2020 marks 25 years of the Design Indaba- the silver jubilee celebration if you will! It’s been 25 years since its inception, and it’s gone from strength to strength ever since.

25 Years of inspiring people

For anyone who is unfamiliar with the event, the Design Indaba has been held in Cape Town since 1995 and is one of the largest design conferences in the world. Every year industry leaders take to the stage to talk about international thought leadership and innovative problem solving, staying true to the ethos of “A better world through creativity”.

Partnering with the Department of Arts & Culture of South Africa, the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives was established in 2005 to help nurture, showcase and celebrate up and coming designers in South Africa. Young designers talented enough to be showcased as an emerging creative are set for life as they rub shoulders with some of the world’s finest design minds.

The Emerging Creatives

And this year promises to be no different, with a wide variety of creatives showcasing their work. Some of our favourites include:

Fezokuhle Dimba, a fashion designer from Durban, explores sustainable design by upcycling items usually regarded as trash. Her brand Love Hate Designs has been showcased at South African Fashion Week.

A furniture designer & manufacturer, Sipho Khwebula is based in Johannesburg. His designs are inspired by his African heritage and he is constantly pushing himself to create new and never-before-seen pieces.

Anke van der Linden is a jewellery designer based in Shelley Beach, KZN. She is drawn to both organic and botanical forms which she pulls through in her work.

Andrew Earl is a designer, engineer, artist and researcher from Cape Town. He works to create a unique and interactive experience for his viewers.

A multidisciplinary artist based in gauteng, Lebogang Mogul Mabusela, is set on mastering monotype printing. Her work’s objective is to strategically criticize capitalism, consumer behaviour and the patriarchy by defying gender norms perpetuated in Sepedi-Setswana proverbs and anecdotes.

And lastly, a graphic design student from Durban, Tannah Renou loves illustration. Her work is best described as fun, quirky and engaging.

Needless to say, this year has arrived dressed to impress. It promises to continue pushing the already high expectations of the design world as we focus more on conservation and “green” design.  

This 3-day event promises to be a mind-bending, thought provoking and expansive experience.