Page 16 - Designing Ways 246

TRADE
WINDS

SA’s largest exporter

of local design

launches new

initiative to

partner with other

businesses

lout/SA was officially launched to
the local and international market
Cin the last week of June 2021. Clout/SA is focused on the promotion “These stories and more are the
Clout/SA is a purpose-first enterprise, of South African design both globally and highlights of the process, and add
creative agency, and business-to- locally, with the intention of contributing immense value to the opportunity for
business (B2B) market-maker for South to the creation of a recognised category local and global companies,” says Lynch.
African design. The aim is to promote brand. As part of its public launch, Clout/ To mark this new chapter, Clout/
South Africa’s creativity, craftsmanship SA now invites corporate partners, who SA hosted a landmark exhibition of
and heritage. Additionally, creating share similar values, to join its mission South African art and design as part of
opportunities for collaboration between by taking part in collaborations with its Decorex’s month-long Cape Town Design
corporates and designers is a main driver. designer-maker partners. Trail programme in June 2021. Entitled
Clout/SA’s founding project and one At its core, Clout/SA specialises in designed “Right here, Right Now!”, the show was
of its ongoing directives is the Nando’s creative solutions for hospitality, retail, and curated by Clout/SA’s creative director
Design Programme. As part of the Nando’s corporate clients. Its approach foregrounds Tracy Lee Lynch and was installed across
Design Programme, Clout/SA developed creativity, craft, design and collaboration, all four storeys of the iconic Union House
and facilitated one of South Africa’s top which highlights the South African design building in Cape Town’s eastern district.
biennial design competitions, the Nando’s narrative as a point of distinction. The exhibition not only introduced
Hot Young Designer Talent Search. This Advantages for businesses that are keen Clout/SA to the industry and invited
competition has launched and supported to collaborate are multiple and include: members of the public, but also unveiled a
local design careers, including that of minimised risk through a turn-key collaboration with HUB, a platform borne
Mash T. design’s Thabiso Mjo, one of the offering as well as end-to-end oversight out of the Spier Arts Trust, which has
first winners of the competition in 2016. and support; the facilitation of payments run the Spier Arts Academy since 2009,
Mjo has described the competition as upfront to designers so they can manage training artisans in the field of ceramics
having “changed the trajectory of my entire large-scale orders, and the procurement of and mosaics, as well as supporting the
life”. In 2020, she went on to make history materials; quality control throughout the development of visual artists.
when she became the first South African process; and managed logistics and time The exhibition hosted private tours for
designer ever to have her work placed in schedules to secure deliveries to clients over 200 top local brands, architectural
the permanent collection of the Louvre’s based on their specific needs. Clout/SA and interior design professionals,
Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France. also offers partners direct involvement corporate procurement agents and
Clout/SA’s work on the Nando’s Design and input into the design development facilities managers. This was followed
Programme led to the development and process alongside the Clout/SA team. by by-invitation-only sessions with local
launch of the Nando’s Portal to Africa in Clout/SA does not operate on a design learners and members of the
2018. The portal is an online shopping conventional profit model. Instead, the public. The exhibition was documented
platform for designer furniture that has enterprise carries a “purpose levy” of a digitally, with a view to sharing it more
facilitated more than R60 million worth mere five percent. In turn, these funds widely in a socially distanced manner, so
of sales across 20,900 products since fuel Clout/SA’s ongoing development that all can access the incredible display
inception, making it one of the country’s programmes. Clout/SA both identifies of local design ingenuity. The film version
largest exporters of South African design. new local talent that is primed for of “Right here, Right Now!” also marks
There are approximately 1 200 Nando’s development and invests in the further the launch of several brand-new products
restaurants located across the globe from development, and upgrading of its that were debuted as part of this historic
Washington DC to Dhaka, and each existing supplier businesses – setting up showcase. dw
space showcases curated bold, bespoke emerging SMME’s to become world-class
furniture items which are procured design and manufacturing businesses. www.clout-sadesign.co.za
through the Portal to Africa.

16 Issue 246 • dw