Are you aware of how much African design is influencing the rest of the world right now? Currently all eyes are on Africa for the amazing abundance of creatives that reside on this beautiful continent. Africa is winning hands down for the production of many sustainable, fair-trade and eco-friendly products, not to mention some of the most eye-catching pieces that are inspiring other designers the world over.
One such company who has grabbed African design by the horns is UK-based, Habitat. Through its design initiative, Platform, Habitat aims to share “remarkable and thought-provoking design with its customers to encourage, support and promote talent”. With an area solely dedicated to gallery space, the company has been able to capture a vast audience for its specially selected exhibitions. Graphic Africa is one such exhibition, which will take place from the 14 September to 20 October and will double as part of The London Design Festival week.
Graphic Africa has been curated by Cape Town-based Trevyn and Julian McGowan, the brainchild behind Source SA, a company that promotes African creative companies. The duo has selected over 20 furniture, homeware and lighting items to be on show in order to bring the very latest of contemporary African design to London and for the specially selected 16 designers to shine globally. Habitat is also taking it one step further with a collaboration alongside West-African designer Boubacar Dumbia, who specialises in mud cloth techniques.
When I come across such raw, African talent and its impact on the global design community, it always makes me question why we import so much rubbish in to this country, does it not you?
To find out more on the selected 16, head over to the Habitat site here.
Best wishes, Jess from Hector and Bailey
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