Williams-Sonoma’s Pottery Barn banner is collaborating with the Black Artists + Designers Guild, a global organization dedicated to building a more equitable and inclusive creative culture by advancing independent Black makers, on a mix of products for entertaining, hosting and gathering.
The launch of the BADG collection comes as Williams-Sonoma has launched a celebration of Black History month across its portfolio of banners featuring its work with various organizations including the NAACP.
According to the retailer, BADG and Pottery Barn wanted to create a collection that showcased their shared love of design, craftsmanship and celebrations. The collection marks a natural next step in a partnership between Pottery Barn and BADG that began when Pottery Barn sponsored the organization’s inaugural Obsidian Experience, a virtual concept designed to ignite new conversations about the space of home for Black families.
To create the collection, the Pottery Barn design team worked with three interior designers who are all members of BADG: Penny Francis and Casi St. Julian of the New Orleans-based interior design firm Eclectic Home, and color enthusiast Lisa Turner of the Beverly Hills-based design firm Interior Obsession. Each designer brought a unique influence and design philosophy to the table, Pottery Barn noted, evident in Francis’ love of unique pieces that make a statement, St. Julian’s dynamically layered spaces with personality and Turner’s specialty mix of color and architecture.
With Pottery Barn, they developed the collection through the lens of Black Joy, featuring more than 25 pieces that draw on symbolic themes from each of their lives, including decorative accessories, bedding, pillows, throws, dinnerware, drinkware, barware, table linens and games. The themes Unity in the Quest of Inclusion and Equity, Triumph over Tribulations, Celebration of Love and Family, and Harmony as a Connected Community find final expression with the help of Pottery Barn’s expertise in quality craftsmanship, the retailer maintained. As such, the themes emerge in a capsule collection that highlights the richness of Black culture and showcases the beauty in how Black communities and families gather and entertain. Pieces in the collection range in price from $29.50 to $249.
“We are thrilled to partner with The Black Artists + Designers Guild and its community of creators, artists, and design professionals to highlight excellence in design and artistry,” said Marta Benson, Pottery Barn president, in introducing the collection. “The pieces within the collection, designed in partnership with BADG, illustrate a shared love of creating meaningful spaces, vibrant in color and joy, that I am excited for our customers to enjoy in their own homes.”
