Clout SA Archives | Visi https://visi.co.za/tag/clout-sa/ SA's most beautiful magazine Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:13:59 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://visi.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-ICO-32x32-Black-1-1-32x32.png Clout SA Archives | Visi https://visi.co.za/tag/clout-sa/ 32 32 Clout/SA and The Keiskamma Art Project Homeware Collection https://visi.co.za/clout-sa-and-the-keiskamma-art-project-homeware-collection/ Mon, 19 Aug 2024 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=637397 Clout/SA and The Keiskamma Art Project have collaborated on their first homeware collection, set to launch at the AAfrica store in V&A Waterfront on 22 August.

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Justin Patrick


Clout/SA and The Keiskamma Art Project have collaborated on their first homeware collection, set to launch at the AAfrica store in V&A Waterfront on 22 August.

AAfrica store, the contemporary African design emporium in the V&A Waterfront, is launching “Stitched, a Story of our Home” – a new homeware collection facilitated by Clout/SA in collaboration with The Keiskamma Art Project.

Over the last 20 years, the Keiskamma Art Project has produced major embroidered textile artworks made by the mainly rural women and men of Hamburg, sharing their stories and experiences, as well as bringing to visual life the oral history tradition of the Eastern Cape.

Three artists from the project, namely Anelisa Nyongo, Nozibele Nxadi, and lead artist and production manager Cebo Mvubu, have lent their skills and their particular aesthetic to the design of the collection.

“What really got me excited was that this process forced us out of our comfort zone. It showed us that we could effectively use messaging apps and create work remotely even with international collaborators. Going forward, we can now challenge ourselves to not be limited by our location in the rural Eastern Cape; we can work with anyone anywhere in the world,” says Cebu Mvubu, lead artist and production manager of Keiskamma Art Project.

Clout/SA and The Keiskamma Art Project Homeware Collection

The homeware collection features a quintessentially African scene and depicts a rich landscape of trees, lush vegetation and birds such as Grey Herons and Little Egrets who feature prominently in the Keiskamma River Estuary in Hamburg, rendered in the inimitable embroidery style of the Keiskamma Art Project artisans. Included in the in-store backdrop to launch the collection is the Papa San sofa by Haldane Martin and the wallpaper designed by Clout/SA executive Tracy Lynch, which was launched at 100% Design Africa in 2023 and printed by Cara Saven Wall Design.


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Flaming Hot https://visi.co.za/nandos-central-kitchen-gets-a-revamp/ Mon, 08 Apr 2024 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=632909 The Joburg-based spiritual home of Nando's recently underwent a spectacular, proudly South African update.

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WORDS Sarah Buitendach PHOTOS Elsa Young


The Joburg-based spiritual home of Nando’s recently underwent a spectacular, proudly South African update.

We’ve become accustomed to Nando’s restaurants displaying contemporary South African design (and art). In just over a decade, this homegrown chicken brand has become synonymous with promoting local designers, and is proof that big business can – and should – do just that.

“The brand has always celebrated South African creativity in all forms, including advertising, art, music and design,” explains Nando’s South Africa’s director of property, development and sustainability Michael Spinks. “In a growing economy like ours, we need to create demand to stimulate these sectors and generate opportunities for young creatives. A global business such as Nando’s creates demand through its operations that can be steered towards impact for others.”

Nando's
The seating area at Nando’s Central Kitchen includes wall lights by Ashanti Design and pendants by Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) 2016 winner 2016 Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio. The planters are by Plantr and TheUrbanative, the occasional chairs are by Casamento, the server is by Sifiso Shange of AfriModern, and the green-and-white Nok’khanya lights in the background are by HYD 2020 finalist Siviwe Jali of uMugqa Studio in collaboration with Ashanti Design.

The spiritual heart of the business, Nando’s Central Kitchen (or CK), in Joburg’s Lorentzville is the ultimate example. Recently updated, it showcases the best pieces and projects that the team – under the leadership of Nando’s design curator and Clout/SA creative director Tracy Lynch – has championed over the years. The refresh, like ours, we need to create demand to stimulate these sectors and generate opportunities for young creatives. A global business such as Nando’s creates demand through its operations that can be steered towards impact for others.”

