Table of contents for VISI 87 in Visi

WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER 2016/ JANUARY 2017 HOLIDAY ISSUE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE. We’ve dubbed this our gifting issue and packed the pages that follow with a bounty of beautiful presents you’re going to want to get your hands on. It’s our way of saying thank you for your loyal support of VISI. Another highlight is the upcoming VISI Great Spaces tour of the members-only MESH Club in Johannesburg. For a small fee (R175) you can book to join us on a tour of this inspiring space in the City of Gold. Turn to page 54 for details. It gives us great pleasure to share with you all the right places, all the right spaces, and the very best reasons to make this holiday season the best one…

PALO ALTO 4515 LAMP KEVIN: “Simple lines allow the environment to take precedence. This light has straightforward integrity.” MOKENA:“‘Do. Or do not. There is no try,’ in the immortal words of Yoda.” TOLOMEO LAMPIONE OUTDOOR LED LAMP MOKENA:“Welcome to my mind.” KEVIN: “It defies physics – it is engineering in balance.” BELVEDERE LARGE HEAD F2 FLOOD LAMP KEVIN:“Subtle, focused and unpretentious.” MOKENA:“Hang in there!” SUPERARCHIMOON OUTDOOR FLOOR LAMP MOKENA:“Here’s looking at you, kid.” KEVIN:“It defines space and volume; a winner for any environment.” We are delighted to welcome the outdoor lamp post movement into our lives, not just for pavements and parking lots any more, but for private properties too. Designed to illuminate our paths and enhance our architecture, lamp-post-style lighting also helps to extend our living spaces into our…

NORMAN VILLA IS STEEPED IN MEMORIES. I remember my first night in the house as if it were yesterday. I was frightened and fascinated at once. After nearly 2 hours of driving in circles – eldest sister in the passenger seat and car loaded to the roof – I finally arrived at what was to be my new home. My housemates, Roche and Nicolette, welcomed me with a sigh of relief. “We thought you’d gone missing; we were worried,” Roche exclaimed, much like a concerned mother. And so began life at Norman Villa. The next few nights I was riddled with anxiety. More than usual, my mind was racing with thoughts. Had I made the right decision, trading my small yet snug bachelor pad in Table View for a spacious…

WHEN I WAS 27 I DECIDED TO BUY A HOUSE – right in the middle of the credit crunch. On paper it seemed like a great idea, but in reality the previous owners had sold me a house that was five-to breaking down. This was during the dark days of load shedding; two months after I moved in the pool stopped working, the patio ceiling fell to the floor and I discovered there was damp all over the house. I felt the way you do when you book a holiday based on the pictures off a website only to find when you get to your destination that it’s a shithole. But, as I learnt to live with the green pool, hole in the ceiling and permanently stained patio floor, I…

“WE WANTED SOMETHING AFRICAN WITH A›MODERN TWIST.” “WE WANTED A PEACEFUL SPACE THAT WON’T STIMULATE THINKING, WHICH IS WHY WE KEPT EVERYTHING NATURAL.” “THE IDEA WAS NOT TO COMPETE WITH THE LANDSCAPE.” “WE DON’T KEEP TO A›CERTAIN STYLE; IF SOMETHING IS BEAUTIFUL WE LUG IT HOME.” A portion of land once reserved for the cultivation of cut flowers and asparagus has undergone an astonishing transformation in the creation of Liedjiesbos, where an austere steel barn made way for a contemporary home and a guest house that reflect the owners’ personalities. An austere steel barn made way for a unique contemporary home and guesthouse that is a reflection of the owners’ personalities. Establishing a guest house at Liedjiesbos was a nobrainer for Henning de Bruyn, who had cultivated…

HIS STYLE IS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY HIS TRAVELS TO PLACES LIKE ZANZIBAR AND LAMU ISLAND. IT is unusual for us to feature a space just as its owner is packing up to move and the building is about to be converted into five apartments. Then again, the artist who has called this space home for nearly four years has an unusual relationship with living spaces. It is tempting to describe the relationship as lying somewhere between detachment and serial monogamy. Harem falls deeply in love with spaces and works hard to put his mark on them, and when it is time to move on he is able to do so swiftly, leaving what’s in the past behind. In fact, the 43-year-old artist and creative director of design company HOT COFFEE…

