It’s one of the highlights of the Faculty of Informatics and Design‘s calendar, and a showcase filled with spectacular designs and concepts, tongue-in-cheek innovations and practical, functional fashion. The annual FID Year End Exhibition last week played host to upcoming designers, industry members and hundreds of interested Capetonians on CPUT’s Cape Town campus.

Themed “Come See my Work”, the exhibition saw students from the 15 different design courses, including Architectural Technology, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Film and Video Technology departments, showcasing work completed in 2010, and work that won prestigious prizes or was highly commended in external competitions.

Kaleidoscopic in nature and almost overwhelming in scope, the exhibition was an incredible platform for these future design-leaders to introduce themselves, and their creativity, to Cape Town at large. Here are a few of the highlights.

B tech Graphic Design student, Orli Setton.

Setton is involved in an NGO working with high-school youths in the Western Cape, focusing on leadership and inter-cultural dialogue. “I’d like to use design for social development – and believe we can do more than just design logos or a “pretty something”. In Europe and the US, people use design to change health-care, education systems and politics. As designers we have a strong influential power. If we can convince people to buy things they don’t necessarily need, we can certainly convince them to do the right thing as well – it’s all about seduction!”

3^rd year Graphic design student Sandi Mvandaba says CPUT’s graphic design department is extremely hands-on from first-year. “Lecturers really take care of students, are very good at what they do and groom students to their full potential.”

Sandi Mvandaba

“Nested Light” by Anri Vercuiel of the Surface Design Department.

“The Tree of Knowledge Bookshelf” Megan Aitken (shown above), Surface Design.

“I am a bird” Hammock Nest by Juanne Groenewald.

BTech Fashion Design student Eileen Booysen designed a versatile and sustainable range of bridal wear for men and women. All the garments are simple and flexible enough to re-wear post-wedding as well.

Final year Btech Fashion Design student, Nabeela Moosa. “Autism is in my family and I saw first-hand the difficulties parents are faced with each morning. Getting the children dressed is a struggle and stressful for families. So I decided to design a range specifically for children with autism. This incorporates Velcro and elasticated shoulders, making it easier for kids to dress themselves.”

Springbokkies – The collected designs of 2^nd year Jewellery Design students.

Cacti Rings – Each cactus ring individually designed by 3^rd year Jewellery Design students.

Belt with Skulls. Jewellery Design student, Kyle Berry.

The stunning creation of Kim Nel, overall BTech winner of Top Student award in the Jewellery Design Department.

By Jan Weintrob

Written by CPUT News

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Excitement is building at the Jewellery Design Department as students place the finishing touches on their exquisite designs for the department’s year-end exhibition.

The event is set to take place at the Jewellery Design Department on CPUT’s Cape Town campus, from 22 to 30 November and is open to the public.

Various award-winning pieces will be on show such as the Ashanti Collection - which had three student finalists – as well as the PlatAfrica Collection which won best student group design this year. Even though the event focuses on the Jewellery Design graduates, work by close to 60 students will be displayed. For some student designers this will be the first time their work will be displayed to the public.

As proved with previous exhibitions, the event is well received by the public and key industry role-players. The week will include the presentation of awards to outstanding students.

Written by CPUT News
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You are like rough diamonds and studying is part of the process of polishing you. This was the inspirational message that world-renowned jeweller Yair Shimansky delivered to a class of second-year Jewellery Design students recently.

Shimansky opened the jewellery store bearing his name in 1993 and now it has three branches in Cape Town and one in New York.

The New York-based businessman travels to South Africa, and Cape Town, a few times a year and he says making time to inspire the next generation of jewellery designers is a priority for him.

“There is a shortage of artists who can produce quality work, so my suggestion is that you should focus on the element of jewellery making that you are good at like setting or designing- then put your energy into that,” he says.

Shimansky says there will always be a market for quality pieces, if the students tap into their own unique point of view.

“Tourists want to come to South Africa and take something home. Don’t be afraid to be different and stand out, base your jewellery on a story,” he says.

The businessman also encouraged the students to be prepared to fail and to share those experiences with their classmates.

“If you are setting a stone and it breaks, then put your hand up and ask for help. That way someone may know what went wrong, others learn from the experience and everyone grows.”

The students also took the opportunity to pepper Shimansky with questions about how he built his business from a fleamarket stall to a multi-billion rand operation. He ended off by declaring CPUT students as some of the best that the industry has to offer.

Written by Lauren Kansley
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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.