Local collaborative textile design studio SMTNG GOOD has, together with artist and ceramicist Janet Lightbody, designed a new, blue version of the Endless Summer blanket and platter, exclusively for VISI.

This blue version of the Endless Summer blanket and ceramic platter is a new iteration of Janet Lightbody’s original yellow Endless Summer design, which was also translated into a blanket by SMTNG GOOD.

Made from 100% cotton sourced from local BCI-accredited farmers, the blanket is jacquard machine knitted and measures approximately 140cm x 180cm. Please note: Sizing may vary slightly for each style due to the nature of the yarn. Please allow for a 10cm tolerance.

SMTNG GOOD (Something Good Studio) is a collaborative textile design studio based in Johannesburg. The studio teams up with artists and designers to communicate positive messages through exclusive homeware and fashion textile pieces. Janet Lightbody creates hand-made ceramic pieces in her Cape Town studio. She is also the co-founder of ceramic tableware brand, Sencillo.

VISI Collab: SMTNG GOOD X Janet Lightbody Endless Summer Blanket & Platter

*This collab is no longer available

The ceramic platter, hand-made by Janet Lightbody, measures 40cm (L) x 32cm (W) x 5cm (D). Please note: due to the hand-made nature of the platter, sizing may vary slightly.

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Johannesburg-based collaborative textile design studio Something Good Studio runs an annual pattern design competition for all young aspiring designers under 25. We caught up with this year’s winners, Meg Philip, Eon Rheeder, and Leo Rheeder – the latter being a pair of twins by total chance! – to find out what makes them get up in the morning, the twists and turns in their budding design careers thus far and the physical spaces in which they are most creative.

What are you most passionate about and what drives you? Work-related and beyond. 

Meg: I love curating things. In my day to day, I’m always zooming into details and constantly looking out for beautifully-curated spaces and things around me to capture. I don’t know what it is that gets me going but I do have a streak of resilience. If I really want to do something, I will do whatever it takes to reach my goal. I think maybe my desire to create something beautiful and my perfectionism is what keeps me at it.

Leo: Using my voice through design and illustration to generate an influence on society is what I am most passionate about. My motivation stems from a number of early experiences. My first memory is of my brother and me creating stories and illustrating them at my grandparents’ house. I was also subjected to masculine norms at an early age, I was told that boys who like to draw and appreciate art are aberrant. As a result, I was labeled as a bit strange at a young age. I’ve found my voice as an artist through the years and the things which used to tear me down are now fueling my passion. I call these two recollections my Yin and Yang mentality. It’s a mix of the good and the bad that has shaped who I am today.

Eon: My drive is powered by a memory of when I was very young, age 7 or 8. The memory is of my twin and I at our grandparents’ house in Richards Bay. We were creating stories about fictional characters, drawing them. I remember this moment of pure bliss and this is when my twin and I decided this is what we want to do one day. We want to use design, film and illustration to create moments people can relate to and have open emotions to.

Tell us about a time that changed your life as an artist/creator.

Meg: I would say that getting my first proper job as a template designer at a photo editing mobile app. Having had no training and hardly any experience, it was a turning point for me. It gave me the opportunity to learn so much about design and gain skills. It boosted my confidence but at the same time has been a huge learning curve.

Leo: Being bullied and feeling like I didn’t fit in school played quite an important role in my life and, strangely enough, I am grateful for those years today. All of those years have taught me that my voice as an artist is meaningful and that following your instincts and trusting yourself will lead to you becoming the person
you were meant to be.

Eon: After high school, I was too afraid to follow my twin on the dreams we had as children, so I went on to study a trade and work in a factory where I was unhappy every day. One of the only things that kept me going was drawing patterns and shapes with my finger in the dust on the floor. My twin returned home from university one weekend and showed me his designs and what he was working on. This inspired me to overcome my fear and to embark on the journey we had wanted as children and become a designer.

Tell us about your Something Good Studio blanket design.

