WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Marijke Willems, Sarah de Pina, Supplied

Joburg-based design studio TheUrbanative is known for contemporary furniture and products that mix modern, minimalist shapes with rich African stories. Mpho Vackier and her team create designs that feel rooted, fresh, stylish – and deeply personal. Read the stories behind her most treasured objects, and you’ll understand exactly why.

My grandmother’s 1960s Coffee pot

“This coffee pot belonged to my grandmother Lydia, who I am named aft er. It is the only piece of hers that I have. The spout once broke, and we repaired it with glue and a touch of gold leaf, which feels fi tting because her strength always shone through the cracks. I oft en look at it and wonder when she bought it. Was it from the time she lived in Sophiatown before she was forced to move? Did she pack it carefully and take it with her because it mattered to her? I used to think it was such an odd and slightly ugly thing, but as I have grown older, I have come to love it more – and I’m grateful that I held on to it.

“My grandmother was gentle but sure of herself. I did not always understand her, but I learnt a great deal by watching how she moved through the world. This coffee pot reminds me of where I come from, and of the woman I learnt so much from about showing up as your most authentic self, every single time.”

Haberdashery Warrior by Anastasia Pather

“This artwork is one of my most treasured. Anastasia’s work explores the balancing act women are expected to perform. We must be everything to everyone all at once while navigating a world shaped by patriarchy. In her ‘Pretty Face’ collection, she plays with the idea of confidence as a kind of armour. She wraps strength in beauty. Prettiness becomes a shield that allows us to move through spaces that are not always kind to us. There is a quiet resistance in that approach.

“Haberdashery Warrior was one of the first artworks I ever purchased for my own collection. Buying it felt like a declaration that I was starting a life that would hold beauty, art and intention. It still brings me joy every day, and it holds pride of place in my home as a reminder of feminine power, creativity and the parts of ourselves that deserve to be seen and celebrated.”

My telescope

“When I was young and proudly nerdy growing up in Soweto, I dreamed of being an astronaut. Before engineering. Before design felt possible. I was obsessed with space, the idea of seeing worlds beyond our own. I wished I could have a telescope so I could feel a little closer to the stars.

“When I met my husband, I told him about that childhood dream of nerdy little Mpho who wanted to explore far away galaxies. While we were still dating, he remembered that story – and, on one of my birthdays, he surprised me with this telescope. He delivered a dream I had carried for decades. This telescope represents the way he supports every idea I dream up – even the ones that seem wild, unlikely or sometimes forgotten. He shows up with his whole heart, and he has done that since the beginning. When I look at this telescope, I think of the girl who wished for the stars, and the love that reminds her she can still reach for them.”

Moeke’s knitted baby toy and birth announcement bear

“When my son was born, my mother- in-law, and his Moeke’chocolat as she’s fondly known, brought a handmade wool baby toy and a customised birth- announcement bear filled with Belgian- chocolate-covered almonds (suikerboon), which is a traditional way of celebrating a baby in Belgium. The almond symbolises new life and fertility and, since the almond tree blooms early and its kernel is hidden inside its shell, it became a metaphor for the promise of growth. It was thoughtful, and personal.

“These two keepsakes sit where motherhood, heritage and belonging first came together for me. They remind me that, from his very first day, my son belonged to more than one world – and both were ready to love him.”

My son’s bracelets

“When my son was in Grade 9 and 10, he travelled to Nepal and Japan on school trips, and each trip came home with two bracelets. He chose them himself, carefully, and handed them to me with a mix of pride and awkwardness that made it even sweeter. That small moment was the beginning of a tradition. When he travels, he brings me a bracelet; when I travel without him, I bring him cheesy touristy keepsakes that crack him up. It has become our inside joke and our way of staying connected.

“I cherish these bracelets because they carry a piece of him. They remind me that even when he is on the other side of the world, he is thinking of me. They hold the feeling of watching him grow more independent while still wanting me to be part of his adventures. Whenever I wear them, which is oft en, they keep him present in my day-to-day life, even when he is far from home.”

