When we talk  African luxury, what exactly do we mean? This was the opening question posed by Garreth Van Niekerk, co-founder of Capitec Handmade Africa, during our warm and unscripted conversation. It’s a question that lingers at the heart of this annual celebration of African design, offering a fresh take on luxury that centres on craftsmanship, sustainability, and storytelling; showcased in its unequivocal curation reminiscent of the pain staking  journey of  shaking multiple  frozen braai packs to find the best pieces that the market has to offer… a journey that ends with love for serving a community with the finest that you can literally get your hands on.

As we thaw into the deeper conversation that brings us here, it becomes increasingly clear that for Garreth, luxury is not about extravagance but about authenticity. “Travelling across Africa to source these products is a dream job for me,” he says, reflecting on the journey that brought him to this point. Under his leadership, Capitec Handmade Africa has become a platform for high-quality African craftsmanship, connecting artisans to global markets.

Garreth envisions building an “Etsy for African products”—a digital marketplace that bridges the gap between artisans and consumers, making authentic handmade products more accessible. “This would lower the cost implications and increase global accessibility to African craftsmanship,” he explains.

Showcasing Africa’s Creative Talent

“The collection at Capitec Handmade Africa was a mix of our classic ready-to-wear items, such as our Classic Glotto Saddle pants, which pay homage to Botswana’s cowboy or herdboy culture, alongside our handmade crochet hats and limited-edition pride skirts. We aim to create garments that reflect African fauna and flora while embedding narrative and functionality into every piece.”

This ethos resonates with the event’s core values of promoting sustainable African fashion and empowering artisans. You can read our full interview with Glotto’s founder here.

Another standout brand was Berry Homeware, led by founders Katleho and Neo, siblings who are making waves in the home décor space where “every item is created locally, using the finest quality materials”. Their bold and sensuous products reflect a commitment to craftsmanship, with each piece telling a story. Don’t miss their exclusive interview here.

So Who is Garreth Van Niekerk?

Garreth Van Niekerk is a multifaceted creative professional celebrated for his contributions as a curator, creative director, and advocate for African design. He co-founded Capitec Handmade Africa, a platform that champions authentic African craftsmanship and sustainable practices, alongside Lesley Hudson.

Garreth’s career began in journalism, where he honed his storytelling skills as a writer and editor. His roles included time as an editor for Wanted Online, where he focused on design, art, and the evolving luxury market. In a 2022 interview with Wanted Magazine, Garreth emphasised his passion for design and the stories that bring products to life, underscoring his commitment to sustainable African narratives.

His expertise extends to creative direction and product curation, where he has worked with some of South Africa’s most notable brands and publications. Garreth’s diverse skill set includes creative strategy, concept development, and storytelling. He has played a pivotal role in elevating African luxury by connecting artisans with global markets and fostering an appreciation for the continent’s rich design heritage.

Beyond Capitec Handmade Africa, Garreth serves as the co-director of Decorex Africa, a major design exhibition, further solidifying his influence in the creative industry. His personal and professional mission aligns with preserving and amplifying African narratives through design, storytelling, and innovation.

His work continues to reshape global perceptions of African luxury, placing craftsmanship and community at the forefront.

Capitec’s Role in Promoting African Craftsmanship

Capitec Bank plays a pivotal role in this journey. Patel, from Capitec’s events team, emphasises the bank’s commitment to showcasing African talent and fostering sustainability. Patel noted how the event aligns with Capitec’s vision of empowering communities and promoting local craftsmanship globally.

In closing

As Africa continues to make its mark on the global stage, events like Capitec Handmade Africa are leading the way in redefining luxury. Under the stewardship of Garreth Van Niekerk and Lesley Hudson, the event isn’t just about showcasing beautiful products—it’s about changing perceptions, empowering artisans, and building a sustainable future for African design.

The fact that the digital economy is growing so fast means that we can now create value and substantial profit through our creativity; the current technological landscape has created more opportunities for people like you and me to align our chakras, unleash our ultimate creative selves, and possibly make millions of rands overnight. It’s probably less complicated than boiling an egg or more complex than baking your own croissants while reading a copy of “POPI act for dummies”…But before you get excited and start manifesting your profound piece of digital art, allow me to try and simplify/explain what NFTs are, how they work, and ideas of how you can benefit from them.

