Opportunity for Designers courtesy of Samsung

Inspire Design, a search to discover South Africa’s Top Talent

Creating real opportunities, through the power of technology

Inspire Design is a new campaign launched by Samsung Electronics South Africa - with the purpose of discovering South Africa’s best up-and-coming designers from a spectrum of creative industries and helping to turn their dreams into a reality.

Samsung will run its first ever design talent search programme in South Africa, based on the company’s global strategy to strengthen its commitment to unleash the dreams, passions and potential of individuals with brilliant ideas through innovative technology. In order to ensure the success of this initiative, Samsung has partnered with some of the country’s most esteemed designers in the creative space, to help identify talent.

The campaign aims to unearth creative talent across five design categories: fashion, furniture, homeware and décor – and was launched during Africa's first international design fair The GUILD, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The four judges chosen to search and ultimately choose, South Africa’s best emerging design talent include successful Jewellery designer Kirsten Goss, premium artist in Homeware and Décor, Susan Slee of Maneki, internationally celebrated Fashion designer, Shaldon Kopman of Naked Ape, and CEO of premium Furniture store Bakos Brothers, Ryan Bakos.

Globally, the brand is associated with similar programmes that unleash potential of individuals in various creative categories which encourage individualism, from music to film. Locally, as an icon of originality and true self-expression, Samsung is using the design platform to find the creative talent of these four disciplines.

Michelle Potgieter, Director of Corporate Marketing and Communications, explains, “Samsung’s culture of innovation is reaching beyond product to help people everywhere realise their potential. With beautiful design at the heart of Samsung’s philosophy, we are proud to partner on an initiative that will discover and showcase our next generation of upcoming artists.”

The search will unfold in two phases: the national recruitment, entry and judging process will take place between March and May. The four  judges will then select eight winners – comprising the top two designs in each category of the five disciplines. These candidates will then have the opportunity of a lifetime to showcase their talent through extensive media exposure and network with distinguished South African buyers.

“The South African design industry has gained huge momentum in recent years, and now some of our best designers compete on a global stage with their peers. Samsung’s Inspire Design will provide a sustainable and credible platform to some of South Africa’s top talent, and offer a unique and exciting opportunity for designers already working in the various design spheres. It’s not only about technology, but about realising the potential of people with dreams and passion,” concludes Potgieter.

For more information on how to enter visit http://www.samsung.com/za/inspire_design/. T&Cs apply.

Meet the Inspire Design Judges:

Kirsten Goss - Jewellery design:

A style icon in her own right, Kirsten cites her Scandinavian heritage and South African roots as important influences. It is her rare talent for tapping into contemporary lifestyle trends that has seen Kirsten Goss jewellery becoming one of this country’s most talked about designer brands. Kirsten’s flagship boutique is nestled in leafy Kensington, while design and production are headquartered in a state-of-the-art design studio in Durban.  A truly global business, with African roots servicing an international clientèle.

Shaldon Kopman - Fashion design:

Shaldon Kopman is a well-recognised name in the fashion Industry. His career to date has spanned the globe. He is director and founder of the bespoke men’s brand Naked Ape. Shaldon’s comprehensive knowledge of the fashion industry as a whole is complementary to his creativity and uses this experience to conceptualise in a refreshing and artistic way. He has a special talent for interpreting trends and his passion for Africa is manifested in his designs.

Susan Slee - Homeware and Décor design:

Susan Slee is the owner of Maneki van Staal, a well-known jewellery designer and manufacturer. Her fascination with the simplicity of instant drawings led to the birth of Maneki van Staal, an instant success with an engaging story behind each product and character. In the last five years, Maneki have opened three outlets in South Africa. Currently the Maneki product range includes sugar spoons, teaspoon sets, salad and cutlery sets, ceramic tableware, leather handbags and jewellery.

Ryan Bakos – Furniture Industry Leader:

Ryan Bakos was born into the Bakos family business and took over the reins in 2008.  The first step in this process was the recent opening of a 4500m2 factory in Wynberg, a brave move that has enabled Bakos Brothers to compete on a larger scale, as well as cut out the middlemen. The factory buys fabrics and leather in bulk, direct from the wholesalers, which has dramatically reduced costs, resulting in reduced prices on its sofas especially. Ryan has also introduced a new, cutting edge internal information system, which disseminates information and enables interaction between employees, creating a sense of family for the 100 staff located around the country

To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.