Gregor Jenkin is an undisputed South African design icon. Over almost 20 years, his solution-seeking brain has turned our preconceived ideas of furniture-making, art and a local aesthetic on their head.

2004 – 2005

The “Skildpad” exhibition was my first show. I upcycled army surplus as a way of reinterpreting the banal. We then presented “Van die Stel” and introduced the Cape Table, which was sold abroad through the Conran Shop. That table has since been discontinued – but we have a new iteration that recently went into production. Set a Light also got people talking – it is a stack of enamelware assembled without any specialist tooling, and references Africana pieces, cash bowls and ornamental Cape standing lamps.

Antique dealer Deon Viljoen pushed my interests in a novel direction when we collaborated on “Kaapentry”, the contemporary furniture exhibition at Goodman Gallery in 2005. In those early days, Michael Chauke was an invaluable resource to me, in the same way that Allen Chamboko, Fortune Hwenha and Charles Ncube have been invaluable since 2009. And industrial designer Adriaan Hugo has always driven and challenged me; his input was key in the design of the Quaker Chair – our response to the Shaker chair.

2006 – 2007

The “Infrastructure” exhibition in 2006 was my way of alerting people to the infrastructure present in our cities that we often take for granted. In 2007, I introduced the Turned Table as an interpretation of heritage furniture – it is now our longest-running production piece. This is also when I started making furniture with artist William Kentridge.

2008

The printer’s tray-inspired Foundrie Table and Cuckoo Clock were exhibited at Southern Guild’s first show at the Joburg Art Fair in 2008. The Foundrie Table is still in limited production.

2010-2012

In 2010, I created the Migrant/Migrate tables with Peter Gerber. Designed to stand as a herd, the wildebeest-like creatures are a comment on South Africa’s long history of migrant labour and colonisation. They formed part of the display at Design Miami in 2011. Through Southern Guild, I was the first designer from Africa to exhibit at the acclaimed US fair. The following year, I won the Design Foundation’s Icon Award. I was honoured to win it again in 2017; that same year I also took home the 100% Design South Africa Designer of the Year Award for our display “Still Things Move”.

2016

Throughout my career, I have made pieces inspired by incidental form and utilitarian architecture. These range from fireplaces to sculptures and even wardrobes. An example is Anvil, which I made for Tonic Design’s interior scheme for the Virgin Active Collection health club at the Silo District in Cape Town.

2017

I’ve worked on many interior projects over the years, including The Golden in Woodstock (in partnership with Cameron Munro and Justin Rhodes). In 2017, my team and I furnished the tasting room at Twee Jonge Gezellen and, with Charles Haupt of Bronze Age, created the bar for the space. More recently, we were commissioned to do work at La Petite Colombe in Franschhoek with Clift Granite.

2021 – 2022

SMAC Gallery represents my sculpture and artworks. Boland (2022), Rome wasn’t built in a day (2021) and Risen from clay (2021) are some of my current works that can be viewed at one of SMAC’s galleries. Last November, we presented an installation to celebrate the new BMW M5 at Southern Guild gallery, and Southern Guild continues to represent my limited-run and collectable design locally and abroad. “50 Years” is currently showing at Auto Atlantic in Cape Town. It includes work and images made as a personal response to BMW Motorsport’s 50th anniversary. Cars that we have built are also included in the presentation.

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LIM owner and designer Pauline Mutlow has no regrets about taking a chance and changing her career path at 39. LIM’s doors opened in 1997 – and, 24 years later, the brand still operates from the same location.

2014: ADINKRA MARRIAGE CABINET

In celebration of my 40th wedding anniversary, I designed a small range that incorporated the West African Adinkra marriage symbol as an engraved pattern on the doors. The units were manufactured in walnut, which represents a mature yet contemporary material to me. It also celebrates the concept of commitment and longevity.

2019: POPPY LAMPS

Inspired by the seasonal poppies sold by flower sellers at the side of the road, the Straight and Curved Poppy lamps combine to mimic the form of a bunch of flowers. These joyful lights are manufactured from steel tubing and black-coated epoxy. I feel happy every time I see them.

2019: CHEVRON DESIGN SERVER

With its geometric design, this server was originally created for a client’s dining room. Its minimalist nature doesn’t stop it from drawing the eye, particularly to the pattern on the doors. This four-door version is available to order in a variety of spray colours – we offer the option of customising it in-store and on our website.