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

“My favourite book and the one I return to almost every year is The Night Circus. It inspires my imagination in a way few other stories do. Every time I open it, I’m transported to a world that is magical and mysterious, but also somehow familiar. I know the characters and the scenes vividly in my mind, like they live there. It feels like stepping into a space where creativity is allowed to run free.

“I tell everyone about this book because it reminds me of the power of storytelling. It explores big themes like love, sacrifice, creativity, time and community, which continue to resonate with me each time I reread it. The story unfolds visually and emotionally, and I fi nd myself imagining the circus in my own way. That feels close to the way African stories are oft en told, where you build the characters in your mind and the magic exists partly in what is left unsaid. It reminds me to stay curious and to keep imagination at the centre of what I do.”

The kilted skirt

“I grew up in a matriarchal family filled with strong women. All my aunts and my mom have worn this kilted skirt. As a girl, I used to watch them heading out into the world in it, and I would wonder when it would be my turn. Now it is mine and I treasure it.

“The fabric is worn down in places, and the pleats do not sit quite as sharply as they once did, but that makes its history feel even richer. I have no idea who it belonged to first, but each woman who’sworn it has added something of herself to it. Some of the strongest women I know chased their dreams in this skirt. They made big decisions. They built families. They found their voices. And now it has become part of my story too.

“Every winter I bring it out and put it on. It feels like an heirloom passed down through generations, even though it was never formally declared as one. When I wear this skirt, I feel all of them with me. It reminds me of where I come from, and of the women who raised me to stand firm in who I am.”

My thrifted Vivienne Westwood boots

“I fell in love with these boots the first time I saw them. Thrifted, slightly worn and bursting with personality, they are joy in shoe form. I love how whimsical they are. Whenever I wear them, I feel a little spark of freedom. Vivienne Westwood believed fashion could be a statement. She used design to challenge norms, stir imagination and celebrate individuality. Her work was rooted in craft , heritage and a touch of rebellion. These boots feel connected to that same spirit in their own way.

“They take pride of place in my dressing room. They reflect how I see creativity – bold yet grounded, playful yet real. They remind me to embrace whimsy in my work; to trust my ideas and stay curious about what design can become. I wear them for the style… and for the story they carry, one of discovery and fearless expression.”

The Nyika overcoat

“The Nyika overcoat is the result of a collaboration between TheUrbanative and Romaria Knitwear. It’s part of the Kusafiri collection, which opened a new creative door for me. It allowed me to explore clothing design, something that has always been close to my heart. My mom was a seamstress, and for many years I believed I would become a fashion designer. This piece feels like a quiet nod to that early dream.

“The name Nyika is a Swahili word meaning wilderness or hinterland. The design draws from the patterns and textures found on the Nyika Plateau in Malawi, known for its wildlife and rolling whaleback hills. Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good kimono-inspired silhouette, so this piece feels like the perfect fit for my personal style and for my creative journey. The Nyika overcoat represents the power of collaboration, the joy of storytelling through fashion, and the belief that old dreams can evolve into new realities.”

The Wambo pod chair

“The Wambo pod chair is part of our Outdoor Collection, yet its story and roots reach into both the African Crowns Collection and my grandmother’s garden, where I spent my childhood summers. Its woven mesh reminds me of her world – the textures of outdoor living, chickens roaming and afternoons under the trees. The form, with its long, curved ribs, draws from the remarkable eembuvi plaits worn by the women of the Mbalantu people of the Ovawambo tribe in Namibia, where hair could grow into elegant lengths that became a symbol of beauty and identity.