Meg: The “Planted” blanket design was born out of a sketch with pen and paper. Leaves are my go-to things to draw. There’s something quite soothing and methodic about drawing them. The name “Planted” refers literally to the leaves, however it also bares the figurative meaning of staying grounded and finding my feet during this time of uncertainty. The design turned out to reflect themes of growth and new beginnings which are very relevant themes for me this year. The colour green, associated with life, renewal and growth, emphasises these themes.

Leo: The artwork is conceptualised with a metaphoric representation of how our lives are. We go through life and the road has all these twist and turns but you’ve got to hold on and just move and groove right through it. For the pattern I wanted to design something interesting as well as serene. The colours I chose for this pattern were influenced by the thought of sea water running through beach sand, tying into the metaphoric representation of the different paths life takes you on and the serene feeling I wanted to create.

Eon: From a young age I have been mesmerised and fascinated with the ocean. It brings me clarity on stormy days and when floating in the ocean, starring up at the clouds, it calms my mind and I catch a moment to find rest in myself. I wanted to express those most valuable and vulnerable feelings in a design that would appeal to people from all walks of life. Just like a fish in the ocean, you must keep swimming forward in life. The design itself, with its various types of fish, shapes, and minimalist lines flowing throughout, reflects my feelings toward the soothing ocean. I also hope to showcase the precious diversity of sea life we need conserve.

What advice would you give a budding creative who is afraid of putting their work out into the world.

Meg: Just do it! I always wanted my work to be perfect before putting it out into the world, particularly when it came to my singing, and that’s held me back so many times. I now realise that things don’t always need to be perfect, you can learn and grow as you go. Another big one is not to compare your work to others’. Stay on your own path.

Leo: You are worthy. Artists put a lot of pressure on themselves by comparing their work to that of others. The truth is that there are many excellent artists out there and, while it is admirable to enjoy their work, you must first be your own number one fan. Believe in yourself and know that you as an artist are worthy.

Eon: We are all unique in everything we do – even my twin and I have two very different and unique design styles. Show off your individuality to the world. I promise you no one can be better at being you, than you.

Follow the designers on Instagram – Meg @andabananas, Eon @eonrheeder, Leo @eonrheeder – and find out more about Something Good Studio here.

The post Something Good Studio Young Designer Throws 2021 appeared first on Visi.

The knitted cotton, limited-edition Skinny laMinx Breeze throw, in collaboration with VISI, has been produced in grey and cream in a limited edition of just 25.

In the early 20th century, a ‘tropicalization’ of Modernist architecture started appearing in the work of architect le Corbusier, as he travelled between Brazil, India and West Africa. He started incorporating perforated architectural screens – also known as brise soleil – traditionally used in tropical climates to create privacy, security, air movement and sun control.

By the time of the mid-century housing boom, the brise soleil had become a defining stylistic feature of large-scale Modernist edifaces, as well as of suburban homes in the California Modern style.

On her travels in Tokyo, in Jaipur, in Los Angeles, and all over South Africa too, Skinny laMinx designer Heather Moore has always noticed & photographed the patterns of brise soleil structures, resulting in the BRISE SOLEIL textile collection in 2016.

Now, in collaboration with VISI magazine, the BREEZE design from this textile collection has been re-released as a knitted throw in a limited edition of just 25.

We hope that your BREEZE knitted throw brings a feeling of Modernist clarity, along with the soft beauty of dappled light and shadow cast, as well as a much-needed sense of mid-century optimism.

VISI Collab: Limited-Edition Skinny laMinx Breeze Throw

*This collab is no longer available.

Made in South Africa. 100% cotton knit. Cold hand wash with mild detergent, and sun dry. | skinnylaminx.com

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Local collaborative textile design studio SMTNG GOOD has teamed up with Cape Town-based graphic designer and illustrator Ben Eagle, aka Ben Veitch, on a new blanket.

Known for his minimalist approach to art, Ben’s latest offering for SMTNG GOOD features a graphic shape inspired by “the never-ending search for balance and unity, while exploring the relationship between certain shapes,” says Ben. “This forms part of the same family as our “Duo” and “Donut” handwoven wall art collaboration.”

