Design Indaba is unarguably one of the most important events on the South African design calendar. Every year the expo assails our senses with creativity, and displays only the best in craft, decor, fashion, product design, visual art, jewellery design (and lots more!) all under one roof. SA Home Owner’s CT-based regional sales manager, Debbie Zeelie, shares her thoughts on the expo.
The expo has grown tremendously over the past few years, sporting 110 new exciting exhibitors in 2013. A few of my favourites included Honest Chocolate, a CT-based duo of raw, organic chocolatiers, Resails, a company that transforms old sails into nautical bags, jackets and accessories and Cath Price Ceramics that creates a variety of three-dimensional animal inspired bowls.
The soft furnishing exhibitors displayed in their products expert creativity and craftsmanship and an emphasis on utilising local design and manufacturing skills. Petersens, a company known for being expert wood craftsmen, turn out beautifully detailed furniture for every room in the house, from the baby’s room to the kitchen. Then there is Nakara Carpets that creates “bespoke carpets”, with either its designs or yours’ and produces a carpet of sterling quality and durability.
One of the highlights of the expo is the Emerging Creatives programme. Established in 2004, Design Indaba developed the programme to nurture up-and-coming talent and provide them with a platform to display their work. One of the “talents” that stood out for me was Nawaaz Saldulker, who touts himself as a “visual imaginer”. Nawaaz creates unique wall-mounted planter boxes with succulents and a boxed wall-mounted light that moves when it heats up, creating a hypnotising visual effect.
Those lucky enough to attend this year’s expo would have been rewarded with unparalleled design delights. This is not your run-of-the-mill expo, but an inspirational hub that displays only the best of South African design.
Leave a Comment