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INSIDE AFRICA
African Design Showcase
Aired March 28, 2009 - 12:30:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to INSIDE AFRICA. I'm Isha Sesay. On the program this week, form and function converge. From architecture and decor to fashion and advertising, the latest in African design was recently on display at the annual Design Indaba in Capetown. Over the next half hour, Robyn Curnow will introduce us to several African designers featured at the conference and around the world. Here she is now, reporting from South Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, and welcome to Capetown. This might look a little bit odd, but these trailers are actually situated at the top of one of Capetown's grooviest, hippest hotels. They've converted their roof garden into a quirky trailer park. You can actually spend the night in one of these.
Now, this is just one example of some of the innovative design projects going on here at the tip of Africa. But there's so much more than just tribal or ethnic arts and crafts. It's all about cutting-edge creativity with a global appeal that breaks stereotypes. And it's all in evidence at the Design Indaba, an annual design exhibition or fair that's held here in Capetown.
Africa's rich heritage and diversity is evident in the continent's design, said the team from Imiso Ceramics.
ANDILE DYALVANE, IMISO CERAMICS: What we're trying to show them is that our design can be anywhere in the world and sit and still have the reflection of Africa based on certain elements, either color or form or pattern of fabric that it has been made out of.
CURNOW: Creating distinctly African interiors is what defies Boyd Ferguson's style.
BOYD FERGUSON, INTERIOR DESIGNER: We looked at culture, and incredible detail in color and pattern that you find on tribal garments and pots for the homes and then fabrics. And we decided to -- to work with that and to really sort of, you know, play with scale, large scale and vibrant color and to bring a sort of joy into the -- into the interior. And you know, there's a real sense of humor as well in terms of, you know, seeing these things reinvented, playfulness in a sense, and that sort of child gets evoked, which was quite exciting.
CURNOW: He says he tries to created an African ethos in the rooms he designs.
FERGUSON: And what I love Africa to represent and what it does for me is really a returning to earth, to sort of humble, simple values. And I really try to showcase and champion that, you know, the simple woven basket or a grass mat can be extremely luxurious and really touching.
CURNOW: In a similar vein, furniture designer Haldane Martin created a chair that resembles a traditional African basket.
HALDANE MARTIN, FURNITURE DESIGNER: This is the Zulu bama (ph) chair, which is an exploration of a Southern African woven technique, a Zulu weaving technique. And it's been adapted and made contemporary by using contemporary materials such as recycled plastic, and it's recycled stainless steel frame.
CURNOW: Here at the Gregor Jenkins studio, they make industrial-style furniture and lighting, taking the concept of African design even further, using steel to weld images of Johannesburg skyline into the pieces, and a sleek modern table and chairs often have style references to old-fashioned Africana furniture.
So, across the continent, designers are realizing that they don't have to look to Europe or elsewhere for inspiration. Says the organizer of this exhibition...
(on camera): Ravi Naidoo, this is your baby. Why did you start to design Indaba, a design fair?
RAVI NAIDOO, DESIGN: Robyn, I think it's our baby. It's the national asset that belongs to the country, and in fact I think it's a regional asset that belongs to Africa. It's a great celebration of African creativity. People are finding their voice, which is a fantastic thing. There's a new confidence. We're starting to celebrate our heritage, and I'll tell you, when we get this right, and it's growing from a very, very small base, but the design is just fantastic, the trajectory is quite steep. But if we get this right, and we start to talk in a voice that the world hasn't heard yet, watch out, world. I think we've got lots to offer.
CURNOW: What do you mean by lots to offer? We're talking about really creative, African designed vases, objects, or are we talking about something more powerful?
NAIDOO: I'm talking about something way more powerful. I'm talking about a way of thinking. I'm talking about design as problem solving. I'm talking about designs that have socioeconomic impact. I'm talking about design as that skill of facility to improve the quality of life. And -- and so, this is fantastic, and it's a great celebration, but it's also about how do we take this in-between events, and we really have a meaningful impact.
