The annual Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards, now in its sixth year, has extended its nomination phase from the original closing date of Friday 27 September to Monday 7 October 2024. The deadline extension is to accommodate designers, industry professionals and members of the public who have requested more time to enter the awards. Why enter? Two people stand a chance of winning R100 000 each. There are more prizes to win including a Husqvarna Viking sewing machine and MUNGO product. Open to all South Africans aged 18 and older, the aim of the awards is to celebrate fashion that is ecologically, socially and culturally fit for the future. The awards have seen fashion designers gain recognition for their sustainable ethos - not an easy task in a world where greenwashing is so prevalent. Twyg is calling on the public and members of the trade to put forward worthy contenders. All fashion designers are also urged to self-nominate to be considered for an award. ‘Both established and new-up-and-coming designers are encouraged to share their dedication to sustainable fashion with South Africa, and enter one of the 10 categories,’ says Twyg founder Jackie May. The awards function in November 2024, will include an 11th category, the Changemaker Award, which is not open for nominations. The Changemaker Award will be presented to the overall winner – drawn from all the categories and based on the judges’ scoring results – and will receive a substantial prize. Previous winners, Cleo Droomer of Droomer and Thando Ntuli of Munkus, used their prize money to take their labels to new heights and further highlight that sustainable fashion is viable. The Changemaker winner is one of the recipient’s of R100 000.00 The awards programme and judging process are audited by advocate John Shija to ensure the principles of transparency, objectivity, fairness and equity are applied to the judges, the entrants, and the sponsors. The finalists will be announced on Tuesday 8 November …
Hungry UWC Hunt for Glory Against Tuks in Varsity Football Semi-finals
Despite having several crucial injuries in his side, UWC head coach Lwando Mdleleni will be looking to fire UWC into the finals of Varsity Football 2024 on Thursday. The 2015 champions were the only team to beat Tuks in the round robin stages and will be on the hunt to repeat their success of round 5 where they picked up a 2-1 away win in Pretoria. Lwando and his technical team have made some players in their team one of the most sought-after young players in the game. UWC have not shown their usual defensive solidity this season with growing suggestions that they need to close the back door especially during the crucial times. However, they have also been scoring with their lanky striker Leandro De Sousa hitting the back of the net and captain Damian Overmeyer coming in handy. With all the challenges coach Mdleleni is adamant and remains optimistic ahead of Thursday’s crucial match against UP-Tuks. “The round-robin stage was a key element in our season's development. We consistently improved with each match, learning valuable lessons from the games where we dropped points. Those experiences have prepared us well for the intensity and demands of the knockout stage. Our primary goal from the start was to reach the semifinals, and now that we are here, we are eagerly anticipating this challenge,” the positive coach said. The last match against VUT is now a thing of the past and Mdleleni understands that. He said while his team might have won their previous encounter against Tuks, the team cannot afford to focus on that result. “It’s behind us now, and this upcoming match presents a completely new challenge. The stakes are much higher, with everything to play for, so we are approaching this game with a fresh mindset and strategy,” he said. “After our match against VUT, we immediately shifted our focus to preparations for this game. We have developed a comprehensive plan, and right now, our efforts are centred on ensuring everyone fully buys into it …
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Former Kaizer Chiefs Defender Impressed With Varsity Football Developing Young Talent in SA
Former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs defender Fabian McCarthy believes football development is key to improving South African football standards. McCarthy, 47, is impressed with how Varsity Football has changed and transformed the lives of young talents. "I was an under-20 when I made it to the national team, there was a bank sponsoring a program where we go through. There were companies that were sponsoring June tournaments where your Quinton Fortune, your Delron Buckley, those came from and went straight to Europe," said McCarthy. McCarthy says it's time to go back to basics and filter it down to the schools, and high school tournaments all the way to the university level. "I think we need to start changing this, under 12 tournaments, there's under 15 tournaments, there's under 17, there's under 19 tournaments," he says. "So we just need to go back to the basics and start properly and say to coach Hugo Broos [Bafana Bafana coach], I mean, he is giving us hope again to come out. We saw the last game in