Our Stories
The Past is Present
As emerging SA designers increasingly turn to their heritage for inspiration gold, Phansi ubuntuART Museum in Durban is where X marks the spot on SA’s design treasure map. Brimming with significant cultural artefacts, never has a space such as this felt more important for the future of South African design.
The Clout Designers’ Industry Days
The Clout Designers’ Industry Days Fired Up By Nando’s took place on 9 and 10 August 2019 at 100% Design South Africa 2019, which ran alongside Decorex Joburg.
Fill your cup
No visit to 100% Design South Africa at Gallagher Estate is complete without a stop at its café at the heart of the exhibition floor — it’s the place to meet, eat and dissect the stellar design on show, and always a key feature of the event. This year, Studio Leelynch was the dynamic force behind it. Step inside The Clout Café, fired up by Nando’s
The Sacrosanct Hut
Former Nando’s HYD winner, Thabisa Mjo was approached to participate in Futura Base at Milan Design Fair 2019. Thabisa, with support from the Nando’s Design Programme, curated the Sacrosanct Hut, featuring works from a diverse range of young South African designers, at different stages of their business journeys, from the emerging through to the established.
Robbie Brozin Speaks about Nandos HYD Talent Search
Ahead of the announcement of the winner of the Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search 2018, we caught up with Nando’s co-founder Robbie Brozin, to find out what motivated Nando’s, a global chicken restaurant chain, to become champions of South African design through initiatives like the Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search.
From Mzansi to Milan
When South African designer Thabiso Mjo received an invitation to exhibit in Milan during Milan Design Week in 2019, she reached out to Nando’s Design Programme creative director Tracy Lee Lynch. With Lynch’s guidance, sponsorship from Nando’s, and collaboration with fellow South African designers, she curated a one-of-a-kind installation showcasing some of the best design South Africa has to offer. We caught up with her before she headed off to Milan to chat about the installation, as well as the power of collaboration.
Designer-maker spotlight: TheUrbanative
…There was a metallurgical engineer who followed her heart and became a designer. She formed her own company, TheUrbanative, with the aim of telling African stories through modern furniture and product design, and within three years became SA’s Designer of the Year. Meet the heroine of this story, Mpho Vackier
Meet Naturalis
Based in Cape Town, Naturalis is much more than a chair manufacture factory, it has grown to become a family of nearly 40 people, some of whom come from challenging backgrounds, including those who have done prison time. We chat to Naturalis founder Sandalene Dale-Roberts and her team about how creating and manufacturing chairs has given the Naturalis team purpose, and had a transformative effect on their lives and families.
Nando’s HYD 2018 – Patterns of Success
Currently preparing for its third iteration, the Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search continues to reveal a wealth of fresh local creative talent. The 2018 competition — in which designers were asked to submit a pattern with a forward-thinking South African aesthetic — was flooded with entries.