CURNOW: This is a perfect example of what we're talking about, authenticity, about respecting the South African creativity or African creativity. Explain this to me.
NAIDOO: What I mean here and elsewhere on the floor -- I mean, the big thing right now is a new confidence. And we are no longer looking at mimicry. We're talking about innovation. And what comes through quite really is celebrating who we are and celebrating our authenticity and presenting the South Africa that we know.
CURNOW: This is the image of ...
NAIDOO: A shantytown.
CURNOW: A shantytown.
NAIDOO: Which is transformed into a high-end lamp, for posh homes in Constantia (ph).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Stay tuned. After this short break, we're going to look at African designers making it big abroad.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: Welcome back to INSIDE AFRICA. I'm Robyn Curnow, and we're here in Capetown. Now, it might not look like it, but we're at one of South Africa's oldest hotels. The owners have renovated it, taking a very old-fashioned space and making it very contemporary. Now, designers across the continent are doing this regularly, flipping things on their head, essentially, taking traditional methods and techniques and materials and turning them into something contemporary and modern, and often quite quirky. Now, they sell very well on the European High Street, as David McKenzie explains from Kenya.
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DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They solder, drill and hammer, but these artisans aren't into mass production. This is high fashion. It brings in the world's hottest jewelry designers.
BRIAN CRUMLEY, JEWELRY DESIGNER: So you guys are putting the chain through the fabric, because it's the weight...
MCKENZIE: American designer Brian Crumley could have gone anywhere in the world to create a new line of jewelry, but he chose Kenya.
CRUMLEY: I didn't want to send it to China, I didn't want to send it to India, to somewhere -- you know, with no name, no soul kind of place that I don't really know how they're producing it, I don't know what's being put into it, I don't know how the people are being treated.
MCKENZIE: And they're not always treated well. For an industry obsessed with image, raids on textile sweatshops like this one in Asia have exposed the dark underbelly of the multi-billion dollar fashion industry.
Now, some companies are working in the opposite direction. Jewelry company Made set up shop in Kenya to make what it calls "ethical jewelry". Made says of all its workers are paid more than Kenya's minimum wage, they're given health benefits and bank accounts, and they work in a safe environment.
CRUMLEY: No, no, there was some pink?
MCKENZIE: To one of the founders, ethical jewelry also makes business sense.
GERSON BARNETT, MADE CO-FOUNDER: The consumers really want to know where their products arrive from. They're, you know, very interested to know how it's being made. Is it being made in a fair way, and most importantly in an ethical way.
MCKENZIE: Fashion with a conscience wasn't always trendsetting, but this Kenyan jewelry is fashion-forward, donning the isles of High Street, at retailers like Topshop in the U.K. But to buy ethical costs a lot more. Are consumers ready to pay the extra money in these tough times?
ANNA, MADE: We should actually get used to the fact that things cost a little bit more than what we're used to, to make it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would take it into consideration certainly, but it would have really depended on whether I liked the design.
CRUMLEY: Yeah. Very happy. I'm glad. Relieved.
MCKENZIE: Ethics are crucial to Made, but design is still key.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Having different designers out here, you know, they will come with a completely fresh eye onto all the material that have been used for years and years out in Kenya. And come out with something completely new, which is amazing.
MCKENZIE: So, jewelry designers who want accessories with a conscience and style are coming to Africa, drawing inspiration from the local materials and talent this country has to offer.
David McKenzie, CNN, Nairobi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: And hitting the catwalk at this year's New York Fashion Week were three of Africa's top fashion designers.
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CURNOW: Stoned Cherrie, Xuly Bet, Tiffany Amber, and Momo -- these African fashion brands may not be household names around the world yet, but after showing off their collection on the runway in the Big Apple, their labels could still end up in a clothing store near you. New York's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicked off with the first African fashion collective -- the clothes, the flair, the ambience all belonged to Africa on opening night. As some of the continent's top designers showcased their incredible collections in front of hundreds of fashion (inaudible).