“The Wambo pod is special to me because it shows how stories can live in material things. It carries the memory of the women who shaped me, and a celebration of African heritage that continues to inspire my work. It proves that design can be functional and rooted, contemporary and full of history, personal and proudly communal all at once.” | theurbanative.com

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The post Keepsakes: Mpho Vackier appeared first on Visi.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Gina Dionisio; Cape Town Furniture Week / Hannah St Clair 

A totemic field is not merely a collection of objects but a charged system organised around symbols that carry presence and gravity. Meaning emerges through proximity, repetition, and exchange. In The Totemic Field – a collaborative exhibition by Joburg-based furniture designers Mash.T Design Studio, TheUrbanative, and multidisciplinary design studio Hoven – these ideas found compelling material expression.

Curated by Nisha van Hoven, the showcase was an artful exploration of the contemporary totemic – where waste, error, and experimentation are not by-products of design but generative forces, producing functional forms that quietly hold collective meaning. “They are definitely not static objects, they are very much adaptive systems. So you will see part lamp, part structure, part object. They refuse fixed identities,” says Nisha.

Featuring new pieces and prototypes, the exhibition positioned modularity not only as a functional strategy but also as a philosophy grounded in circularity, collaboration, and expressive African design. Each piece became a vessel of memory and intention, shaped by material, labour, and the many hands involved in its making.

For Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio, the showcase highlighted the brand’s continued journey of generational artisanship, collaboration, and learning. “This story revolves around our metal spinner, Grandpa Jackson. We asked him to teach one of our young artists how to spin. And so this is the result of a year-long apprenticeship,” she says, pointing to the prototypes.

As the apprentice worked towards mastering the spinning process – a technique that resulted in the new Axis Collection – many components naturally didn’t make the cut. These were assembled into imperfect prototypes, such as the Mad Hatter, a standing lamp that embraces the imperfections of its materials, revealing a new aesthetic in which waste tells a story.

Mpho Vackier, founder and designer of TheUrbanative, presented new and reimagined pieces from the African Crowns, Homecoming, and Ndebele collections. “We wanted to push the materials and push ourselves,” she says. Among the pieces on display was the Fula Chair, upholstered in Mungo double-cloth fabric with a blue-stained natural ash seat – a progression from the Fulani Chair. “This chair has lived many, many lives. I think there are five versions. It was first made in steel, then charred red oak, and now we’ve revisited it in colour,” explains Mpho.

Crafted from solid kiaat and stained a deep rosewood, the Phondo Mirror is another addition to the 2018 African Crowns Collection. “This piece is exciting for us because we are known for working in steel, not timber,” says Mpho. “As novices in timber work, we wanted to push ourselves to see if we could integrate the things that we’ve learned from metalworking into working in timber.”

Each piece on display in The Totemic Field reflected the fluid and negotiated nature of contemporary making and collective life. Through time, labour, and exchange, the exhibition revealed the totemic field not as a fixed object to be observed, but as a living practice shaped collectively. mashtdesignstudio.com | theurbanative.com | hoven.co.za

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Courtesy of TheUrbanative & Grey Room

Johannesburg-based design studio TheUrbanative unveiled the Wadi Screen, a sculptural divider, at this year’s Cape Town Furniture Week. A finalist for the CTFW x VISI Design Prize, the newly launched piece takes cues from the shifting textures of natural landscapes and signals an important milestone in the studio’s evolving design language.

From the early Nasara Screens, made of steel and woven cord, to a softer dialogue of natural materials, sculptural wool forms, and colour-stained timber, the piece reflects an evolving language of making. Taking its name from the Swahili word ‘wadi’, meaning valley, the concept for the screen emerged from a collaboration with Something Good Studio for the Kusafiri knitwear collection, where themes of landscape, movement, and travel were explored.

“We are constantly revisiting and questioning our own work,” says Mpho Vackier, Founder and Creative Director of TheUrbanative. “With the Wadi Screen we wanted to explore how our language of weaving could evolve through a new material. Wool allowed the surface to become more sculptural and landscape-like, extending our ongoing interest in material storytelling and evolving ways of making.”