The spiritual heart of the business, Nando’s Central Kitchen (or CK), in Joburg’s Lorentzville is the ultimate example. Recently updated, it showcases the best pieces and projects that the team – under the leadership of Nando’s design curator and Clout/SA creative director Tracy Lynch – has championed over the years. The refresh, implemented by Acre Studio, aimed to draw people back after Covid, and reimagine slightly tired elements. It was also a massive opportunity.

“One of the best things about doing the refurb was being able to include young designers’ pieces,” says Tracy. “When CK was originally created, our Hot Young Designers (HYD) competition didn’t exist. In fact, we evolved the project to seek out emerging black designers in particular. We want to create opportunities for the next generation.”

The competition has introduced the likes of Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio, and Nindya Bucktowar and Nikhil Tricam of Kalki Ceramics. Now they and other HYD alumni call CK home. Hand-painted patterns by Bonolo Chepape form a backdrop to servers created by Sifiso Shange and tiled food stations by the Kalki Ceramics team. There’s Mash.T’s Tutu pendant, and Nok’khanya lights produced by Siviwe Jali and Ashanti Design. Every corner benefits from this local beauty, carefully curated by Tracy and brought to life in collaboration with Lindy Swart – co-founder and co-director of Acre Studios – and CK’s project manager Leigh van der Watt.

Clout/SA has evolved to manage and drive this design project across all Nando’s restaurants. The team works with select market-ready designers to prototype pieces and get them ready for inclusion on the Portal, Nando’s online marketplace. The group’s interior designers either order pieces from the Portal or collaborate with designers to create specific pieces to form a part of the restaurants they design.

Nando’s doesn’t lay claim to any of the designs – the designers can sell to anyone. But, as Tracy notes, “We’ve sold 50 000 local pieces to our global design network, which equates to about R100-million going back into the industry.” Business case and quarter-chickens aside, you cannot leave the spruced-up CK without feeling inspired – and envious. If only all our offices looked like this…


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Kalki Ceramics’ Fynbos-Inspired Furniture at 100% Design Africa https://visi.co.za/kalki-ceramics-fynbos-inspired-furniture-at-100-design-africa/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=626634 The 2022 Nando’s Hot Young Designer winners, Kalki Ceramics, showcase a new range of fynbos-inspired furniture pieces at 100% Design Africa by Clout/SA.

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WORDS Michaela Stehr PHOTOS Supplied


The 2022 Nando’s Hot Young Designer winners, Kalki Ceramics, showcase a new range of fynbos-inspired furniture pieces at 100% Design Africa by Clout/SA.

Kalki Ceramics’ winning server will be on display with an expanded range of fynbos-inspired functional art pieces. This is just one of Clout/SA’s three incredible curated exhibitions for 100% Design Africa, which is collocated with Design Joburg and takes place alongside Decorex Joburg at the Sandton Convention Centre from 3-6 August 2023.

The Durban-based design studio, founded by Nindya Bucktowar and Nikhil Tricam, specialises in carefully crafted and curated bespoke ceramic tiles that gain inspiration from the local indigenous flora of South Africa.

Kalki Ceramics
Nikhil Tricam and Nindya Bucktowar, owners and lead designers of Kalki ceramics + Studio Kalki

Tricam and Bucktowar received the title of overall winner of the 2022 edition of the talent search competition, which saw designers from across South Africa conceptualising a condiment unit to showcase Nando’s much-loved sauces. Chosen from over 120 entries by a panel of 17 local and global industry judges, part of their prize, was the creation of their concept using Kalki’s signature handmade ceramic tiles.

Expect to see Kalki’s creative masterpiece at 100% Design Africa alongside an expanded range of fynbos-inspired functional art pieces. The range presented will include a table and benches tiled in shades of green reminiscent of local flora, lights, wall tiles and a coffee table.

Just one facet of Clout/SA’s exciting trio of curated stands, Level 2 of the Sandton Convention Centre also showcases SOL’s ‘Live from the Sunny Side’ campaign. This is an all-new collection of South African designs created for the global beer brand. The third Clout/SA stand will feature a collaboration with the Keiskamma Art Project (KAP), featuring a new range of printed wallpapers and fabrics expressing KAP’s unique embroidery style. 

Forming part of Clout/SA’s larger portfolio, Clout/SA continues to promote South African designers and local talent to a broader audience. 

