1. Where does the name ‘Duke and Dutch’ come from?

Duke & Dutch is a play on words trying to create a feeling of opulence and royalty while still having an edgy sound to it. The name also alludes to the fact that I cater for both men and women (Duke & Duchess).

2. You come from an impressive lineage of jewelers and watchmakers – Tell us about that.

I was born into a family of jewellers in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. I was running around in my Dad’s workshop from about 4 years old. Always supervised at that age (people don’t often realise that a jewellery workshop can be surprisingly dangerous with lots of chemicals, heavy machines and sharp tools). I remember I made my first piece of jewellery when I was about 6 or 7; I rolled (flattened) paperclips to look like birds flying. Once I got the first one right I remember my parents had to stop me from trying to run all the paperclips in the shop through the roller.

My great granddad moved to South Africa around 1900 and soon started a humble watch-making company which grew through the years into a jewellery and watch-making family business of a few branches.

Before my great granddad moved to South Africa his family was into watch-making in Europe as far back as we can trace. The oldest clock that bears our family name was made in the 1600s.

3. Did you feel pressured to enter the family business?

I started working in my parents shop from around 10 years old. I suppose in a family business like that you don’t even assume there is another option. As a child I thought of other professions, but somehow knew that I would end up a jeweller. My parents have been very accommodating and have never pressured us into the family trade. My brother studied intending to go back into the family business, but chose not to once he had completed his studies.

I studied jewellery and at the same time completed my B.Com, Economics. So definitely had the option to go into another field, but chose to stay in jewellery. I have also decided to start a completely independent business to my parents. They stock some of my Duke & Dutch jewellery, but their business is definitely more of a formal styled business.

4. What’s your background- did you study or train on the job?

I suppose I did a bit of both. I worked in our watch repair shop mostly as a young child and ‘graduated’ to the jewellery division when I got older. So I have been learning on-the-job since young. But then studied formally, which really awoke the possibility of what an amazing art-form jewellery can be. When you study jewellery it is almost like fine art sculpture that can be worn. There are very few practical constraints.

5. What are your favourite pieces to create?

When I started working as a goldsmith I felt as though my creativity was severely cramped, but am glad to say that there seems to be more of an understanding of all locally made art forms recently. This gives a lot more scope to aspiring South African artists who work in all mediums.

I love making pieces that have a curvaceous feel to them. I love using my files and slowly carving away at a piece of metal to expose a form of beauty. It’s more time-consuming, but I get a feeling of fulfilment when I finish that kind of piece. If you aren’t too pressured by time, making jewellery can be a very meditative process. As with all art forms, it’s rewarding to conceptualise an idea, work through the entire process and be able to have a tangible product at the end.

6. What local and international jewellery brands do you admire?

I’m inspired by everything around me. From ceramicists to seed pods in the fynbos. I have a lot of respect for certain artists and am often humbled by the amount of work and thought that goes into their work, but I can’t say that I follow any particular jewellers.

7. How would you like to grow Duke and Dutch? Anything new in the pipeline?

I like to think of Duke & Dutch as a brand that offers you affordable, quality jewellery with a designer edge. I’ve only been operating as Duke & Dutch for less than a year now and often have people ask where they can buy my jewellery. So right now my goal is to become more accessible while sticking to my principles. I am in the process of moving from Cape Town to Joburg, so this is the perfect opportunity to have a footprint in both cities.

8. What do you keep in your studio for inspiration?

I normally design at home and use the workshop space to make the jewellery. My workshop is a practical space that is slowly acquiring pictures and other pieces I pick up in my journeys.

Thanks Rolf! Apart from being at The Treasury Market every 1st Saturday of the month, you can buy his goods through his website using Paypal, bank transfers or credit card. You can also visit his etsy shop here.

Other shops that stock his jewellery are:

Shops:   Imagenious (Long Street) Cape Town. 021 423 7870

Reads Gallery (Rosebank The Zone) Johannesburg. 011 880 2702

SoJo children’s lifestyle was created by Jackie Killcullen to identify, source, and create timeless, inspiring and beautifully crafted products for children and to provide hope of a future for the women (and families) involved in their making.  The range is made using local fabrics and comprises  essential and timeless pieces from vintage dungarees and tunic dresses to hand crocheted beanies and bloomers.  SoJo’s mission is to celebrate the endless talent found in Southern Africa and to empower communities through creative collaboration.

1. How did your brand SoJo start?

It started in 2010 from the need to create something meaningful and enable talented people to work from home.  I began researching beautifully crafted interior objects and ended up focusing on a lifestyle for children based on simplicity, comfort and ‘real’ values.   A 1965 caravan was eventually restored to capture the essence of the brand – freedom to move, play, hide, holiday or just be….and the perfect pop up shop!

 2. What are your best selling items?

Tunic dresses  - they are comfortable, classic yet versatile and worn in so many creative ways – they go from Summer to Winter and the fabric gets better with wear – the perfect ‘recession proof’ garment for girls, though the vintage dungaree for girls and boys is proving to be popular too.

3. You have 3 young daughters and another business, how do you make time for SoJo?

There is never enough time to focus on all I want to do with soJo but I’m trying hard to ‘live in the moment’ and not be overwhelmend by the endless action list.

