Four South African superstar designers you need to know about

Give your home a unique homegrown aesthetic with the addition of magnificent pieces from these talented local designers.

• Thabisa Mjo: The film industry’s loss is the design industry’s gain. Mjo changed her focus from production design to interiors after she realised how her fascination with spaces can influence people’s emotional responses. She started with hospitality and retail design, then in 2016 she launched her award-winning light collection, Pieces of Me, which won her the awards for Best Emerging Talent and Best Product at 100% Design South Africa. With her second collection, she has extended her range to include furniture.

Mash T. Design Studio

• Ilovani: The Garden Route, home to South Africa’s splendid indigenous forests, is a fitting home to this brand, which specialises in pieces fashioned from sustainable timber. But it’s not just the products that are inspiring. Ilovani has a heavy focus on skills development programmes and embraces ‘green practices’; for example, through the use of offcuts to make accessories.

Ilovani

• David Krynauw: The former winemaker first came to the attention of décor lovers when his Dome Pendant Cluster was named a finalist for Most Beautiful Object at the Design Indaba in 2008. Since then, he has become best known for boundary-breaking designs with quality and minute attention to detail.

David Krynauw

• Meyer von Wielligh: Norman Meyer and Abrie von Wielligh were the winners of the 2008 Small Enterprise Development Agency Award for the most successful graduated incubates, an accolade that has since been followed by several more awards, including recognition for furniture design from WCFI and 100% Design South Africa. Using sustainable, indigenous timbers, the duo strives to create pieces that are as beautiful as they are functional. They have now expanded their custom and classic ranges with kitchen design.