A person in a red coat with earmuffs and large sunglasses smiles while lying on snow, arms outstretched, conveying joy and warmth in a winter setting.

Always Welcome

Resume

Year

2020

Client

Always Welcome

Project

Platform

Categories

Concept & Strategy Original founding concept and business model Shared-cost retail model — pioneered from scratch, unique in the South African market Brand strategy and positioning for Always Welcome as a platform rather than a store Expansion strategy across three locations and two cities Brand & Identity Full brand identity for Always Welcome Visual language, naming and tone of voice All branded collateral across physical and digital touchpoints Store design concept and spatial direction for each location Retail & Curation Selection and curation of over 60 South African designers and studios Merchandising and display direction across all locations Buying and product development support for emerging designers Exhibition design for in-store shows and activations Programming & Exhibitions Future Heirlooms — concept, curation and production in partnership with AHEC All in-store exhibitions, launches and activations across three years Designer launch events and public programming Communications & PR Full communications strategy and press office International press coverage including Wallpaper* and House & Garden Social media strategy and content direction Editorial content and copywriting across all platforms Partnerships & Development AHEC partnership — Future Heirlooms Developer partnerships for retail space activation Designer relationships and career development support Cape Town expansion and Heritage House partnership

Credits

Co-Founders: Garreth van Niekerk & Alan Hayward Designers & Studios (selection)| Dokter and Misses · MashT Design Studio · TheUrbanative · Kumsuka · Kalki Ceramics · Joe Paine · Nøde Studio · Indigenus · Greg Marshall Design · Stuart Graham Fabrics · Vitalli. · House of Harhaz · Ananta Design Studio · Clout/SA · and 45+ further designers Future Heirlooms Partners | AHEC (American Hardwood Export Council) · Houtlander · BOS Timbers Locations | Store: Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg (original) | Viewing Rooms: 17 Commerce Crescent, Kramerville, Johannesburg | Always Welcome Heritage House, Cape Town

Always Welcome was founded in 2020 to give South Africa's leading furniture and product designers a shared home - and to activate empty retail spaces for developers facing the pressures of the pandemic. Over three years and three locations, the collective launched the careers of over 60 designers, pioneered a new model for design retail based on shared costs and expertise, and produced some of the most talked-about design exhibitions in the country. It proved that South African design, with the right framing, could find and hold a serious audience.

Input

A design industry under severe pandemic pressure. No dedicated multi-brand retail platform for South African furniture and product designers. Empty retail spaces with no cultural activation. Designers with extraordinary work and no shared home to show it from.

Output

Three locations across Johannesburg and Cape Town. Over 60 designers launched or supported. A pioneering shared-cost retail model built from scratch. Future Heirlooms — a landmark international collaboration with AHEC featured in Wallpaper* and the international design press. Always Welcome Heritage House, Cape Town. The Viewing Rooms, Kramerville — 700 square metres of residential-inspired space. A platform that proved South African design could command serious local and international attention.

Snow-covered mountain peaks cast in shadow, illuminated by soft sunlight. The sky is clear, evoking a serene and majestic atmosphere.

Freshly groomed ski slope with curved lines creating a textured pattern in the snow, evoking a sense of calm and precision in muted lighting.

Skis and poles rest against a wooden fence in a snowy landscape. Sunlight filters through trees, creating a peaceful, warm glow.

‘I think what makes what Always Welcome is doing so interesting is that the aesthetic they are creating isn’t specifically Southern African, but is one that is still unfolding, and I suspect ultimately it will be the customer who defines what it is."

Thabisa Mjo