GIFTS FOR YOU To stand a chance to win all the products on this page, worth R10 000+, enter at VISI.co.za/win. GIFTS FOR YOU To stand a chance to win all the products on this page, worth R11 500+, enter at VISI.co.za/ win. GIFTS FOR YOU To stand a chance to win all the products on this page, worth R5 500+, enter at VISI.co.za/ win. GIFTS FOR YOU To stand a chance to win all the products on this page, worth Rxxxx+, enter at VISI.co.za/win. GIFTS FOR YOU To stand a chance to win all the products on this page, worth R16 000+, enter at VISI.co.za/win.…

Riedel Sommelier Burgundy Grand Cru glass “The large bowl and tulip lip is the perfect combination for Pinot Noir, enhancing the aromas without overemphasising the tannins,”says Michael. About R1 000 each Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glass “The large bowl concentrates the aromas, and manages the tannin and mouthfeel of Bordeaux-style red wines,” explains Michael Crossley of The Reciprocal Wine Trading Company. About R700 for two Riedel Veritas Champagne glass “Made of machine-blown crystal, this light and graceful glass design has revolutionised the shape of Champagne glasses – away from the traditional flute,” says Michael. About R1 000 for two More than 50 years ago, Claus J Riedel of the Riedel Glassware company, a 260-year-old family-owned Austrian glassware firm, realised that the balance and finish of a wine is affected by the…

Haute Lumière, of which VISI is a proud media partner, is an initiative of Paul Pamboukian (pictured left) of Pamboukian Lightdesign. The aim is to grow awareness of the importance of lighting as a design tool and to rethink artificial light as a primary aspect of design. The competition is open to anyone living, studying or working in South Africa. Each year, the winner gets to attend the lighting workshop Lights in Alingsås, which is hosted by leading European lighting designers in the town of Alingsås, Sweden. PREVIOUS WINNERS & THEIR DESIGNS 2008 The inaugural competition took place in 2008. WINNERS: Anja Zajaczkowska and Carson Smuts won with a standing wall lamp called The Peacock. “The experience gave us some insight into how people operate in a ‘design-build’ environment. One…

Imagine a beach party with hundreds of people dancing to a beat, yet anyone watching the scene can only hear the sound of the waves. The secret lies in the dancers’ headphones… Silent Events SA has brought top UHF-radio headphones to South Africa for outdoor parties, festivals and events such as conferences where more than one presentation happen in the same area. The headphones can receive up to four channels of input, so users can, for example, tune into the music of their choice from four DJs playing music at the same time. LED lights with channel-specific colours let others see who is listening to what, and channels can be switched with the press of a button. The headphones make it possible for Silent Events to throw parties in places…

100 % DESIGN The main event was housed in a massive warehouse space at Olympia, the commercial hub of the festival. LEE BROOM A crisp, graphic black-and-white walk-in scene was a celebration of the retail launch of Lee Broom’s Optical lighting collection. For one week, the brand’s flagship store was transformed into a postmodern op-art experience with mirrors creating an infinity of geometric pattern and endless opportunity to capture the ultimate designer selfie, which, of course, was the cue all visitors took. • leebroom.com CAMILLA AGGESTRUP This designer’s intriguing seating design is, she says, not art but functional art with a focus on comfort and purpose. • aggestrup.com PATTERNITY Anna Murray and Grace Winteringham of Patternity created a climbing wall for Ace Hotel in London, titled Ascension. Reminiscent of camouflage, it is…

SAM WOULIDGE Food blogger “Sam is a sensual, caring and fashion-forward woman. Her blacks are blacker and her pinks are pinker.” • confessionsofahungrywoman.com ISHAY GOVENDER-YPMA Food, culture and travel blogger “Ishay is a thoughtful and curious food traveller. If food had a fashion model, she would be it.” • foodandthefabulous.com CHRIS VON ULMENSTEIN Restaurant critic “Chris is an independent woman who lives her passion. She is funny and a fierce straight-talker.” • whalecottage.com MARI-LOUIS GUY Food stylist, author and TV personality “A fun, trend-predicting cake-lady who is always on the go.” • facebook.com/CakebreadMari-Louis-Guy-Callie-Maritz-236041333133235 ERRIEDA DU TOIT Huiskok content creator “For Errieda, more is more – we associate her with abundance. She is a preserver of food heritage.” • huiskok.com ZOLA NENE Chef, food stylist and TV personality “She is an absolute beauty who is full…

