Nando’s HYD 2018 Winner and Finalists
Meet the winner, and his fellow finalists
Agrippa Mncedisi Hlophe
Age 32, from Port Shepstone
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m a graphic designer at TBWA Durban, but in my spare time I do a lot of illustration and pattern design. My work is inspired by African culture, design trends and patterns. Winning this competition has boosted my confidence as a designer; the amount of exposure that I received was remarkable and it motivated me to start my own design business, Afro Ink Designs. Seeing my pattern design in the Nando’s casas makes me want to pat myself on the back and say, well done!
The inspiration behind your pattern?
I wanted to create a flowing pattern that represents continuity. In life we all go through problems and rough patches, where we’re forced to take difficult curves, where we fall and rise again. But when we rise, we rise with more knowledge, stronger hearts and minds.
Bonolo Helen Chepape
Age 26, from Rustenburg
Tell us a bit about yourself
After three years of working as a graphic designer in advertising, I left to start my own business, LulasClan. I design custom textiles for clients in the hospitality, decor, retail and fashion space, as well as create decor items such as scatter cushions, fabrics and wall art, which I sell on my online platform. Being a HYD finalist has really opened up my mind to the textile industry – and opened up a lot of doors, too. And being presented with the Design Foundation Future Found Award (which recognises a young designer who has established a business and excelled in the field) is my greatest achievement so far. Now, I want to focus on producing my upcoming collection – I have amazing projects underway that are all about colour, culture and storytelling, fabric, wallpaper, and a little surprise…
The inspiration behind your pattern?
I created a pattern that depicts the notion of ‘one hand feeds the other’. So with the intricacy of the lines, you’ll see a lot of line detailed work. It’s an expression of the connectivity that we share with one another. I’m all about the preservation of culture and heritage – my sense of where I come from grounds me, makes me unique.
Primrose Chimhanda
Age 26, from Cape Town
Tell us a bit about yourself
I have a degree in architecture from Wits, but after graduating I spent three years working in interior design. In September 2018, I left my job to pursue a career as an independent artist and surface designer. I have since launched my business Primrose Charmz, which specialises in eco-friendly designer textiles and homeware products. I feel incredibly humbled and blessed to have had my pattern used by Nando’s interior design partner, Reddeco, in the Nando’s casa on Pretorius Street in Pretoria. For me, it’s all about learning, learning, learning…
The inspiration behind your pattern?
I have a passion for nature and geometry. For this design, I literally took a chilli, split it in half, and looked at the pattern inside. I then took that and turned it into a geometrical shape, repeating it and playing around with it until I had created a geometrical pattern.
Kamogelo Samkelo Mthunzi
Age 23, from Tembisa
Tell us a bit about yourself
I have a diploma in textile design from Tshwane University of Technology, and run my own decor company. It’s still a little baby, but I already employ 10 people and soon, if things go according to plan, I’ll be running a design firm. Anything is possible! Being a HYD finalist has shown me what I’m capable of. Plus, meeting other creative people has shown me that art is alive and it’s life. Being my own boss, doing what I love, and creating job opportunities for young people makes me happy. I want to do things for my community.
The inspiration behind your pattern?
To me it’s like a group, a group of minds or a group of people. The circles, the dots – they’re challenges. We all go through challenges, big ones, small ones. So, the small dots are saying, ‘You were from here, now you’re here’.
Mixo Dawn Mackaukau
Age 24, from Limpopo
Tell us a bit about yourself
I studied design and studio art, and international business studies, at Aalen University in Germany, and currently work full-time for H&M as a fashion sales advisor. I learnt so much during the HYD workshops, and realised through the process that there’s so much more I can actually do in the design industry. I’m trying to up my pattern-making skills and am working towards using my pattern designs for my own fashion line.
The inspiration behind your pattern?
A round plate of chicken wings in front of me gave me an idea – I wanted circles and I wanted triangles. For me, it represents family, and family coming together.
Ditiro mashigo
Age 27, from Pretoria
Tell us a bit about yourself
When I was about 11 or 12 years old, I won this little art competition at school, and guess what I won? Fabric paint. And guess what I did? I repurposed my entire wardrobe. My mother was not impressed. But it planted a seed, and I went on to Tshwane University of Technology to study both fashion and textile design. As a self-employed creative entrepreneur, I do project planning, coordination and skills training; I make clothing for a few select clients; I provide a clothing upcycling service; I make soft furniture products that I sell online; and I have a new shop in the pipeline. A particular highlight this year was being named as the new designer for the Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir!
The inspiration behind your pattern?
My everyday life is composed of clothing upcycling, so the fabrics I used in my entry were actually fabrics from my clothing construction. Before I start any project, I crochet. So I had this pile of crocheted yarns, and I took one and applied it to the design.
Dillon Joseph
Age 21, from Durban
Tell us a bit about yourself
Having studied graphic design at the Durban University of Technology, I now work as a freelance designer.I love to work with identity – I love the idea of it. I love how you portray yourself and how someone else portrays themselves to the public, and how someone interprets that. Being a HYD finalist has been an amazing experience for me, not just the opportunities it has opened up but also the meeting of new like-minded people who have become friends along the way. I learnt a lot from them.
The inspiration behind your pattern?
The beadwork and adornment used by the Samburu people of the Maasai tribe. They strongly believe that each bead and each colour, and in a certain sequence, speaks to something, such as your role within the village or a community. I find that very meaningful.
Thandazani Nofinxana
Age 22, from Mthatha
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m currently doing my Honours at Nelson Mandela University, but I also freelance as a textile designer. I’m working on a new range of prints and knitwear, which I hope to showcase at a number of fashion shows by the end of this year. Ultimately, I want to build my own mini textile studio.
The inspiration behind your pattern?
Traditional Xhosa face painting. The memory of paint on my hands, dots on my face, during initiation. The whole thing of the hands holding each other – there’s this thing called Izandla ziyahlambana (‘one hand washes the other’) – is what I was trying to convey in the design.
Zinhle Sithebe
Age 24, from Centurion
Tell us a bit about yourself
I studied visual communication at The Open Window Institute in Centurion. I’m an illustrator but trying to break out of my comfort zone and explore more of the surface design industry. In the next year, I aim to work on a larger scale in surface design – illustrations on clothing or even murals. Right now, though, I’m working on some collaborations with brands and getting ready to launch some new print work.
The inspiration behind your pattern?
Imbadada – Zulu sandals made out of tyres. They’re usually black and white, but I’m naturally a colourful person so added blue and red. I love the idea of mixing a traditional cultural aesthetic with a contemporary feel.
Spamandla Mdunyelwa
Age 20, from Mthatha
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m currently doing my third year in interior design at Durban University of Technology. I’d like to venture into industrial design, hopefully next year once school’s finished. I’ve grown so much this year, being a HYD finalist has had a huge impact on my life. Being mentored through the process, I feel like now I can do this. Now I can actually see what’s possible, because I’ve had people believe in me, people who’ve said, ‘You’ve got this.’ Highlight of all highlights? The recent request to have my pattern used on the 5th floor of Erico House, Nando’s headquarters in London – it still feels surreal!
The inspiration behind your pattern?
When I design it’s weird: I grow, and get to know myself better every time. With this pattern, I saw how each line held each shape together, creating some continuity. So I called it ‘Balance’.