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They'll be coming for just three illustrious days, from as far afield as Japan and California, and across several time zones, in order to peruse SA's finest design at the 2006 Design Indaba Expo. Thanks to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which supports Design Indaba Expo's inward buying mission, 10 international buyers will be visiting Cape Town from 24-26 February 2006. In total, more than 17 international buyers will travel to the event. This is double the 2005 figure, thus doubling the opportunity to increase the local export economy.
The 2005 buyers were Rudy Ostlender from the company Swalaline in Spain; French buyer Frederic Bailly of La Compaignie du Commerce Equitable; Carmen Gutierrez from The Loft Shop Iberica in Spain; Marianne Beek from Comali International in the Netherlands, Kerry Wardley from Caravanserai Enterprises in Australia; Nigerian Solomon Ikhioda; Trevyn McDowell of Source, for the Conran Shop in London; Parisian Lorenz Baumer; and Li Edelkoort of the Li Edelkoort Studio in Paris.
Thus far, these buyers have ordered in excess of R1 million worth of merchandise from South African exhibitors. Many of these orders are ongoing.
A further indication of the success of last year's event is that several of these buyers will be visiting the Expo once again, this time in an unassisted capacity. Frederic Bailly will return, together with an industry colleague who has never attended the event, as will Trevyn McDowell, Li Edelkoort and Solomon Ikhioda.
Design Indaba will also invite its own international speakers - including product developers/designers like Tom Dixon of Habitat and Artek and Stefano Giovannoni of Alessi fame - to tour the Expo. Local decorators and buyers from retail outlets like Woolworths, Loads of Living and @Home are also invited to form part of the official buyers' programme.
Here, we proudly present the DTI and Expo's confirmed international buyers for 2006:
FRANCE - Mahatsara
Category: Arts and crafts
Mahatsara features the arts and crafts of Madagascar and South Africa, and explores how traditional techniques have evolved into creations of contemporary design. Mahatsara is situated adjacent to the Marais, in the Oberkampf-Cirque d'Hiver quarter of Paris.
Since July 2005, owners Catherine de la Poype and Christophe Hillé have been hosting a collection of work from the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Following on from the success of the first collection, Mahatsara is now broadening this showcase to include new pieces and fashion accessories from the same regions, as well as Gauteng, KwaNdebele and the Eastern Cape. Christophe will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer.
USA - Artecnica
Category: Product design, architecture, interior design, decor
Established in California in 1986 by Enrico Bressan and Tahmineh Javanbakht, Artecnica is an architectural studio and product showroom with a focus on exteriors, interiors, furnishing and accessories. Artecnica is committed to design with a conscience. Enrico will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. Visit www.artecnicainc.com for more info.
SPAIN - Ici et Là
Category: Product design, craft
Isabelle, Manuela and Patricia share the same passion for hand-made furniture, fabrics, and decorative elements. They opened the Ici et Là boutique in the trendy Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, in the vicinity of the Picasso Museum, in May 1995. Since then, they have displayed the works of more than 30 artisans from around the world, including South Africa. Ici et Là deliberately chooses to exhibit limited series or single, unique elements that are handmade by their designer, in order to give their collection its personality and its uniqueness. Their focus is on ethnic pieces of very contemporary design. Isabelle Dubois will attend Expo as a buyer. Visit www.icietla.com.
GERMANY - AfrikaHub
Category: Decor and craft
AfrikaHub imports products by South African artisans, thus contributing to the reduction of high unemployment in South Africa. They buy directly from designers and crafters. Ceramics, bags, printed textiles, recycled materials and township crafts feature in store. Erika Drescher will attend Expo as a buyer. Visit www.afrikahub.de for more info.
UNITED KINGDOM - African Crossing
Category: Product design and craft
African Crossing is a showcase of the latest designs emerging from South Africa. It promotes local products and brands through a permanent exhibition space in London. African Crossing is a central gateway for presenting SA products to the world stage, with a focus on providing the South African design industry with ownership of its own creativity, energy and product identity. Andries Diener will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. For more info visit www.africancrossing.com.
