Photography by Daniel Lurie
Directly opposite 44 Stanley is a brand new decor shop, Belle. Owned by Belinda Fawell, Belle offers an eclectic combination of antique and vintage pieces – ranging from the sensibly classic to the wonderfully eccentric, dotted with a few contemporary beauties – all hand-picked and brought in from France, with love! Added to this is the deliciously fine smell of organic soaps and smelly goodies from La Maison Savon De Marseille. Yum!
What inspired you to open Belle?
Our love of the Languedoc and its surrounding areas – its smell, its taste, its breathtakingly crazy castles and cathedrals, its quaint villages and intriguing history. We wanted to capture a bit of its soul and bring it to South Africa.
What products do you sell in the shop?
Apart from the furniture and products from La Maison Savon De Marseille, we sell a vast range of Tintin goodies from Moulinsart. Belle also stocks beautiful antique linen, which is becoming rarer to find.
Where do you source your products from?
Our products are sourced from France (except Tintin, whose Belgian – of course!). We find the pieces ourselves, mostly in the Languedoc and Provence.
How do you translate international trends in the South African market?
I believe strongly in a universal design zeitgeist – South African design grows organically with that of the rest of the world – with a bit of an indigenous twist, but in the same direction nonetheless. South Africa develops alongside international trends, not necessarily behind them (as too many South Africans still believe!).
Where in the home can your products be used?
They can be used anywhere really, but preferably everywhere!
What are your future plans with Belle?
To continue sourcing fabulous items with soul and history! We’ll soon be bringing in some great new products from France, and then there are plans for expansion!
What devor items are popular in the South African market?
Mainstream department stores may have a market research team study this subject, while I on the other hand prefer to believe in the uniqueness of each buyer. I find that that the uniqueness of each buyers’ needs is as unique as each piece we sell!
bellefrance@telkomsa.net, 011 482 3288.
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