Design Week South Africa presents Showcase at RMB Latitudes 2026
The Design Showcase by Design Week South Africa, RMB Latitudes 2025 (Image by Anthea Pokroy).
After the successful launch of the Design Showcase last year, a collaboration between Design Week South Africa and RMB Latitudes Art Fair, we return for a second edition this May with four dedicated design spaces featuring over 25 African brands.
Happening as part of RMB Latitudes Art Fair at Shepstone Gardens from 22–24 May 2026, visitors will have the opportunity to explore and purchase design pieces from a considered selection of emerging and established designers from across South Africa and the wider continent.
PARTICIPATING BRANDS
With four dedicated design spaces throughout the expansive Shepstone Gardens, visitors can look forward to an exclusive collaborative pop-up by ethical jewellery and accessories atelier PICHULIK, and Cape Cobra Leathercraft, a third-generation, speciality leather luxury handbag and accessory brand.
The Herd, a craft and design studio positioned at the intersection of contemporary art, material culture and Indigenous beadwork, will curate an interactive retail space, while multi-brand store Duck Duck Goose will showcase its collection of independent South African and international fashion and lifestyle brands in an immersive store.
The central retail space will be a curated showcase of design items from South African and African brands, including clothing and handbags from Ghana’s Clatural and South African Dyad; furniture and homeware from Stripped Editions, Something Good Studio, Wax Lyrical, Bumba Souled Ceramics and Salabim; jewellery from Athena A Jewellery and Umbral; clothing and accessories from Lesotho-based Falla Studios, Mother Of Gao and Mors Design; a collaboration between furniture brand Weylandts and Fieldbar; fragrances and body care by Très Nagual perfumery; leather goods by The Joinery; and upcycled pieces from MakeSpace by Wunders.
In dialogue with the Fair’s 2026 Nigeria Focus, a selection of Nigerian design voices will be presented together, including footwear brand Kkerele and Lagos-based concept store Alara, whose inclusion brings a distinctive lens on contemporary African fashion, craft, and collectible design. This grouping highlights the dynamism of Nigeria’s design ecosystem and reinforces the fair’s commitment to cross-regional exchange and visibility.
2026 Theme: Oasis
Framing this year’s Design Showcase is the Fair’s 2026 theme Oasis, conceived as a moment of pause, reflection and sensory engagement within the broader fair environment.
Visitors will be welcomed into the space by Heart of Oasis, a sculptural lighting installation by David Garra. Suspended within the architecture of Shepstone Gardens, the work draws on organic, floral forms, creating a canopy-like gesture that signals entry into the design section.
Extending this theme throughout the showcase, floral artists Botanicus, Emely van Heesch and Loulou d. will present site-responsive botanical installations. Their interventions activate the space through texture, scent and form, reinforcing the Oasis as both a conceptual and physical environment, and positioning floral practice within the broader language of contemporary design.
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
“We are proud to partner with Design Week South Africa. By presenting design alongside contemporary art, we are expanding how it is valued and experienced, and strengthening the presence of African designers on the global stage,” says Roberta Coci, co-director of RMB Latitudes Art Fair.
“The RMB Latitudes x Design Week South Africa Showcase offers vital visibility and exposure for South African design brands. Including artisanal craft and premium luxury designers among the greater canon of African art expands the cultural landscape. Globally, design is part of the international art fair circuit, and Design Week South Africa is curating an important footprint through the RMB Latitudes partnership,” says Katherine-Mary Pichulik, founder of PICHULIK.
ABOUT DESIGN WEEK SOUTH AFRICA
Design Week South Africa is an expansive city-wide calendar of events and immersive experiences that showcase the future of South African design through knowledge-share, inclusivity and support.
Launched in 2024, more than 200 activations, discussions, showcases, workshops and exhibitions across Johannesburg and Cape Town have taken place, as Design Week South Africa positions itself as this country’s leading design platform.
ABOUT RMB LATITUDES ART FAIR
RMB Latitudes Art Fair is a celebration of African creativity, bringing together artists, galleries, and collectors from across the continent and its diaspora. Launched in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank and the team behind Latitudes Online, the fair offers a dynamic and immersive art experience in the heart of Johannesburg.
TICKETS & INFO
Tickets: Tickets to the RMB Latitudes Art Fair are available online now. Children: R70 | Adults: R380
Location: Shepstone Gardens, 12 Hope Road, Mountain View, Johannesburg
Dates: 22 – 24 May 2026
Times:
Friday: 12:00 – 19:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 19:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
CONTACT
Visit:
https://www.designweeksouthafrica.com/ https://www.latitudesartfair.com
Follow:
@designweeksouthafrica @latitudes.online
Contact:
info@designweeksouthafrica.com
05 May 2026