FOLAKE FOLARIN-COKER, DESIGNER TIFFANY AMBER: The door has been opened. And now we're taking a step and going through this door. And some of us are going to get lucky, and the clothes are going to be all over the world.
NKHENSANI NKOSI, DESIGNER, STONED CHERRIE: Hopefully, platforms like this, opportunities like this will show the world the different sides to Africa.
CURNOW: The event was sponsored by Nigeria's "This Day" newspaper, and "Arise," an African style magazine. Nduka Obaigbena, the publisher of both, says one of the main reasons he initiated the collective was to highlight Africa's beauty, which he says is significantly underrepresented.
NDUKA OBAIGBENA, "THIS DAY/ARISE" PUBLISHER: There is a lot more in Africa than you see. You saw the statistics, that of all news in the world, about 2 percents are on Africa. And of that 2 percent, 90 percent is on AIDS and famine. That is not Africa. So what we are showing today is some of the best of Africa.
CURNOW: Each designer showcased about a dozen pieces, which were paraded down the catwalk by a cast of some of the world's most beautiful models. Many of the models said they were thrilled to be part of this moment.
AGBANI DAREGO, NIGIERIAN MODEL: It's a wonderful event. Something to showcase African culture, not just fashion but Africa in general.
LIYA KEBEDE, ETHIOPIAN MODEL: There is poverty in Africa, but at the same time, it's incredible, you know. It's beautiful. The people are incredible. The (inaudible) is amazing, the culture, the richness of fabric, the texture, you know. And that part of it always gets lost.
TYSON BECKFORD, AMERICAN MODEL ACTOR: African designers, they put hand and love and everything into what they make, their garments. It's not made on a -- on a production line. It's handmade, quality stuff, made with the heart from the motherland. So you got to respect that.
CURNOW: The designers are elated to get the recognition and hope it will leave a lasting impact.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: After the break, we'll look at how design helps to change people's lives. We'll focus on design solutions for South Africa's poorest communities.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: You're watching INSIDE AFRICA. I'm Robyn Curnow. And as you can see, this week we're focusing on design. Now, many people here in South Africa recognize that creativity and design is not just about making interiors like this beautiful and fun. In fact, many people here believe that architecture and good design can help improve people's lives. We're now going to meet two young architects who say it's their business to help change the post-apartheid landscape.
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MOKENA MAKEKA, MAKEKA DESIGN LAB: My name is Mokena Makeka. We're right now in Tailija (ph). This place you can see is actually quite desolate. We're looking at very difficult conditions in terms of sunlight, in terms of the wind, in terms of this harsh sand. And I think it's quite a challenge to be able to try and make buildings that inspire people and bring a sense of difference.
My commission was to do a multipurpose center, this community (inaudible) that here before you. And really, the emphasis for me was to look at the fabric of the township, which is very much about desolate and fragmented buildings, and to say how does one make civic architecture that is far much more inspiring and gives a sense of permanence in a region where everything seems to be very impermanent, temporal and fragile. So the proportions of the building and the way that it sits in a landscape, the choice of materials and color was very much to say that this would be a simple building, respond to sustainability issues, but also inspire and delight the eye.
In my opinion, architecture is a human right for all. There was a time historically when the only people who could be able to enjoy good public spaces, to enjoy good experiential volume were those who were the wealthy, those who were well-to-do. I have a sincere belief as an architect that our job is to not only deal with that sector of the economy and that clientele, but to make sure that those people who don't have enough money to make their homes beautiful can at least have public spaces and buildings that give them dignity. All the challenges around Tailija, therefore (ph) the struggle to marry resources and to also capture this very abstract notion of good architecture being a public human right. So the ultimate vision is to imagine events where people would be seated here, perhaps having an event on this side, spilling out into a public realm, a library, community center, and a number of other social facilities that are still in the pipeline and we're looking for funding to actually put together. And that essentially the story of this multipurpose center. It's a humble building, but I think it's quite bold in its attempts in terms of responding to the challenges of a new South Africa.