STORAGE TOWEL RAIL

A customer wanted a towel rail with a storage facility included – that was the inspiration behind this piece. Square steel tubing and a flat tray top are joined by black-coated epoxy to produce a piece that pleases, both in function and in form. It’s always satisfying to design something that’s practical and fulfils a client’s needs.

2021: SHORT BENDIE LAMP

This lamp is another product inspired by meeting a customer’s needs. The client wanted a bedside lamp for reading that wasn’t imported, so we created this piece, which offers a great angle and affords the necessary light. It’s a quintessential LIM piece, honouring the sentiment that “less is more”.

For more information, visit lim.co.za.

Looking for more on South African design? Take a look at Egg Designs journey over the last 24 years.

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Karabo Poppy Moletsane combines her design skills with an aesthetic that celebrates Africa – then, now and in the future. In her work, timelessness and futurism merge to form globally recognised, locally inspired collaborations.

2017 – BERKELEY ART MUSEUM AND PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE MURAL

I was commissioned by the University of California, in Berkeley, to collaborate with the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive on this Afrofuturist mural, which is 21m by 7m. It’s a portrait series of South Africans who embody a contemporary South African aesthetic, looking at where our country has been and where it is headed, as well as how a hybridisation of tradition and future thought will inform our growth. Celebrating this on the walls of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive was a memorable experience. There were plenty of “firsts” on this project: it was my first overseas commission, the first mural of this size that I created, and my first visit to the US.

2019 – NIKE X KARABO POPPY AIR FORCE 1

In creating this collection of three Air Force 1 designs, I was inspired by the diverse visual aesthetic of parts of Africa, both contemporary and traditional. Our aesthetic has a long, rich heritage rooted in constant innovation – something that every African carries with them. It’s in the everyday, seemingly mundane events that this aesthetic is at its most beautiful to me. Through Nike By You, people could customise my designs too, so this became more than just a collaboration. Each design made use of a completely new technique on the Air Force 1, from raised embroidery to embroidered patches over the swoosh. This sold-out collection has been seen on the feet of LeBron James, Off set, Rhapsody and Conceited.

2019 – COCA COLA

This collaboration showcased where I believe kindness starts – and I believe it begins by celebrating diversity. As a young black woman living in South Africa, I (together with the rest of the country) have been tasked with finding harmony after conflict. Reaching this goal has relied on all of us showing kindness to one another by celebrating our diversity. Part of this project was the creation of a “Kindness Starts with Celebrating Diversity” billboard in Times Square, New York.

2020 – AFROPUNK

Early in 2020, I created an illustration inspired by the West African Adinkra symbol, Kwatakye Atiko – said to be a special hairstyle of Kwatakye, a war captain of old Asante – for Afropunk. It represents bravery and fearlessness, and is given as an earned title to any brave son of an Akan community. The piece is about being unapologetic, having a sense of self and owning who you are, especially when that becomes life-threatening and requires an enormous amount of courage. This illustration serves to honour and celebrate those who are showing up as they truly are, and encourage a sense of owning your identity no matter what.

2020 – RICH MNISI X KARABO POPPY

The Running Errands capsule collection combines different styles intersecting multiple identities, indicating movement, energy and constant growth – just as complex as our country, with its diverse people and cultures puzzle-pieced together.

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Inspired by nature and its organic forms, John Vogel has created a reinterpretation of vernacular design through woodwork and weaving that has made Vogel Design a leader in local furniture.

1. THE NGUNI DINING CHAIR (2006)

“The Nguni dining chair was designed a year before I opened Vogel Design, and was first supplied to a restaurant called !Khwattu on the West Coast. That kick-started everything. It became one of the best-selling pieces in US store West Elm’s “design under licence” programme. Back then, I had no workshop or big machinery, and made the prototype by hand with an angle grinder and drill in my garage, weaving the seat as an experiment. The weaving of the chair (and my subsequent designs) is my reinvention of the riempie style.”

2. BLOOM (2013)

“I started designing limited-edition pieces for collectible design gallery Southern Guild because I don’t like to be restricted to one way of thinking. In 2013, I launched Bloom, which the gallery has shown at fairs around the world. The first piece was made from walnut wood. It was inspired by the Namaqualand flowers, and is made up of separate side tables that fit together like a never-ending puzzle, which you can arrange as you wish. I love it when people interact with the piece.”

3. WORKING WITH NANDO’S (2015)

“I’ve been working with Nando’s ever since interior designer Tracy Lynch approached me to design pieces for Nando’s Central Kitchen in 2015, and we clad their offices and conference room in woven panels. Now our products are available on the Nando’s portal for all stores to procure, and we’ve decorated many of its restaurant walls. Our work, made by my 30-strong team, appears in more than 50 outlets around the world.”