Start at the beginning… I left home to start my career as an artist after studying graphic design, sculpture and painting, but I wasn’t making much money. A friend asked me to help him do paint finishes for R80 a day, which I did for about four years. During that time I started playing with silicone and rubber, and developed a home decor range that I sold at flea markets. What was your big break? About 15 years ago, Maira Koutsoudakis saw my work and asked me to supply her company Life. She then asked if I could make a range of items (sculptures, pod lights and so on) for North Island, a resort in the Seychelles. Naturally I said yes to it all, not knowing a thing! Name three…

WHITEHALL COURT, JOHANNESBURG An Edwardian wedding cake of a building, Whitehall Court is a sought-after apartment address. The original main apartment is divided into three glamorous living spaces, one of which belongs to couturier Howard Green. “I collect very strange kinds of furniture,” admits Howard, who is passionate about new ideas and new fashions in every sphere. PRYNNSBERG, FREE STATE A grand and golden sandstone affair, Prynnsberg was designed in England as a Victorian take on the Elizabethan style and constructed in 1881. Then owner Charles Newberry’s daughter Winifred was responsible for the astonishing friezes painted in some of the rooms, including the sublime Nile Lilies painted in the music-cum-billiard room. MEERLUST, STELLENBOSCH In 1757, Meerlust was acquired by Johannes Albertus Mijburgh – and so started a dynasty of ownership…

• VISI competitions are open to all South African residents excluding employees of New Media Publishing, employees of the companies supplying the prizes, associated companies and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members. • The winner will be chosen at the sole discretion of the judges, whose decision will be final. No correspondence will be entered into. • Winners will not be eligible for other prizes for three months after winning a competition. • The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. • Neither New Media Publishing nor any of its partners can be held responsible for disputes in connection with prizes or for any loss, damage or injury that may be suffered or incurred by prize winners. • Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these…

DOOK, photographer What could you not travel without? My wife and child. What is your favourite holiday activity? Fishing. Beach or bush breakaway? Either, as long as there is fishing. Where was your last holiday destination and what was the best thing about it? Royal Chundu River Lodge. The tiger fishing and the food. Your funniest travel experience? Camel! Your favourite holiday food? Everything. Especially that which I haven’t cooked myself. Your favourite holiday read? I fish! MILA CREWE-BROWN, freelance writer What’s your favourite holiday destination? Vilankulo in Mozambique; the lack of technology and distraction means it’s total and utter downtime. What could you not travel without? My iPhone. To take pics, make notes, communicate, listen to music, etc. What is your favourite holiday activity? Riding a bicycle off the…

BELVEDERE LARGE HEAD F2 FLOOD LAMP Designed by Antonio Citterio for Flos, this dark-brown aluminium-alloy lamp post is 2,265 m tall. • About R29 500 at ELDC (European Light & Design Centre), Cape Town • flos.com • eldc.co.za PALO ALTO 4515 LAMP Josep Lluís Xuclà designed this tall right-angled outdoor lamp for Vibia. It is 2,5 m tall, made of steel with an LED light source, and is available in matte oxide and khaki lacquer. Vibia is a Barcelona-based brand that produces decorative lighting and distributes it around the world. • About R23 630 at Streamlight, Johannesburg • vibia.com • streamlight.co.za TOLOMEO LAMPIONE OUTDOOR LED›LAMP This light, which was designed by Michele de Lucchi for Artemide, invokes lamp posts from the days when oil lamps were still in use. It is 2,32 m tall. • From R32…

THE ARCHITECTURE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION ON THE WEST RAND IS MAPPED OUT IN CLEARLY DEMARCATED ZONES: hockey field, school hall, cloakroom, classrooms, the gymnasium and a steep tarred hill linking the girls’ hostel to the rest of the school. The language of that architecture was fairly stark, but not, for all that, unpleasant: a flat blond pan of Transvaal grass on the playing field, the wooden stage in the school hall, the face-brick walls of classrooms, the linoleum floor of the hostel dining hall, the cold grey steel of my bed in a room shared always with one other girl. I am not prone to sentimentalising high school (I’ve lost contact with most school friends), but when I do think back it’s the girls’ hostel that comes most…

