I enjoyed the Design Indaba this year, certainly more than last. Yes, it was still rather crafty but I found that we had veered a bit more inot designer confidence at last making initiative of doing what it was they simply wanted to do. I love that the Indaba is design in all spheres and embraces all aspects; clothes, jewelry, product, magazines, craft, fabric, art and we could go on.A few stands did stand out for me, but the one that I fell in love with was the stand right next to the Prestige Magazine’s (where Twiice had a few of their furniture pieces). This was Township Patterns - their stand was warm and inviting and almost made you year for those cold cosy days - most especially in this insane heat. Based in Kloof Street this company offers previously disadvantaged women opportunities to create their own job and gain skills by hand making from natural fabrics quality bags. It is a truly great social quality that made the stand, stand out - of course, also the absolute visual beauty of the fabrics.The CTICC certainly had many a feet walking through its doors - a great escape from the warmth - and I am feeling more positive about design as slowly we see that this country is indeed evolving into something whereby South African’s should be proud!
Design Indaba
Panton Chair Celebrates Its Fiftieth Year
When the first Panton Chair - the first product developed independently by Vitra - finally arrived on the market in 1967, it had an unusually long and difficult development process behind it, a process that was only temporarily completed upon its commercial introduction. Within the next few years the chair underwent several changes in material and manufacturing technology, while also evolving into a symbol of its era and an icon for furniture design.It all begun in the 1960s, when Verner Panton came to Vitra to show Willi and Rolf Fehlbaum a deep-drawn prototype of a chair made out of plastic. They were fascinated by the idea and wanted to pursue serial-production of the chair. It finally reached the manufacturing stage in 1967. The first models were made out of fibreglass-reinforced polyester, followed by a version in rigid polyurethane foam (Baydur) and another in injection moulded Luran S (ASA). It became apparent with time that the latter material was susceptible to fatigue and breakage. For this reason, Vitra suspended production of the chair in the late 1970s.Through the initiative of Verner Panton however, the complex - but reliable - casting method using rigid polyurethane foam was resumed in the 1980s and has been continued to the present day. The version for design connoisseurs is marketed under the name Panton Chair Classic.Yet, in the meantime, so much progress has been made in plastics technology that the Panton Chair can once again be manufactured by injection moulding - now in teh material of polypropylene, which is fully recyclable. The renewed alternative of injection moulding technology makes it possible to also offer the chair in an inexpensive version, thereby making this classic available to a wide public.Even after Panton’s death in 1988, work on the classic continued. With the approval of Marianne Panton, Vitra launched the Panton Junior in 2006, a children’s version of the chair based on the original plans. The Panton Chair has always been a favorite of children. They like its bright colours, the pleasant smoothness of its curves and the fact that they can not only climb on it, but also use it to make great caves and hiding places. Identical to the full sized model with regards to material and shape, the Panton Junior is approximately 25 percent smaller. This makes it a happy place to sit for children in preschool and primary grades.From Vitra Press Info.
2010 - A positive Number!
Happy New Years!Suddenly all I can feel is positive energy with 2010, maybe that comes with having it a positive year in numbers. But, for the most part people I have spoken to have mentioned how they are looking forward to this year, how they can feel that it has big things in store - THIS is their year.2009 is behind us - a testing year for most people and a time that has strengthened us, we have seen the hurdles and realised they are not barriers, but just moments perhaps needed for growth. Whatever ones view is, this is the year we can start anew and fresh and focus on growth in all aspects.With the world cup soon to be, the energy is one that we need to collate and use, let our creative selves work with what this country is being offered - there is so much we can do, we need to show the world what a fantastically amazing country this is - in aesthetics, in climate, in the people, the culture, the diversity, the food - we need to welcome.Yes, I too feel the positive energy from 2010 - this is going to be a good year!
A Year that has created ….
The curtain for 2009 is about to draw to a close and what a year 2009 has been! I think there is no business or industry that can say with truth that they have not felt the effects of that dastardly of words… recession! The big R!I do choose however to look at the positive aspects of recession; the fact that we think in inventive ways as money is not always the answer. Partnerships are made, adn the mind becomes creative - I have ironically found that it has been a year of grown where people actually appreciate their positions and work harder and they discover how much working hard can actually be enjoyed.I believe that things are picking up, at Twiice we have so many fascinating projects in the pipeline; both corporate and domestic. Buildings are being built, people are buying houses, and life goes on. The thing we need to do is all believe in it only getting better - and it is and if 2009 has been a tester of a year I feel that 2010 will be a year of rewards.