4. THE RUS BENCH (2017)

“The Rus bench debuted at Maison&Objet in Paris in 2017. It was specifically designed for export, and is a smaller, more adaptable piece that suits the European market, where people live in smaller spaces. It can be used as a side table, bench or stool, and the weaving can be done in either cord or plastic, in a variety of colours. Plastic makes it suitable for outdoors and also allows for more solid pattern options. I love the hands-on aspect of weaving, and now have five weavers dedicated to this craft in my factory.”

5. RIPPLE (2018)

“Ripple is one of my latest designs. It is a flat-pack ebonised-ash table that’s simple but expressive. The table looks like it’s almost separated from the legs, so it deconstructs the idea of a dining table in a subtle way. The ripple shape is the first of a variety of legs I will be designing for this tabletop, and is my interpretation of modernising a traditional turned leg. The repeated pattern was inspired by a similar looking jar that I got in Mozambique. I have chosen wood as my speciality because I love its wonderful warmth, beautiful grain, and the fact that it’s sustainable if it’s managed well. It’s one of the great noble materials, and fits in with all my design ideals and values.”

See more at vogeldesign.co.za.

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It’s been 10 years since Andrea Kleinloog and Megan Hesse joined forces at Anatomy Design in Johannesburg. These timeless furniture pieces are ingrained in their decade-long success story.

1. THE LAB LIGHT (2009)

Although Megan joined Andrea at Anatomy Design in 2010, Andrea had already designed their first piece, the Lab Light, in 2009. “This design was chosen by Design Indaba as the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa in 2010, which gave us wonderful recognition. In 2010 we also opened our first store at 44 Stanley. The Lab Light is now sold through Danish company Karakter, who launched it internationally at Maison&Objet and the Milan Furniture Fair in 2014 and 2015.”

2. THE SG CHAIR (2013)

The SG Chair was designed for Southern Guild, who included it in a Christie’s London exhibition and auction in 2017. It’s simple and comfortable, but big enough for two people – almost like a love seat. “We used traditional materials: solid walnut, brass detailing and a fabric specially designed by Nicole Levenberg. Although this piece is a statement, we never try to be avant-garde, which has allowed all our pieces to date so beautifully.”

3. THE TENGILE SOFA (2017)

“A year after moving our shop to the Trumpet Building in 2016, we designed the elegant Tengile Sofa. Often, simple shapes and pure forms such as this design lead to the most interesting work, allowing a focus on detailing and craftsmanship. The sofa has wide arms that can be used to rest a plate or drink. This is a piece that holds an essence of timelessness.”

4. THE JANIS DRESSER / THE ROBERT WINGBACK (2018)

“Andrea’s dad, Robert, would secretly have loved to be a designer, so we named the Robert Wingback after him. He’s six-foot-four so it’s big enough for him. We wanted to design a wingback that was less “boys’ club” but still has the luxury of a big presence despite its skinny frame. The glossy black lacquer was a new technique for us. We also launched the Janis Dresser that year, named after Megan’s mum, who is passionate about furniture and is also an antiques collector. It’s an Art Deco-inspired, feminine version of our David Desk, with a focus on the brass accents seen on the delicately turned oak legs. We wanted to create a practical piece that was classically beautiful.”

2019 -2020

“Last year we took a hiatus from releasing new product as we wanted to pay attention to what we had already made over the years. We moved our shop to Kramerville and focused on our production chain, refining every detail in every piece. Megan also relocated to Cape Town, so we hope to open an Anatomy Design showroom there post-COVID-19, and will be launching an exciting new range soon. We’ve definitely evolved as a brand over the past 10 years, but our core values of the simple use of honest materials as well as designing timeless products with function have stayed the same.”

See more from Anatomy Design at anatomydesign.co.za.

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In the four years since launching, TheUrbanative has developed a distinctive visual language that makes it instantly recognisable. Founder and designer Mpho Vackier explains the evolution of the furniture.

1. THANDEKA SERVER (2016)

I used to work as an engineer, but I left my career in mining several years ago to study design. I had always wanted to do product and furniture design. I launched my first collection of four pieces on my birthday in September 2016. The Thandeka server was one of these – it was manufactured by my husband, who is a mechanical engineer; he made all our prototypes, and even filled some of the orders in the beginning. From the start, I was inspired by the graphic artworks of the Ndebele culture, and the meaning behind the shapes and colours.