At the centre of the Wadi Screen sits a woven wool panel composed of layered natural and coloured yarns that form sculptural relief across the surface. As light moves across the piece, the textures shift gently, evoking the contours of terrain held within a frame. Produced in collaboration with Grey Room, the woven panel features wool sourced from Weluka, highlighting the use of locally sourced natural materials. The fibre gathers, layers, and builds texture across the surface, extending the studio’s long-standing exploration of weaving into a new sculptural language. The structure surrounding the woven panel remains deliberate and precise: a steel frame traces the outline, establishing rhythm and order, while the introduction of wool softens the geometry within it.

At the base, stained timber finished in a deep red hue forms part of an ongoing exploration within the studio into colour and timber. The staining process reflects a broader investigation into carpentry techniques, adding another layer of newly developed skills to the practice.

The Wadi Screen wasn’t the only new piece on display at Cape Town Furniture Week. At The Totemic Field, a collaborative exhibition held at Sisonke Gallery, TheUrbanative presented new and reimagined works from its African Crowns, Homecoming, and Ndebele collections. Highlights included the Fula Chair, a progression of the Fulani Chair; the Lupita Accent Lamp | Chroma, inspired by the Lupita Floor Lamp; and the Zinhle Echo, a new interpretation of the Zinhle side table.

New materials and textures emerge as the studio continues to investigate both traditional and contemporary ways of making. “We wanted to push the materials and push ourselves,” says Mpho of the new pieces. Like landscapes shaped over time, the work continues to evolve through material, craft, and technology. | theurbanative.com

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Sarah de Pina

An ode to seasonal transition, Dusk reflects the beauty of change as we slowly make our way into summer. Balancing the play of shadow and light, TheUrbanative’s newest colourway moves easily between structure and softness, thanks to its monochromatic tones.

“With Dusk, we wanted to capture the beauty of transition: that in-between space where light fades, shadows lengthen and a new season begins,” says Mpho Vackier, Founder and Creative Director of TheUrbanative. “It is our way of saying hello to summer, with an arrangement of hues that feels timeless yet contemporary. In Dusk, the combination of Black & White finds new expression as a statement for life lived under open skies and shady trees.”

Joining the brand’s existing outdoor colourways – Coral, Palm, Sand and Ocean – the new palette embodies a sense of balance, contrast, and timeless modernity. Together they form a vibrant composition for contemporary outdoor living. | theurbanative.com

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The women of South Africa’s design industry stand as beacons of creativity and vision, constantly redefining the landscape with their innovative ideas.

This Women’s Month, Decorex Joburg and 100% Design Africa celebrate the incredible contributions of women in design. “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.”

The participants in these two shows, including engineers, architects, interior decorators, ceramicists, furniture designers, and textile artists, showcase remarkable expertise across diverse fields, emphasising the need to recognise their exceptional contributions.

Lexus ‘Making Luxury Personal’ Spaces

For the Lexus ‘Making Luxury Personal’ spaces, respected South African designers Anna Correia, Kgomotso Malope of MoTSO DeSIGNED and Sihan Wiid of Mink Interiors will create feature spaces informed by the latest Lexus car models, demonstrating how to capture the personality of luxury cars in interior design.

Plascon Colour Design Pods

Living Inspired Interiors, founded by Tanya Solomon, will create a room set inspired by Plascon palettes. The Plascon Colour Design Pods aim to push designers to explore and showcase the diverse and dynamic possibilities of colour using the Plascon Colour Forecast for 2024.

100% Design Africa

This year’s edition of 100% Design Africa will host an unparalleled display of product design, furniture, decor, lighting and art. Kalki Ceramics, co-founded by multi-disciplinary artist Nindya Bucktowar and her partner Nikhil Tricam, will be at the showcase. 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 of Ananta Design Studio will also be showcasing their unique beaded lighting and decor pieces.

Local surface brand Infinity Surfaces will be displaying an exciting collaboration 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. 