GERMANY - Made in Africa
Category: Product design, decor
German/Ghanaian designer Mark Kwami lives in Berlin and runs a chain of stores called "Made in Africa". For over a decade he has acted as an advisor to international organisations that are involved in the development of Design in Africa. MIA stocks modern furniture and decor accessories from Africa. Mark will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. Visit www.mia-collection.de for more info.
SPAIN - Vinçon
Category: Interior design, product design, decor
Founded in 1934, Vinçon is Spain's answer to the Conran Shop. One of the most unique and representative establishments in design-savvy Barcelona, the store specialises in contemporary household items. Coming from a long line of owners, Fernando Amat will attend Expo in person. Visit www.vincon.com.
SWITZERLAND - Southern African Crafts
Category: Decor and craft
Gillian Zimmermann, founder and owner of Southern African Crafts, trained in ceramics at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich and later at a private ceramic studio. She has exhibited widely. Her interest and passion in the contemporary craft movement flourishing in South Africa and her connections to established craft co-operatives as well as up-and-coming artists, inspired her to introduce these new and varied art forms to Switzerland. She specialises in one-of-a-kind collectibles and limited-edition works discovered on her frequent buying trips to South Africa. Her Zurich store has featured in interior, fashion, travel and special interest publications and newspapers, including Annabelle, Brigitte, Swissair Gazette, Home & Garden, Wohnen, Elle, Wohn Revue, Atrium, Schweizer Illust., Prime Guide Shopping in Zurich (1999, 2000), 2001 Louis Vuitton European Travel Guide, Zurich City Guide, Durban's Daily News and Afrika Die Kunst Des Wohnens book. Gillian will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. Visit www.southernafricancrafts.com.
JAPAN - Yorozu - Africa Shop
Category: Craft
Yuriko Mameshiro is the owner of Yorosu-Africa and she will attend Expo as a buyer. Visit www.yorozu-africa.com (in Japanese).
FRANCE - As'Art l'Afrique D'Est en Ouest
Category: Product design, craft
As'Art operates a large Parisian store and catalogue. Co-owner Jean-Paul Merlin will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer.
They'll be coming for just three illustrious days, from as far afield as Japan and California, and across several time zones, in order to peruse SA's finest design at the 2006 Design Indaba Expo. Thanks to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which supports Design Indaba Expo's inward buying mission, 10 international buyers will be visiting Cape Town from 24-26 February 2006. In total, more than 17 international buyers will travel to the event. This is double the 2005 figure, thus doubling the opportunity to increase the local export economy.
The 2005 buyers were Rudy Ostlender from the company Swalaline in Spain; French buyer Frederic Bailly of La Compaignie du Commerce Equitable; Carmen Gutierrez from The Loft Shop Iberica in Spain; Marianne Beek from Comali International in the Netherlands, Kerry Wardley from Caravanserai Enterprises in Australia; Nigerian Solomon Ikhioda; Trevyn McDowell of Source, for the Conran Shop in London; Parisian Lorenz Baumer; and Li Edelkoort of the Li Edelkoort Studio in Paris.
Thus far, these buyers have ordered in excess of R1 million worth of merchandise from South African exhibitors. Many of these orders are ongoing.
A further indication of the success of last year's event is that several of these buyers will be visiting the Expo once again, this time in an unassisted capacity. Frederic Bailly will return, together with an industry colleague who has never attended the event, as will Trevyn McDowell, Li Edelkoort and Solomon Ikhioda.
Design Indaba will also invite its own international speakers - including product developers/designers like Tom Dixon of Habitat and Artek and Stefano Giovannoni of Alessi fame - to tour the Expo. Local decorators and buyers from retail outlets like Woolworths, Loads of Living and @Home are also invited to form part of the official buyers' programme.
Here, we proudly present the DTI and Expo's confirmed international buyers for 2006:
FRANCE - Mahatsara
Category: Arts and crafts
Mahatsara features the arts and crafts of Madagascar and South Africa, and explores how traditional techniques have evolved into creations of contemporary design. Mahatsara is situated adjacent to the Marais, in the Oberkampf-Cirque d'Hiver quarter of Paris.
