Ep 2 Siyanda Mbele | Talking design, manufacturing, and facing up to the realities of building a business when you have no Plan B
Release Date: 09/12/2019
S4 Studio Lessons Season Recap
Behind The Design
You are listening to Behind the Design the Studio Lessons. Which brings us to the end of season 4. I want to thank all of my guests for taking the time to chat and give us a behind the scenes look into their design journeys. We’ve had insightful conversations. And despite the uncertainty that continues to surround us there is a lot of hope and optimism and just getting on with things because we cannot and will not let a pandemic stop us from expressing ourselves and achieving our potential.
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EP5 Natsai Audrey Chieza | Talking Design at the intersection of technology science, nature and society
Behind The Design
This is episode #5 where I am joined by designer Natsai Audrey Chieza. Natsai is a designer working at the intersection of technology science, nature and society. She is the founder of Faber Futures an R & D agency that is creating new spaces and strategies that relate to climate change and biodiversity loss, and the social structures that underpin our human survival. In our conversation, Natsai explains bio-design and the implications it has on creating better sustainable design solutions for our world.
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EP 4 Dr Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri | Talks exploring the impact designers working with artisans have on their lives and bringing true sustainable value to artisanal communities
Behind The Design
This is episode #4 where I am joined by object designer and academic Dr Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri. Pam is a multi-award-winning accessories designer, educator, and author, with her own label called Vanhu Vamwe. Her experiences of working with artisans and feeling personally part of the problem of exploiting vulnerable communities led Pam to study a PhD where she could explore the impact designers working with artisans have on their lives and how to make the process better by offering true, sustainable value.
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EP 3 Audrey Migot Adholla | Talking finding clarity and finding brand focus and managing a business during a global health crisis
Behind The Design
This is episode #3 where I am joined by jewellery designer Audrey Migot-Adholla. Audrey is the founder of Yala Jewellery an award-winning made in Kenya jewellery brand. In our conversation we talk about the meaning of sustainable luxury, collaborating with her artisan producers across continents, managing a business during a global health crisis, her thoughts on the spotlight being shone on black creatives as a result of Black Lives Matter.
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Ep 2 Tosin Oshinowo | Talking about establishing herself as an architect, managing multiple businesses, and using insecurity as a strength
Behind The Design
You are listening to episode #2 of season 4 where I am joined by architect and product designer Tosin Oshinowo. Tosin is an architect with her own architectural practice called CM Atelier. She is also a product designer designing furniture using local fabrics under the brand Ilé Ilà. In our conversation, we talk about establishing her name as an architect, cultivating the confidence needed to win contracts and the business support essentials that have enabled her to start and managing multiple businesses.
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Ep 1 Eno Jonah | Talking about sustainable luxury and her passion for artisanal heritage textiles
Behind The Design
You are listening to episode number 1 of season 4. And joining me on the show is textile designer Eno Jonah. Eno is the founder of Nzuri Textiles, a brand of exquisitely handcrafted textiles with a focus on sustainable luxury. In our conversation Eno talks about the inspiration behind her designs, what sustainable luxury means to her, preserving artisan skills, and takes us on the journey from an idea through to finished textile.
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Behind The Design Welcome to Season 4
Behind The Design
Welcome to season 4 of Behind The Design.
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S3 Ep 7 Studio Lessons Season Recap
Behind The Design
You are listening to Behind the Design episode #7 the Studio Lessons. Which brings us to the end of season 3. I want to thank all of my guests for taking the time to chat especially during the circumstances we currently find ourselves in to give us a behind the scenes look into their design journeys. They like most of us have experienced the upheaval and uncertainty of navigating their way through a pandemic and having to continually adapt as the world finds its way towards some sense of stability.
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Ep 6 Mariatu Turay-Akar| Talking about using fashion to heal and empower women to be bold and the importance of telling our own stories
Behind The Design
You are listening to episode number 6 of season 3. And joining me on the show is Mariatu Turay-Akar. Mariatu is the founder of Gitas Portal a London-based mid-luxury fashion brand that uses vibrant African wax cloth textiles to celebrate and promote cultural diversity. We talk about using fashion to inspire and empower women to be bold, how her faith helps her to stay motivated and push past the challenges of running a business, and how Gitas Portal has become a place of healing for her clients.
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Ep 5 Jomo Tariku | Talking diversity in African creativity, underrepresentation in design and being good enough to interpret our own culture
Behind The Design
You are listening to episode number 5 of season 3. And joining me on the show is Jomo Tariku. Jomo is an Ethiopian / American artist and furniture designer. His company Jomo Furnitures creates pieces inspired by classical African design icons. In our conversation, we talk about diversity in African creativity, pressing pause on his design business then reviving it, the underrepresentation of black designers in the global design world, and being good enough as African creatives to interpret our own culture.
info_outlineThis is episode 2 where I am joined by interior and furniture designer Siyanda Mbele.
ABOUT SIYANDA: Siyanda Mbele is the founder of Pinda Design, the design studio he set up in his hometown of Durban, South Africa. He designs and manufactures hand-painted furniture inspired by South Africa’s diverse cultures.
We talk about:
- The financial implications of starting design business - finding funding and getting support from family to support his dream
- The costs of manufacturing, and finding the right manufacturers to work with
- Who turns to for advice and business support
- The early mistakes he made and how he fixed them
- Learning to connect and negotiate with global buyers
- The challenges of getting his product to market, logistics shipping internationally from the continent and how he works around the challenges
- The role of culture in design, the impact it has on society, and why it's important for him to express his culture in his designs
- Cultural shifts in South Africa, and the emergence and impact of young black furniture and product designers making a name for themselves and contributing to the South African design aesthetic, and what has changed to make this possible
Links and resources mentioned in this episode
Durban University Of Technology - https://www.dut.ac.za/course/bachelor_of_technology_interior_design/
Design Indaba - https://www.designindaba.com
SABS Design Institute - http://design.sabs.co.za
Where you can go to find out more about Siyanda
Instagram: @pindadesign | @siyandambele
https://www.behance.net/Pindabysiyandambele
Get the full show notes at: www.atelier55design.com/podcast
This podcast is brought to you by atelier 55