LUYANDA MPAHLWA, MMA ARCHITECTS: I'm Luyanda Mpahlwa. I'm principal architect and creative director from MMA Architects in Capetown. For us, one of the things we set ourselves to do was to actually bring dignity back into the housing of -- of people at the lower end of the economic scale. We found that in Capetown, there is a construction method which is called the ecobine (ph) system, which is basically pine timber, which is combined with a carbonized metal element, and these two are put together to actually create kind of the structural frame, you know, for the design method that we wanted to utilize.
Now, I did not invent, but I identified this potential as a locally available product, and which is very simple. And then what you do is that you actually take sandbags, which are this kind of material, it's a kind of a nylon, which is an employment opportunity, because these are produced by groups of women who actually sow them together, and the sand is actually filled in just very simply. And the sand, you can find, you feel it in here, and then it fills up, and it then it actually becomes a material then which we use in-between this frame. And that is the whole story. Through this initiative, the kind of house that I would like to see, and which I think even people who are poor actually deserve, can look like this, and it can look stylish, it can be practical for them, it can be -- it can bring back their dignity.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: After this break, we're going to be profiling some of the more inventive and innovative designers here in South Africa.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CURNOW: All of these trailers are styled by different designers. It's one of those projects that make Capetown such an achingly cool place sometimes. Creative people of all perspectives live and work here, and we're going to profile some of them now and their products.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CURNOW: Heath Nash reinvents rubbish.
HEATH NASH: Initially, I started making other people's rubbish, which is what the range (ph) is called, in 2004, as a kind of a way to sort of create a bit of an African aesthetic for myself, for my own work, and also to raise a little bit of awareness around the idea that people should recycle, which wasn't happening very much then.
That handle has inside of it hidden a flower, already a perfectly formed flower. You just cut the handle in half there, and then this little petal shape is already in there, as you can see. So you have five of those, and suddenly you've got a perfectly formed little daffodil or whatever the flower that is. So I think it's really good having investigated -- without having investigated bottles for so long, I wouldn't have come across any of these things. It's really interesting.
CURNOW: And in Capetown, the product designer Y. Tsai reinvents sleeping spaces.
Y. TSAI, TSAI DESIGN: The concept comes from the Russian dolls which (inaudible) into small little dolls. The whole idea and purpose of this thing is to create a space-saving furniture, where if you have a room this size and you try to sleep five people, normal beds just wouldn't fit. We put this into an orphanage, and what I didn't anticipate is that in a space of 72 square meters, we slept 20 kids, you know, comfortably, with a lot of space.
CURNOW: And in Johannesburg, fashion label Black Coffee makes handbags inspired by an iconic African silhouette.
JACQUES VAN DER WATT, BLACK COFFEE: It's what ties all the tribes together, the fact that they -- because we were looking at so many different entrances from tribes from the Nubia to South African tribes, but what we found common to all of them is that they carry the babies on the back, and we were very inspired by the silhouette that it creates.
CURNOW: Porky Heffer fights fires with design.
PORKY HEFFER: You look up and you see a fire hydrant. And you go, oops, why is there a fire hydrant in the middle of the mountain? They look closer, and then they see it's a wooden one. And they go, but a wooden one couldn't work, and that's exactly the point you're trying to get across. Wildfires are impossible to stop. The temperature of that is out of control and it could jump anywhere. Guys with their hoses and guys with (inaudible) cannot actually have any effect on stopping that fire.
We put up 65 of these fire hydrants in the beginning, and only three have been damaged. So I think that goes to show that it has been accepted as part of the language of Tego (ph) mountain.
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CURNOW: That's all from us here on INSIDE AFRICA. I'm Robyn Curnow in Capetown. Hope we've managed to give you a sense of how contemporary African design is both functional and fun. Isha, back to you.
SESAY: Thanks, Robyn. Some very ingenious ideas there. And there we must leave it, but be sure to tune in next week for a brand new episode of INSIDE AFRICA. Thanks for watching.
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