THE SIMPLICITY OF LIFE HERE IN ONRUS HAS CHANGED MEGAN AND CASPER. IT’S WHERE COUNTLESS GLASSES OF WINE AND BUBBLY HAVE BEEN RAISED IN CELEBRATION. “MY MEMORIES ARE MY MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS.” THERE’S NOT AN OSTENTATIOUS ELEMENT IN SIGHT. THE little white cottage is perched as though airlifted there on the shores of Onrus Lagoon. At first glance it is an unremarkable clapboard structure. Sitting off-kilter on a large stand, it is rectangular, made entirely of timber painted white from top to toe both outside and inside, and has big windows – not a burglar bar or ostentatious element in sight. Step inside and the layout is simple: open-plan linear kitchen to the right, lounge on the left, these areas separated by a sizeable dining table and…

“I’VE TAKEN THE OLD, MARRIED IT WITH THE NEW AND FOUND A FUSION BETWEEN THE DECOR STYLES.” Nestled in a lush garden on a quiet street in Morningside Manor, not far from the Sandton CBD, is the five-star Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa. In June this year, managing director Michael Kewley embarked on a refurbishment of the 19-year-old establishment. It would see him transform a dozen suites, the bistro and the spa into contemporary, chic and luxuriously calming spaces in 12 weeks. “Before, everything was quite heavy and featured a lot of hand-painted technique,” says Michael. “The shabby-chic look was in 20 years ago. But we had to move on and start playing with a fresher feel.” Instead of throwing everything out and starting from scratch, Michael had a lot…

The WAZ Outdoor lounger and day-bed in the European Luxe range are sure to make a splash around pools this summer. They not only look exquisite gracing the deck but they are also excellent floating loungers, thanks to an inner bag filled with small polystyrene balls that ensure buoyancy, stability and comfort. Every aspect of the design was carefully considered, from the fabric to the double stitching and trim. The super-premium fabric meets the highest specs for durability. It can withstand chlorine, salt water and the harsh local climate, and is fade-resistant even if left out in the sun for extended periods. Antifungal properties make it mildew-resistant too, and there’s a two-year guarantee for a loss of fabric strength or fading. Lounging by the pool doesn’t get much more glam…

Here at VISI HQ we take our downtime seriously. For us, R&R is synonymous with a comfy spot in the garden and a stack of books to while away the hours. That’s one of the reasons we’re so taken with the Onda outdoor rocking lounge chair from Warisan. With its teak frame and Ecolene synthetic fibre seat, it offers stylish good looks for your pool patio and a gentle rocking action that will lull you into the best afternoon nap ever. • R16000 • warisansa.com BOOKS COURTESY OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE SOUTH AFRICA, JONATHAN BALL AND PAN MACMILLAN WORDS TRACY GREENWOOD GIFTS FOR YOU The perfect relaxation combo could be yours: an Onda rocking lounge chair plus this stack of books, a prize worth more than R21 600. Visit VISI.co.za/win.…

Muizenberg-based surfer and carpenter Bill Bulgen makes surfboards, but they’re not your everyday laminated foam boards. Bill crafts hollow wooden surfboards using techniques pioneered by American surfer and inventor Tom Blake in the late 1920s and early 1930s, but with the aid of a state-of-the-art shaping program. The boards are made of responsibly sourced plantation-grown wood and glassed with Super Sap, a plant-derived epoxy resin that is eco-friendly. Even the wood chips and sawdust are collected by an NGO for making compost for the greening of poor communities. The buoyancy provided by the hollow design makes for excellent paddling and wave catching, and the marginal increase in weight improves glide. The boards come in 11 longboard shapes, including some inspired by iconic designs and replica models. They have outstanding nose-riding…

