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South Africa’s vibrant design industry is a surprise when you first discover it.

Typical impressions of the Dark Continent don’t usually include one of the world’s best advertising and communication design
industries, but local studios regularly make off with Clios and Cannes Lions.
Other creative industries do equally well; Time magazine called South Africa the number one
destination for fashion design in 2003. A government initiative to create greater value from South
Africa’s gold, platinum and diamond mines is stimulating the jewelry design industry. A booming retail
sector combined with record property prices and huge growth in construction is driving interior design
and architecture.
Cape Town’s International Design Indaba reflects the explosion in South Africa’s creative industries
with this annual 3-day conference joining the A-list of global design gatherings. Speakers now
comprise the most important names in design from around the world, as noted in the May 2006 issue
of ID magazine.
One gets the feeling that the design world may be warming to a dose of earthy, rich, African flavor.
From London to Dubai to Singapore, South African designers are being noticed. This is a testament to
the world-class education and multi-cultural sensitivity of local designers.
Until now, the euphoria hasn’t extended to South African product design. South Africa’s
manufacturing industry struggles to absorb the 15-odd graduates each year and the local
opportunities for product designers are mostly in supporting the media and branding industry with 3D
skills. Do more optimistically
However things could be changing for South African product designers. Recently some South African
product design studios have started to grab international attention. Csape Town-based studio …XYZ
had its condom applicator displayed as part of MOMA’s SAFE: Design Takes On Risk exhibition in
2005/6. Durban’s Egg Design was rated by GDR in London as one of the Top 10 Young Design
Companies’ to watch in 2001 and exhibited successfully at 100% Design.
When Pretoria-based Readymade won a Red Dot Award and a Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award
last year for product design, they were surprised to find out that they were the first African company
ever to do so. From this unlikely position Readymade has been effective in designing for global brands
that need unique ideas. Unlikely position?
Could this be is the beginning of South African product designers emulating their world-beating peers
in the other creative industries? Maybe that’s South Africa’s next surprise.
Tasos Calantzis is the CEO of Readymade, the award-winning consultancy that designs new products and services
for corporations.