Page 9 - Cornwall Issue 4 2022

LIFESTYLE

DESIGN TEAM

FABRICS:

AN AFRICAN

DESIGN STORY

BY M I C H E L E F O R T U N E
P H O T O G R A P H S BY I VA N M U L L E R , P R O D U C T I M AG E S S U P P L I E D

esign Team Fabrics was started by two
students in the late 1990’s. Their passion
Dfor design and their ability to draw and
screenprint allowed them to create designs that
were uniquely South African. ELEGANTLY

Having completed their studies, they officially
formed the company with the purpose of
printing designs to be made into scatter
cushions. The designs were an instant success
in the market, depicting scenes of life in South
Africa. The colours used in the designs were
also drawn from the earthly tones of Africa.
The designs seemed to resonate with South
Africans, and especially visitors to the country.
In virtually no time, the students where printing
more and more designs and realised they
needed a workshop to meet the orders they
were receiving, and this was how the business
began to expand. Michéle has always been a fan
of the brand and followed the business’s growth.
She supported the students and was interested
in seeing how the brand evolved and if it kept
up with bigger brands competing in the South
African market.

The company unfortunately fell on difficult times
and even after being part of the Peppertree
Bag company for a while, the lockdown of 2020
became more than they could deal with. We heard
that there was a possibility this unique African
brand would close down completely.

We met with the owners and having a passion for
the brand, bought the business, feeling that its fabric houses are doing, we decide on a theme
potential had not been fully exploited and that for a new range. We also follow trend setters like
opportunities existed for further development. Dion Chang and his team at Heavy Chefs, to draw
We relooked at how we could improve the brand. inspiration. Once we have a theme for the range,
Although the screen printing process added a we meet with our designers to brainstorm what
uniqueness to every meter of fabric printed, we they think will best work with our existing ranges
felt that consistency was becoming an industry and at the same time, give us a fresh direction (see
requirement. We had to change the way in which image).
the designs were printed, so we reworked the
whole process. This a brief explanation of the The next step is for the designers to start sketching
process behind every new design. their ideas onto paper. These designs are coloured
By reading the market and watching what other according to the brief supplied, using colours that

Cornwall View • Issue 4 2022 7