2. THULANI LOVESEAT (2017)

Made with bamboo and powder-coated mild steel, the Thulani loveseat for two is a multifunctional seat with integrated side tables. I always design with function in mind, and never let the aesthetics dictate such function. This seat was a marriage of my technical background with the fact that I was still learning what kind of a designer I was. I realised then that I really like symmetry – it’s calming, and offers a certain balance and mood.

3. AFRICAN CROWNS COLLECTION (2018)

In 2018, we moved into a workshop space, and outsourced all our steelwork to someone who shares the space with us. It’s a studio of sorts. The African Crowns collection debuted that year, and the Oromo became our most popular chair. This range was inspired by traditional African hairstyles of the Oromo people in Ethiopia in the late 1800s, and was launched at a time when conversations around braiding were in the spotlight. The Oromo is a celebratory piece whose weaving, texture and sculptural form reference the beauty of natural African braids and hair. The Nasara screen is part of the same collection – acting as a multipurpose room divider, it’s proof of my great love for plants.

Oromo Chair

Nasara Screen

4. NENZIMA SERVER (2019)

The Nenzima server pays homage to Queen Nenzima of the Mangbetu tribe of Congo. In this tribe, women of high social status had elongated heads due to the lipombo practice of skull elongation – and the server’s long form takes its cue from this tradition. The terrazzo doors and laser-cut steel sides reference the decorative and attractive hairstyles worn by these women.

5. FULANI DINING CHAIR (2020)

The Fulani dining chair was released at the beginning of this year, and is in keeping with the circular silhouette of the Oromo. But this is TheUrbanative in minimalist form. There’s no pattern, no weaving – just lines to echo those that occur on most of the pieces we’ve designed so far. It’s covered in a velvet from Home Fabrics’ FibreGuard range, which I’m obsessed with because it’s stain-resistant and easy to maintain. All the materials we use are very considered – a client should be able to enjoy the way in which the piece is going to age.

To see more, visit theurbanative.com.

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Husband-and-wife design team Katy Taplin and Adriaan Hugo of Dokter and Misses have been on the map with their furniture pieces since 2007.

1. HEARTBEAT LAMP (2007)

The Heartbeat lamp epitomises our first collection, Series A, which focused on strong, two-dimensional silhouettes. Adriaan began by drawing a scale version of the lamp in tape on the wall. Thereafter, the idea was to bring it into the third dimension, creating a series of line-drawing lighting sculptures, tables and our first graphically embellished cabinet.

2. HINGE UNIT (2011)

We wanted to design a utilitarian piece that had the potential to become a staple in every home. The first Hinge unit launched in 2011, and remains one of our most popular products, largely due to its versatility and subtle detailing. What started out as a simple four-door cabinet with a unique door detail has been adapted to include taller versions, a lower TV unit, a bedside table and a freestanding kitchen unit fitted with a stone top.

3. LALA (2013)

Our inspiration for these pieces shifted away from Bauhaus and Scandinavian design to drawing on our local environments. The hand-painted versions draw inspiration from disparate sources: from two-tone taxis to painted Basotho homes, colour field painting and even mid-century Palm Springs. These cabinets are deliberately not mass-produced. They’re fun to make; each is different and an experimental composition and colour study, painted front, back and sides to be viewed from all angles – a true statement piece.

4. LOWVELD SOFA & BED (2018)

Reminiscent of rock-filled gabions, the Lowveld range’s linear, cage-like steel structure envelops block-like cushions. As with most of our work, there’s space for a certain degree of personalisation. The sofa presents endless options for colour and fabric combinations to play with, and the newest addition – the Lowveld bed – will be ready to roll in 2020.

5. PRACTICALLY EVERYWHERE (2019)

Our first solo show with Southern Guild Gallery, “Practically Everywhere”, is a collection of sculptural cabinets inspired by the visual noise of urban ecosystems, and sought to convey a sense of entropy. The furniture features jagged shapes, odd proportions and stacked forms overlaid with gestural marks and textural surface treatments. Our aim was to communicate a feeling of oversaturation and of being surrounded; interacting with, consuming and pushing against everything, practically everywhere.

See more designs at dokterandmisses.com.

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As Pedersen + Lennard, James Lennard and Luke Pedersen combine their background in industrial design to produce functional pieces that stand the test of time.

2009

BUCKET STOOL

As part of our first range, we came up with the idea for a fun piece with hand- and machine-made elements. The Bucket Stool illustrates something beautiful about South African craft and our ability to use colour – in fact, we released new colours recently. The bucket is handmade using galvanised steel in an informal settlement in Cape Town. The timber is cut out of birch plywood from the Baltic and the upholstery is done in our workshop. Our Bucket Stool has been bought in more than 20 countries worldwide and won many awards. It continues to amaze us how such a humble piece has captured the world’s imagination.

