This post is translated from its original Japanese Version into English.

In a recent interview, we had the opportunity to sit down with three freelancers based in Tokyo: Yoko Matsuo, a Design Consultant; James Kaoru Bury, a Product Designer; and Guillaume, an Art Director/3D Designer. They shared insights from their recent collaboration with a globally renowned luxury brand via Sollective’s platform. To protect their unique IP and process, we’ve chosen to not name the brand in question.

We discussed how they navigated new client relationships and what they learned from the experience.

A Creative Dream Team Formed entirely of Sollective Members

ー　What were your and goals and expectations going into this project?

Guillaume: I've been involved in interactive installations and motion graphics, but I've been eager to focus more on art direction. While I used to handle both art direction and 3D design as an employee, my freelance projects have leaned heavily towards 3D design only. Finding projects specifically seeking an art director has been challenging. I’ve always been interested in working for fashion and luxury brands.

James: Same here! I have been collecting luxury related design inspiration for a while. However, there aren’t many projects that require product designers, so it’s been challenging to find the right opportunities.

Japanese brands tend to rely on in-house product designers since they believe hiring freelancers would bring a risk to their business/organization. Even when they do work with external product designers, it is usually with larger brands, making it difficult for freelancers to secure deals.

Despite being fluent in both Japanese and English, most of the roles that I get involve communicating in Japanese-only. It’s been a surprising challenge to find roles that require English, a skilI that I want to keep honed.

Yoko: When Sollective first got in contact, I had just finished my contract with an agency and was contemplating either: continuing to freelance, focusing on design thinking and product/service consultation.

That’s when I heard about “the perfect opportunity” from Sollective. Their recommendation encouraged me to give this a shot.

Yoko, facilitating a workshop for another project

Learning Through Collaboration: Diving into a New Environment

ー　How has it been working in the project?

Guillaume: It’s been a great experience. It requires using technology I had never used before, so I had to learn quickly. As challenging as it was, leading the project as an expert is so rewarding. Also I am happy to be part of the art direction process as well.

Yoko: I am currently part of a project from start-to-finish, which is rare and interesting.

As a design consultant, most of the time, I am only involved in the ideation phase, but this time I get to cover the development phase as well. On top of that, I’m mainly involved in digital-related projects, but this project involved creation of a physical product. Iterating a physical product over a long span of time is a completely different experience!

James: It is so rewarding working as a product designer for a luxury brand that I personally follow. Since the team is quite international, we communicate often in English. I am so thankful that Sollective helped me find this project.

ー　As part of this project, Yoko and James work on closely aligned goals, can you share more?

Yoko: Yes, we do research together.

James: It’s been wonderful working with Yoko. I get to learn a lot about the [user] research process.

Designing a product isn’t just about creating something cool-looking. The product has to integrate into people’s daily life, be easily manageable in retail environments and so on. Collaborating from the research phase helped me understand more from the user's perspective and made me a more strategic designer.

Yoko: James’ perspective on industrial design helped me clarify the areas my research should focus on. So as a team, we were able to conduct very comprehensive research.

Gathering Inspiration for Future Career Moves

ー　What’s ahead in your careers?

Guillaume: Looking ahead, I aim to further explore art direction, extending beyond luxury brands. I’m now looking to collaborate with automotive and liquor brands.

Yoko: This is a tough question… I had a conversation with my partner yesterday who is considering freelancing. It has made me realize the importance of clarifying: “how far can I go as a freelancer and what’s necessary to reach where I want to be [career-wise].”

While there may not be a definitive answer, there are always insights you can gain from collaboration that you wouldn’t discover on your own. I want to be able to have more collaborative opportunities like this one so that I can succeed in my career.

James: I aspire to create an environment where other product designers can thrive as individuals. I’ve seen a lot of employees struggling to pursue their passion within their corporations in Japan. I hope to establish an organization that supports independent product designers.

James, working on 3D printing for another project (left)

A Comprehensive Sollective Profile is the Key for a Great Match

ー　Anything you want to share with other freelancers?

Guillaume: I am not really good with these questions but … I think Sollective has a great team and a website that is easy to use for freelancers. I sometimes browse French websites for new projects but I think Sollective is a better platform.

Yoko: I’m so grateful to Sollective for helping me realize that there are clients looking for my talent. If you are in a similar position, I’d recommend you to create a complete and detailed profile on Sollective. To meet the right clients, they need to know you well.

James: If it weren’t for Sollective, I would have had a completely different experience finding projects. I’m thankful to be able to work for extended periods on projects that I care about.

Demand for product designers has been on a declining trend in Japan, and being an independent professional has not been easy. I acknowledge that every profession has its challenges so I want to encourage everyone to keep doing what they love.

ー　Thank you for your time today!