vetsak is synonymous with the phrase future-forward. Despite being an emerging interior brand, vetsak’s reimagining of what furniture and furnishings could be has helped garner them global attraction. Now, with German fashion creator and industry authority Dirk Schönberger on board as their new CBO, vetsak is looking at new corners of the luxury furniture market to see what else they can shake up. In his new position, Schönberger will collaborate with vetsak’s creative team, hand-selecting specific collaborations and collections, while also looking at avenues to expand their product lines and enriching the vetsak community of luxury furniture lovers.
To celebrate the announcement, Schön! chats with vetsak’s new CBO Dirk Schönberger to uncover what attracted him to the position, the different creative paths he wants to take the brand in, and beyond.
What was it about vetsak that made you want to join such an iconic company?
When I first started speaking about collaborating with Max and Marco (the founders of vetsak) awhile back, the iconic spirit of the brand really resonated with me. Their target consumer, this ‘avant-garde nomad’, I found particularly captivating. It felt very familiar, someone I had in mind when I worked in fashion. An explorer, someone who breaks the rules; who cultivates their lifestyle by bringing together unique experiences – almost like a sampling process in music – to create a very individualistic point-of-view and a way of life. For a furniture brand to look at their community in this way inspired and excited me.
In general their approach felt fresh – I thought ‘this brand has an amazing foundation to build on.’ The way they created their beanbags, and especially their modular sofa, is an entirely new way of building furniture.
As the Chief Brand Officer for vetsak, what are some of the things you’re aiming to do in your role?
On the communication side, I want to show how amazingly innovative this brand and its products truly are. From there, the focus is on creating a wider range of products – new home accessories, even new sofas — while also extending the range into other furniture groups. The pieces will feel modern, while still holding true to the soul of vetsak – comfortable, lässig, innovative, statement pieces.
You studied at the fashion school Esmod in Munich. What are some of the things you learned during this time at school that you apply in your day-to-day life as the CBO?
I learned the technique of how to build a collection – to grow into a role like the one I hold today, came from the learnings and experiences I had while working as Creative Director for brands like Adidas and MCM, and also from building my own brand. It’s through those experiences, that I understood that you can design a great product, but if the circle between product design, marketing and sales is broken, you won’t be successful. The biggest learning curve over the past decade has been the transition from brick-and-mortar-driven commerce, to e-commerce and digital marketing.
Working for a brand like vetsak, I definitely bring an outsider POV to the table – a more lifestyle-driven approach to the interior design e-commerce industry. That said, it’s been fascinating for me to see the similarities between vetsak and many fashion brands – something you don’t see often in furniture. The team was already very digitally focused before I arrived, and always took an unconventional approach to building the brand compared to the competition.
You have many years of experience in different aspects of lifestyle and fashion. How have you and the industry grown in the last 30 years? How has your experience taught you what you needed to know to approach your role at vetsak?
I always loved to work on the product. To have a personal connection with the audience – showing my collection in Paris for many years, creating a story, communicating your dream every season – and getting immediate feedback. You learn how to visualise an idea. I’ve always admired craftsmanship and quality, while at the same time, I was interested in technology and progress – which pushed me to extend my boundaries, explore and experiment
Through my experience at Adidas I learned – amongst many other things – to collaborate, and share ideas; what it means to be part of a big team and also there, push boundaries and challenge the status quo. I was able to work with and learn from many amazing people, in and outside the brand. Learning to create and market relevant products and stories at such scale, has become an invaluable tool for me. While MCM reunited me with luxury fashion, where the focus was on the digital transformation of the brand.
Being at vetsak now, I believe the focus will be on the storytelling and evolution of the product range. It’s a young brand, one which does not want to (and should not) be seen as a classic furniture brand – but rather as a culture brand that, amongst other products in the future, has its core and origin in furniture. Already seeing the individuals that are approaching vetsak to work together, I think it has tremendous potential to become just that.
What is the collaboration process like between you and your team at vetsak?
There’s a great team dynamic of very experienced product designers/creators at vetsak, who have worked on past products like the modular sofa and created many ideas as well as finished products in the pipeline. So right now we’re in the process of rejuvenating those existing products, extending the opportunities on the modular sofa, and setting up the next new sofa that is already being developed. While at the same time, I’m working with the team on extending the ranges beyond furniture. We’re also looking at collaborations with partners outside of the furniture industry, which is something I’m excited about. So it’s a mix of experience and pushing boundaries of the industry.
Looking ahead, what are some long-term goals or plans that you have for vetsak and the brand?
I don’t want to give away too much right now, but we’re working on extending the product portfolio for vetsak and planning some collaborations for 2024. In the future, we might venture into areas that are not common for a furniture brand…
vetsak is for the bold, the confident, and the creators. How are you ensuring your products are meeting their needs?
By continuing to give them options they can only find with us – to create items that have the possibility to become collectibles. Items that they want to pass down to future generations – limited editions of special materials, or products designed with unexpected collaboration partners.
What are some branding advice you’d provide or rules that you abide by?
Understand and respect the core of your brand DNA – but modernize and evolve the messaging and explore the borders of this core.
Lastly, for those who use vetsak’s products, what do you hope they think or feel after using them?
The comfortable feeling of homecoming – no matter if it is in your own space or wherever you go.
Learn more about vetsak at vetsak.com.