One entry ticket grants access to all three shows – 100% Design Africa, Design Joburg and Decorex Joburg – which will take place across four levels of the Sandton Convention Centre on 3-6 August. For more information and ticket sales, click here.


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Clout/SA and Nando’s Design Exhibition https://visi.co.za/clout-sa-and-nandos-design-exhibition/ Mon, 31 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=626422 A recent furniture, lighting and pattern design exhibition by Clout/SA and Nando’s proved yet again that great design begins with even greater stories.

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WORDS Annette Klinger PHOTOS Justin Patrick


A recent furniture, lighting and pattern design exhibition by Clout/SA and Nando’s proved yet again that great design begins with even greater stories.

Tongue-in-cheek, tennis-inspired outdoor furniture. A tiled server channelling a Bauhaus sensibility in a fynbos palette. A pendant light that marries Afrofuturism and traditional African beadwork. The design vernacular that emerged at a recent exhibition by creative agency Clout/SA and restaurant chain Nando’s was as unmistakably South African as it was effortlessly international.

“It’s a collection of work from furniture, lighting and pattern designers who are defining the present as well as charting the future of South African design,” says Clout/SA creative director Tracy Lee Lynch, who curated the exhibition as part of a conference hosted by Nando’s for invited guests from the brand’s global business.

Immediately iconic was Nando’s HYD 2022 finalist Ryan Pinches’s sculptural Mount Sinai, where a black mountain, hand-carved from wood, acts as a coffee-table base, with two peaks seemingly emerging from the placid surface of its round glass tabletop. Fellow HYD 2022 alumnus Siyanda Magaba equally impressed with his geometric Ubuhlalu pendant light, where he translated the geometric designs of traditional African glass beadwork into colour blocks of nylon wire. Kalki Ceramics’ Nindya Bucktowar and Nikhil Tricam, who emerged as Nando’s HYD 2022 winners, also showcased their covetable Cactus server, which is being prototyped for inclusion on Nando’s Portal to Africa online ordering platform, so more folks can get their hands on it.

Clout/SA and Nando's Design Exhibition
Pendant lights by Nando’s HYD 2022 finalist Siyanda Magaba.

The old guard was also well represented at the exhibition, introducing even more future classics to the South African design realm. Longtime Nando’s Design Programme design partners Pedersen + Lennard launched a playful range of tennis-inspired outdoor furniture called Umpire, including an actual umpire chair in powder-coated steel.

And Mash.T’s Thabisa Mjo, whose now-world-famous Tutu light won her first place at the inaugural Nando’s HYD event in 2016, presented another addition to her telewire light pendant collection that she created with the late Alfred Ntuli. Comprising six woven bowl lights in a Mondrian-esque palette that are fixed to a rectilinear framework, the Sprinkled light bowl is another exquisite example of the storytelling at the heart of some of South Africa’s most inspiring designs.


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South African Designers Shine Bright in SOL’s Collaborative Design Project https://visi.co.za/sol-cloutsa-collaborative-design-project/ Tue, 25 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=626256 SOL's new collaborative campaign 'Live from the Sunny Side' shines a bright light on South African design.

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied


SOL’s new collaborative campaign ‘Live from the Sunny Side‘ shines a bright light on South African design.

A group of South Africa’s most recognised designer makers, including Mash T Design Studio’s Thabiso Mjo, Lulasclan’s Bonolo Chepape, Modern Gesture’s Candice Lawrence, and TheUrbanative‘s Mpho Vackier, recently completed a collaborative design project with the South African team behind the global beer brand SOL.

With the support of Clout/SA, the project saw the designers create new pieces as well as adapt existing designs towards a collection that highlights an undeniably South African design approach, while also celebrating SOL’s positive and optimistic brand identity.

SOL Clout/SA Collaboration
Woven screen Mpho Vakier Urbanative; Woven screen Mpho Vakier Urbanative Sol surface standing lamp Candice Lawrence Modern Gesture andBench Mpho Vakier Urbanative.

“That light-heartedness and the energy of the brand made for a really wonderful match with our South African designers, who have that very bold and optimistic approach to their design,“ says Clout/SA executive Tracy Lynch, who curated the collection, The designs will form part of the brand’s various local activations, from in-store installations through to pop-up installations at music festivals.

