Threadless and Dell Join Forces To Feature Artists' Designs

Just in time for its 10th anniversary, Threadless, the Chicago-based crowd-sourced design website known for its clever t-shirts, has made a deal with Dell to produce an exclusive collection of artists' graphic creations for laptops. Drawing from an arsenal of 80,000 artists and designers, Threadless has contributed 11 designs for the new laptops to be sold through Dell Design Studio. More than one million Threadless community members will vote regularly on their favorite design submissions, and the most popular selections will then be sold  on threadless.com. Dell shoppers will choose one of the designs, which will be permanently infused on the cover of a laptop. Design options will be updated two to four times a year.

Threadless' vice president of marketing, Cam Balzer, said the Dell initiative signals a new business phase for the company, offering an expanded palette for artists to sell their art in a new way and to a different audience. Dell, which also sells Major League Baseball designs, (Product) Red signature artwork, and OPI nail polish-inspired colors through their design studio, looks for companies that "really resonate with consumers," says Rachna Bhasin, general manager for strategic partnerships and personalization. The collaboration, alongside a road trip with Threadless' Everywhere Tour, is said to be a way for the maligned computer company to earn back consumer trust after court documents appeared in the New York Times alleging the company knowingly sold faulty parts to various institutions. Threadless will plug the partnership on its website, as well as through email and social networking.

Threadless has already cornered the market on artistic, humorous t-shirts...now they're making your laptops a little brighter!

Image courtesy of Threadless/Dell.