Nawaaz Saldulker is a product designer living and working in Cape Town. He believes that a strong creative concept is what distinguishes good product design for average product design.
Here is what he had to say about being part of the Emerging Creatives programme this year:
Did being part of Emerging Creatives help you establish yourself as a fully-fledged creative professional?
For me, I compare being part of the Emerging Creatives programme to being a diver on a diving board. The build-up is all very exciting! The actual event is like the diver’s jump – so very exhilarating. Ultimately though, it’s when you are in the water that you really enjoy the swim.
How has the volume of your business increased since being a part of the Emerging Creatives programme?
South Africa has many talented up-and-coming designers. I believe that a more sustainable approach to design needs to be inculcated in them, in order for a passion to be turned into a career. I feel I have been fairly successful because my nine-to-five job can pay for my five-to-nine love, which is product design.
What was the most valuable thing you got out of the programme?
Meeting awesome like-minded people was awe-inspiring. Being validated by my peers and strangers alike is substantial. There is definitely power in sharing and us creatives do it so well.
Since Emerging Creatives, have you participated in any local or international exhibitions or events, or won any awards?
I have been lucky enough to exhibit at Designgalleriet, which is one of Stockholm's liveliest design arenas. Thereafter I took part in Paris Design Week in September 2013 - out of more than 50 exhibitors I was the only one from Africa! More recently I showed a small collection of my products at Cape Town Art Fair.