Sustain-Able!
Sustainable design, eco friendly design, “green” designs are words all too prevalent - as they should be. Design has acquired a conscience and no longer are designers perceived as diva “hippy” creative types, for now they are doing their all to change the planet, to better it, to enhance its lifetime and for that matter ours! Perhaps the word hippy has a rather misconceiving connotation to it - when one thinks hippy they think of anti-establishment types. For example look at the definition of hippy and it is a person especially of the late 1960’s who rejected established institutions and values and sought spontaneity, direct personal relations expressing love, and expanded consciousness, often expressed externally in the wearing of casual clothing and of beads, headbands, used garments etc. Personally I am a bit bemused that a dictionary can be so banal in its meaning, surely it’s an antiquated idea; that was a period that has now flowed over to a very incorrect or vacuous meaning - and can the external of clothes really do enough to describe the internal?Do you love the earth, do you care what happens to matter around you, do you accept that you are not the ultimate being - ask these simple questions, ask if you do care about releasing toxins, of waste - and if you answer yes, it simple - you too are a hippy, in the now sense, in the sense of conscience.so we come to the original topic of sustainable design, are we all doing our bit, are we all watching the carbon footprint in our products we manufacture, purchase and sell. It is not necessarily all about recycling (not to say do not recycle) but it is also about buying a product that you will want to keep - forever, that does not need to be recycled. It is about using clever materials, about following nature and understanding nature and from there design based and following the most beautiful and most complex but yet simple design of all… the natural world!
South Africa - A Creative Map!
Perhaps it is the taunt the summer is coming albeit with rainy days - but it is there, you can feel it - summer! And so with summer on its way, I am feeling rather happy and content and feel that South Africa is moving and making its way on the map for all things creative. The world is taking note - and it is about time too!In film, the reviews for District 9 are incredible, and although the producer is Lord of the Rings master Peter Jackson the movie is otherwise 100% South African and has received huge acclaim. In fashion, following the Cape Town fashion week held a few weeks ago, it seems we have finally moved away from the safari look - at last - and are embracing the diversity of this country and that South Africa has no one defined look that we need to enforce - finally we are seeing design of mindsIn industrial design, simply seeing what second year students from CPUT came up with for our Twiice International lighting competition was enlightening - excuse the pun - and made me immensely proud. The winning light was Lurky Larry, designed by David Steele and Larry seemed at such ease in our Twiice showroom, fitting in and not looking at all out of place amidst products designed by Philippe Starck, the Bourollecs or Patricia Urquiola.And so, design and creativity in South Africa is moulding itself into original thinkers, we are moving away from what we feel we must do; and people are designing what they want to design - design is also becoming a very ethical point of view, in copying and sustainability as well as biomimicry, and we are developing and shaping up into a country that should be proud and shine its creative light!
Copiers Get Real!
Copying and buying copies is one thing - a supplier of such prolific copies, such as Chair Crazy contacting Twiice International to purchase the original is a whole different picture - a rather satisfying one at that.Perhaps it has finally happened that the consumer is realising that the original goes further and is in effect, better.Perhaps education and being vocal does work - you think you are talking to voids, but then slowly the wheel does start to turn.I must say, it does take something for the salesperson to call Twiice, to request and order for their client who specified original, and to admit that yes - they do sell copies of Twiice products.So now we know, talking does work! Educating the market is a work in progress, but we are in time progressing.
Fraud: Once Bitten Twiice Shy!
One thinks they are savvier than to be caught by fraud, but the fact is that those that do it are aware of all the simple ways to out swindle because it is what they do, it is who they are - conmen! Recently Twiice International was on the receiving end, when a well-spoken man walked away from the Johannesburg showroom and “purchased” a sum of goods.
The man, named Maurice Johnson phoned the Johannesburg showrooms with a story he was opening a boutique guest-house in the North West province and hence required domestic furniture. The “client” had done extensive research on the Twiice website and had a list of items that he required, and from there the story unfolds into one of deception, lies and fraud. What does a con-man sound like? Charming, polite, friendly and personable - it is what they do, pull you in, so you do not question any discrepancies and subsequently you are the one that is found caught out, not a pleasant feeling - but one has to admit, this is what happened.
