10 South African designers at Maison & Objet

Launching their new product collections

Intricate woodwork inspired by African nature, textile prints based on botanical lithographs from the 1900’s, and a clever stackable storage system with a bold and colourful print inspired by South African Ndebele patterns. 9 exporters from South Africa are returning to Paris to show their latest product collections, and 1 newcomer is proud to make their debut on the European market. Design South Africa can be found in hall 1 stand B79 at Maison & Objet from September 8-12, 2017. Come and meet the designers!

Craftscurator has been coaching a group of 29 exporters from South Africa in developing their business, creating a product offer for the European market, and participating in various trade fairs. After a successful first Maison & Objet trade show last year, 10 of them are now launching their new product collections in Paris, all ready for order by importers, retailers and decorators.

Newcomer is Meyer von Wielligh, a furniture design and manufacturing company from the Garden Route area in South Africa. Their design philosophy is ‘Inspired by Nature’, it reflects the gentle lines and intricate details as in nature. Meyer von Wielligh combines workmanship excellence, creative ideas and the very best materials. Their new range of chairs with different backs are launched in Paris.

The fabulous textile brand Evolution Product keeps surprising us. They have gotten hold of early 1900’s lithographs from South African farming magazines, and have translated these into textile patterns, using a contemporary colour palette. Their cushion covers and wall panels already found their way to boutique hotels and specialist retail stores.

Wooden furniture designer Dan Saks has been taking geometrical patterns a step further this year. The Umuntu range blends flat pack Scandinavian inspired design in solid oak with African texture, colour and patterning. Saks, based in Cape Town is a designer manufacturer of mid-century inspired wooden and upholstered furniture.

Spot-on new print design by Skinny laMinx: their new collection Roof Garden is not only a great new contemporary African print, it also combines beautifully with their existing mid-century inspired prints. Skinny laMinx designs and products can be found in homes and stores across the globe from Tokyo to San Francisco, but the business remains small & resolutely local, with design & manufacture happening in Cape Town.

Furniture manufacturer Vogel is showcasing a new range of African heads; wooden hooks and coat hangers. They have also developed new ranges of side tables, intricately crafted from the finest types of wood, like ash and iroko. With their new footstool, they also show their hand weaving skills result in great patterns with an African design signature.

The softest mohair textiles in the most amazing shades are hand-dyed by Cowgirlblues. They use shibori style dyeing techniques, block printing, embroidering and patching to create their amazing pieces. Cowgirlblues products are designed, knit and hand-dyed in South Africa from South African farmed and spun yarn. The dyeing is all done by hand in their studio in Cape Town.

The clever 2DO storage system by De Steyl is now also available in a bold and colorful print inspired on South African Ndebele patterns. De Steyl furniture is made in South Africa and has a crisp, urban aesthetic that appeals to a design-led, environmentally conscious consumer. The products are machined using the latest CNC technology, assembled by skilled craftsmen and hand-finished.

Exciting new African inspired print design by Indigi Designs. Their collection consists of locally printed textiles, furniture, lighting, décor and accessories that tell a cohesive story infused with African influences, global appeal and longevity.

With a colour palette that will blow you away, Beloved Beadwork proves they do not only design intricate beadwork pieces, but are also spot-on when it comes to trends in fashion accessories. Some of their mind-blowing pieces you can wear on a necklace, while a bigger version can serve as an eye catcher in your home.

Design Afrika are basketry gurus, they know everything about handwoven baskets from Africa, and work with many producer groups in rural areas. At Maison & Objet, they will present their Giraffe basket, made of ilala palm in the isiMangaliso wetlands of South Africa. The procupine side table is also made of ilala palm, but made by weavers in Zimbabwe.

You can find the 10 South African companies at Maison & Objet Paris from September 8-12, 2017 in hall 1 Eclectic stand B79. In this stand, hosted by CBI, you can also find exporters from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. If you can't make it to the trade fair, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is always happy to provide information on the 10 South African exporters, and the other 19 participants in our CBI  South African Export Coaching Programme.