(Flower Power Chandelier from Umcebo)Local craft mavericks crack the big time. (Report by Anton Ressel)
A community-focused Non Profit Organization with a reputation for pushing design boundaries has broken into the mainstream local retail market, proving that a social focus is no barrier to commercial success.
The Umcebo Trust, a public benefit organization with a goal to empower impoverished young crafters and people with special needs to generate an income through their artistic talents, recently delivered their first order of huge wire-and-bead chandeliers to premium retailer Weylandts. In terms of the deal, Umcebo manufactured eight Sunset Sparkle and four Flower Power chandeliers from their flagship After Dark range for the retailer.
Robin Opperman, Director and Founder of the Umcebo Trust, believes that this association with Weylandts will add significant credibility to his organization and the craft sector as a whole. “Being a community based craft organization, you battle with design credibility. The label of 'craft' can be a bit of an albatross in the Design World. Being noticed by Weylandts, and completing a successful order for them, means we are part of their range and catalogues and that people immediately abandon their preconceptions and sit up and take notice. Being able to meet the requirements of an order for a large retailer like Weylandts, also means that people understand that you are capable of successfully supplying at this level.”
Founded in 2003 as a means of assisting people with special needs and talented crafters from disadvantaged backgrounds to generate income and express themselves through creativity, Umcebo currently provides employment and a sense of self-worth to numerous crafters in the greater Durban area. Based in the vibrant Ushaka shopping complex, the Trust focuses on supplying chandeliers, lighting and sculptural pieces made from wire and beads and recycled materials to the local and international market, as well as direct to the public through their retail space at Ushaka. “Our goal is to educate, empower and inform people about the potential for craft and creativity as a means of upliftment and personal development,” adds Opperman.
The Weylandts order is the latest feather in the cap of these craft pioneers, who have made pieces for Rita Marley (wife of late reggae icon Bob Marley), King Goodwill Zwelethini and also US retail giant Anthropologie, who commissioned the project to make a large order of recycled baskets in 2009.
Kim Smith of Weylandts explains their reasoning in supporting Umcebo: “We saw Umcebo’s work at the Design Indaba and were blown away by their original, handmade chandeliers, which are like a volcano of millions of beads in bursts of colour! In particular, I loved the fact that their products are proudly South African in design but devoid of any clichéd ‘curio’ element.” Smith adds that the chandeliers have been extremely well received by the public, and in particular by foreigners, who seem more appreciative of the handmade nature of the work. “South Africans still appear a bit reluctant to pay real money for locally produced work, but this is changing as awareness increases about the amount of time and effort that goes into producing works of this nature.”
According to Smith, Weylandts has a policy of trying to source product from local artisans as much as possible. “We are constantly on the lookout for local products that reflect the look and feel of our brand and design ethos. We are not into mass production and have a strong interest in limited handmade product, such as the chandeliers Umcebo produces. Not only do these products look amazing, but the emphasis on handmade skills keeps valuable techniques such as beading or weaving alive, while also providing much-needed employment on a local level.”
The collaboration between Umcebo and Weylandts has not been without its challenges. “When dealing with a customer of this nature you have to ensure that you not only take care of the creative work, but that you liaise properly with the client, complete all the paperwork on time, and communicate clearly. It is about retail on another level, and you need to be ready to rise to the occasion. Fortunately since 2008 we have been a participant in the Legends Programme, an Old Mutual-funded business development initiative implemented by Fetola – a specialist enterprise development organisation, and have learned so much about the ‘business of business’ as a result. Weylandts have also been very generous and supportive, and really helped us to learn the lessons we needed to in order to make this collaboration a success,” says Opperman.
Kim Smith echoes the need for a professional approach when engaging with large retailers. “Suppliers need to understand the importance of adhering to lead times, meeting packaging and other requirements and costing their products correctly. Often, smaller local producers overlook the fact that they are competing with some of the best crafters and artisans from around the world, so to stand alongside this internationally sourced product the local offering has to be individual, interesting and of a very high standard.”
If the response to the bold, vibrant and completely original chandeliers produced by this tiny collective of talented crafters from KwaZulu-Natal is anything to go by, it is only a matter of time before our local artisans start making their impact felt on a global level. - Anton Ressel (email: antonressel@gmail.com or 083 564 4488)
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