About Obsessionistas
Obsessionistas is an ever expanding gallery of collectors showcasing their collections online. From the curious and fun to the uniquely significant, the things people choose to collect help reflect their values and say a lot about who they are. We believe that in a world of homogeneous ‘me too’ lifestyles, products and brands, individuality can at least in part be expressed through our particular obsessions and what we seek out, keep and collect.
Obsessionistas is primarily a cultural website that focuses on the role collections play in relating personal narratives, sharing heritage, tracing design history and inspiring creativity. Exclusive insights into unique collections are added each week, along with news, views and reviews.
We also curate events and exhibitions that explore the inter-connectedness of collecting and collections in our contemporary culture. We’re passionate about sharing personal collections, design archives and museum collections with a wider audience, along with the fascinating individual narratives behind them.
Submissions & enquiries
We are always on the lookout for interesting new collections to feature. If you'd like to join our community of fellow Obsessionistas by sharing and promoting your collection then we'd love to hear from you. Submissions, proposals for guest posts or reviews and other enquiries are also welcome. More information is available here
About the editors & curators
Obsessionistas was launched in April 2011 by husband and wife team Graham and Helen Powell.
Graham studied design at the Royal College of Art & Imperial College (London), after completing an engineering apprenticeship and then ‘running away’ to art college. He then designed products at Dyson, Babysphere and Mathmos and later established his own conceptual design company - Guinea Pig Design, exhibiting work at several London design festivals, the V&A and in New York. He is currently director of the post-graduate programme in Product Design at the Birmingham Institute of Art & Design and has contributed to various publications including the Design Transformation Group and Phaidon Design Classics volumes
. He collects deely boppers, wind up toys and images of plastic ice creams.
Helen studied Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Manchester and following a career in corporate marketing and higher education she now spends most of her time editing Obsessionistas along with running her other website, the award winning design and lifestyle blog Design Hunter. She collects mid-century ceramics and glass and vintage hairdryers and is fascinated by the personal, cultural and social histories of objects and the people who collect them.
Working with us
If you'd like to get in touch to enquire about our research and consultancy services, find out about the talks and presentations we can offer, or discuss collaborating with us on an event we'd love to hear from you. Click here for more information.
Contact Obsessionistas
Please contact us here.