report-back
design week daisies
2026 : October
Design Week South Africa returns for its third rendition in 2026, pollinating good design and conversation all over town
photography and words by Jana Human
In the pages of the latest House and Leisure Volume 22 (Flower), Contributing Design Editor Bielle Bellingham expands on her superbloom theory… an idea that ‘nothing becomes beautiful itself alone. Behind every visible success is an often-invisible ecology of trust, time, access, labour, friendship, exchange, and permission: people who believe, open doors, share what they have, and make it possible for someone else to continue. In this theory, the flower is the maker or designer: talent, authorship, the visible work. The pollinator is the connector carrying ideas between disciplines, communities and opportunities.
It takes a village.
Or, in relation to Bielle’s superbloom theory, it takes a swarm of pollinators.
Cape Town’s Morning Sessions kick off at A33’s Listening Room with Phokeng Setai, House and Leisure Contributing Art Editor; Atang Tshikare, artist, designer, and cultural futurist; and
Kobe Darko from Sun Stories. A swarm of pollinators, aka Margot Molyneux, Simone Schultz, Megan Noel and Bielle Bellingham.
For those not already familiar, Design Week South Africa (aka ‘proud pollinator’) is a city-wide calendar of events and immersive experiences that showcases the future of South African design through knowledge-sharing, inclusivity, and support. We’re talking more than 200 activations, talks, showcases, mingles, workshops and exhibitions across Johannesburg and Cape Town over two weekends.
But what sets them apart? What are they dedicated to, exactly? What is their why…? If you were to ask any participant, the answer would be clear and repeated. DWSA is dedicated to creating an ecosystem where designers can connect, makers and their ideas can bloom, businesses can root and expand, and local talent can thrive. A living dedication to ‘flowers’.
The Shape of Us was the golden thread and theme for this year. Both participants and programme investigated how histories, identities, materials, knowledge, and shared experiences influence design and the ways in which we inhabit the world. Digging at the root of design, passionately arguing that it is part of how cities are built, how communities connect, and how people experience everyday life.
This year’s title sponsor, Pinterest (yes, Pinterest!), partnered with the DWSA team and participating ‘flowers’ to present a series of engaging activities that celebrate the breadth and creativity of South Africa’s design industry. Highlights included The Things We Love exhibition curated by Simone Schultz – a collection of personal objects that question how design shapes us and how we shape design; a Pinterest Masterclass with Eoin Carrigan at A33 – a chit chat about a good-intentioned platform centred around personal curation and experience; A Decade of Inspiration: 10 Years of Good Good Good – nine friends of the brand shared their real-life Pinterest boards, featuring references that have inspired their craft; Koooooos x Nammu: Live Mural Painting and Collection Launch – inspired by Pinterest’s Predicts 2026 (their annual trend forecast).
Branching out from the theme, each city had a generous programme that made this four-day festival, well, exactly that: a festival. Everything from Jazz in Jozi and library listening parties to bottomless bubbles at pop-up bars to celebrate creativity, local talent, and the legacy of South African design.
As Proud Media Partners, we (aka House and Leisure and LOOKBOOK Studio) had our Eyes on the ground, snapping our way through the streets of Johannesburg and Cape Town, spotting flowers in bloom, and spotlighting the people and ideas shaping our creative landscape. As an activation, House and Leisure presented ‘The Vase’ – an exhibition by LOOKBOOK Studio at STOOP at The Corner Store on Bree, showcasing a curated collection of vases and vessels by local artisans inspired by ‘The Vase’ featured within Volume 22 (Flower). In keeping with this year’s theme, The Shape of Us, the exhibition paid tribute to local design, flowers, vases, and the printed pages of House and Leisure, another proud pollinator.
Contributing artists and studios featured in ‘The Vase’
Acre
AAFRICA Store
Ronel Baker from LIM
Bianca Strydom
Bofred
Brigitte Lilly
Bumba Rejoice
Trudy Oosthuizen from Relevant Art
Chocolate fat jug from LIM
Clementina Ceramics from Tollgate
Heidi Bieber from LIM
Dangereux
Gabrielle Kruger from Brundyn Arts and Culture
Cynthia Gwyneth Edwards
Han Studio
Imiso Ceramics
Jade paton blue vase from AKJP
Juliette Eidelman
Lane Ehlers from Merchants on Long
Marleen De Villiers from Relevant Art
Nammu Ceramics
Sharon Ericsson from LIM
Renee Rousou
Sarah Walter
Tali Sacks
‘This year’s edition of Design Week South Africa set the benchmark for us. What an honour, a joy and a privilege to see so many established and emerging brands and creatives putting their mark on the week, investing so deeply in the platform we’re creating, being ambitious, collaborative and enthusiastic about it. The energy and excitement were palpable in both cities throughout each Design Week, and we feel incredibly proud and inspired. We’re already looking forward to all that 2027 holds for Design Week and the South African design communities; this is only the beginning!’
– Margot Molyneux, Simone Schultz & Roland Postma
Design Week – we thank you for being an immersive reminder to continuously spread the goodness, tend to our roots, and praise our precious flowers.
To learn more about Design Week South Africa, click here!
Page through House and Leisure Volume 22 (Flower) for a field of ‘flowers’…