A Sit-Down Q&A with Kate Higginson of Print Club London: Let’s Get Creative

Richard sits down with Kate Higginson of Print Club London to talk all things art, screen printing, and London’s ever-evolving creative scene. From their one-of-a-kind collaboration with design legend Bob Gill to the local spots that inspire Kate most, it’s a candid look inside one of the city’s most exciting artistic hubs.

Find the full Print Club London x Richard Brendon Collection, here. 

Q - How did Print Club London get started, and what do you think has been the key to its success? Tell us the story of how it all came to life and what helped it grow into what it is today!

A - Our MD Fred Higginson and Creative Director Rose Stallard set up Print Club nearly 20 years ago. At the time, there were no screen printing studios outside of college, and they saw a gap that needed to be filled. And so, Print Club was born. It’s been quite an organic journey, and our growth has come mostly from responding to our members’ needs.

Q - Is there something about the studios that you wish more people understood or appreciated? Anything behind-the-scenes or unique about the studio you’d love to share?

A  - That it’s all handmade! I think there is so much digital art out there, printed on a colour printer, that buyers don’t realise what it takes to produce a screen print by hand. It takes incredible skill as a printer to produce a multi-layer artwork. Unlike any other gallery, we produce all the work in-house. Most galleries just sell the work, but we work with the artists by providing them space and then selling it online. That’s totally unique to Print Club.

Q - What’s the coolest piece of art or design you’ve seen come through your studio? We’re talking big, bold and out-of-the-box?

A - We recently sold a HUGE piece by Benjamin Thomas - Taylor. It was hand painted and 2 metres by 2 metres with gold paint. It sold very quickly of course. 

Q- While every artist brings their own unique style to the table, is there anyone who’s visited the studios that you were particularly excited to meet, or whose art really complements the medium in an interesting way?

A - Our partnership with the legendary Bob Gill — he was the “Gill” in Fletcher/Forbes/Gill, which eventually became Pentagram. He was elected into the New York Art Directors’ Club Hall of Fame, and the London Designers and Art Directors (D&AD) presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. We were incredibly lucky to work with him and produce the only series of prints he ever made, which were part screenprint and part hand-finished. Fred and I went to visit him in his NYC studio, and that’s probably the highlight of my career at Print Club — and definitely the coolest thing to come through our doors.

Q - Who in the art world really influences you and the work you do at Print Club London?

A - I actually always look to the big retailers when it comes to what we do here, not necessarily for design or creative inspiration, but more for marketing insight. Simple things like the wording they use in campaigns, the narratives around a product, how products are displayed on their websites, and even trends in mainstream fashion or food. These companies have spent millions researching market trends and consumer behaviour, so it’s always useful to see how they approach things and then adapt those insights to suit our own business model.

I also find they place a strong emphasis on the customer journey, which is an important reminder when you’re running a small business. It’s easy to get caught up in curating the work, designing a campaign, or choosing the perfect typeface, and lose sight of the actual purpose. Big brands tend to strike that balance really well, so it’s always helpful to observe how they do it.

Q - Is there a brand in London that you can’t help but keep an eye on? We all have that one brand we’re obsessed with, ours would be Blenheim Forge, what’s yours?

A - Oh, I love their knives! I bought one at the Museum of the Home in a sample sale. The queue took over an hour, but it was worth it! For me, it’s probably Matilda Goad — which might be an obvious choice, but I admire how she turned her love of colour and form into a brand that initially focused on lampshades and quite feminine interior objects, and evolved it into essentially a hardware supplier. It’s incredible. She makes every object so beautifully detailed and has really reinvented this sector and made it more accessible.

Q- What do you love most about our collaborative collection? Is there a particular piece or aspect of the collection that stands out to you?

A - Margaux Carpentier's mugs are my favourite, I use them at home. They are just so light and bring me such joy when I use them. 

Q - What are your top 3 favourite bars or restaurants around the Dalston studio? Do you have any local spots you recommend for a post-work hangout?

A - Corrochio's - our neighbour and friend Tom Gibson set this up, its the best authentic Mexican i've eaten outside of Mexico. He's also just opened late bar Parasol which is the new place to be in East London. And then for daytime its either Papos Bagels which sell out so you have to go early, or Dusty Knuckle. 

Q - Finally, do you have a favourite product from the Richard Brendon collection? Is there one piece that really speaks to you?

A - The cocktail collection is my favourite! It feels so magical and elegant. The coupes are heavenly. Perfect for a Friday night martini. 

Discover the collaboration collection, here.