“There’s so much talent here, and we’re very conscious of the importance of giving designers the freedom to be creative, because they are the experts in that specific field. So we essentially asked Clout/SA to bring our ‘Live from the Sunny Side‘ campaign to life through functional design pieces,“ says SOL brand manager Warrick Wyngaard. “Tracy’s curation did so in amazing fashion, so much so that when we saw the range for the first time, everything was immediately approved,“ he adds.

Each of the selected designers not only found a deep connection between their collections and the character of the SOL brand, but also gained fresh perspectives for their collections as well as opportunities for new products through the collaboration.

“For Modern Gesture, we’ve created a neutral range, but SOL helped us look at it in a new way, adding pops of colour, and it looks absolutely stunning,“ says Modern Gesture’s Candice Lawrence. She adds that the “the energy that that SOL has brought into Modern Gesture has been great … and it’s also helped us to be openminded about all the other things that we could do in the future.“

For Mash T Design Studio’s Thabisa Mjo, who has also participated in previous collaborations facilitated by Clout/SA, the impact of such projects on her business and the industry at large cannot be overstated. “I cannot emphasise enough the impact that big businesses have when they take a chance on us as small businesses operating in the creative industries. The ripple effects are really something that is underestimated. It also sends a message of confidence to other big businesses, that if this brand is confident and happy enough to associate themselves with the creative industry in South Africa, that they might be missing out on something if they don’t do the same,“ says Thabisa.

“The impact of projects like this is huge. Support from big business buying from smaller manufacturers and makers like us not only helps us upgrade our businesses, our techniques and machinery, it also helps us involve more people. Just this one project has helped three other people who didn’t work here before,“ says Mpho Vackier, the creative director and founder of TheUrbanative

“While South African designers have a unique design aesthetic, it is an aesthetic that can be celebrated globally, and be reflected in collaborations with brands that share our passion for South African design. This curated collection for SOL would definitely be at home anywhere in the world, while undeniably showcasing a contemporary and uniquely South African design approach,“ says Tracy.


The collection will launch at 100% Design Africa at Decorex Joburg from 3 to 6 August 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre. For more information and tickets, visit Decorex100% Design Africa and Design Joburg

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Cool Spaces: Emazulwini Restaurant https://visi.co.za/cool-spaces-emazulwini-restaurant/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=621640 Contemporary South African design meets modern local culinary flavours at Emazulwini at The V&A Waterfront’s Makers Landing.

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WORDS Michaela Stehr PHOTOS Interiors by Paris Brummer, Portraits by Warren Talmarkes


Contemporary South African design meets modern local culinary flavours at Emazulwini at The V&A Waterfront’s Makers Landing.

Chef Mmabatho Molefe’s modern Zulu fine-dining restaurant has received a contemporary African-inspired decor look by local design studio Clout SA in collaboration with up-and-coming interior designer Walter Train.

The cuisine pays heritage to the rich history of Zulu culture and fond childhood food memories of Chef Molefe, all served with a fine-dining twist. The seafaring restaurant has undergone a full revamp, featuring earthy neutral tones with bold blues and reds as strong accents, all highlighted with statement furniture and lighting by South African crafters and designers.

The new dine-in space embraces the evolution of South African aesthetics, both in food and design, with the intention of being recognised globally, showcasing the best our country has to offer under both umbrellas. 

READ MORE: Gastronomic Gateway: Makers Landing

Walter Train describes his work as sitting at the intersection of two seemingly disparate worlds: one an Nguni upbringing rooted in family and culture, the other a western lineage intimately part of his birth. Says Tracy Lynch, one of Clout/SA’s managing executives, “Train is a young, talented designer with a strong connection to his South African heritage and roots, which made him a great collaborating interior designer for the project.”

Inside Emazulwini Restaurant

Inspired by the surrounds of the restaurant’s dockside location, Train brought his visions to fruition with the help and guidance of Clout/SA, which facilitates opportunities for companies to support and collaborate with South African designers.

The result? A contemporary space that features the work of local designers and makers, fabrics and materials. 2020 Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) finalist and 2022 Decorex Cape Town Best New Talent award winner Siviwe Jali’s ‘NoKhanya’ light, which was made in collaboration with Ashanti Design, hangs alongside 2016 Nando’s HYD winner Thabisa Mjo’s ‘Tutu 2.0’ lights. Meanwhile, chairs and tables from designers such as Houtlander, David Krynauw and Kent & Lane fill the space.

