Meet Rob Charles Smith, the Creative Director of Consigned

Liberty Trade Show, Las Vegas

We sat down with Robert to give you a more personal insight into his brand and what inspires him.

Tell us about your creative background / why is creativity important to you?

I loved to draw when I was growing up and at the time I found it was the only thing I was any good at. At a young age I knew I wanted to pursue this skill, but at the time I just didn’t know where it would take me. With this in mind, I enrolled for an Art Foundation at Leeds College of Art, before furthering my education at Nottingham Trent studying Fine Art. Not quite working out as I expected, I transferred to study Graphic design where I learnt an amazing skill set and met some inspirational people who shared similar values in the art & design world.

Through my creative journey, I became friends with a wide collective of designers and creatives which gave me my passion to work in the fashion industry. They have inspired me and supported me to share and explore new ideas and ventures. Being able to create that same sense of community with Consigned was my ultimate goal.

What’s the best thing about being a Creative Director?

The freedom to pursue new ideas and create a clear brand message. The opportunity to travel with work and to discover new cultures, new people and new fashions that can be pushed out through the Consigned brand.

Behind the scenes on the Consigned Spring Summer 2019 photo-shoot

Why did you create the brand Consigned?

I created Consigned as a platform to bring creatives together through the means of a fashion brand. It is a reflection of my creativity portrayed through a tactile product that can benefit you in everyday life.

Describe Consigned in three words…

Innovative

Creative

Community

What is the inspiration behind the products?

I am a very visual person and my inspiration comes from how I interpret the world around me. I am so fortunate to travel a great deal with my work which allows me to experience new cultures and meet exciting new people.

Being on the go all the time, organisation is very important to me. I take functionality as the starting block for the design of a product, focusing around the gear you need for everyday life, packaged into an aesthetically pleasing product.

On a seasonal basis I am always looking to create something unique to the brand.  For example the SplinterCamo collection was inspired by the Vorticism art movement of the early 20th century which used abstract geometric shapes. By creating interlocking geometric shapes based on this, the Consigned SplinterCamo pattern was born.

Drawing the SplinterCamo pattern

Describe your creative process when designing the products?

I am involved from the very start to the end of each product’s creation. The life of a product will start out with researching and developing a new concept. The next step is creating visual interpretations of this concept through sketches and CAD drawings. I will then source suitable materials and fittings based on this concept and work closely with my sample room to bring the idea to life. After a final fitting, the sample is ready for the showroom.

Sourcing new materials for our Spring Summer 2020 collection

What does #WeAreTheConsigned mean to you?

#WeAreTheConsigned is at the forefront of the brands mission to bring together a network of creative individuals. Through my experience of meeting like minded people I wanted to create a platform to champion creativity and highlight that the creative process is just as beautiful as the finished product.