A new leaf

From real palm fronds to leafy prints on textiles, botany is a standout trend at Design Indaba Expo 2015.

Part of the Project

As Design Indaba Expo 2015 opens to the public, we bring you live coverage of the trends we've spotted on the Expo floor. Among the visual feast of design on display leaves emerged as a motif – on bags, wallpaper, cut-out pendants, photography and even as an installation in the "Africa Is Now" stand.

 

Victoria Verbaan

Inspired by the Durban coastlines, Victoria Verbaan designs a range of textiles that translates across bags, cushions and umbrellas. 

Touchee Feelee

Inspired by a bottlebrush frond she picked up one morning, Euodia Roets painted this watercolour illustration and translated it onto fabric.

Long Jean Silver

Designed in spring 2014, jeweller Jeanie Elliott designed this piece to "celebrate the new season".

Matthew Bradley

Part of the Emerging Creatives programme, Matthew Bradley took this photograph because he was taken by the enormous size of the leaf. Bradley is an illustrator and photographer who uses his work to make "mental notes on his surroundings and experiences".