The Capitec handmadeAFRICA Pavilion makes its much-anticipated Johannesburg debut at Decorex Johannesburg from 24 to 27 July 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Curated by Alan Hayward and Garreth van Niekerk of Capitec handmadeAFRICA, the Pavilion brings together an extraordinary showcase of contemporary designers from across the continent. With a focus on craftsmanship, cultural intelligence and collectible design, the Pavilion presents modern African luxury in its most compelling form: handmade, rooted and visionary.
This Pavilion is a statement of African excellence,” says Garreth van Niekerk, Creative Director of Capitec handmadeAFRICA. “It speaks to a continent not stuck in its past, but actively reshaping the future of global design, one handmade piece at a time. Cape Town was a huge success – affirmation that our curatorial instinct is sound. The bold pink Chela Broom wall by Bambizulu became one of the most ‘Instagrammable’ moments of the show. But more importantly, we introduced exceptional designers to new markets, giving their work the visibility it deserves.“
Designers to Discover in the Pavilion
BambiZulu debuts the Chela Broom – a radiant design object inspired by traditional Zulu brooms. Collaborating with handmadeAFRICA, BambiZulu reimagines this domestic icon using sustainably sourced ilala palm, vibrant grasses hand-harvested in Nongoma, and bold basket-weave handles developed with the women weavers of Hlabisa. The result: a piece that bridges tradition and contemporary design, land and legacy.
Monkeybiz, the trailblazing bead collective, showcases iconic artworks created by over 300 women bead artists from under-resourced communities. Each piece is hand-beaded, signed by its maker, and rooted in the spirit of Ubuntu – using craft to empower, uplift and connect. Their global collaborations and presence in leading galleries speak to their stature as cultural innovators.
LRNCE brings a poetic touch with its painterly ceramics from Marrakech. Each plate is hand-painted by founder Laurence Leenaert, blending abstraction and symbolism. These one-of-a-kind creations celebrate everyday ritual and North African craft through a fresh, contemporary lens.
Roxas presents ceramic vessels and sculptures inscribed with text – poetic, humorous, and quietly philosophical. Created in Morocco, these pieces blur the line between function and art, inviting an emotional dialogue with everyday objects.
Luminaire d’Afrique launches its first collection of high-end lighting – collaborative works involving Ngwenya Glass, Bambizulu, master weaver Beauty Ngxongo, and Johannesburg’s finest lighting manufacturers. The pieces merge ancient handwork with cutting-edge technology, creating lights that are both functional and culturally resonant.
Leatile Mosime Furniture offers sculptural pieces made from indigenous wood, embracing traditional Tswana joinery. A Botswana-born architect turned designer, Mosime celebrates the imperfections of timber with an honesty and reverence that speaks to deep place-based practice.
Kind Kid, created by Sanele Kwabe, shows monumental 3D-printed sculptures – scaled-up versions of playful toy-like characters, now chrome-plated in South Africa. These works delight and challenge with their blend of digital fabrication, nostalgia and oversized whimsy.
Bombisa, founded by Lazi Mathebula, launches the Isivunguvungu series – intricate paper sculptures exploring the tension between chaos and calm. Folded from Fabriano paper using origami-inspired techniques, the works hold motion and stillness in elegant balance.
The Ninevites is a design studio and collaborative platform founded by Nkuli Mlangeni-Berg. Gathering threads from across the continent and weaving them all into one beautiful story, The Nineevites make beautiful rugs, cushions, blankets and kitchenware using inventive designs with made-to-be-touched textures.
Moya African Glass Network is a non-profit company that strives to build a thriving Pan-African glass art community by connecting artists, collectors and enthusiasts while promoting education, sustainability and resource sharing. Through youth development and international collaborations, they hope to position Africa as a leading glass art destination and uphold the cultural heritage of the hand-made glass industry. The featured artists include Mike Hyam, Lothar Bottcher and Martli Jansen van Rensburg.
Introducing the Capitec handmadeAFRICA Design MRKT
Never missing the opportunity to support emerging talent, Capitec handmadeAFRICA has teamed up with Decorex AFRICA to present the Design MRKT – an exciting expansion of its retail capsule that will spread across two floors (L4 & L5) at Decorex Johannesburg. Not only will this artisanal market invite visitors to discover and take home exquisite creations from the continent’s most visionary brands, but a festive DJ will be spinning tunes from Africa for all four days at the bespoke Design MRKT restaurant.
Spotlight on Emerging Talent
The curators have selected three Spotlight Designers to watch out for across the Capitec HandmadeAFRICA Pavilion and the Design MRKT:
● BambiZulu, whose Chela Broom signals the beginning of a series of provocative, culturally resonant design objects from their collaboration with handmadeAFRICA.
● Bombisa, bringing poetic power to paper with their origami-inspired creations.● Aaliyah Makoni, purveyor of bold, colourful wares for women and their homes. Known for their proprietary hand-designed prints, Makoni’s accessories and décor pieces speak directly to self-expression, individuality, and joyful living.
Capitec handmadeAFRICA Rising Star Awards
jSomething else to look forward to is the Capitec handmadeAFRICA Rising Star Award, which has been established to recognise creativity, craftsmanship and the power of storytelling through design.
The award was first presented at Decorex Cape Town in June 2025, and will now be presented to a worthy recipient at Decorex Johannesburg. Capitec has established the award as a commitment to fostering creativity and entrepreneurship – values that shape its own journey.
Chosen from a pool of over 50 talented designers across the Capitec handmadeAFRICA Pavilion and Design MRKT, judging will take place on Thursday 24 July and the winner will be awarded a R30 000 prize at the awards event taking place that evening.
