It’s interesting how certain things seem to click into place in our collective consciousness, until we’re not even sure how we managed before they arrived. E-mail, cellphones, 24-hour convenience shops — the list grows yearly. For most creative South Africans, Design Indaba is one of those things — an event that seems to have leapt, fully formed, out of the ether to fill a gaping hole they never even realised was there.
Of course, the Indaba, now in its eighth incarnation, is really the result of a decade of toil by its organisers at Interactive Africa, and not some convenient immaculate conception. And it has borne rich fruits. Since the first conference in 1995 the number and stature of speakers has increased with each year. This year’s event boasts 43 design gurus, including design pioneers Massimo Morozzi and Ron Arad, holistic architect Thomas Heatherwick and the maverick talents of Chip Kidd and Michael Bierut. Local design talent is also amply represented, with the likes of Brian Steinhobel, Nkhensani Manganyi and Nathan Reddy on show.
In a further testament to its success, the conference has recently spawned a host of vibrant supplements to the main event. Apart from the ever-popular Indaba workshops, this year welcomes the second annual Design Indaba Expo. This carefully selected showcase of the best in current South African design has been substantially expanded after the runaway success of the first edition. For just R30 the organisers promise visitors the chance to ogle the best in everything, from homeware to multimedia.
This year sees the birth of three new supplements to the conference — the Architecture, Fashion and Jewellery Indabas. Ravi Naidoo, MD of Interactive Africa, says that these new Indabas address the areas of most pressing need in South Africa’s creative industry. ‘Our worst-hit sector last year was the textiles industry, shedding thousands of jobs,” says Naidoo. ‘If we’re going to box out of our corner we need to move away from the low-cost production paradigm, such as the one in China, and start producing value-added products that the rest of the world will covet.” Naidoo points to the success of Brazilian designer Carlos Miele, whose clothing line is exported to 38 countries, including a flagship store in New York. What’s more, Miele’s entire line is manufactured in his native São Paolo, creating jobs for locals and giving a step up to other local designers.
As a brand, Design Indaba has seen phenomenal success. Apart from its world-class events, the marque has also launched a multi-award-winning magazine and has steadily expanded its influence into every corner of South Africa’s creative landscape.
But what is the root of this abundant success? Hard work and passion are a given, but without something intrinsically valuable to offer us the project would have died long ago. Perhaps part of the answer lies in the visceral appeal of Interactive Africa’s mission statement. Fed up with the dead-end prospects of an economy reliant on basic commodities, its ambitious roadmap outlines a creative design industry as the beating heart of both society and the economy. Rather than pouring our efforts into large-scale, pollution-causing industries, it advocates leap-frogging on the experience of the First World and becoming a creative services hub for the entire planet.
While it’s easy to scoff at such idealism, it’s far harder to dismiss it completely. Hard economic data tell us that creative industries consistently account for larger portions of the First World’s economy with each passing year. Whether or not the Design Indaba is the ideal way to achieve this goal is debatable but, at the very least, it has injected the idea into our social consciousness. We South Africans are notoriously dismissive of our own achievements. To hear someone say we should be world leaders in this field takes most of us aback — which is precisely why most of us need to hear it.
Cynics might dismiss these ambitions as empty talk, but the Indaba has already given rise to concrete business growth in our economy. The phenomenal success of the Indaba brand itself is proof of Interactive Africa’s determination to walk the talk. But Naidoo points to the scores of other international collaborations sparked by the Indaba. ‘The networking possibilities are amazing,” insists Naidoo. ‘Just look at Conran Africa’s collaboration with Woolworths. That was a direct result of the Indaba.”
For all its good intentions, the Design Indaba has seen its share of criticism. At R3 300 for three days, the conference is not cheap by anyone’s standards and, over the years, disgruntled locals have labelled the event as ‘elitist” and ‘profiteering”. Responding to allegations of profiteering, Naidoo is unrepentant about the need to keep the Indaba in the black. ‘We’re not philanthropists. We must run at a profit to keep things sustainable. But at the same time we’re committed to our vision of launching South Africa as a world-beating creative force.”
The organisers have made significant efforts to include more disadvantaged participants, including arranging cash grants from their allied Sector education and training authorities. The Indaba workshops have given scores of design students around the country unprecedented access to the world’s foremost designers. Its opening banquet has even been turned into a charity event to raise bursary funds for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Still, one can’t argue with the fact that the majority of Indaba attendees will be from within the creative elite. On the other hand, one could argue that this ‘elitism” is deeply practical. The reality is that virtually all successful businesses are driven by a core of visionary leaders and innovators. If we can nurture that core in our fledgling creative industry, we can give the idea of South Africa as a creative powerhouse a fighting chance.
If you looked for concrete evidence of the Design Indaba’s direct influence on relieving the grinding poverty of the majority of ordinary South Africans, you would be disappointed. The Indaba, however lofty its ideals, will never single-handedly create millions of jobs. Nevertheless, it could very well be the catalyst that sets an awesome, empire-building creative spirit into motion.