THE HOUSEWARES INTERVIEW
March/April 2026
housewareslive.net
‘If a product can still look good in 50 years’ time, we’ve done our job’
From experimental beginnings in lighting and product design to becoming a focused force in food and drink on the go, Black + Blum has reshaped its identity around purpose-led innovation. Co-Founder Dan Black tells Will McGill how the business evolved, why focus was critical, and what today’s retailers should understand about the brand.
Breakthrough
That mindset quickly translated into action. One of the company’s first own-brand successes came when concepts developed for a lighting brief were rejected by the client. Rather than abandoning them, the pair decided to manufacture the designs themselves. “We thought, why don’t we just have a go at making it?” says Mr Black.
“We found a wire bender in Essex, sourced parts from Italy and Surrey, and literally assembled them ourselves.” The resulting ‘Bag of Light’ was hand-delivered to independent
retailers, marking Black + Blum’s first steps into the housewares market. “We didn’t really know anything about retail,” Mr Black admits. “We were just making things and taking them to shops. It was great fun.” A small stand at London’s 100% Design show helped build early
awareness, but a chance encounter at a trade exhibition proved transformative. “At the end of the show, someone said they loved our door stop,” says Mr Black. “I put the business card in my pocket and forgot about it. A few days later I realised it was from Target.” A container order followed, giving the fledgling brand its first major international breakthrough. Through the early 2000s, Black + Blum built a reputation for originality,
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lack + Blum’s journey began in 1998 with little more than ambition, a shared design background and a willingness to take risks. For Co-Founder Dan Black, the early days were defined as
much by uncertainty as creativity.. “We didn’t have a client to take with us, which is what most consultancies rely on,” he recalls. “So we were pitching anything – airline seats, beer products, whatever we could get our hands on.” Mr Black and his then business partner Martin Blum had met through design, bonded by a desire to create their own products rather than work solely for others. “We always had this dream of starting a business where we designed products for ourselves,” says Mr Black. “If you’re in consultancy, it’s not always the most exciting work.”
producing an eclectic mix of products that ranged from humorous kitchenware to sculptural home accessories. “Every project started with a blank sheet of paper,” says Mr Black. “It was about doing something fun and different.” That freedom led to a stream of inventive designs, but it also created challenges at retail. “We had products all over the store,” he explains. “A buyer might love one item, but then ask what’s next, and we’d show them something completely different.” While the brand was well regarded by designers and buyers, it lacked a
clear, unified identity for consumers. The turning point came as Mr Black began to question the wider role of design in an increasingly crowded marketplace. “You go to these huge trade shows and see thousands of products,”
he says. “And you start thinking – how many of these actually need to exist?” Inspired in part by the philosophy of William Morris, the business began to refocus on products that were genuinely useful, built to last and justified their place in the market. That shift led to a strategic decision to concentrate on food and drink on the go.
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