Empowering change: Pioneering the future of design this Women’s Month

by Tia

The women of South Africa’s design industry stand as beacons of creativity and vision, constantly redefining the landscape with their innovative ideas. They don’t just follow trends: they set them, carving out new spaces and opportunities as they go.

For the Decorex Africa team, which is almost entirely female, advocating for these women is essential for nurturing diversity, challenging stereotypes, driving innovation, achieving economic growth, promoting social equity and reflecting the rich cultural fabric of the nation. ‘Our country’s rich cultural diversity should be reflected in its design industry, and championing women ensures this is accurately and fully represented,’ comments Bielle Bellingham, Decorex Africa Executive Creative Director. ‘Often, women design with a focus on community and social impact, leading to projects that benefit society as a whole. By supporting their work, we foster a more inclusive and forward-thinking industry.’

This year, Decorex Joburg and 100% Design Africa are proud to spotlight these extraordinary women, bringing together the brightest female designers and creative minds to showcase their remarkable talents. Hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre from 1 to 4 August 2024, these events mark a powerful commencement to Women’s Month in South Africa, leading up to the celebration of National Women’s Day on 9 August.

From engineers, architects, interior decorators and ceramicists to furniture designers and textile artists, the extraordinary participants of these two highly anticipated shows stand as a reminder of the formidable expertise present across diverse fields – and the continued need to highlight their remarkable contributions.

Decorex Joburg and 100% Design Africa, collocated at the Sandton Convention Centre in the heart of Joburg and brought to you by Samsung, Plascon and Lexus, will take over all four levels of the venue with the extraordinary creations of these trailblazers.

Serious interiors

Women in interior design from across South Africa will be bringing their A-game to the 2024 edition of Decorex Joburg. For the Lexus ‘Making Luxury Personal’ spaces – which invites respected South African designers to create exceptional feature spaces informed by the latest Lexus car models – Anna Correia, Kgomotso Malope of MoTSO DeSIGNEDand Sihan Wiid of Mink Interiors will demonstrate how to capture the personality of luxury cars in interior design.

Owned and operated by the ever-stylish Tanya Solomon, Living Inspired Interiors will be creating a room set inspired by Plascon palettes. The Plascon Colour Design Pods will push designers to explore and showcase the diverse and dynamic possibilities of colour using the Plascon Colour Forecast for 2024.

For Correira, the interior consultant behind her eponymous brand, supporting women in design is all about growing together. ‘The alliance of women is incredibly important. At the end of the day we each have something different to offer with our own unique tastes and styles. Equally we can continue to learn from one another, help and grow together,’ she says.

Shining stars 

100% Design Africa is set to host a slew of buzzy young designers grabbing the attention of everyone in the South African creative scene. Kalki Ceramics, a bespoke Durban-based ceramic studio co-founded by multi-disciplinary artist Nindya Bucktowar and her partner Nikhil Tricam, will be at the show. Kalki was the winner of the annual Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search in 2022.

Former Design Indaba Emerging Creatives and sisters Viveka and Rucita Vassen’s multi-disciplinary design studio Ananta Design Studio will be exhibiting at 100% Design Africa, showcasing its unique beaded lighting and decor pieces. ‘We have the opportunity to step into roles of power and, through our platform, empower and celebrate women artisans and crafters from marginalised communities,’ notes the duo.

‘We are in the position to challenge the status quo, create work environments that support working mothers and allow them greater flexibility. We want to design our business for women in a way that nurtures, supports and inspires them to fulfil their dreams and aspirations.’

Local surface brand Infinity Surfaces will be mounting an exciting collaboration elevating South African furniture design to global heights with four visionary local designers including Mpho Vackier of multi-disciplinary furniture and product design company TheUrbanative, and Tanisha Neill of Cape Town-based furniture design studio N I S H.

To Neill, ‘being a woman in design means embracing my passion for creativity without letting my gender define my limits.’

Creative identity

Jana Hamman of Jana + Koos, the renowned branding and design agency, has played a pivotal role in shaping the brand identities of Connect Everything Collective, Chommies, Decorex Designer of the Year Tristan du Plessis, Mamasamba, and many more. Hamman’s visionary talent ignited the spark for Decorex and 100% Design Africa 2024, contributing her expertise to the identity and graphic design of this year’s Future Talks, ensuring a visually compelling and cohesive experience.

