EXCLUSIVE: Dirk Schönberger Ventures Into Furnishings With Vetsak
MILAN — Dirk Schönberger made a leap into furnishings with next-gen, comfort-centric brand Vetsak, but it wouldn’t be the first time he made such a bold step.
Best known for his time as creative director at Adidas from 2010 until 2018, Schönberger made a strategic jump to leather goods and accessories when he took on the role as global creative officer of luxury accessories brand MCM in 2018.
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“I don’t want to stand still….I love to explore things that push me and also teach me,” he told WWD Thursday after being named Vetsak’s new chief brand officer. The Cologne native commented on the similarities between fashion and design and the uptick in fashion firms venturing into the world of design.
Vetsak underscored that the designer is at the center of a nexus that includes influencers, artists, DJs, models, actors, athletes and consumers alike who are “now coupled” with his creative vision. “Vetsak is poised to become the next big thing in furniture,” the company said in a statement.
During his tenure at Adidas, Schönberger brought on board high-profile creative collaborators such as Rick Owens, Pharrell Williams, Raf Simons, and revived vintage classics such as the Stan Smith sneaker.
“Collaborations are an interesting instrument and haven’t been used that much in this scope in interiors,” he said, noting that Vetsak already has its eye on collaborations with fashion brands, musicians and artists. “It will be interesting to pick the ones who can influence from the outside in and that become part of a collective for the brand rather than just having a hyped-up name that just pops up only to disappear again.”
He said he also hopes to create accessories and decor to make Vetsak more accessible and well-known to a wider public, especially in the U.S. where it recently launched, with a presence in New York City and Los Angeles.
Vetsak, whose motto is “making the world a more comfortable place,” defines itself as an emerging interior lounge brand. Founded in 2012 in Cape Town by two under-40 German entrepreneurs, the African avant-garde design vision is imbued with the principles of European luxury and German engineering.
Schönberger defines the target client as a “club kid who has grown up” and is now finding their first jobs and furnishing their first homes. “They are explorers…in fact, we talk about the avant-garde nomad. People who want to push themselves.”
“Having Dirk on board will transform how we ‘dress’ our furniture,” said Max Gansow, Vetsak chief executive officer and cofounder. Gansow, who is also an angel investor and mentor to young entrepreneurs and start-ups in Europe and Africa, founded Vetsak with Marco Heimann, the firm’s chief marketing officer.
“Along with his exceptional eye for aesthetics, he brings with renowned knowledge and experience in the field of fashion — his addition to the team is a natural next step in the evolution of the Vetsak brand,” Gansow said of Schönberger.
Born in Cologne, Germany, Schönberger attended the ESMOD fashion school in Munich. He worked three years as an assistant at Dirk Bikkembergs in Antwerp, Belgium and Italy.
He launched a signature menswear collection in 1996 and followed in 2002 with a womenswear line. Both lines no longer exist. He has also served as creative director of Joop.
Reflecting on his past and present, Schönberger said it is not goodbye to fashion for good. “This was a great move for me. I love fashion, and I am sure I am not going to leave fashion behind forever probably.”
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