designer doesn't have to know the exact answer to the first question; if not, they will ask you for the specifications.

The designer should answer the next two questions very extensively, and you will then know what to expect and what to do with the purchased pattern.

Even with the right choice of pattern source, the type of license is not always obvious.

You might encounter a perpetual transfer of property rights (not copyright, which is legally inalienable) or licenses that depend on the duration or the number of products on which the pattern can be used.

Licenses can be exclusive, meaning the pattern can only be used by one manufacturer for the duration of the license. They can also be non-exclusive, which allows the pattern to be used by anyone who purchases a license.  

Here's what you should ask about: 

• What is the license period and what are the fields of use?
• Is the pattern fully exclusive, or is it a licensed pattern? If so, what kind of license is it?

Important Note!

Remember that a transfer of rights or a license is not the same as a patent. The manufacturer is usually responsible for patenting the pattern. Due to sometimes complicated procedures, few manufacturers decide to patent a design.

What's important is that pattern rights are subject to the Copyright Law, and any ambiguities are resolved in court on this basis.

No good designer should have a problem answering these questions.

For them, it's another opportunity to show how a collaboration with them works and how effective they can be.

For you, it's a chance to initially check if they can meet your challenge, increasing both your chances of creating a market hit.

Don't start a collaboration if the answers raise any doubts. Things are unlikely to improve during the design process.