Meet Meekel

After years of frustration with not being able to get hold of the beautiful local design items they spied in magazines, husband and wife team Kerry and Bobby Hugill decided if the designs they loved weren’t brought to them, they would take them to everyone else.

And so, online design and décor store Meekel was born. Launched in November 2011 the virtual shop offers handpicked, handmade South African goods to the local and international market. Jewellery, furniture, soft furnishings, art and everything between – if it’s local and it’s lekker you’ll find it on Meekel.

“It’s a labour of love,” says Kerry who works in graphic design from nine to five. “I focus on the homeware and Bobby (an architect and industrial designer) concentrates on the rest”.

And it’s not just the big names that grace the site. Kerry and Bobby have chosen pieces that speak to them, and won’t necessarily stock items just because they’re made by a well know designer. “The site has a really personal feel,” says Kerry, “we might only stock one item by a certain designer because we hand pick everything instead of just taking entire ranges”.

The name of the site was inspired by Bobby’s mother’s maiden name. “It’s a homage to her, she is a really passionate lady,” which is apt, as it seems Kerry and Bobby’s passion lies with the designs created within our borders. “We love it all so it’s tempting for us to not buy all the items on offer ourselves,” Kerry laughs.

At present items can only be bought in Rands, but Kerry says in the near future other currencies will be accepted too. In the meantime they have kept their approach and aesthetic global, enticing shoppers from around the world to indulge in Meekel’s offerings.

“Although we’re selling South African goods, we wanted the site to have an international feel … so from the name to the logo, we want to show that although it’s African design it is on an international level.” And anyone who has visited the online store would not be able to argue. A beautiful showcase of local design, Meekel is the place to shop, without even leaving home.

More information: www.meekel.co.za