Andrea Kleinloog’s creative journey started with a BA degree in interior design. Her hard work was recognised with the PG Bison South African Interior Design Student of the Year award. At Tonic she worked, played, drew, built and laughed for a couple of years. Gradually Anatomy Design started coming together, culminating in Tiaan Nagel/Anatomy Design, an eclectic shop selling interior and fashion design products. In between all this Anatomy’s Lab Light was named the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa at the 2010 Design Indaba.
1. What's your most treasured possession? My Mac.
2. What's your favourite book? The Great Gatsby.
3. What inspires your work? Functions and experiments (in that order).
4. Do you recycle? Not as much as I would like.
5. If not design, what would you do? Medicine.
6. What is the one thing you would most like to change about the world? To help more people help themselves.
7. What do you do on Sundays? Work. Sadly.
8. Are you passionate about South Africa? I believe in South Africa. Belief can sometimes outlive passion.
9. What does creativity mean to you? Smiling to yourself because you just saw something that someone else didn’t.
10. What's the best piece of design you've seen recently? Sorry, I cannot give a short answer here! “Frost” by Vincent van Duysen for Swarovski Crystal Palace. Most things by Vincent van Duysen. Glassware by Michael Anastassiades with Ilse Crawford - please also look at his lighting products! Lighthouse by Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec for Established & Sons. Anything by UXUS Amsterdam. I am going to stop here. Although I do not want to.
11. What's your favourite place in the world? Cape Town. (Bread and Wine in Franschhoek if you need any specifics.)
12. To what faults do you feel the most indulgent? Deprivation and excessiveness. Yes, one can have both faults, as diabolical as it seems.
13. What question do you ask yourself the most? What just happened?
14. What items would you put in a time capsule? My camera.
15. What would you like to have written in your obituary? She tried her best, kept her eye on the ball, and kept her promises.
16. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity? Starting your own shop?
17. What makes you laugh out loud? My dearest boyfriend.
18. What's your golden design rule? Start big, then pare it down.
19. What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done? Starting Tiaan Nagel / Anatomy Design.
20. Coffee or tea? Tea when I have had too much coffee.