2011

HUGUENOT TABLE

This table emerged as an expression of our ongoing fascination about the point where steel and timber meet. My grandfather was a French Huguenot farmer in the Karoo – the proportion and tapered legs of the table were inspired by furniture from his home.

2015

KPA CHAIR

We spent a year designing and refining this chair into something that would compete with the cheap imports you find almost everywhere these days. The name originates from the stamp at the back of school or hospital furniture, an abbreviation for Kaapse Provinsiale Administrasie. We drew a lot of inspiration from this type of furniture.

2017

STOCKHOLM HOOK

We often run into young people who love our work but can’t afford to buy a table just yet, so this kind of piece is a great way to start the journey. Designing things that bring order to spaces is very gratifying – even something as humble as a coat hook. I’m not sure if it’s a sign of getting old, but having the right hook in the right place is a nice feeling when you get home.

2019

ESCARPMENT TABLE

The softer edges highlight the highly tactile nature of timber. Through the simplicity of this range, we are hoping to bring the appreciation of natural materials and all the good things in life into focus.

2020

VISI COLLAB BOLD SINGLE HOOK

Originally designed 2010, the BOLD Single Hook has sold all over the world and used in so many creative ways. It’s an incredible outcome for a very simple design that aims to balance the relationship between the timber peg and the steel structure. The collab with VISI was inspired by the brand’s request for something unique that conveys our way of thinking. To highlight this, we felt that scaling it up to such large proportions would be a good way to celebrate this piece and our ongoing pursuit of good quality South African design. You can buy the collab exclusively via the VISI Shop.

2022

PURL JEWELLERY BOX

A jewellery box designed to translate an everyday ritual into a more mindful and appreciative moment. Sculpted oak timber and polished solid brass pay homage to the inherent beauty and potential of these materials, seamlessly brought together in the art of manufacturing. Stacking tiers allow for a marked beginning and end to the ritual, while inside, gently curved patterns take their inspiration from the ripples of water and windswept sand dunes — gently cradling your jewels and treasured heirlooms. The Purl Jewellery Box was largely inspired by nature (windswept sand and purling water), Dear Rae’s romantic and delicate “Ode to the Ocean” jewellery collection (whom we collaborated with on the final shoot) and the value of rituals in our lives.

For more information and to shop online, visit pedersenlennard.co.za.

Looking for more on South African design? Take a look at Haldane Martin’s design journey.

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Tracy Lee Lynch is well known both locally and internationally for her cutting-edge ideas and bold aesthetic. Don’t miss her Talk100 Session at Open Design Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront’s Watershed on 14 August 2015 at 1pm, where she will be discussing the design journey of local restaurant chain, Nando’s (featured on the cover of VISI 76 earlier this year).

We caught up with her to chat about design, interiors and creativity.

Where do you look for creative direction?

The creative people around me, a design challenge, fashion, the landscape, history, a story. I keep an open mind when I start working on a project and allow my thoughts to roam, as this is usually when I have my best creative moments – when I’m out running, or talking or walking. Not often at my desk. Then I buckle down, find the focus and do the work.

What inspires you?

Many different things, but passion inspires me, as well as dedicated people with uncompromising focus, art, and the crazy side of life.

Who do you look up to in the local design realm?

Karen Roos, Laduma Ngxokolo, Boyd Ferguson, Annemarie Meintjes, David Krynauw, Sumien Brink, Atang Tshikare, Binky Newman, Anatomy Design. The list goes on…

What are some of your favourite projects and / or collaborations you have worked on?

My work with VISI and Elle Decoration, as well as the Singita Explore Mobile Tented Camp and Singita Mara River Tented Camp with Boyd Ferguson of Cécile & Boyd. Also, any project with artist Sarah Pratt.

What initially drew you to the world of interiors?

I fell in love with the idea of transformation at a very young age. I used to paint back then. The materials I use for the transformation process may have grown, but the principle remains the same.

Where do you see both interior design and design in general headed in 2016?

Big business is embracing the potential of creativity in South Africa. Interior design has the potential to transform the way people work, and in turn, the way they approach their work challenges. This is a very important shift for SA. It’s been growing slowly, but I think we have reached the tipping point – the value of good design and its positive influence cannot be ignored.

To purchase tickets for Tracy’s TALK100 session, click here.

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