Designer Mijke Konijn discusses crafting style guides for institutions like Van Gogh Museum and Mauritshuis Museum

Mijke, thanks for making time. As a designer you have a lot of experience of working with heritage brands. What is the skillset and design outlook needed to work in the heritage sector?
I believe it’s important to be an all-round designer or to work within a team when taking on this kind of project. A work of art is a completely different source of inspiration compared to, for example, a Disney character. Each artwork or painting may require a different approach or design technique. Being skilled in a variety of methods makes the process smoother and more reliable.

Additionally, the design approach in the heritage sector should always start with care and sensitivity. Every museum and every painting has its own history and meaning. Thorough research into each artwork is often essential before the design process can even begin.

You have worked in design and licensing for a long time and must have worked on a lot of briefs. What makes a good brief?
A good design brief should start with a detailed explanation of the project: what does the client expect from my design work, and what is the intended purpose of the designs? Are we creating stand-alone patterns tailored for a specific client or product for the museum shop? Or does the client also wish to see the patterns applied to mock-ups for a more complete presentation?

It’s equally important that the designer knows what visual assets or background information are available and what the usage guidelines are for these materials. Finally, the brief should include the technical requirements how the patterns and/or assets should be delivered.

I know you have worked with the Van Gogh Museum previously on style guides, original artworks and patterns. Can you tell us a little bit more about your work with the Van Gogh Museum? Why do you think the brand has been successful in licensing?
It was truly an honour to work with the masterpieces of Vincent van Gogh for the Van Gogh Museum. I created various artworks, patterns, and style guides. Van Gogh’s works are so famous and instantly recognisable, and there was a clear desire to develop more patterns and commercially viable variations.
Take his world-famous Sunflowers, for example. Adding a complementary all-over pattern in full colour, or a vector line drawing of the iconic sunflowers, offers a wonderful opportunity to broaden and deepen the product range.

“Finding the right balance between staying true to the original work and creating something new is always a journey.”

Finding the right balance between staying true to the original work and creating something new is always a journey. But thanks to the close collaboration with the licensing team at the Van Gogh Museum, we achieved some beautiful results. The strong recognisability and the power of Van Gogh’s original works, the additional assets, and style guides all serve as valuable inspiration and support for successful licensing partnerships.

You have recently completed a Partnership Guide for the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague. Can you tell us more about the purpose of the guide?
This was another wonderful project. We delivered the first style guide last year, followed very recently by an updated and expanded version. The Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague wanted to increase its presence within the licensing world, to offer new and more diverse visual material – and to present examples of how both original artworks and newly created designs could be used.
We started with a selection of the museum’s most iconic and beloved paintings.

The Museum is the home of paintings like Girl With A Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch. Can you talk us through your process for engaging with these pieces for licensing?
For example, with ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ by Johannes Vermeer, the creative possibilities are endless… The colours, the textures, the pearl, the girl’s captivating gaze… But also the story and the history behind it. This even includes the literal background of the painting, as well as the interpretations and visions others have shared about it.
 That’s where I begin when designing new patterns.

I then break these down into different product categories what fits where and how can we best translate the patterns so they are both commercially viable and practical for product application.

The guide was produced as a glossy, magazine-style publication. This seems quite unusual for a style guide. What was the thinking behind this format?
It was exactly about doing something truly different. To present the perhaps traditional image of a museum collection in a modern and contemporary way. A document that is normally primarily informative full of artworks and usage guidelines was transformed into something fresh and engaging to showcase the museum in a new light.

You also recently worked with US artist Lou Patrou. I understand you helped Lou translate his artwork into licensing-ready product visuals. How did this collaboration work? And how do you ensure your work is ‘on trend’ in the licensing market?
Through Jeannine Lafèbre of Lafèbre Licensing, I had the pleasure of working with the beautiful artworks of Lou Patrou. Thanks to my many years of experience as a designer in the fashion industry – and the fact that I still create trend forecasts for fashion and interior retailers – I stay constantly up to date with the latest trends.
For the licensing side of my work, my radar is always on. I visit trade shows and key cities to keep a close eye on what’s happening in the market and to ensure my work remains relevant and on-trend.

Thinking about cultural institutions and heritage brands who haven’t undertaken any licensing activity yet, do you have any advice for them in how to get ‘licensing ready’?
I personally believe that almost any painting or artwork can be suitable for licensing. To get started, I would advise focusing on recognisability, popularity, colour palette, and of course the story or meaning behind the artwork.

Finally, apart from the Mauritshuis Museum and the Van Gogh Museum, what museum or gallery would you love to work with?
That’s a difficult choice my wish list is quite long! But at the very top are The British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris, and MoMA in New York.