“Clout/SA is proud to have initiated and managed an approach that we believe amplifies the incredible energy and food shared by Chef Mmabatho Molefe,” says Lynch.

Grab your copy of the latest Eat Out magazine to read more about Mmabatho Molefe and what the judges had to say about Emazulwini’s cuisine.


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Dark Horse Capsule Collection https://visi.co.za/dark-horse-capsule-collection/ Tue, 08 Nov 2022 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=616328 Local bespoke furniture brand Dark Horse has joined forces with the design team at Clout SA, releasing a brand new capsule collection available exclusively through @home.

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WORDS Michaela Stehr IMAGES Jarrad Nelson


Local bespoke furniture brand Dark Horse has joined forces with the design team at Clout/SA, releasing a brand new capsule collection available exclusively through @home.

“When you buy a local product, there’s a trickle-down effect. The money that you spend goes back into the economy in a variety of ways, and all the people who contribute to the making of the product get the benefit of that spend. You not only get this amazing product that’s quite unique, you are also truly stimulating the local economy,” says Jarrad Nelson, co-owner of Dark Horse.

Dark Horse was founded by Nelson and his wife Lisa and their design journey has progressed over the last 11 years, producing timeless pieces that are adaptable to a variety of decor schemes and spaces, and actively providing local job opportunities for people through their production warehouse in Paarden Eiland.

The Dark Horse pieces will be available through selected @home stores through the CloutSA collaboration. CloutSA is well known through the design community and beyond for its positive interaction and upliftment of local designers and their creations.

“The collab with @home is quite an exciting story. We’ve worked with CloutSA in the past, and their team knew our look and feel and what we’re capable of. They included us in a presentation to @home to say, ‘if you want to go on a journey of local design, these guys should be a part of that conversation’,” says Nelson. 

Five signature pieces have been selected, including their Saville chair, an exemplary exercise in circular design. It is made from leather off-cuts, stitched together into a 31-metre-long narrow strip, which then gets hand woven to create the dining chair. “It really is an incredible piece, and it reflects how we approach design for sustainability,” says Nelson. 

Dark Horse Capsule Collection

Other pieces in the collection include Dark Horse’s 3-seater Boss couch and Boss armchair, both of which are made of leather and a steel frame, reflecting the brand’s “bold yet refined” design aesthetic. Other pieces in the collection are the Oso and the Rosso dining chairs, also made of leather and steel. 

“Our design philosophy is about bringing people closer together, so with everything we do we want to build memories through the use of our furniture and have those pieces available for the next generation as well. This is why we use hard-wearing materials that can last this generation and the next,” says Nelson. 

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Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search Announces Top 10 Finalists for 2022 https://visi.co.za/nandos-hot-young-designer-talent-search-announces-top-10-finalists-for-2022/ Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=614776 The Nando's Hot Young Designer Talent Search (HYD) plays a key role in this ongoing industry development by functioning as launching pad for fresh young talent.  The popular competition, which is facilitated by Clout/SA, has just announced its much-awaited list of 10 finalists for 2022.

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The Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search (HYD) plays a key role in this ongoing industry development by functioning as launching pad for fresh young talent.  The popular competition, which is facilitated by Clout/SA, has just announced its much-awaited list of 10 finalists for 2022.

This year HYD tasked young designers with conceptualising a condiment unit to display the brand’s acclaimed Peri Peri sauces. The challenge was to do so in such a way that these sauces and their piquant ingredients, which form an intrinsic part of the Nando’s experience, remain visible and accessible to customers throughout their visit.