Bloemfontein, it was sold out, but the boys played good football. "I like what Varsity Football is doing, it's also giving us a life again to believe with their programs. MacCarthy has also called on the South African Football Association (SAFA) to rally behind Varsity Football programs. "Look, I just graduated as a CAF A license coach recently, so for me, it's just a question of SAFA sending out the footprint to say this is how we want SA football to be run," he said. "Varsity Football is a big project. I mean it’s working, players are coming from there, they're making it into the Motsepe Foundation Championship, some teams in the PSL sign them, they make it into the Diski teams of the PSL teams." CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. Author: Karina van den Heever from Asem Engage on behalf of Varsity Sports. …
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Future Talks shines with a dynamic line-up of speakers
August is swiftly approaching, bringing with it Joburg's most anticipated talks series, Future Talks, which takes place from August 1 to 4, 2024, at the Sandton Convention Centre. Here, inspiration and innovation will converge, with the Future Talks series set to ignite critical discussions and inspire groundbreaking solutions. The Future Talks stage will feature a diverse array of industry experts tackling the most critical topics in the design world. This exciting line-up promises to inspire and provoke thought. Bathandwa Ngwendu, the storyteller, director, and host of the Maak 'n Plan podcast, will MC the talks. The event brings together a diverse group of speakers, including interior designers, architects, sustainable designers, branding experts, and educators. This diversity ensures that a wide range of perspectives are represented, providing attendees with a holistic view of the design landscape and its future direction. Renowned international interior designer Tristan du Plessis will kick off the talks programme on Thursday, 1 August. His presentation will set the stage for an exceptional four-day event, promising to be an inspiring and influential gathering for all attendees. Steve Smith, an experienced media brand editor and writer, will lead an exciting panel discussion on ‘The Business of Sustainability’ – tackling how to incorporate sustainability into standard business processes – as well as a talk delving into what inspires the new generation of designers. Georgina Smit, green building specialist and Senior Manager at the Green Building Council South Africa, will discuss green building solutions as she highlights various strategies and innovative solutions that can be deployed to achieve net zero carbon, as well as how designers can avoid greenwashing by sharing globally agreed frameworks on circular design and principles. Exploring how interior design can advance spatial justice and inclusivity in South Africa, interior architect and …
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Discover the power of colour in a lively collaboration between interior experts and Plascon at Decorex Joburg
In one of the hottest collaborations at Decorex Joburg, top local interior designers are partnering with Plascon to demonstrate how colour can make or break a space. Gauteng-based designers GLE Interiors, Living Inspired Interiors and Ndibali Interior Designs are bringing fresh creative energy to the show with their Plascon Colour Design Pods. Taking to the Decor Hall on Level 5 of the Sandton Convention Centre between 1 and 4 August 2024, the Plascon Colour Design Pods will explore the diverse and dynamic possibilities of colour using select colours from the Plascon Colour Forecast for 2024. This ‘Vibrant Harmony’ installation will bring together the world of interior design and the latest colour trends as each studio works with a curated selection of colours from the four palettes of Plascon’s 2024 Colour Forecast: The Dive In, Origin, Eternal and Succulent. Living Inspired Interiors is an interior design consultancy and online decor store specialising in creating stylish home spaces, whose founder Tanya Solomon is passionate about beautiful rooms and considered aesthetics. For Living Inspired Interiors, the Plascon Colour Design Pods are an opportunity to showcase how subtle colours like grey can be used to anchor a space when paired with lighter colours. ‘Grey is the epitome of versatility that fuses with any decor style and colours, giving a clean and uncluttered look,’ says Solomon. The brand’s roomset will combine the light pink hue You’re My Sweetie (O4-C2-2) and soft off-white of Light Reflection (Y6-A2-3) with cool dark grey Ewa (72) for a mix of modern yet gentle appeal. Ndibali Designs is a bespoke furniture and interior design firm founded by Ndibali Matsheza. For its timeless Colour Design Pod, Matsheza will tackle the Origin colour palette with four distinct room settings – one for each day of Decorex Joburg. Days one and two will present dining settings designed to demonstrate versatility in these areas, while days three and four will …
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Africa’s dazzling design showcase Decorex Joburg comes to Sandton in August