“I’m really intrigued by the relationship between form and colour,” adds Ben. “I like finding balance between the two. It may look super simple, but it’s not always easy making shapes work perfectly and elegantly together.”

The jacquard machine-knitted blankets, made from 100% cotton, feature a ribbed border, and measure roughly 140cm x 180cm, ideal for the end of a bed, for use on a couch or using on an outdoor picnic.

Each blanket is branded with a genuine leather, laser-engraved label, beautifully folded & tied with ribbon, and packaged with an A5 print of Ben Eagle’s artwork. The blankets retail at R3 800 each.

For more information and to shop online, visit somethinggoodstudio.com.

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The Limited-edition Skinny laMinx PROMENADE throw, in collaboration with VISI, has been produced in knitted king-size black and white in a limited edition of just 21.

The Sea Point Promenade is Skinny laMinx designer Heather Moore’s favourite place to take a walk because there is so much to see there. Waves and surfers, paragliders and windblown trees, pram pushers and wheelchairs, dogs and joggers, make up a passing parade that’s one of the enduring pleasures of Cape Town life, and one that’s free to all.

One day, after years of walking, driving, cycling, and once even rollerblading past the mosaic wall of the public bathrooms on Beach Road, Heather stopped to photograph and sketch the meandering design, looking at it properly for the first time, although she’d admired it for ages.

The result of taking the time to slow down and look closely at this Mid-century mosaic is the PROMENADE knitted king-size throw, which, in collaboration with VISI magazine, has been produced in black and white in a limited edition of just 21 items.

The 100% cotton knit throw, retailing at R2 500, is made in South Africa and measures 180 x 250 cm. | skinnylaminx.com

*This collab is no longer available.

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A classic pattern and a classic weaving construction have been combined in a graphic and contemporary way through the use of scale and colour in Mungo‘s bold new blanket.

Its name is a play on the word “froufrou”, which describes ornamentation or the sound of rustling fabric. It is the first design from Mungo’s designer Lenore Schroeder under the tutelage of Mungo’s founder and Master Weaver Stuart Holding. Lenore delved into Mungo’s vast archives of historic patterns and designs, studying the checks of the classic Harris Tweed that was originally woven on the Hattersley looms that Mungo uses today.

Lenore was equally fascinated by the potential of waffle weave. “Even though the honeycomb weave is traditionally perceived as a construction used for bath towels I wanted to push the boundary a bit and introduce the weave into other products,” she says. The throw is woven with cotton grown in Southern Africa in nine different coloured yarns on a wide-width Dornier loom at the Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay. The pure cotton yarn ensures that it remains light and breathable – a chunky blanket built for winter, but also a quilt for the summer months.

“For me, the Vrou-Vrou is a piece of textile art that is functional. The interior trends at the moment are so focused on minimalism that I thought why not throw in a 3D construction fabric in amazing colours?” Experimenting with intersections of colour, increasing the scale of the well-known plaid check, and using the neat, pocket-like structure of the weave then became the building blocks for the Vrou-Vrou Throw.

It is available in two colourways: Magenta, which sees Petrol Blue, Wild Yam, Aubergine, Cerise and Pumpkin in the warp meet French Navy, Natural, Citronelle and Rust; and Tamarind, which artfully combines a warp of Pumpkin, Pebble, Cocoa, Wild Yam and Moon Silver with Beige, Natural, Mustard and Charcoal in the weft.

Of the colourways Lenore says, “When I was studying textile design in 2001, I was a poor student without access to the internet or design magazines, so I always got my inspiration for textiles in fine art and from artists like Friedensreich Hundertwasser and Wassily Kandinsky. Their use of colour and texture has always inspired me and I think it’s still the underlying influence in my approach to colour,” she explains.