The finalists were chosen by a prestigious panel of local and global industry judges, including VISI’s editor, Steve Smith. The judging panel included:

  • Steve Smith, Editor of VISI Magazine
  • Thabisa Mjo of Mash T Design Studio, co-winner of Nando’s Hot Young Designer 2016 and 100% Design Designer of the Year 2022
  • Ngaire Blankenberg, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
  • Karen Brumfield, Head of Buying at @home
  • Nokuzola Jenness, Programme Manager of Yellowwoods Ventures Investments and Managing Executive of Clout/SA
  • Tracy Lynch, Creative Director of Clout/SA and the Nando’s Design Programme
  • Alan Hayward, Director of Always Welcome
  • Garreth van Niekerk, Director of Always Welcome
  • Rob Enthoven, Nando’s Shareholder
  • Stephen du Plessis, Nando’s Group Head of Design and Development
  • Michael Spinks, Nando’s Property and Development Director
  • Kaira Bertrand, Nando’s Project Manager
  • Brad O’Neill, Nando’s Head of Design and Development
  • Dale Roberts, Nando’s Group Design Project Manager, UK.
  • Scott Hamilton, Nando’s Chief Development Officer, Australia
  • Sophie Douglas, Director of Fusion Design and Architecture, UK
  • Paul Thrush, Co-Founder and Director of STAC Architecture, UK

The competition received 134 entries from across the country, making the judging process a tough call for the adjudication panel. A shortlist of 20 entries was created from the initial submissions an finally a top 10 was chosen .

The 2022 HYD Top 10:

  1. Nikhil Tricam and Nindya Bucktowar
  2.  Lindelani Hlophe
  3. Thabiso Nkonyeni
  4. Siyanda Magaba
  5. Daphne Lephoto
  6. Minenhle Zazi Cira
  7. Makhi Mtati
  8. Ryan Pinches
  9. Mbali Maseko
  10. Nomonde Dubazane

All top 10 finalists will be invited to a mentorship session hosted by Clout/SA in October 2022. They will then be linked to various mentorship opportunities and could potentially see their design prototyped. The overall winner of the HYD will be announced at the mentorship event which will form part of this year’s Basha Uhuru youth festival at Con Hill.


For more information, visit clout-sadesign.co.za/.

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Decorex 2022: Q&A with Best New Talent Winner Siviwe Jali https://visi.co.za/decorex-2022-qa-with-best-new-talent-winner-siviwe-jali/ Fri, 19 Aug 2022 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=612738 Durban-based industrial and product designer Siviwe Jali, a finalist of Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) Talent Search 2020, recently won Best New Talent at Decorex Cape Town 2022. We caught up with him to find out more about the projects he's proud of, his artistic process and what makes him the most creative.

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WORDS Cheri Morris PHOTOS Justin Patrick


Durban-based industrial and product designer Siviwe Jali, a finalist of Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) Talent Search 2020, recently won Best New Talent at Decorex Cape Town 2022. We caught up with him to find out more about the projects he’s proud of, his artistic process and what makes him the most creative.

Siviwe’s work formed part of an exhibition of past and current designs by the various finalists and winners of HYD as curated by Clout/SA’s director, Tracy Lynch. His works included Nokhanya Lights, Ntsimbi server and Cupisa bench. The lights are a collaboration with Ashanti Design, the server was brought to life with the assistance of TanDesignSA and the bench is made by Pedersen + Lennard.

siviwe jali

He’s also the founder of the Durban-based industrial and product design consultancy uMugqa Studio. With a clear line (uMugqa means line in isiZulu) drawn between identifying a problem and solving it, uMugqa Studio aims to elevate functional, social-conscious design.

Who is Siviwe Jali?

I am an Industrial designer from Durban. An extroverted introvert, design nerd and coffee connoisseur. I grew up in Durban for most of my life, where I spent most of my childhood at the beach and running around with my friends getting up to mischief. My hobbies include reading, listening to music and podcasts, watching movies, and designing and making things. I can’t sit still – always tinkering and doing something.

Where did you design journey begin?

I was always interested in arts and crafts as a kid, but the spark really started in primary school when my older sister started studying graphic design. I saw that I could create a path for myself in this type of field. When the time came to choose a career in matric, I wanted to do psychology. I was short of a few points for that, but could still apply for design school. The funny thing is that objects like furniture affect one’s psychology, behaviour and health.

What inspires your designs?

A lot of places – from personal experience, observation and a lot of curiosity about mashing up my interests. People are also a huge source of inspiration, as is my culture.

Tell us about your favourite projects.

The Kwena Square Bench and Bin project I recently did was really good. The Nokhanya Light with Ashanti is another special project because I worked on that design for years, and partnering with them really took the design to the next level. And, of course, the Ntsimbi Server because of how quickly it came together. I had never designed anything like it before.