Design brand Coote and Wench, founded by Storm Coote and her husband Philip, will be returning to 100% Design Africa with its unique range of upcycled lighting, handmade furniture and home accessories.

Ashlee Lloyd of the 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.

100% Hospitality by Belgotex

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.

100% Design Africa Café

The 100% Design Africa Café, located in the centre of the 100% Design Africa hall on Level 2 of the convention centre, is designed by Wolkberg Casting Studio. 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. 

Future Talks

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, Andrea Kleinloog and spatial design educator and interior architect Audrey Nanjala. 

Decorex Joburg

Experience this active shift towards impact design for yourself and join the designers and creatives paving the way to the future at Decorex Joburg (1 to 4 August 2024 at the Sandton Convention Centre). | decorex.co.za

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A new furniture collaboration by Infinity Surfaces pushes the boundaries of design.

Launched at 100% Design Africa which formed part of Decorex Cape Town in June, the one-of-a-kind furniture pieces created by four local designers in collaboration with Infinity Surfaces were a testament to South African craftsmanship.

Tanisha Neill, Mpho Vackier, Tshepo Sealetsa and Walter Train each created a unique piece guided by heritage:

N I S H

Tanisha Neill’s design philosophy celebrates both the restrictions and possibilities that chosen materials and techniques present in the design process.

The B D Screen, named after her grandfather, celebrates bold and grand design. To complement the warm-tone timber she chose, Tanisha was drawn to the matte finish of Chianca di Ostuni as well as its interesting texture, both visually and to the touch. This soft, neutral stone, with its cloud-like creamy base, is interspersed with a range of warm beige tones.

The collaboration allowed her to explore a new design approach with a three-leafed screen incorporating warm wood, lattice detail, brass hinges, and stone inlays — a move away from Tanisha’s usual clean linear lines towards bold organic shapes.

Mpho Vackier

Mpho Vackier, the visionary designer behind The Urbanative, weaves African stories into stunning furniture.

For the Nasara Console, Mpho and her team were drawn to Calacatta Hermitage – a crisp white stone with dramatic veins in a neutral taupe shade accented by bold streaks of darker grey and bright gold.

The console, combined with powder-coated steel, sustainable red oak, and brass accents, tells a multi-layered story inspired by Queen Nasara, a prolific female leader in a patriarchal tribe. Rounded corners and curved stone shapes are inlaid into wooden doors and finished with modern brass knobs.

Tshepo Sealetsa

Tshepo Sealetsa’s design philosophy extends beyond conventional architectural boundaries. As a product and architectural interior designer, he embraces luxury in the home through his passion for personal spaces and the desire to help people tell their stories through design.

The Basadi Drinks Cabinet is designed with Royal Peacock stone as its muse. Inspired by green Brazilian marble, the Royal Peacock engineered surface blends the rich tropical hues of the rainforest with the regal teals and sheen of majestic peacock feathers.

Swirling cool earth tones are complemented by warm brass and wood accents. Inspired by the women in his life, Tshepo designed this functional cabinet to be beautiful from all angles, featuring curved brushed brass handles and cylindrical legs that bring a softness to the design. The wood interior includes shelving backed by a mirror and downlit with lighting strips, ideal for displaying and storing glassware. The lower half features bottle storage, creating the perfect entertainer cabinet.

Walter Train

Storyteller, designer, and artist Walter Train has always been drawn to art and sculpture. Fascinated by the way things are put together and interested in how people interact with design, Walter uses colour to evoke emotions and bring excitement to his designs.

The God’s Iris Table is inspired by Walters’s faith and his belief that we are meant to bring light to the spaces we occupy. As a nod to Infinity Surfaces’ Italian heritage, further inspiration from the Italian Renaissance period drew him to the blue hues of Thunderstorm and Ocean Blue. Ocean blue offers a darker, moody blue, while Thunderstorm features striking cerulean veining – both showing crisp white formations with golden-toned blooms.

