Design Week SA's platform to unite local creatives

The National Design Directory is being created by Design Week South Africa to spotlight South African designers and creative professionals, and foster greater visibility, collaboration, and economic opportunity within the country’s thriving design ecosystem.

2 Jul 2025

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This innovative, open-access directory aims to serve as a centralised resource for discovering and connecting with designers across disciplines – from fashion, architecture, and product design to illustration and digital innovation.

The platform is available to both established and emerging talent for an annual fee, with exceptions made in cases where a brand is unable to cover the cost.

The brands are then given the opportunity to profile their work through managing their own individual profile, ensuring up-to-date catalogues that allow them to link with industry professionals, and tap into local and international networks.

‘The Design Directory is a natural extension of our mission at Design Week South Africa: to champion local design, elevate creative voices, and build a more connected, sustainable design economy,’ says Margot Molyneux, founder of Design Week South Africa.

‘We’re building a space where designers are not just seen, but engaged with, commissioned, and celebrated.’

By addressing the fragmented visibility often faced by South African creatives, the Design Directory will:

Serve as a tool for brands, media, retailers, and collaborators to discover new talent.

Offer ongoing exposure beyond the annual Design Week events.

Create a living archive of South African design excellence.

Strengthen the pipeline between design schools, professional studios, and markets.

The platform, set to launch in mid-July 2025, launches as part of Design Week South Africa’s broader vision to position South Africa as a global player in design innovation while fostering inclusive growth within the country’s creative economy.

Designers from across the country are invited to sign up and submit their profiles.