How did the collab come about? After working with fabrics so much in the interior design industry I really wanted to do something that would not only reflect my personality but also that of the city I love so much, Johannesburg. I wanted to have some patterns, like zebra stripes, that are appreciative of our landscape and not just appropriating it. Which features of the city were you trying to express? I wanted to encapsulate glamour, adventure and the colours of Johannesburg. My favourite design in the collection is Merge, which is a mix of blue, yellow and white – it’s a beautiful colour combination that injects some personality and character into the fabric repertoire in South Africa. Where in the home do you think these textiles would work best?…

How did Semaphore come about? Ten years ago, when I was living in the US, I saw a lot of art by Chinese and Middle-Eastern artists in the galleries of New York. I remember thinking, “When will it be Africa’s turn?” In 2013 the African contemporary art fair 1:54 was founded in London, and it’s now held in New York as well. Paris also has an African contemporary art fair: AKAA (Also Known as Africa). It’s Africa’s turn for attention from the art world. I suppose you could qualify this new interest as a trend, but it will draw a lot of attention to talented and deserving artists. How did you find artists to exhibit? I contacted some artists I know and also did what most galleries do when they…

Harem has been painting fantastical scenes rooted in natural history for 25 years. His body of work has helped him build an international clientele that includes Richard Branson, who once bought 38 of his paintings. “I’ve never belonged to a gallery and I wasn’t formerly educated; I’ve always done my own thing,” he says. “I was painting and selling to my regular clients and every now and then I’d have an exhibition. But I was always open to more commercial ventures. So I did a lot of interior design work, which built my passion for working with spaces.” Recently, Harem started to experiment with digital printing on natural fabrics, turning fine art into decor accessories. This has led to the launch of design brand HOT COFFEE, a collection of printed…

Habito Drywall is the latest drywall technology in the Gyproc performance board range from Saint-Gobain. This tough, durable surface allows you to hang up to 15k g per woodscrew – that’s 150 kg with just 10 screws. The impressive load-bearing fixing capability of this type of drywall, which has five times more core strength than standard plasterboard, means there is no need for power tools, anchors, wall plugs or fillers – all you need is a screwdriver and screws. Offering the strength of brick and the benefits of drywall, Habito Drywall makes DIY easier by giving you the freedom to change your interior whenever you like without damaging walls. Habito Drywall is reinforced, making it extremely durable. It offers superior resistance to knocks and bumps, minimising everyday damage. It comes…

ANNIE SLOAN PAINTS EVERYTHING, Cico Books Annie Sloan has been in the decorative painting and interior design business for about 30 years and her paint brand, Chalk Paint, is known the world over. Numerous South African businesses stock Chalk Paint and offer paint-technique workshops – have a look on anniesloansa.co.za. Her latest book (she has published more than 25) features 40 DIY home-decorating projects, with step-by-step instructions on how to transform walls, floors, furniture and fabrics with paint. The techniques include stencilling, printing, waxing, dyeing and free-hand painting. This book would make a great gift for someone who enjoys DIY decorating. CERAMICS by Kate Singleton, Chronicle Books The author of Ceramics is an art lover and blogger living in New York who has an online shop called Buy Some Damn…

Hello VISI spring mag I’ve been waiting for you @VISI_Mag #spring #edition #capetown #love #visimag #colorful – @RadzPhotography Sunday morning reads @visi_mag – @mungodesign Summer’s coming #capetown #interiorstyling #yellowroses #summerishere #visimagazine – @daphneandrose Afternoon reading material @visi_mag – @dasilvainteriorsza Staying warm this winter’s eve with #springissue @VISI_Mag & good red wine with the wife #sasmostbeautifulmagazine – @corneldejongh Really stoked to read the #Spring edition of this pretty @visi_mag that I got at last night’s #Workandco #GreatSpacesTour – @goldie_southafrica The new VISI is out! #visimagazine #sasmostbeautifulmagazine #visi #magazine #visi85 #spring #pokemon #imeanpolkadots – @downhillcheri DID YOU KNOW? It’s now easier than ever to join the VISI team in exploring some of the most beautiful spaces in SA. How, you ask? You can now book tickets to our VISI Great Spaces tours…

