GREAT FOOD, COOL STUFF
Filled with bacchanalian delights, the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair, now in its ninth edition, is back to rescue those who long to suckle the artisanal bosom.
This year’s event is a Skittles packet full of the most eyebrow-raising, delicious and arresting food and design that SA has to offer. There will be everything from small-batch gin to handcrafted jewellery as well as a generous helping of snob-iety (and not so much sobriety). So while we can’t help you dodge the inevitable backhanded compliments from assorted socialites, we can help you navigate which design stalls Alexa, Amazon’s cloudbased voice service, would choose if she was programmed by the best interior designers in the business. The theme of this year’s event is “a return to making” — about the makers who transform raw materials into meaning. While each exhibitor has been carefully handpicked by curator Cassandra Twala for their unique skill and the beauty of their products, I think that these three designers deserve a special mention:
SOMETHING GOOD STUDIO
The good people at this Cape Town-based studio collaborate with all-girl illustrators and artists to create a unique range of limitededition blankets and throws to hang on the wall as art, use on the couch, for a picnic or on the beach. Each piece is designed to reflect some particularly South African aspect, with a contemporary twist, and each piece celebrates local craftsmanship, using fibres sourced from local farmers.
CHANDLER HOUSE
Ceramicist, illustrator and curator Michael Chandler – the man behind Michael Chandler designs, Cape Town’s Voorkamer Gallery and Chandler House, a shop showcasing local designer’s homeware – is championing the Homeware Pavilion this year and is a first-time exhibitor himself. He says: “At the end of the day nothing can compare to an item crafted by a human being’s hand; it is completely unique, which I think makes it sacred.”
LRNCE
Based in Marrakesh and surrounded by palm trees and oversized djellabas, LRNCE is inspired by the cults and rituals of African tribes. The brand was established in 2013 by Belgian sun chaser Laurence Leenaert, who creates beautifully textured cushions with intriguing line designs, magnificent blankets and carpets and ceramics that are works of art. See lrnce.com