On 3 February 2022, Johannesburg’s design industry flocked to The Leonardo in Sandton for an extraordinary launch of the forthcoming show, Decorex Africa Reimagined.
Snaking up through The Leonardo’s parkade to try to find parking for the Aurum restaurant, it immediately became clear that Decorex Joburg launch was not going to be a quiet event!
Under the theme of all things ‘reimagined’, Decorex Africa is bringing a variety of new angles to not just the show but in how it supports the design industry year-round. This includes the use of technology as well as “e-commerce, editorial and media services” to grow Decorex Africa into a truly valuable brand.
“Creating design for a new world means creating an environment that feels as fresh as it is familiar, including certainty alongside surprise. These principles will guide Decorex Africa’s design towards a place where inclusion, sustainability and excitement co-exist symbiotically.”
Following a difficult two years in lockdown that saw the show significantly scaled back from a full in-person event, Thursday evening’s launch brought a range of designers, decorators, specialists and service providers together for a sneak peek of what can be expected for Decorex Africa in 2022. Small unique touches – such as printed explanations on the floor and the use of technology across several of the installations – made for an intriguing experience for guests. QR codes took this to another level and suddenly, elements such as words and graphics moved and were no longer static.
‘Creativity is the new global currency’
Opening Thursday’s event was Carol Weaving, managing director of Decorex Africa. During her address, she noted how creativity had been a gamechanger, especially during the past two years.
In a survey conducted for TIME magazine in which more than 2 000 people responded, 91% say some form of creative expression is “vital to our personal lives”, while 83% believed “it’s important for our professional development”.
Many agree that in times of crisis, creativity can play an important role in our ability to solve problems and safeguard livelihoods. And in the same way that design and decor are very much reflective of each type of lifestyle, Decorex Africa focuses very much on enhancing the spaces in which we work, live and play. As a completely re-imagined show, it hopes to bring value to the design community it serves.
“To enable decision-making that’s easier, more enjoyable and more reliable, we take great care with our curation: we want to do more with less, helping to reimagine, reinvigorate, reorganise and commercialise change in the decor and design industry. With the involvement of the people we serve, we intend to co-create new ideas and new possibilities, as well as facilitating public engagement with all of them, to contribute to a more sustainable, ethical future,” note the organisers of the show.
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