Hospitality how-to

Named earlier in 2024 as the ‘Women Shaping the Future of Sustainable Hotel Design’ by Condé Nast Traveller, Megan Hesse and Andrea Kleinloog of HesseKleinloog Studio and Anatomy Design will demonstrate their industry brilliance at 100% Hospitality by Belgotex, an exclusive exhibition showcasing the future of luxury hospitality design.

Industry icon

Wolkberg Casting Studio will be catering to the appetites of showgoers with its 100% Design Africa Café located in the centre of the 100% Design Africa hall on Level 2 of the convention centre. Wolkberg, a proudly African industrial design studio, was co-founded by creative entrepreneur Ramielle de Jager – a regular Future Talks contributor – who has established a name for herself as a leading product innovator in the industry. 

Talking the talk

Offering an unparalleled forum for inspiration and innovation within the design industry, Future Talks’ dynamic hosts for 2024 include creative multi-hyphenate and the co-founder of interior design studio MOEA Design, Cassandra Twala, creative director Jana Hamman, and spatial design educator and interior architect Audrey Nanjala.

Andrea Kleinloog will give an honest and insightful talk on the experiences of working in Africa as both a designer and a woman. This session is designed for students to understand the realities of the design trade and the unique challenges and opportunities they will encounter in the African context after graduation. Kleinloog will share her personal journey, offer practical advice, and discuss the evolving landscape of design in Africa, providing invaluable insights for aspiring designers preparing to navigate this dynamic and diverse environment.

Guiding light

Design brand Coote and Wench will be returning to 100% Design Africa with its unique range of upcycled lighting, handmade furniture and home accessories. Founded by Storm Coote and her husband Philip, the team upcycles items sourced from salvage yards around Joburg into one-of-a-kind lamps and furniture pieces.

Founded in 2016 by multipotentialite Ashlee Lloyd, internationally acclaimed lighting design studio Studio Lloyd will stage a designer room set at 100% Design Africa. The studio’s impressive catalogue of functional art pieces has been featured in British Vogue, Visi and Dezeen, among others.

Art meets textiles

Alice Tindall’s eponymous textile design and printing studio Alice Tindall Textiles – renowned for its creative screen-printing workshops and bespoke textile design service – will be exhibiting as part of the Decor Hall on Level 5 of the convention centre, as will women-owned South African-made blankets and throw brand KOBO Africa.

Mark your calendar to ensure you don’t miss this spectacular show of creativity and unparalleled talent from the women of South Africa.

The show at your fingertips

Download the dedicated new Decorex app from the App Store or Google Play to help you plan your Decorex and 100% Design Africa experiences, making it smoother and more efficient. Don’t miss a beat!

For the trade

Members of the trade can pre-register at https://register.decorex.co.za/joburg/delegate/register/default for complimentary trade access. On acceptance of their application, members of the trade will also get the chance to upgrade to the VIP Buyers Club which gives access to exclusive perks like on-site business matchmaking, free parking, VIP lounge access, and priority updates on networking events and workshops.

​​Essential information for Decorex Joburg and 100% Design Africa

Show times:

Thursday 1 August 09h00-18h00

Friday 2 August 09h00-18h00

Saturday 3 August 09h00-18h00

Sunday 4 August 09h00-17h00

Venue:

Sandton Convention Centre, 161 Maude Street, Sandown, Sandton, 2196, South Africa.

Parking:

There is ample undercover parking charged at hourly rates and guests are required to use the convenient pay-on-foot parking ticket kiosks. Please consult the list of parking venues listed on the FAQ page: https://www.decorex.co.za/global/en-gb/f-a-q.html

Tickets:

Tickets are available via https://decorex.howler.co.za/events/decorex-joburg-69cb/tickets and cost less if you buy them online ahead of time.

Tickets prices online:

Adults: R150

Pensioners/students R110

Trade: Free with pre-registration https://register.decorex.co.za/joburg/delegate/register/default  

Children: R30

Children under 2: Free

Ticket prices at the door:

Adults: R160

Pensioners/students R120

Trade: R160

Children: R30

Children under 2: Free

For more information, visit www.decorex.co.za. For regular updates follow @decorexafrica on Instagram and Facebook, and for the latest decor and design industry news visit the Decorex JRNL https://www.decorex.co.za/global/en-gb/journal.html

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