The latest buzzword seems so confusing and complicated, lucrative and intimidating…more cryptic than crypto and even more perplexing than blockchain, but I assure you that these terms are really simple, well kind of.  

An NFT is a Non-Fungible Token, but what does fungible mean in the first place? Let’s get into it.

Fungible VS Non-fungible?

Fungible is an adjective that refers to something that cannot be distinguished from another thing, it is interchangeable, substitutable or uniform; For example, If I lend you a R10 note and you pay me back as either two R5 coins or another R10 note I won’t mind because it still has the same value as the R10 I gave you.

In the same way, one bar of gold must be tradable or exchangeable for another bar of gold, or two bars that are half the size and weight. Still with me? Great!

Examples of fungible goods include oil, bonds, gold and other precious metals, money, and unopened items of consumer products on store shelves such as boxes of cereal. 

They possess fungibility if they have identical value and properties of other items; Once you damage or crack that box of Weetbix open, it’s over, it’s no longer of the same value as an unopened/undamaged box, it is then no longer….you guessed it! Fungible.

Non-Fungible is the opposite in that, Assets like diamonds, land, or baseball cards have unique qualities that add or subtract value. 

NFT(non-fungible token) in its most overly simplified terms,  attributes ownership of a digital property/asset to one single person. It certifies a digital asset to be unique and therefore not interchangeable. NFTs can be used to represent digital files such as photos, videos, audio etc.

NFTs are made to give you ownership of the work although in some cases the artist can opt to retain the copyright and reproduction rights (hint,hint).

So What’s the fuss?

Well it’s simple for reasons that we might not yet comprehend at this tender stage of the game, that just like a physical art piece the true value is in the original, and essentially the more it is replicated/copied and subsequently popularised, the more the original increases in value. 

“NFTs can work like any other speculative asset, where you buy it and hope that the value of it goes up one day, so you can sell it for a profit” 

anyone can sell their digital work as an NFT  most notably the sale of Beeple’s “Every Days – The first 5000 days” sold for $69 million, and an animated Gif of Nyan Cat (a 2011 meme) was sold for more than $500,000.

So what are you waiting for? Go design a uniquely absurd Jpg or rally up your ultra cool high-school friends to record a one of a kind comeback album, get all your friends and  family to hype it up, get the streets talking and journalists typing frantically on all digital mediums, hailing you for your ground breaking creativity and hey…you might just quit your 9-5 forever and all thanks to the invention of NFTs.

Now that you are suited, booted and want to “tokenize” your genius idea, it’s important to know where you can upload your work and start raking in the big bucs.

There are several marketplaces that were created around the selling and buying of NFTs.  These include OpenSea, Rarible, Nifty Gateway, and recently a South African platform called Momint.

Anyone with an internet connection, marketing hype, creativity and access to a desired program or software can become the next overnight billionaire. You, reading this now could change your fortunes from where you sit. 

So don’t let the big terms spook you out, read a little,  live a little, create your art, upload it, put a value on it and let the rest happen. 

His name is imnk and his Instagram profile unflinchingly reads: “Africa is not a jungle”. This South African illustrator is undoubtedly an artist’s artist known for his ethereal imagination and his distinct style with a fineliner. imnk has found a way to ingeniously communicate social ills and realities through his unworldly style of art, especially in his latest series. We caught a moment with him, to find out more about the man behind the art.

One word that describes you?

That’s probably the hardest question for me to answer. There is no one word I could come up with that would encapsulate me. So for a lack of a better word, “Me”

Where are you from?

I come from a place called Ekangala, Bronkhorstspruit. But I also call Pretoria home.

How did you get into illustrating and how can you describe your journey?

It has been quite a journey. I knew I would do something in the creative field, my dad was an artist (painter and Sculptor) and my biggest influence. I have always known how to draw. I thought I would be a painter but I did Design in high school.

It has been quite a journey. I knew I would do something in the creative field, my dad was an artist (painter and Sculptor) and my biggest influence. I have always known how to draw. I thought I would be a painter but I did Design in high school.