Representing divinity, royalty, serenity and purity, the blue tones with warm accents are beautifully paired with smooth dark wood and brass inlays. The combination of matte and gloss stone finishes brings depth and visual interest to this statement piece. Set atop a tapered wood base, the intricate circular top features a meticulously crafted pattern inlaid with brass and illuminated by an internal light.

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A thought-provoking brief led to innovative interpretations – and resulted in the beautiful all-wood Future Heirlooms collection.

Last year Always Welcome and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) joined forces to release a first-of-its- kind collection created by seven South African designers. The collection, aptly named Future Heirlooms, asked designers to think freely in order to create an object or a piece of furniture that encapsulates the themes of sustainability, longevity and quality. The lineup of notable South African talent invited to partake included Dokter and Misses, Mash.T Design Studio, TheUrbanative, Kumsuka, Kalki Ceramics, Joe Paine in partnership with Nathan Gates, and NØDE.

Using American red oak, the seven pieces were brought to life by hardwood furniture designer-manufacturers Houtlander, and timber importers BOS Timbers. They are “a celebration of material and memory, and ask pertinent questions about our approach to the environment,” says AHEC regional director Roderick Wiles. The designs – one- off functional objects and small furniture pieces – were displayed at Always Welcome’s Viewing Rooms in Sandton until November, before moving to Always Welcome Heritage House in Cape Town in January 2023.

The Always Welcome team hopes this project inspires important discussions around sustainability in South African furniture design.“We’re extremely proud of the work produced for Future Heirlooms,” says Garreth van Niekerk, director and co-founder of the collective. “Many of these ambitious pieces would have been impossible without the expertise and careful eye of our partners Houtlander, and the support of AHEC and BOS Timbers.”

Pieces include the Now Now digital grandfather clock and repository for family information and memorabilia by Joe Paine and Nathan Gates; Family Portrait – a playful, photo-inspired furniture piece – by co-founders of Dokter and Misses and new parents, Katy Taplin and Adriaan Hugo, and the Fulani chair by TheUrbanative’s Mpho Vackier.

“We aspire to be a brand that not only celebrates stories but also respects the way in which we tell those stories,” Mpho says. “But more than anything, for me, exploring a new material is always exciting. My approach to most of my work is guided by the material, its properties and limits, and letting it have a say in the final piece. Using sustainable American red oak is not only logical but very necessary for us to do justice to the authentic essence of those stories.”

View the full collection and learn more about the inspiration behind each piece at Always Welcome Heritage House in Cape Town until the end of February.

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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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We caught up with award-winning designers Mpho Vackier of TheUrbanative and Thabisa Mjo of Mash T. Design Studio who recently won the 100% Design South Africa Designer of the Year award.

Did you always know design was in your future?

MV: I’d always dreamt of pursuing a creative career and 10 years ago I made the leap of faith to quit my job as a metallurgist [metal engineer] to study interior design. The ability to connect people through design has always been a goal and being able to create amazing products/spaces that make people’s lives better is wonderful.

TM: I just wanted to tell stories and I stumbled upon design. When I won the Nando’s Hot Young Designer competition [for the Tutu 2.0 pendant light], I didn’t even know I had this gift. That’s been the best thing that came out of that experience.

Can you describe something that you grew up with that means a lot to you and had a significant impact on you as a designer?

MV: My grandmother’s coffee set. It’s really not the cutest ceramic set, but I love it because my grandmother did. It’s an heirloom, which reminds me that the work I do may one day be an heirloom – for my son and, hopefully, other people’s kids – and a way for me to honour and relay stories from all our wonderful cultures.

TM: The potjie pot. When we’d visit my gran as kids, she’d bring out that pot to prepare a feast. It represents family, togetherness, serving. It was the inspiration for my Potjie Server design.

Is there an object that you don’t have that you wish you did?

TM: I had a pink Disney Princess TV. It was my favourite thing ever. I just threw it out recently and I already regret it!

Mpho Vackier

What drives you?