Since July 2005, owners Catherine de la Poype and Christophe Hillé have been hosting a collection of work from the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Following on from the success of the first collection, Mahatsara is now broadening this showcase to include new pieces and fashion accessories from the same regions, as well as Gauteng, KwaNdebele and the Eastern Cape. Christophe will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer.
USA - Artecnica
Category: Product design, architecture, interior design, decor
Established in California in 1986 by Enrico Bressan and Tahmineh Javanbakht, Artecnica is an architectural studio and product showroom with a focus on exteriors, interiors, furnishing and accessories. Artecnica is committed to design with a conscience. Enrico will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. Visit www.artecnicainc.com for more info.
SPAIN - Ici et Là
Category: Product design, craft
Isabelle, Manuela and Patricia share the same passion for hand-made furniture, fabrics, and decorative elements. They opened the Ici et Là boutique in the trendy Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, in the vicinity of the Picasso Museum, in May 1995. Since then, they have displayed the works of more than 30 artisans from around the world, including South Africa. Ici et Là deliberately chooses to exhibit limited series or single, unique elements that are handmade by their designer, in order to give their collection its personality and its uniqueness. Their focus is on ethnic pieces of very contemporary design. Isabelle Dubois will attend Expo as a buyer. Visit www.icietla.com.
GERMANY - AfrikaHub
Category: Decor and craft
AfrikaHub imports products by South African artisans, thus contributing to the reduction of high unemployment in South Africa. They buy directly from designers and crafters. Ceramics, bags, printed textiles, recycled materials and township crafts feature in store. Erika Drescher will attend Expo as a buyer. Visit www.afrikahub.de for more info.
UNITED KINGDOM - African Crossing
Category: Product design and craft
African Crossing is a showcase of the latest designs emerging from South Africa. It promotes local products and brands through a permanent exhibition space in London. African Crossing is a central gateway for presenting SA products to the world stage, with a focus on providing the South African design industry with ownership of its own creativity, energy and product identity. Andries Diener will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. For more info visit www.africancrossing.com.
GERMANY - Made in Africa
Category: Product design, decor
German/Ghanaian designer Mark Kwami lives in Berlin and runs a chain of stores called "Made in Africa". For over a decade he has acted as an advisor to international organisations that are involved in the development of Design in Africa. MIA stocks modern furniture and decor accessories from Africa. Mark will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. Visit www.mia-collection.de for more info.
SPAIN - Vinçon
Category: Interior design, product design, decor
Founded in 1934, Vinçon is Spain's answer to the Conran Shop. One of the most unique and representative establishments in design-savvy Barcelona, the store specialises in contemporary household items. Coming from a long line of owners, Fernando Amat will attend Expo in person. Visit www.vincon.com.
SWITZERLAND - Southern African Crafts
Category: Decor and craft
Gillian Zimmermann, founder and owner of Southern African Crafts, trained in ceramics at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich and later at a private ceramic studio. She has exhibited widely. Her interest and passion in the contemporary craft movement flourishing in South Africa and her connections to established craft co-operatives as well as up-and-coming artists, inspired her to introduce these new and varied art forms to Switzerland. She specialises in one-of-a-kind collectibles and limited-edition works discovered on her frequent buying trips to South Africa. Her Zurich store has featured in interior, fashion, travel and special interest publications and newspapers, including Annabelle, Brigitte, Swissair Gazette, Home & Garden, Wohnen, Elle, Wohn Revue, Atrium, Schweizer Illust., Prime Guide Shopping in Zurich (1999, 2000), 2001 Louis Vuitton European Travel Guide, Zurich City Guide, Durban's Daily News and Afrika Die Kunst Des Wohnens book. Gillian will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer. Visit www.southernafricancrafts.com.
JAPAN - Yorozu - Africa Shop
Category: Craft
Yuriko Mameshiro is the owner of Yorosu-Africa and she will attend Expo as a buyer. Visit www.yorozu-africa.com (in Japanese).
FRANCE - As'Art l'Afrique D'Est en Ouest
Category: Product design, craft
As'Art operates a large Parisian store and catalogue. Co-owner Jean-Paul Merlin will attend Expo 2006 as a buyer.
