SA favourites: ZenZulu

Life is good: I’m writing this from the pool-side terrace of our hotel on the north coast in Kwazulu-Natal (and this is an untouched photo):

Bliss. It’s actually a business trip – my husband’s – but I’m doing my work too…

For example, yesterday we were in Durban to pay a visit Zenzulu, the internationally acclaimed telephone-wire weaving studio, best known for their iconic bowls (available from our shop of course).

Visiting their studio provided a total visual feast. So I’ll let the photos do the talking:

It’s like a sweet shop for your eyes. And we’re not the only ones who love ZenZulu’s amazing sense of colour and patterning.

ZenZulu products adorn Singita lodges (whose Zimbabwe lodge was recently named by Tatler as one of their top hotels for 2011 – check out the details here) and Missoni hotels. They have been stocked by, amongst others, the Conrad shop, Liberty in London, Christian Dior (on the back of a wildly succesful showing at the Maison & Objet fair in Paris – the French really do recognise African chic), and most recently form part of the prestigious Global Africa Project exhibition, currently running at the Museum of Art and Design in New York.

So where do these magic bowls come from? Currently ZenZulu employs over 300 weavers, a handful of whom were at the studio when we visited (usually everyone works from home).

Weaver Florence at work

Florence (above) has been working at Zenzulu for 15 years – i.e. since the beginning, and the same holds for many of the original weavers – a testament to the designer at the helm, Marisa Fick-Jordaan.

Marisa showing master weaver Zodwa's work in her book 'Wired'

Marisa came to design late, after a career in politics (when that was a dangerous thing in SA). She recognised the aesthetic potential of marrying traditional Zulu weaving and beading techniques with contemporary colouring and design. The ZenZulu concept was born.

Today Fick-Jordaan works with a team of master weavers, designers and co-ordinators, who continuously provide skills training and help oversee the growing brand.

Sam at work

Phumi wearing a ZenZulu bangle

And it’s working – ZenZulu is well on its way to become an African design classic.

We are proud to stock their products (and will be adding jewellery and figurative designs to our range soon) – get your hands on one while you can … our shop is open and there’s free shipping until the end of January … and feel free to contact us about ordering other colourways and patterns.

If you’re interested in hearing more about Zulu wire art and the ZenZulu project, you can see Marisa talking about it on the TED website here.