7. FIONA BLACKFISH
Growing in global fame, local designer Porky Hefer’s gang of pod like creatures come to life in leather, cane, wool and rubber have been recognised for their ability to merge design with art. Among these hand crafted fantastical beasts, it’s Fiona Blackfish, his toothy killer whale, with her furry pink tongue and sound-deadening insides, that remains our absolute favourite.
The 10 design items we covet most right now
When it comes to design objects that stand apart from the rest, these are the top 10 that are doing it for us right now
1. ROTUNDA DRINKS UNIT
Created by all-female design studio Studium’s Sanet Stegmann, Korine Kruger and Georgina Cox, this captivating drinks cabinet stole the hearts of all who laid their eyes on it at Southern Guild’s A New Wave Exhibition earlier this year. Featuring a mild steel and plywood frame with an eye-catching façade of colourful woven grass, this not-so-cabinet with its unique form and graphic boldness now calls Miami home.
2. ENTIER PARFUM
With each one handmade from natural (and mostly local) ingredients in an edition of just 350 bottles, it’s not hard to see why Jozi based perfumer Saint d’Ici’s new Entier Parfum has us queuing up for our share. “Entier is a bright, modern scent with a spicy, woody heart and an addictive easiness that’ll make you reach for it on a daily basis,” says brand founder and perfumer Marie Aoun.
Image: Supplied
3. TARGA ARMCHAIR
Nodding to the cult lines of Thonet’s steam bent wooden chairs, global designer duo Gam Fratesi’s Targa Armchair (created for Wiener GTV) combines delicate cane panelling and generous upholstery that cossets the sitter within an iconic bent beech frame. Of the full range, we love this one for its retro minty hue. Available at Generation.
Image: Supplied
4. BEC STATUETTES
Unashamedly decorative and delightful, French designer Ionna Votrin’s Bec statuettes for Bosa take their cue from the toucan, the seagull and the duck. Apart from the fact that they make us smile, we love these objets for their reduced geometric form and subtle, yet studied portrayal of each bird’s character. Order from Crema Design.
Image: Supplied
5. WIID DESIGN GLASS RANGE
This covetable and sophisticated set (including carafe and tumblers) is the lovechild of designer Laurie Wiid van Heerden of Wiid Design and Swaziland’s Ngwenya Glass. The set has sensuous fluted lines and a lean tapering form that’s a work of art to look at, not to mention the pieces are hand blown from recycled glass. Available in pink, cobalt (featured), green and clear glass. Contact Ngwenya Glass to order.
Image: Johann de Klerk
6. CITYMAPMATS
Dedicated to the very neighbourhoods we frequent, local design heroine Kirsten Townsend of Fabrica’s handwoven wool Citmapmats are street maps in rug form. Capturing building facades and windows in a number of South African neighbourhoods such as Newtown, Maboneng and Salt River, the subtly toned, graphic rugs are novel way to reference our immediate surroundings.
7. FIONA BLACKFISH
Growing in global fame, local designer Porky Hefer’s gang of pod like creatures come to life in leather, cane, wool and rubber have been recognised for their ability to merge design with art. Among these hand crafted fantastical beasts, it’s Fiona Blackfish, his toothy killer whale, with her furry pink tongue and sound-deadening insides, that remains our absolute favourite.
Image: Supplied
8. I AM LIFE BOOK
This whimsical children’s book by Norwegian Elisabeth Helland Larsen for Little Gestalten is everything. Recently released, I am Life seeks to answer the question: What is life?
By way of its thoughtfully illustrated (by Marine Schneider) pages depicting beings big and small, the book lays out the full scope of life in its many magical incarnations.
9. CREST BOTTLE OPENERS
These Crest bottle openers created by FS Objects’ Gregory Buntain and Ian Collings are a departure from a familiar classic. Made from bronze, the range of four bottle openers is a favourite for its sexy, minimalist design and innovation of a quotidian household object. Designed to fit the palm of your hand, you can also custom stamp any name into them.
Image: Supplied
10. BOLLE BOTTLES
Don’t be fooled, these modern-in-appearance murano glass bottles were designed in 1966! They were created by Finnish sculptor and designer Tapio Wirkkala for Venini using a centuries’ old Venetian technique called incalmo, which fuses different ‘cups’ of glass in separate colours. The colour pairings in the bottles are as striking as their form is light and contemporary.
Image: Supplied
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