The Stars of Tomorrow
South Africa’s longest running platform for supporting rising young talent is the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives programme. Now in its 16th year, the programme continues in 2021.
Danielle Jordaan1Design Indaba
The annual Design Indaba Emerging Creatives programme is now in its 16th year. Supported by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, and functioning as a launching pad for future talent, this valuable programme invites nationwide submissions across multiple disciplines.
Design Indaba 2018 (2018) by Design IndabaOriginal Source: Design Indaba
From a flood of entries, only 40 young designers can be chosen. Which is why Design Indaba invites curatorial oversight from experts in the industry. Meet this year’s esteemed and pioneering curators: Thabisa Mjo and Cole Ndelu.
Design Indaba 2017 (2017) by Design IndabaOriginal Source: Design Indaba
“We know that Thabisa, who is no stranger to Design Indaba, will bring a wealth of international product and furniture design experience to the table, while visual maven Cole’s valuable insights into what’s required
Design Indaba 2018 (2018) by Design IndabaOriginal Source: Design Indaba
will stem not only from having successfully moved through the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives programme herself, but also from having showcased her photography so widely. We’re excited to meet the new members of the Class of 2021 as chosen by these two creative dynamos!”
Danielle Jordaan3Design Indaba
Danielle Jordaan
Danielle Jordaan graduated with a Diploma in Fine Art from the Ruth Prowse School of Art in Woodstock, Cape Town in 2017. After her studies, she pursued a long-held dream and moved to Israel for a year. Whilst traveling, she participated in two international group exhibitions.
Danielle Jordaan4Design Indaba
When she returned to South Africa, she was inspired to start two new artistic ventures. The one is hosting workshops at various coffee shops and cafes where she teaches people how to use coffee as a paint medium. She also studied graphic design at Red & Yellow School of Design to build her career as a visual artist and creative.
Danielle Jordaan5Design Indaba
Her dream is to study Realism at the Florence Academy of Art
Azola Tanzi1Design Indaba
Azola Tanzi
Fashion designer Azola Tanzi was born in the Eastern Cape but is currently based in Durban. She holds diplomas in Business Management and Clothing Design from the Lindiwe Kuzwayo Academy of Fashion.
Azola Tanzi2Design Indaba
Her strong point is formal wear. Through making clothes for clients she discovered her love for tailoring and fine detail. Her inspiration might be sparked by a place, a feeling, or even what is happening socially, but what inspired her the most is a strong woman. And that’s what the majority of her designs show - a powerful woman in a suit.
Azola Tanzi3Design Indaba
Azola has presented her fashion collections at various shows, including the Durban Fashion Fair from 2016 to 2019, the Africa Fashion Exchange 2018, and the KZN Tourism Marquee at the Durban July 2019.
Azola Tanzi4Design Indaba
Within the next three years she plans to launch a menswear range under her Azee Tanzi brand.
Brad Jackson3Design Indaba
Brad Jackson
Born in the small city of Mkhanda in the Eastern Cape, much of Brad Jackson’s work is inspired by the landscape and identity of his home province. In 2015 he moved to the Cape to study Fine Art at Stellenbosch University.
Brad Jackson2Design Indaba
Brad is currently pursuing his passion for filmmaking and furniture design through Brad Jackson Studio. Much of his work is an investigation of place. He draws inspiration from the history and nature of a site.
His creative process becomes part of the work, in which he makes use of themes such as locationality and site specificity.
Brad Jackson4Design Indaba
The idea behind the project was to have a cost-effective and eco-conscious approach to bespoke design. The total expense of the project was under R1000, which included paints and varnishes. Most of the materials were rescued off roadsides or salvaged from building sites.
Caleb Pillay1Design Indaba
Caleb Pillay
As a designer, he strives to find ways in which he can make a difference in people's lives.
Caleb Pillay2Design Indaba
Born in Johannesburg, after taking art at school, he studied multimedia design, branding and typography at Greenside Design Center. He now works as a UI & UX designer at ABSA.
Caleb Pillay3Design Indaba
Akhona Mbange2Design Indaba
Akhona Mbange
Akhona's artwork is dominated by vividly sketched, somewhat abstract portraits rendered in monochromatic lines.
Akhona Mbange4Design Indaba
Based in Port Elizabeth, Akhona Mbange graduated from Damelin in 2016 with a Diploma in Media and Graphic Design.
Akhona Mbange5Design Indaba
Akhona Mbange3Design Indaba
He currently works as an artist and product designer, creating merchandise, that utilises his drawings and illustrations, and which is sold under the label Paddle Design.
Alizwa Mnyatheli1Design Indaba
Alizwa Mnyatheli
Alizwa is fascinated by African cosmology and feminine energy.
Alizwa Mnyatheli4Design Indaba
Based in Pretoria, Alizwamazizi Mnyatheli (otherwise known as Ali) is a self-taught visual artist who studied journalism and communication design.
Alizwa Mnyatheli2Design Indaba
Her choice of media includes photography, digital art and illustration.
