Light up Africa and the world with design
MELVILLE – Have you ever walked into a restaurant and wondered who designed the space so beautifully? We often step into a place and immerse ourselves in the beauty without even thinking of how it all came together.
The face behind Nando’s pendant lights – which are in almost every restaurant – is an internationally acclaimed production designer, Thabisa Mjo of Mash T design studio. Originally born in the Eastern Cape, Mjo is living comfortably in the northern suburbs. She was one of the outstanding designers who recently showcased at 100% Design South Africa, teaming up with premium furniture brand Weytlands on a capsule collection.
“I collaborated with furniture retailer Weylandts to create a capsule collection for urban living. This was the first time the retailer had worked with local designers so this was very exciting! We launched the collection at 100% Design, called The Theatre of Sleep,” she said excitedly. Right now, she is focusing on and promoting the capsule to show the significance and beauty of urban living in the city. “My focus now is to promote the capsule collection with Weylandts.
This is important for a number reasons, chief among these, to demonstrate that locally designed and produced furniture can and does sell. Secondly, to demonstrate that hand crafted furniture items can be scalable and mass produced. This collaboration with Weylandts gives us the opportunity to prove this,” she said.
The design and art landscape in South Africa is constantly growing and changing but Mjo mentions that the opportunities, especially for young designers, are not always there. “Opportunities for creators to build sustainable businesses or create economic opportunities for themselves is definitely something that’s missing in the industry,” she said.
After working in the television and film industry, Mjo decided to go back to school and did a one-year interior decorating and architectural drawing course at Inscape Design School. Mjo said she loves the idea of creating something that will get an immediate and emotional response. Specialising in retail and hospitality design, Mjo has already worked with major brands such as Estee Lauder and bubbles brand, Veuve Clicquot not to mention one of her greatest achievements, Nando’s. Wanting to gain access into the niche interior design market, Mjo entered one of their competitions back in 2015.
“Nando’s was looking for emerging creatives to design pendant lights. The winning lights would be installed in Nando’s restaurants locally and internationally,” she said. Inspired by xibelani skirts worn by Xitsonga women, Mjo designed Tutu 2.0 light which was and still is the winning light the now.
“When I first saw xibelani skirts, they reminded me of African tutus, hence the name Tutu 2.0. This light is now installed in restaurants all over the world, from Cape Town to Malaysia, Washington to London,” she said proudly. In the future, she hopes to build sustainable and scalable businesses. “I want these businesses to even outlive me, so it that will provide a level of financial freedom not only for myself but for the people I work with,” she said. A storyteller at heart, she likes to tell stories through her designs.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/northcliff-melville-times/291328/old-fashioned-hot-toddy-still-perennial-fix-common-cold/