Tell us about your creative process.

Lots of research; I am very strict about doing the best research for a project. Sometimes I look into data and research for days before I start to design. I use quick sketches when I start to conceptualise, then move into more detailed drawings. Then I go on to CAD and do quick renders and if things still don’t make sense or I need to feel the object, I will create a prototype. None of this is set in stone, sometimes I jump around and patch things together.

What’s your dream design job?

A social impact project that benefits an underserved community and also results in some form of profit. That very narrow trade-off where capitalism is being used for good!

What have you been doing since being a finalist in the Hot Young Designer 2020 competition?

I have been working on my practice, uMugqa, and developing a range of products.

Do you have some exciting upcoming projects or collaborations that you would like to share?

Everything I am working on is still in development and so I have to keep it hush-hush.

Any advice be for a budding furniture designer?

Learn how to see details: observe how people use objects and get deeply curious about how things are made. This will lay the foundation. After that, remember to have child-like wonder and play a lot. Also, try to come up with an opinion and point of view for life that bleeds into your work. Interesting people create interesting work.


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Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search Launches its 2022 Call for Entry https://visi.co.za/nandos-hot-young-designer-talent-search-2022/ Wed, 16 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=606457 Nando’s has announced its call for entries for the fourth Hot Young Designer Talent Search – and this year’s design brief is for condiment units which will display the brand's famous Peri Peri sauces.

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PHOTOS Supplied by Clout/SA


Nando’s has announced its call for entries for the fourth Hot Young Designer (HYD) Talent Search – and this year’s design brief is for condiment units which will display the brand’s famous Peri Peri sauces.

Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) talent search is bringing the heat for the 2022 edition of this compelling competition. This face-off seeks to unearth saucy new designs for Nando’s restaurants around the world, and fire up the careers of emerging local creatives.

This year, entrants have been tasked with designing a condiment unit which will display the brand’s famous Peri Peri sauces. The challenge is to highlight these sauces, which form an intrinsic part of the Nando’s experience, through designs all while ensuring that they remain visible and accessible to customers throughout their visit.  

The Nando’s HYD talent search is managed on behalf of Nando’s by Clout/SA. Clout/SA is a creative agency and business-to-business market-maker for South African design. The competition is sponsored by Nando’s. The end goal is to list the winning condiment unit on The Portal to Africa – Nando’s online marketplace where interior designers working on Nando’s restaurants around the world can shop for original pieces of furniture and lighting that are designed and manufactured in South Africa.

Hot Young Designer Talent Search
Unit by Saks Corner, Interior Studio Leelynch

Past years called for lighting solutions, patterns and benches; and these prior competition rounds have seen their respective finalists and winners propelled into the limelight and mentored in all things related to creating a sustainable business. Thabisa Mjo (with her Tutu 2.0 pendant fitting) and Samantha Foaden (with her beaded Buhle Bulb) jointly in 2016; Agrippa Mncedisi Hlophe (with his vibrant, flowing pattern treatment) in 2018; and Katlego Tshuma (with his Sangu Bench inspired by the organic forms found in traditional African grass mats) in 2020 are previous winners that have gone on to evolve and grow within the discipline.

“The biennial Nando’s HYD competition is a highlight of the design sector’s calendar. Every two years we meet and get to know 10 finalists, and these 10 finalists are mentored by Clout/SA. They are then linked to opportunities within the Nando’s ecosystem such as prototyping, business mentorship and access to a global market to name a few highlights. Many of these designs – such as Thabisa Mjo’s Tutu 2.0 pendant – go on to become best-sellers on the Nando’s Portal to Africa, driving revenue to the designers’ start-up businesses, and helping grow this exciting sector through inclusive access to opportunities within the Nando’s global market. Nando’s HYD is about changing lives by making sure we utilise the platform we have to shine a light on creativity and opportunity!” enthuses Tracy Lynch, Creative Director of the Nando’s Design programme and Clout/SA.

Up-and-coming designers are challenged to bring their own “sauce” by entering vibrant, yet functional, conversation pieces, whose inspiration is rooted right here at home, on the African continent. 

To enter, visit clout-sadesign.co.za for the online entry form and entry details. Entries close on 31 May 2022.

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