4. As someone with a marketing background, what has been the most succesful marketing strateges for SoJo?  How has you online shop worked out for you?  

I have spent more time focusing on the quality of the product and don’t really feel like I have begun on the marketing of soJo although I have concentrated on a mixture of social, traditional media and select ‘happy places’ like The Treasury Market which I think is essential if targetted effectively.  The lovesojo on-line shop has been very effective though it is a work in progress and I need to find time to add all the soJo products…….. soJo is also available at special retail outlets like Rabbit & Wood in Newlands Village.

 5. Which brands, kids goods or otherwise, do you admire?

I relate to brands that capture the imagination and yet stay true to themselves and their product/service.   I like the french brand Petit Bateau and some of the Scandinavian brands as are not afraid to play with colour in a fun way like Smafolk and Katvig.

 6. Any new items in your range for summer? 

Yes, a gorgeous twirlable skirt available in three colours  - I’ll pop onto soJo childrens lifestyle brand facebook page just in time to celebrate Spring. Oh, and a couple of other surprise essentials.

 7. What inspires you to get creative?

Quiet time when I reflect on what’s important in life, being amongst good friends, fabulous food, family and my children when I least expect it…….

Thanks Jackie, delighted to have such a playful and heartwarming brand as a regular trader at The Treasury Market!

SoJo website here

SoJo facebook page

1.What is your background and how did your label Mr and Ms come about?

Mr and Ms is the result of a life-long aspiration. I was born and raised in Cape Town and began my formal training with a qualification in Fashion Design and Pattern Making. I travelled in Europe gathering inspiration. This combined with over five years of practical production experience, at some of the fashion industry’s leading design labels has culminated in Mr and Ms, the realisation of a dream.

2. What is important to you when designing clothes?

Making sure that every style that is designed compliments every shape and size (I do sizes from a 31- 42). Attention to detail is very important, giving basic items a unique twist.

3. Personally I love your style! It’s nostalgic, feminine, but still modern and a little bit edgy. How would you describe Mr. and Ms.?

I could not have said it better myself and I am so thrilled that this is the exact thing I would like the Mr and Ms customer to feel and think of my clothing – Thank you.

4. How do you stay original in a world of pinterest and up-to-the-minute trend reporting? Does it not sometimes feel like everything has been done before?

Yes sure there is always a feeling “ haven’t I seen this somewhere before “ but I think its not predominantly about chasing current trends, but rather about taking inspiration from beautifully designed clothing from the past and applying that inspiration to today’s context.

5. Where can your clothing range be bought?

I supply really lovely boutiques throughout Western Cape that I am very proud to be associated with, like: Coco Li, Smitten, Nap Lifestyle to name just a few …

6. Where is your studio and what are the challenges behind running your own fashion label?

Our Studio is in 201 Cnr Bree and Buiten Street, Cape Town. (Finally)

There are many challenges behind running your own business; I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
To plan and plan and when you think you have planned enough something unexpectedly comes up and changes everything. It’s really more about how you deal with the unexpected and unplanned things that will make you succeed.

7. What’s your favourite part of your job?

I love taking a simple idea and bringing it to life and my most favourite part is when somebody tries on an item that they like and seeing their expression on their faces as if they are really seeing themselves for the 1st time.

8. What inspires you creatively? Please provide links/pics!

Old Fashioned elegance and those gorgeous silhouettes form the 20’s, 40’s and 50’s; amazing prints that make you want to design beautiful things; nature, and my Basset Hound ‘Lulu” who can put a smile on my face at any moment.

9. What other South African designers (in any medium) inspire you?

 Suzaan Heyns who has this incredible eye for uniqueness and I admire her guts to express herself .

I love everything about Mr and Ms, and dream of a day when there will be a line of designers with beautifull, locally designed and made clothing like Mr and Ms at the Treasury Market!

1. How did your business start and how long have you been going for?

I used to be a client of Corne’s. She did some alterations for me over a period of time and we became friends. We always had a lot in common as our children are the same age plus we both love pretty fabrics and handmade goods. We started chatting about how nice it would be to do something creative and one day in August last year we got together and decided to go for it! CosyKids was officially launched on 13 November 2011 at the Mission House Gallery in Onrus, Hermanus… And so our journey began…

 2. What are your best selling products?

Definitely our personalised scatters. They are 33×50, which is the perfect cuddle size for little ones. My son Charl sleeps with his pillow and we can’t go anywhere without it! By now it looks a bit old from all the handling and chewing on the corners. I want to make a new one, but I have a suspicion he is so attached to his pillow that he would not accept a new one!

We make the scatters to fit in with a specific CosyKids theme, or to fit with the client’s existing décor. Often a client would give us a broad idea of colours and then leave the design up to us. For example – “Please can you make scatters for Lyle and Caleb in pastel blues and greens”. The scatters we enjoy most to make are often the ones where the client gives us the name of the child and complete carte blanche when it comes to colours and design. We love how surprised and happy they are with the end result and it’s great to receive photo’s of little ones with their scatters via email or on our Facebook wall.