Hot on the fashionable heels of its Cape Town counterpart, Decorex Joburg is set to sizzle and shine at the Sandton Convention Centre from 1 to 4 August 2024. Always a much-anticipated highlight of the decor and design calendar - and running simultaneously alongside 100% Design Africa - this is the definitive showcase of contemporary design on the African continent. Visitors will be able to take in two shows, plus daily live talks and demonstrations, for the price of one entry ticket. Looking for homeware and interior decor solutions? You’ll find the Decor, Lighting and Design Hall on Level 5 of the Sandton Convention Centre. The best of local and international product and furniture design? 100% Design Africa is on Level 2. Focused on those hard-working areas? Head to Kitchens and Bathrooms on Level 0. Finally, the Renovate, Build and Trade Connect Hall on Level -2 will take care of ‘everything else’ like walls, floors, doors, windows, roofs, fixtures, fittings, landscaping and more. Here are just a few of the many highlights to look forward to: 100% Design Africa This curated product showcase includes a stylish café created by Wolkberg Casting Studios; a new set of Future Talks in the Future of Design area; a dedicated display by Designer of the Year, Tristan du Plessis; 100% Hospitality by Belgotex X Hesse Kleinloog; and a host of new product launches by local stars such as Joe Paine. Luxury and personalisation at its best Lexus is all about enveloping the senses with interior and exterior excellence. The Lexus ‘Making Luxury Personal’ Spaces at the show are inspired by the brand ethos of ‘Making Luxury Personal’ and they marry the brand philosophy with superlative interior design from Anna Correira, Mink Interiors, MoTSO DeSIGNED and Plan-It Design. Lexus has invited these esteemed South African designers to create four exceptional feature spaces, informed by the latest Lexus car models. More than just capturing the personality of the cars, Lexus …
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Seeking excellence beyond customer service alone, the new V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Awards have just launched
Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront continues to power ahead with full occupancy of its shopping centres, as well as rising sales and substantial growth, despite reports of online shopping upending traditional bricks and mortar. Retail sales were up more than 70% at the end of May 2024 compared to 2019 pre-Covid levels. New brands are visible, keeping the tenant mix up-to-the-minute and relevant, while longstanding tenants are investing in fresh shopfronts and fitouts. Clearly, many retailers continue to see the physical store, staffed by knowledgeable teams that engage customers around products, as critical to success – along with a superb location in a world-renowned mixed-use destination that is simply unlike any other: the V&A Waterfront champions art and design, supports entrepreneurship and innovation, and leads the charge around sustainable business practice. All these elements are woven into the reimagined Tenant Service Excellence Awards, relaunched as the V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Awards in June 2024, and aimed at recognising and promoting excellence in different spheres – the kind that attracts new and returning visitors. ‘We’ve moved towards a much more holistic awards programme, as we’ve realised it’s not just about customer service; it’s about so much more, and retailers need to provide the entire package to be successful,’ says Alex Kabalin, Executive for Retail at the V&A Waterfront. The V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Awards not only continue to celebrate excellence in service to visitors, but now also recognise achievement in areas such as community engagement, sustainability, merchandising, marketing, innovation and overall contribution to the V&A Waterfront ecosystem – in essence, rewarding the tenants who make it ‘worth the commute’ to the country’s most-visited destination. The V&A Waterfront commissioned the services of Truth, a global consultancy focusing on loyalty, customer relationship management and …
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The ultimate celebration of design excellence, 100% Design Africa will set Joburg’s design scene ablaze
Where brands are launched, trends are set and the future of design is shaped: 100% Design Africa is the peak of innovation and inspiration, igniting passion and pushing boundaries in the world of design. This beacon of contemporary design, well known as a launch pad for exciting new products and rising local brands, as well as a showcase of top global design brands, will run alongside Decorex Joburg from Thursday 1 August to Sunday 4 August 2024. Taking over Level 2 of the Sandton Convention Centre, the 2024 edition of 100% Design Africa will host an unparalleled display of product design, furniture, decor, lighting and art. One entry ticket grants visitors access to both shows, which will take place across four levels of the bustling venue in the heart of Sandton. Expect a vibrant array of innovative products and groundbreaking designs where the pulse of African creativity meets the rhythm of global innovation. Here’s