Combine design, beauty, a lot of waste material and a fresh look at the old, and you get innovation that not only brings a smile to your face, but also to future generations. BOUSQUET Creations was founded in 2003 under the guise of an intercontinental love story. Tanja (a South African) and Philippe (a Frenchman) met in the south of France where they discovered that they both had artistic backgrounds in painting, sculpture, jewellery and architecture.
Since moving to South Africa in 2004, the couple have been designing jewellery together and, more recently, lighting sculptures. Made from waste materials, a great deal of time was spent collecting the pieces from many “secret” places. Although the use of waste material isn’t a new idea, the high level of finishing, the combination of levity and humour, and the desirability of a one-off design work was clearly appreciated by the public. Before the end of the first day of the Design Indaba Expo, BOUSQUET Creations had sold out.
“One cannot assume the reaction of the public and, in any case, it would be a mistake to think one knows what people like and will like,” explain the humble duo. “We always believed that to be sincere to ourselves through our creations, would be the right attitude and that we would find an answer like that.”