3. Do you employ people to help make your products?

Yes we have a wonderful seamstress, Suritha Alexander who takes care of production with Corne. During busy times, for example when we prepared for ‘Kamers vol Geskenke’, we employed an additional person to help with production and she concentrated on cutting only.

4. What is your favourite part of your business?

The positive feedback we receive from happy clients and the support and enthusiasm of our Facebook fans! We also love dealing with creative mommies and the fact that many of our clients are from ‘die platteland’ same as us! And then we also have clients from overseas (Canada, UK, Scotland, Australia) and far-off places in South Africa such as Wesselsbron, Witrivier, Jeffreys Bay, Vredendal, etc.!

5. What have the greatest challenges been starting up your business?

One of the hardest things when we first started out was finding a name…and today we can’t think of any other name for CosyKids than ‘CosyKids’!

We also struggled to stick to a few designs. We both love drawing and designing and we have so many ideas that we started out with more than 10 different themes! We recently introduced 4 new themes, but we ‘canned’ 3 of our original themes to make place for the new ones. It was extremely hard to ‘get rid of’ 3 themes, but we had to do it. It just makes business sense to have a smaller variety, it means fewer fabrics that we have to stock, fewer options and only the best original designs…

6. How would you like to grow your business in 2012?

This year we will streamline the CosyKids range so that we bring our customers only the best in terms of original design. This will allow us to spend more time and creative energy on custom orders.

The Treasury Market is a platform for the Capeʼs top emerging and established designers, artisans and crafters to show off their goods and engage with their consumers in a beautiful wine lands setting. Each market is uniquely curated and includes a hand picked selection of home decor items, jewelry, fashion, accessories, kids goods, ceramics, handmade shoes, contemporary craft, and generally just really nice stuff. No goods imported from India or China here!

The Treasury Market is hosted at the Oude Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch, in conjunction with the Stellenbosch Fresh Goods market, the leading slowfood market in the Cape, drawing crowds of approximately 2000 people per Saturday.

The market is curated by Cecile Blake, a graphic designer and former film industry creative and lover of all things beautiful. Says Cecile: “I am so excited by the sudden abundance and quality of original, locally designed and handmade goods that are available, and I am passionate about supporting the artisans, designers and crafters who make them. The Treasury market is a hand picked selection of the best on offer!”

You can see more pics from the launch on our facebook page.

My leathers range actually started by fluke. I used to work with buttons, and then a friend of mine, Sharon Boonzaier, suggested I play around with leather, as she recommended it as a great medium to work with. So I started playing around, and I made my very first design, which was an eyeball, to match a pair of crazy Iron Fist shoes that I wore to a function. I had quite a few comments, so I made a few more for myself and then started making them as gifts for friends. Soon my friends started asking if they could buy them to give to their friends. I just decided one day to build a website and facebook page and see what happens. Within a week, I had over 100 followers and plenty orders, and it has just grown from there. I’m very thankful. Unfortunately though, its not my full time job. I still work as a graphic designer in the day, and in my spare time I make my leather goods.

2. What is your background?

My background is graphic design and art. I love working with my hands, always have, I find it very therapeutic and rewarding to hold something you’ve created.

3. I love the blackberry cover! (on your blog), Which new products do you have in the pipeline?

Thanks so much! Yes, the blackberry cover is definitely on my list of products to launch. Ive also had some enquiries about iphone covers. The earrings are a new product as well, which have been doing really well. I am still very keen on making some small bags, probably clutch bags. Ive been wanting to do that for a while, I even have my pattern ready, but it all takes time. So watch this space

4. Where do you go or what do you do to be inspired?

You can follow the rise of Heather’s Leathers on her facebook page, her blog or her website.

Thanks Heather!

1. How did your business start and is it a full time job for you?

My business has been going full time for a year now.

2. Do you employ people to help you make your products?

I don’t employ people at this stage; I am still making them all myself but I have plans to commission people on a project basis.

3. What is your favourite part of your job?

I love seeing how people interact with my products and I love it when I design the patterns that I crochet from scratch.

4. Tell us more about yarn bombing!

5. Please provide 3 links to things/images/blogs you currently find inspiring.

1.I’ve always loved Jenny Hart – embroidery with a twist! http://jennyhart.net/#8c6/flickr

2. Then I love the artist Agate Olek’s yarn bombing of the Wall Street Bull.

3. And I always enjoy seeing crochet in furniture design – this chair is beautiful http://www.henrysgourakis.com/Henry_Sgourakis/projects.html

So lovely to have such an inspiring artist at the market! You can follow Isabeau’s blog here.

The Treasury Market will be hosted on the first Saturday of the month at the Oude Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch, in conjunction with the Stellenbosch Fresh Goods market, the leading slowfood market in the Cape, drawing crowds of approximately 2000 people per Saturday.

The market will be curated by Cecile Blake, a graphic designer and former film industry creative and lover of all things beautiful.

Says Cecile: “I am so excited by the sudden abundance and quality of original, locally designed and handmade goods that are available, and I am passionate about supporting the artisans, designers and crafters who make them. The Treasury market is a hand picked selection of the best on offer!”