This series, COLLECTIBLE In-Depth, unveils the backstage of contemporary creation. Tackling various topics from personal designer processes to the position of collectible design on the global design market, COLLECTIBLE In-Depth offers different views to suit all tastes. Today we speak with the founders of Domum gallery and the Brazilian duo Palma.

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C: What do you think collectible design brings compared to other more massively produced pieces?

Domum gallery: At DOMUM, we believe that collectible design brings an essential layer of craftsmanship, narrative, and individualitythat mass-produced pieces simply cannot offer. Each creation embodies a deeper dialogue between the designer’s vision and the artisan’s expertise, resulting in works that carry a unique soul and authenticity.

Beyond functionality, collectible design pieces are often material-driven and process-oriented, celebrating traditional savoir-faire while pushing the boundaries of innovation. This emphasis on craftsmanship ensures that each piece has a timeless quality, resisting the disposable nature of mass production.

In a world increasingly dominated by uniformity, preserving and promoting artisanal skills is crucial. Collectible design fosters a closer relationship between the object and its owner, inviting people to engage with pieces that have depth, history, and emotional resonance—values that are at the heart of DOMUM’s curatorial approach.

C: How did you enter the field of collectible design? Why did you launch your gallery?

DG: We started by blending vintage pieces with a curated selection of design brands, creating a space where heritage and contemporary creation could dialogue. Through our showroom, we gradually began showcasing designers whose approach resonated with us, while also integrating iconic design pieces.

Over time, our approach evolved toward more thematic exhibitions, each focusing on one or two designers at a time. These exhibitions now include a curated selection of artistic works, a natural extension of our vision, especially given our location in a neighborhood dedicated to art galleries. We regularly collaborate with artists, a practice that initially emerged through our own interior architecture projects.

This evolution into a more experimental and narrative-driven space allows us to offer a deeper perspective on design, where each exhibition explores dialogues between materials, eras, and artistic expressions.

C: How do you navigate the tension between innovation and tradition in your approach to designing collectible objects?

P: We see the balance between innovation and tradition as an opportunity for creative expression. Our work blends craftsmanship and tradition with a contemporary sense of experimentation. While honoring the rich history of materials and techniques like casting, trompe-l’oeil, egg-shell mosaic, etc we explore new possibilities by reinterpreting these for our own context in our own way, leading to unique and unpredictable results.

C: Can you talk about a new piece/collection that you are releasing for COLLECTIBLE this year?

P: For this year’s COLLECTIBLE, we are excited to present a new version of our Gambito chair, which has been reinterpreted in a cerused ebonized finish achieved through white wax crayons and betume on solid wood. The chair features intricate egg-shell mosaic work on its flat surfaces containing inserts of animal-themed stamps from all around the world, making each piece a unique composition. 

C: How did you get into collectible design? 

P: Our journey into collectible design was driven by the desire to blend not only the worlds of art, design and craftsmanship. Both Cleo and Lorenzo’s backgrounds in sculpture and architecture naturally led us toward designing objects that tell stories and celebrate artisanal techniques. We gravitated toward collectible design because it offers us the freedom to experiment with materials, form, and process, which industrial design doesn’t always allow. The unique, hand-crafted nature of collectible objects resonates with our values of creativity, craftsmanship, and individuality. 

C: How do you see the role of interdisciplinary collaboration shaping the future of collectible design?

P: We find this sort of collaboration at the very heart of our practice and view it as essential for the future of collectible design. By merging art, architecture, design, storytelling, found objects, various conceptual frameworks, etc we open up new avenues for our own creativity and for innovation, presenting us with challenges and a dynamic in the work process that drives us. Working across different disciplines allows us to bring diverse perspectives and ideas into our work, pushing the boundaries of what a collectible object can be and not allowing ourselves to fall prey to the orthodoxies of any of the fields we operate in.