“The thought process behind the Magenta colourway was to experiment with “throwing” colours across the warp and weft to see the beautiful outcome. For the Tamarind colourway, I got my inspiration from Maison et Objet in Paris in January. I noticed the introduction of warm ochre colours mixed with pumpkin and charcoal tones. I think the colour combination is well suited to the South African market.”

The hand-finished throws come in double, queen, king and super king sizes and start from R3 070. Shop them online on Mungo’s gorgeous site, then read about Mungo’s mill in Plettenberg Bay here. And while you’re waiting for your order to arrive, take a 360º tour of the mill here.

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Mungo’s latest colour palette, featuring five new colourways, is an ode to one of the brand’s most popular designs, the Juno Throw.

The new colour palette showcases the 100% cotton throw in charcoal, imperial (a purple hue), mustard, grey and French navy.

Featuring bold geometric designs, the Juno Throw, which is designed and woven at the Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay and is inspired by classic coverlet patterns, is perfect for the bedroom, lounge or cosying up while travelling.

The Juno Throw retails at R1 735 and is available in double-, queen- and king-size.

Shop online at mungo.co.za or visit the Mungo stores in Plettenberg Bay, Cape Town and Joburg.

The post New Juno Colour Palette From Mungo Design appeared first on Visi.

Los Angeles-based artist Lillian Martinez creates ceramics, as well as works on paper, canvas and linen. But it’s her beautiful blankets that caught Instagram’s attention – and we can see why.

Made under her label BFGF, which she says is inspired by comfort, beauty and humour, Lilian’s blankets are digitally woven from 100 % cotton.

Tropical Shadows regram from @bf__home :)

A post shared by (@bfgf) on Mar 29, 2017 at 1:59pm PDT

The best thing about these artistic tapestries, which for us are reminiscent of renowned French artist Henri Matisse’s later work, is that they don’t necessarily have to be used as throws – they can be hung up on the wall too. Lilian also makes scatter cushions in the same style.

Jungle Blanket regram from @sandy8212 :)

A post shared by (@bfgf) on Mar 27, 2017 at 10:07am PDT

To order, visit bfgf-shop.com. View more of Lilian’s work at lil-online.com and follow her on Instagram to keep up to date with her latest creations.

The post Beautiful Blankets By Lilian Martinez appeared first on Visi.

Get your bedroom winter ready (especially for those lovely long lie-ins on chilly weekends) with any of these 10 winter warmers for your bedroom.

1. Animal Rug (70 x 200cm) R699.99, Mr Price Home

2. Jersey Knit Quilt (Double) R1 715, Biggie Best at Spree.co.za

3. Reversible Winter Duvet Cover R349 – R649, @home

4. Ore Blanket R2 499, Country Road

5. Siberian Goose Down Winter Duvet Inner (Queen) R5 999, Royal Comfort at Yuppiechef.com

6. Portable Gas Heater R2000, Delonghi at Dion Wired

7. Fur Cushion Cover R299, Superbalist.com

8. Electric Blanket (King) R849, AEG at Makro

9. Hot Water Bottle + Knitted Socks R249, @home

10. Knit Cuff Slipper Boots R399, Woolworths

The post 10 Winter Warmers For Your Bedroom appeared first on Visi.

Whether bright and playful, or sophisticated and elegant, this timeless pattern is used continuously in design. Here are 10 accessories – all about stripes – for you to browse (and buy) online.

1. Pink Stripe Espresso Cup R300 (set of 2), Be Kind at Africandy

2. Ginny Placemat R99, Country Road

3. Black Stripe Knitted Throw R699, @home

4. Cabana Stripe Mugs R13.99 each, Mr Price Home

5. Cha Ching Monochrome Bag #4 R2 350, Missibaba

6. Fishing Illustration R290, Dayfeels

7. V Stripe Apron R159, Balducci at Spree.co.za

8. Lines Fabric R360 p/m, Zana

9. Black Stripe Cushion R908, Detail’24

10. Stripe Socks R129, Happy Socks at Superbalist.com

The post 10 Buys in Stripes appeared first on Visi.