Illustration became a happy medium between Fine Arts and the Advertising / Marketing field. Illustration still combines the creative ideation that is prevalent in Advertising and drawing which is more fine Arts.

How long have you been in the game?

I’ve been in the game since I painted my shoes yellow in primary school and made my friends pay me to do theirs.

What has inspired your recent work?

The main inspiration was the plight of women. I think one of the most essential tools one has to have as a person living in 2019 is the ability to put yourself in someone’s position and think of how they feel.

How long does it take for you to complete one of these spectacular works of art?

The time I take to complete a drawing depends. There are a lot of variables that will influence the duration. But I try to do it in 2 weeks normally. But it could take more time it could be less.

The time I take to complete a drawing depends. There are a lot of variables that will influence the duration. But I try to do it in 2 weeks normally. It could take more time or it could be less.

What medium do you use and can you also describe your creative process?

My favourite medium is Fineliner. I hate graphite because it can get dirty. I favour Finliners because it’s a little less forgiving with mistakes. I like the improvisation and creativity that you have to do when navigating a mistake.

I keep my process very simple. 70% of it happens in my head. I can take 2 weeks trying to solve it in my head. Once I sit down, I normally don’t want to figure much out, I want to sit down and execute. Most of my ideas come from the environment around me. That’s what I prefer documenting.

How can our readers get to experience more of your work?

I am active on social media. Facebook Imnk Nkululeko and imnk_1713 on Instagram and I’m working on a kool ass website.

There’s only 10 days to go before Oppikoppi – one of Africa’s best 3-day music festivals. This year Oppikoppi spots a different variety of locally sourced live acts on their line-up, that are most likely to attract a horde of first-time Oppikoppi campers.

Since I have been to this festival a few times, I know how it feels to be under preprared and overwhelmed by the unexpected; I have created a camping checklist to ensure that you have the essentials sorted before you head to the dust!

1. Camping Tent

This is a pretty obvious one, but the trick here is to ensure that you buy the correct size tent, for instance it’s better to buy a 4 man tent for two people to ensure that you have enough room for sleeping, changing and storing personal belongings.

2. Sleeping Mat

A sleeping mat is one of the most important items if you really want to have a comfortable nights sleep and avoid the cold ground at night. An air mattress is lightweight but has superior comfort levels as compared to the standard sleeping mat or bag.

3. Camp Site

Arrive at the campsite early so that you can find the most convenient space before it gets crowded, It’s always wise to have a campsite large enough for your friends to join you too.

4. Light up your life

It gets very dark at night and you are most likely to get lost while travelling to and from your campsite at night, so do it right by making sure that you have a torch or headlamp to help you get around, and don’t forget to have more batteries for back up.

5. Hygene

It’s important to keep clean and fresh on a daily basis because the heat, sweat and boozing can give off a rather unpleasant smell. The festival has public showers and wipes also help keep you fresh and clean. Bring some hand sanitizer too, it gets pretty wild out there.

6. Food

Festival food can be pretty expensive or not cater to your dietary needs so it’s always smart to pack none perishable foods to sustain you for the duration of the festival.

7. Stay Charged Up

Since this is your first experience, You will probably want to take lots of pictures and videos to share with your friends and followers, so it is important that you stay charged up with a fully charged power bank or two.

8. Keep it cool

Make sure you stock up on ice blocks from the festival so that you can keep your beverages and some foods cool all the time. So don’t forget that Coolerbox.

9. Know the rules

Although Oppi is one of the most fun and free events to attend, it also comes with its rules, so make sure you get acquainted with rules before heading into the dust.

10. Clear the ground and keep it clean

Make sure that you clear the ground you will camp on, making sure that there are no sharp objects or stones. Not only will these damage your tent but they will be uncomfortable to sleep on. Don’t forget to clean up before you leave, respect nature and leave it as it was!

 

Next week we will be giving you cool tips on how to survive #Oppikoppi #Nomakanjani like a pro! So remember to follow us on social media or join our newsletter to stay in tune.