The Twiice sales executive was in constant communication, willing to assist in any way and after approximately twenty phone calls back and forth, he had his choice! Due to being afar, and not in the vicinity of Johannesburg, it was agreed that he would send his driver to pick up the items, he too being charming and going by the name of Lucky.
Procedures were followed and the order confirmation signed, it was a great sale - fantastic products chosen by a well spoken, amiable man “Maurice Johnson” who without hesitation sent through the electronic proof of payment (EFT), and only after a few days when it was confirmed that money had in fact not come through did Twiice realise that they were duped, the EFT had been doctored, and the man was not named Maurice Johnson - as quite vividly thereafter it was noted that Maurice Johnson is a pseudonym, the email address used mjohnson@mweb.co.za was not real and as he was “in the north west province setting up his guesthouse” there was no address!
Matters have transpired thereafter are that the police were naturally notificed, Twiice staff had the drivers phone number and after phoning incessantly and without fail, hit a lucky note when the driver left the SIM behind at a call box, the SIM was collected by staff members and police alerted - for now, there is a patient and hopeful wait.
It does happen - it happened to us at Twiice but lessons are learnt - be aware, if one is well dressed or spoken or charming does not mean to evade that there is no sinister reasons - just as much as that person not so well dressed may (and often is) be the person that actually does buy!
So be warned, and if a man named Maurice Johnson who is well spoken with a charming disposition, comes into your shop or in some way makes encounters, firstly please do let us know and secondly - please do beware!
The Starck Reality!
I was wondering when it would happen as I am sure so too were many of you. There has been every other kind of reality show, from out in the “wild” (Survivor) to locked in the “wild” (Big Brother) - this moved to the modeling world, then the design world, the business world, practically every kind of world and finally to our world - that of product design!
BBC2 now have a reality show with the prolific Philippe Starck the judge. I suppose if there was going to be a judge it makes sense, it would be expected that Philippe would be your man. Afterall, this is he who has designed pretty much every product that there is; from furniture, to a computer mouse, to a bin, to a toothbrush and the list goes on…
There are some who will be pro and others negative. It does, however you look at it, shine a light on a skill that many do not understand the complexity to. A product is a product, but the reasoning behind said item, the research, the ensuring it has a function is all the major part of the end result! It is a great chance for some to view furniture, for example, as design - it is design, we know this, but not all do.
Back to the show, The School of Design! There are (as with most if not all realities) a certain amount of contestants, in this case 12 British want-to-be’s, who are placed together in a, no doubt about it, lavish apartment or house in the French capital and rest assured they will be surrounded by every Philippe Starck design that there is (and there are many)! They will, of course, be given projects and there will of course be a winner whose prize is that of a six month placement at Starck’s design agency in Paris.
I myself am rather intrigued…
Milan Fair 2009 - The Fair of all Fairs!
The Milan Fair has always been my favorite of Fairs – being in the design world it inspires me; not only Twiice suppliers but all suppliers come up with inspirations that make you amazed at the brains these creators possess – completely new, imaginative and out of the box. But this is not the only reason I attend, I go to see the supplier’s products, to feel them to sit in them and to make decisions on what I think will sell! As great as it is to attend these fairs – it’s not all fun and games as some of you are probably know all too well.
I thought that perhaps due to the economic climate it would be smaller and thus less impressive. I was slightly wrong; smaller yes, I would say 30-40% less attendees, but less impressive certainly not. It was still a magnificent experience! Most of the whacky and therefore somewhat awe inspiring products were seen outside of the actual Milan Fairgrounds as I think is normally the case but generally, it was still the Fairest Fair! For me, the one that stood out the most was Kartell – their new lights are classic and innovative, their chairs – such as the papyrus - such intoxicating pieces. It may sound whimsical, but the shape and the colour of this chair are warm and inviting and above all – comfortable!
And then there is Moroso – a supplier who has embraced African design! It’s fabulous to see them focus on a continent, our continent, that has such talent and embrace it and put it on the forefront of this world renowned fair! You will, no doubt, read and hear more about this from us here at Twiice.
All in all – a great event, I think next year the economic climate may effect it but I also think that in adversity comes appearing out of it a creative outlet and so design should not and hopefully shall not succumb to these times.