MV: When I started TheUrbanative, I identified that one of the guiding core values of what I was trying to achieve is that “we believe in authentic design”. There’s always a personal opinion or standpoint with my work, be it Ndebele graphics or the magic and politics of African hair. We all have a valid point of view and we can add to the conversation. Everyone I have collaborated with comes with their own unique way of looking at the world and when we add all these viewpoints together, we create work that is truly unique.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

MV: Before I start a collection, I have to listen, tap in, explore, research, read, investigate and meditate. I’m inspired by how people live, history, heritage, culture, travel, societies, art, design, technology, engineering, nature… I’m inspired by how culture defines where we place our value and by the possibility of connecting differing people/societies/culture through the stories we tell with our products and furniture.

TM: A recent discovery is the Phansi Museum in Durban. It’s a gem, a treasure; everyone should visit.

Describe your design aesthetic in three words.

MV: Functionality. Craft. Story.

TM: A pure delight!

Your greatest achievement to date?

MV: This has been a year of growth. Having our Nenzima desk nominated for the Design Indaba Most Beautiful Object of the Year award by Donald Nxumalo was the most amazing feeling. Winning – again really unexpected – the 100% Design SA Designer of the Year award was the coolest moment and it has energised us as a team. More than anything, I’m proud that at 30-something I dared to start TheUrbanative with no previous knowledge of design or the industry, coming from an engineering background to a totally different career. The fact that our work continues to connect, inspire and make people happy is very rewarding.

TM: I’m just getting started! In addition to the recent recognition with the 100% Design SA award, we got to showcase our collaboration with Weylandts at the show. I was invited by the retailer to work with fellow female designers Mpho and Monique Vee on The Theatre of Sleep. For the collab, we created pieces related to the act of sleeping and dreaming. It demonstrates that handcrafted furniture can be scalable and mass-produced.

Thabisa Mjo

Which designers do you admire?

MV: Right now, I’m in love with Malene Barnett’s textile and ceramics and Marie Burgos furniture and lighting. Their work is bold, sophisticated and intended to connect.

Other all-time favourites are Kelly Wearstler – I love how multifaceted she is as a designer – and Jaime Hayon, who designs with humour and emotion and draws from his Spanish heritage.

In addition to Thabisa, locally I love Atang Tshikare, The Ninevites, Peter Mabeo, Monique Vee, Ditiro Mashigo, Renée Roussow, Rich Mnisi, Thebe Magugu… Their work is constantly pushing the boundaries of what African design is and the stories behind their designs are resonating with people, which is the important bit. That connection is why most of us do what we do.

Is there an artwork of a piece of design that you covet?

MV: More art by Anastasia Pather and Sakhile Cebekhulu.

TM: A Serge Mouille 6-Arm Rotating Ceiling Lamp, a David Krynauw Haywire Chandelier, a Dokter and Misses Kassena Town cabinet, oh, and a Hermès Birkin bag for good measure.

Is there a building that stands out for you?

MV: Syddansk Universitet communications and design building in Kolding, Denmark, by Henning Larsen Architects. It’s fitted with climate-responsive kinetic facade that regulates interior temperatures. I love it because I believe that as designers we should always endeavour to create products that are multifaceted and solve the ever-evolving problems of the user.

TM: The High Line in New York.

What are the items you’d save in a fire?

MV: My dogs, my sneakers, a rug from the Ninevites, an artwork called Haberdashery Warrior by Anastasia Pather, TheUrbanative’s first-ever Thandekile server, my laptop, and my collection of crown hair accessories.

TM: I’m a bit of a fashion girl, so my sneakers and my Tongoro snakeskin bag handmade in Senegal.

Words of wisdom for your younger self…

MV: Relax, it’s all gonna work out…

TM: …and it’s not that serious. (I still need to hear it!)

Follow Mpho (@theurbanative) and Thabisa (@mashtdesignstudio) on Instagram to keep up to date with their latest news.

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