OUR FAMILY BEACH COTTAGE IN PENNINGTON ON THE KZN SOUTH COAST IS MY PIECE OF PARADISE. Thinking about it conjures up memories of happy, carefree days, of freedom and of sharing. My life as a child seemed to revolve around our beach holidays. I believe that part of who I am today is a result of the exposure to the freedom we were allowed in that little coastal village called Pennington. Back then it really was a village. My mother put so much cheerful energy into our holidays. She would start preparing frozen meals weeks before we left so we could host any unexpected visitors without fuss or panic. Perhaps her work ethic led to my having no issue with working long hours. We all had duties to perform. My…

 Step inside dairy farmers Illze and Wouter Muller’s contemporary-meets-classic Cape Dutch farmhouse near Herbertsdale and it’s clear the lady of the house likes black. “THEY RESTORED THE 1840S HOUSE TO ITS ORIGINAL CAPE DUTCH GLORY AND FURNISHED IT WITH ANTIQUES.” And spend some time with this petite blonde whose smile lights up her face every time she talks and you realise she also likes to get her hands dirty, that most of her home’s transformation over the years wasn’t just her idea but also her handiwork. From the design of the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms to the finest decor detail, the garden, the pool area, the new orchard and vegetable patch. “I get inspired late at night,” says Illze, “when everyone else is asleep. I then paint walls another colour,…

HARVEST SOME LAVER (PORPHYRA CAPENSIS), SEAWEED SIMILAR TO NORI, AND BAKE IT IN THE OVEN TILL CRISP. Reconstitute it to a silky substance in cream. Serve with the imbricated inflorescence of duinekool and grated dried snoekkuite. This is the recipe for Kobus van der Merwe’s signature dish, Porphyra capensis. Don’t even think of trying it at home. This part of the West Coast with its Strand-veld vegetation has a contradictory nature: It appears austere, yet it hosts an abundance of edible plants, wildlife and marine life. It is here that Kobus van der Merwe of Oep ve Koep fame has opened a new restaurant, Wolfgat, where he manages to reflect both the sparse and the plentiful of the area. The restaurant is located in a 130-year-old whitewashed sandstone fisherman’s cottage…

VEUVE CLICQUOT Yellow Label has been the symbol of the Veuve Clicquot House since 1772. The complexity of this Champagne comes from the artful blend of predominantly pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay into a perfectly balanced wine. The grapes are sourced from as many as 60 top-quality vineyards and the blend is made up using wines from several harvests to achieve the consistency of taste, colour and aroma that makes Yellow Label immediately recognisable. • From R579 RUINART “R” de Ruinart is a blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. The nose is delicate and fruity, with dominant aromas of pear, hazelnut and almond, followed by white flower notes and buttered brioche. • From R799 CHAMPERS FROM MOËT & CHANDON Moët Nectar Impérial has become one of South Africa’s most…

FRAGONARD Le Jardin de Fragonard Bigarade Jasmin EDP, 50 ml • R995 • thebeautifullifestore.co.za L’OCCITANE Arlésienne EDT for women and L’Homme Cologne Cédrat EDT for men, 75 ml • R990 each • loccitane.com CRABTREE & EVELYN Old Windsor unisex eau de cologne, 100 ml • R1300 • crabtree-evelyn.co.za HOUSE OF GOZDAWA Hel extrait de parfum travel vial, 15ml • R695 • houseofgozdawa.com SANTA MARIA NOVELLA Caprifoglio (honeysuckle) unisex eau de cologne, 100 ml • R1450 • smnovella.it WILD OLIVE African Artisans and 20Eight Design perfume extract, 30ml • R1650 • wildolive.eu ISSEY MIYAKE L’Eau d’Issey Pure for women, 50 ml • R1400 • isseymiyake.com/en GIFTS FOR YOU Fancy one of the products on this page? We have fragrances worth more than R20 000 to give away! Go to VISI.co.za/ win for details.…

Do you love going to festivals but hate the idea of pitching your own tent and inflating the mattress? Then glamping is for you. Littlegig 24H Festival, the music, food and design festival in the Cape Winelands founded by Georgia Black, now offers festivalgoers several glamping options in addition to the standard festival camping package. ”The tents come with laid-back luxuries to suit the experience,” says Georgia. There are several levels of glamping, all of which offer porters, top-quality showers and bathroom facilities. (There’s even the option of booking your own private loo.) The jewel in the glamping crown is the bell tent (pictured) with a double or two single beds, bedside tables with solar lamps, cotton linen, rugs and chairs. Littlegig 2017 starts at 10 am on Saturday, 28…