It’s been over a year since I first came across Kornilios’ work online, those who know me, know that I am one to get easily bored and I hate repetition…which is the case with most artists who have found their “style”…not this one  though. A firm observer of social media culture; Kornilios’ work is constantly changing from digital paintings all the way to abstract pieces of art which all seem to have the same theme which is meticulously communicated and embedded in different phases and styles. He has branded his work through colours and characters such as The Muffin Man and although no two works are the same, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to identify his work and his stroke of genius. We caught up with Kornilios on the high speeding streets of the internet and had a chat to find out more about the mystique behind the character and the work.

“SS16 Metadata” Triptych Panel 1/3 #abstractportrait #collage #design #painting

A post shared by Kornilios Victoria ™ (@korniliosvic) on Nov 15, 2017 at 6:58am PST

Who is Kornilios Victoria?

I’ve been told Kornilios is the visual artist version of J.Cole just before he released Sideline Story. So let’s just run with that…

Where are you from and how did you get started in your field?

I’m from Pretoria and I’ve always been into art and design from a young age. It’s hard to pinpoint how I got started but some years ago I decided it should be something to do full time because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Over the years we have seen the Muffin Man Concept grow on social media and other spaces, could you tell us who the muffin man is and what is the goal with this complex character/story?

The Muffin Man is a character who serves as a satirical idol of contemporary issues of identity, lifestyle and beauty. I would like to leave it to the audience to decide what kind of personality she has and what she stands for and what she has accomplished.

The Muffin Man is a freedom fighter. For example she once told me this country needs a National Slay Day right after Heritage Day, because black people have fought hard to find something that can compete against wine tasting… 👁🖑👄 #digitalart #illustration #digitalpainting #slaying

A post shared by Kornilios Victoria ™ (@korniliosvic) on May 26, 2018 at 4:23am PDT

“Pax Mariana” Triptych | Panel 2/3 The Muffin Man is an economist. She once told me that facebook wall should have been called facebook wallstreet, because the image rights for the right image are a rising commodity. #digitalart #digitalillustration #digitalpainting #fineart #adobeillustrator

A post shared by Kornilios Victoria ™ (@korniliosvic) on Jun 4, 2018 at 4:26am PDT

Your style seems to cover a lot of approaches from painting, pop art,3D, illustrations and some abstract work, what is the motive behind that?

I’d like to think that it tells a better story, a multi-dimensional view of a story helps you to connect with it better.

Can you tell us more about the exhibition?

Well, the main intention was to present this as primarily an online exhibition. I think it creates a more interesting form of engagement between the artwork and the audience; I’d like to think that it also breaks a few barriers between the artist and viewer and it serves as an interesting format to tell a story considering that most of us spend a lot of our time online.

“Femme Fortune 500” Triptych Panel 2/3 The Muffin Man Contemporary Pop Art #popart #illustration #fashionillustration #graphicdesign

A post shared by Kornilios Victoria ™ (@korniliosvic) on Mar 27, 2018 at 9:36pm PDT

What should we expect from the exhibition?

Well, what I personally expected from this exhibition has already been achieved; once again I’ll leave it to the audience to decide what that is.

Your work is extremely well branded, from the tone of the posts and the blue and magenta hues in the artwork (to name the obvious few), what was the main intention behind this?

Thank you, I suppose it has become a habit, designers are trained to present ideas a certain way and I believe it will come across in the way they present everything else they make. Whether it’s artwork or an omelette.

What are some of the hardships that an artist of your nature faces in your industry?

I think all industries are tough in some manner so I won’t go too deep about what keeps me up at night, but I believe that for most creatives, especially introverted ones such as me, the challenge is to get hold of the business aspect of it. We spend years trying to grow creatively and to be asked to forget all that for a moment and think about how it is a product to be sold like a microwave oven is …eish

 

What other interesting projects are you working on or have worked on?

What I’m working on is top secret for now. Projects I’ve worked on before including a taxi decal design with the SA Taxi Foundation some time ago and it was pretty cool.

Do you have artwork for sale and how can people get their hands on it?

Prints will be made available soon along with information on how to get hold of them in an easy and convenient manner, but I’m always available for commissions.

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