a glimpse of what to expect from this 100% Design showcase. The Designer of the Year Making a stop in Joburg between his many local and international projects, award-winning interior designer Tristan du Plessis will showcase his inimitable talent at 100% Design Africa. Named as the Designer of the Year for Decorex Africa and 100% Design Africa, Du Plessis is one of the foremost interior designers in the world, having worked on the 2023 Restaurant and Bar Awards Best Club/Night Venue, Giselle Miami, and local restaurant FYN – which was recently named the 60th best restaurant in the world. Du Plessis will bring to the show a concept decor scheme showcasing his signature maximalist yet refined luxury. Circular design in the spotlight Using the lens of circular design, the Regenerate exhibition aims to empower us all to co-create a better future. Curated by Anja Joubert and Decorex Africa’s Executive Creative Director Bielle Bellingham, the innovative materials and objects on display highlight improved systems and technologies that …
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The hunt is on – hidden treasures await at Decorex
Put on your thinking cap and rise to the challenge of unearthing ‘treasure’ in a new and dynamic mix of digital and physical tasks in the unmissable Plascon Treasure Hunt at Decorex Cape Town and Joburg 2024. There are very real rewards - a chance of winning R10 000, and other exciting prizes. Africa’s leading decor and design showcase, Decorex returns to the CTICC between 6 and 9 June 2024 and to the Sandton Convention Centre between 1 and 4 August 2024. The treasure hunt tasks will begin at the entrance of the show, where you'll be greeted by the first in a series of clues. Look for the lollipop stand in signature Plascon colours with a QR code. The first step will be to simply capture the QR code - ready, set, scan! From there, treasure hunters will be guided through a series of exercises including watching informative videos about Plascon Micatex - the long-lasting exterior paint that provides protection against the toughest weather conditions and the wear and tear of everyday living - and other famous Plascon products, following its social media pages, seeking out live stands on the Decorex show floor, and challenge their knowledge with a series of questions. The final step of the treasure hunt will put visitors' own colour knowledge to the test as they will be tasked with selecting the colour they believe will be Plascon’s new Colour of the Year for 2025. Pick between Spiced Cider (O6-C2-2), Winter Savannah (27), Granite Falls (B4-C1-2), Buttery (89), Transcendent (G4-C2-2) and Shaded Prune (P7-E1-2). Once the hunt is completed, participants will officially be entered into the draw to win sensational prizes. But wait - in quintessential Plascon style, there’s always more. Those vying for the prize of R10 000 (and an extra entry into the prize draw) can take a picture at the dedicated Plascon stand, post it to their social media and tag #PlasconSA. Also taking to the floor at Decorex Cape Town and Joburg, the Plascon Colour Design Pods will …
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Less talk, more action! South African creatives are designing for social impact
Design is a powerful tool for change. As part of reshaping the industry's paradigms, this year’s theme for Decorex Africa, the continent’s leading decor and design showcase, is Designing for Impact. It marks a commitment to thinking beyond traditional boundaries and identifying the sweet spot that lies at the intersection of creativity, commercial viability and societal impact. Decorex Cape Town (6 to 9 June 2024 at the CTICC) and Decorex Joburg (1 to 4 August 2024 at the Sandton Convention Centre) will be anchored by this theme. The shows will consider the societal and planetary impact of design, with particular focus on encouraging sustainable choices in exhibitors, and reducing waste. Every exhibitor will be given a sustainability audit when they sign up and the website will feature guidelines on making more sustainable decisions. ‘We all need to step out of our comfort zones, and embrace innovative approaches that recognise the power of our collective impact,’ says Bielle Bellingham, Executive Creative Director of Decorex Africa. ‘We need to make radical changes to our relationship with our home - the planet. We need to create sustainable solutions that are accessible and affordable to all, shaping a future where sustainability is not a privilege, but a universal reality. This year's theme acknowledges that design is an attitude of resourcefulness and resilience, and should reflect a holistic, and robust approach to problem-solving for our country and continent. Are you with us?’ With designing for impact top of mind, it is encouraging to see how many South African creatives and collectives are, like Decorex Africa, stepping in and making changes. Many of the goals of accelerating the circular economy in Africa through design are discernible in Circular Squared – a Cape Town-based non-profit that champions circular economic thinking and urges aspiring entrepreneurs in manufacturing and retail to adopt regenerative practices. The Head of Sustainable …