Sunbrella fabrics have a wide range of uses but are especially well known for their high resistance to UV rays, mildew and water, making them particularly well suited for outdoor upholstery and awnings. Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, the makers of Sunbrella, has introduced a new range called the Shift Collection. It comprises six designs that cleverly layer texture, colour and pattern for a contemporary outdoor aesthetic. “One of the strongest trends in the market today is the use of opposing forces,” says Greg Voorhis, design director for Glen Raven. “You see old contrasted with new, light with dark, shiny with matte, natural with man-made. We considered all of these opposing forces in creating this collection, and as a whole it can be seen how we ‘shift’ through these various elements…

JENNY LE ROUX How and when did the white shirt become a fashion staple? I think it was the stars of the ’40s who were fashion-forward and made us all want to own white shirts, like Katharine Hepburn, who wore hers with wide-legged men’s pants, and Ava Gardner, who got away with wearing it with shorts. But the day I fell in the love with the white shirt was in the ’50s when I saw Audrey Hepburn in that wonderful film Roman Holiday wearing it with rolled-up sleeves and turned-up collar. Why does the white shirt work so well? Think of any designer – all of them have had their white shirt moments: Dries van Noten, Coco Chanel, Donna Karan, Vivienne Westwood, Alberta Ferretti, and the clever Carolina Herrera, who…

Belgians Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel of Studio Job designed a set of outdoor furniture for Italian brand Seletti that references those ornate iron chairs and tables we all know. But these are made of lightweight aluminium, and the patterns reveal motifs like flowers and butterflies, iconography the duo used in previous designs. The collection includes a dining chair, an armchair, a round table and a bigger oval table. They come flat-packed in individual boxes for easy storage and transportation. The powder-coating has a matte finish and is available in four colours: red, green, black and white. The Industry Collection was showcased at 100 % Design South Africa in August and has since caused quite a stir at design store Generation in Hyde Park Corner. • From R5 597,40 • generationdesign.co.za FAST…

Known for bringing punk fashion into the mainstream in the ’70s (she helped dress the Sex Pistols, for starters), Dame Vivienne Westwood has gone on to put her stamp on more than the world of fashion. Her designs are always bold, with a strong focus on fabric, including Scottish Harris tweed, tartans and plaids. One of her latest designs for The Rug Company, with which she has collaborated for 12 years, is called Thistle Gold. The milk thistle – the floral emblem of Scotland – has been used as the primary graphic in this dusty-rose-and-gold Tibetan wool rug, with the design hand-knotted in fine silk yarn by traditional weavers in Kathmandu. The Vivienne Westwood collection for The Rug Company comprises nine rug designs, including the Thistle Pewter, and seven scatter…

It’s not the first time these two iconic French brands have joined forces. The first was in 2007, when a limited-edition Evian bottle featuring Christian Lacroix’s interpretation of the classic Paseo embroidery design was used for the first time outside of the fashion house’s couture collections. Now, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of their first collab, Evian and Christian Lacroix have done it again. The 2016 limited-edition Paseopatterned bottles of Evian water were designed by Sacha Walckhoff, creative director of Maison Christian Lacroix, in two variants, blue and pink. The design brief: a look that is Parisian, flamboyant and youthful. All boxes ticked, then. • christian-lacroix.com • evian.com FAST FACT Evian mineral water is sourced from the south shore of Lake Geneva.…

TERRAIN Terrain is inspired by the earth and open desert landscapes. Mineral greens and blues complement oranges and yellows. Greys and neutrals offset the overall look and introduce balance. ANONYMOUS Taking neutral to the next level, Anonymous embraces simplicity and a pared-down style. The palette comprises light blue, pink, green, purple-blue and black. Accents of metallic-inspired shades add depth and dimension to the theme. PRISM The brightest of the four themes, Prism uses digital art as the main point of reference, bringing a contemporary edge to walls. This palette embodies youthfulness and is playful and flamboyant. Be brave with this theme, but keep symmetry by offsetting bold brights with lighter hues. PAUSE Pause presents a meditative, monastic look that is raw yet sophisticated. Pale clay tones and airy blue-greys are…