Decorex Africa & 100% Design Africa
Resume
Year
2025
Client
RX Africa
Project
Creative Direction
Categories
Strategic & Creative Direction Executive Creative Direction of both Decorex Africa and 100% Design Africa Overall creative vision and concept for the 2025 & 2026 editions Cohesive look and feel across the entire fair Continental and international positioning strategy Programming & Curation African Design Pavilions - first in the show's history International Spotlight exhibition Future Talks programme Capitec handmadeAFRICA Design MRKT - a shoppable market integrated into the fair Materials Pavilion at 100% Design Africa - exploring material intelligence across the continent Selection and announcement of Designers of the Year - Reform Studio and Charles O Job, the first continental designers ever awarded this distinction by Decorex Research & Relationships Continental research trips to meet Africa's leading designers Outreach to major international design capitals to connect African designers with global institutions and buyers Development of cross-continental design networks and partnerships Communications & Editorial Creative communications and editorial voice for the fair Press and media partnerships Public-facing language, exhibition texts and program materials Events & Activation Speaker programming After-hours programming strategy
Credits
Organiser RX Africa Show Director Sian Cullingworth Marketing Director Sandra Jardim Executive Creative Directors Garreth van Niekerk & Alan Hayward Creative Director (RX Africa) Anita Bloom Art Direction Heather Reid COLLABORATORS/ PARTNERS/ FEATURED DESIGNERS Designers of the Year | Reform Studio (CT) · Charles O Job (JHB) New Reflections Pavilion | Mash.T, Ananta, Greg Marshall Design, Stuart Graham Fabrics, African Jacquard, The Mood Collectives, House of Harhaz, TheUrbanative, Vitalli., Clout/SA, Indigenus × Fernando Mastrangelo Capitec handmadeAFRICA | LRNCE, Bombisa, African Robotics, Sizwe Sama, Kind Kid, Roxas, BambiZulu, Monkeybiz, Sari for Change, and 30+ others Materials Pavilion | African Jacquard, Wolkberg Casting Studios International Spotlight Pavilion | Nosso, Ligne Roset, Crema, Sofa Company Future Talks speakers | Reform Studio, SAOTA, Tracy Lee-Lynch, Maira Koutsoudakis, Federica Sala, Charles O Job, Stephen Klein, Sinegugu Ngxoko, Bilala Mabuza, Bathandwa Ngwendu and 40+ others Brand partners | Capitec, Pro Helvetia, Samsung, @home, Lexus, Sonos, Mr D, Food Jams
Beheld was appointed the Executive Creative Directorship of Decorex Africa and 100% Design Africa in 2024 - Africa's largest design and decor platform, spanning Cape Town and Johannesburg. Over two editions we reimagined the show from the ground up: introducing the first African Design Pavilions in its history, launching the Capitec handmadeAFRICA Design MRKT, curating new features like the International Spotlight and Materials Pavilion, and building a Future Talks programme that brought global design voices to an African stage. We named the first continental Designers of the Year - Reform Studio (Cairo) and Charles O Job (Nigeria/ Switzerland) - and grew the show to over 600 exhibiting brands, R60 million in media value and nearly 50,000 visitors across both cities.
Input
The client brief, as received: appointment as joint Executive Creative Directors of Decorex Africa and 100% Design Africa, with a mandate to introduce African design representation, a shoppable market, a cohesive look and feel, and an international dimension to a show that had none of these things.
Output
Two fully reimagined design fairs across Cape Town and Johannesburg. First African Design Pavilions in the show's history. Capitec handmadeAFRICA Design MRKT. International Spotlight exhibition. Materials Pavilion. Future Talks programme with continental and international speakers. First Designers of the Year from the African continent — Reform Studio and Charles O Job. 600+ exhibiting brands. R60 million in media value. 49,000 visitors across both cities.
Carol Weaving
Managing Director, RX Africa
