South African designers off to Paris

The CCDI has collaborated with Source, an agency that promotes South African design in the international marketplace and the participation of the South African producers at Maison et Objet has been made possible by the support of the dti.

Maison et Objet is a leading international lifestyle show for professionals working in the art of living, and it brings together a diverse and extensive range of product offerings from around the world including décor, design, furniture, accessories, textiles, fragrances and tableware.

CCDI market support programme manager, Fran Stewart says, “Source has a well-established network of buyers as well as excellent distribution systems. We felt this partnership had the potential to open up significant opportunities for our members to gain good traction in the international market. Our developmental agenda is complementary to the more commercial push of Source, with CCDI supporting the gearing up of businesses to be able to trade in the international arena.”

Exhibitors

Among the South African exhibitors in Paris are:

• Master Wires Bead Craft (based in the Watershed on the V&A Waterfront) specialises in providing high quality bead and wire products and African curios to both the local and international market

• Sunshine Crafts (Sam Sithole) (based at the Watershed, V&A Waterfront) specialises in making trophy heads and animal sculptures made from recycled car parts and scrap metal
• Imiso Gallery (located in Woodstock, Cape Town) is known for their handmade ceramic pieces and tableware. Their distinctly African designs with a futuristic edge draw inspiration from a mix of urban culture, local traditions and nature
• ONEOFEACH (based in Buitenkant Street and at the Watershed) designs contemporary and functional handbags using leather and wax-print fabrics which are sourced from different regions of Africa to create a contemporary high-end fashion product
• Madoda Fani - Fani Ceramics (Johannesburg) designs decorative clay pots and vessels
• Art in the Forest (based in Constantia and at the Watershed) showcases the best of Southern African contemporary ceramics, including their studio line ‘Forestware’. Art in the Forest is a social enterprise, with one of its key missions being mentorship of young and emerging artists

• Potter’s Workshop (Muizenburg) is a creative team of twenty three people, each one coming from varied backgrounds to produce functional unique works of African-designed ceramics

“Taking the leap from selling locally to engaging in the export market is a big one. The CCDI supports small businesses to understand the complexities of dealing with International markets, be it assistance to understand logistics and risks in order to price products correctly or what paperwork needs to be completed and where to apply for funding,” concludes Stewart.

As the craft and design sector development agency, the CCDI plays a pivotal role in enterprise development by providing a diverse range of services to support the growth of sustainable creative businesses and contribute to socio-economic development in South Africa. These include a wide range of business support training workshops and mentorships, creativity workshops and an assisted DIY facility helping craft producers, designers and other small businesses to develop new, and refine existing product. The CCDI Market Support programme assists emerging businesses by facilitating market opportunities such as local and international consumer and trade events, craft markets, pop-up stores at conferences and shows, as well as inward and outward-bound trade missions.