On your market, get set, go!

WORDS Michelle Marais PHOTOS Emily Faulstich 

With new restaurants and stores continuing to pop up in Bree Street, the urban heart of the Mother City is burgeoning. South African Market (SAM) is one such treasure that recently opened its doors to the public, situated just above the trendy tapas restaurant, La Parada. The beautifully designed loft space sells a variety of products – from furniture to leather goods and jewellery – designed by some of our country’s most talented artisans. We spoke to designers and co-founders Naomi Bossert and Berlinda White about the store’s concept, the transformation of the space and the importance of e-commerce in a digital age.

How did the concept of a truly South African one-stop-shop come about?

Being designers ourselves, we struggled to find the right stores to stock our products. We also found that there was a lack of variety so we began our search for designers who would be interested in having us stock their products. We were truly amazed by the amount of good designers scattered across South Africa.

With Cape Town being World Design Capital 2014, did you plan on opening the store specifically for this reason? It does seem perfect, doesn’t it?

We started working on the SAM concept two years ago and 2014 was definitely one of our aims, but we were quite lucky that all the pieces fell into place.

Bree Street has become a very popular location for bespoke stores and fine restaurants. How did you come across your current space and does the hustle and bustle influence your own creativity?

Funnily enough, we found the space by randomly driving down Bree Street. We were searching for an industrial-looking space for quite a while, but couldn’t find one in a preferred location. When we entered the space, we where sold. The loft was a blank canvas and with it came the opportunity to truly curate a collection of the best of South African design. We love being on Bree Street. It is a creative hub that attracts a lot of locals and internationals – it truly is a place where you can let your creativity run wild.

You teamed up with architect Jakob Basson to transform the space. What was your aim with the interior?

We really wanted the interior to reflect the best of South African interior design. Jakob Basson has a great eye for design. By combining this with his sense of spatial awareness, he was able to create a playful space that complements the products we stock. We approached well-known furniture designer Xandre Kriel to produce the stunning wooden shelving.

SAM houses a variety of locally produced goods. What criteria do these goods adhere to in order to be stocked?

We only stock South African design. We feel that there is a thin line between craft and design in South Africa and we strive to have the shop be a proper reflection of the latter. We love duality and never choose similar designs. Products need to be original and of good quality. We regularly sign new designers to ensure that we have a constant flow of fresh products, making SAM worth a visit every week.

SAM will also run an online shop. How important is the e-commerce element in this day and age?

It is extremely important. We want SAM to be the first thing people think about when they think “South African design”. E-commerce allows us to connect and reconnect with the global community.

Looking towards the future, where do you see the brand in a decade?

We would like to take the brand nationwide and then expand to other countries. Our aim is to change the image foreigners have of South African design. 

Visit SAM at 107 Bree Street, Cape Town. For the latest in local design visit their website www.ilovesam.co.za, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.