Kya Sands furniture designer pays homage to Africa

JOBURG NORTH – Local designer finds inspiration in Africa.
Velaphi Mpolweni was a runner-up at the Homemakers Expo hosted at the Ticketpro Dome in February earlier this year.

Mpolweni next to his design at the competition earlier this year.

Mpholweni entered a furniture design, inspired by traditional Zulu women’s headwear named isicholo, under the name of his furniture company, Lowe Furniture Designs.

Velaphi Mpolweni, runner-up at the Homemaker Expo, with his certificate.

“The design came about as a tribute to women, and my concept was to show the suffering of a woman and her pain,” said Mpolweni. “My furniture design is a wine storage unit but it’s mobile and progressive, just like a woman. They never led nations to war, it is only men.”

Velaphi Mpolweni’s design is inspired by women and Africa.

Mpholweni made an effort to use an Afrocentric approach to his design and even used materials from the African continent, such as Kiaat Wood and African Mahogany, to manufacture the wine storage unit.

“I wanted to pay homage to and reflect our continent, not to just show something that is from Europe,” he said.

“It is important to have Afrocentric designs because I am an African and belong to the continent. There is also an aspect that we always affirm Africa wherever we are. And who else will do so and tell our stories better than us?
“That is why the tagline of my company is ‘Evolution of style, enhancing the beauty of Africa’, because we are a beautiful continent and we don’t need to be known for wars and other negative things.”

The unit can be used to store wine and glasses.

Mpolweni started designing at a very young age as he was raised on farms and had to rely on his hands. He later studied electrical engineering and finance, venturing into the banking sector until 2015 when he decided to start his own business designing and manufacturing furniture.

He believes that the current design trends are turning towards South Africa, with people moving away from Tuscan inspired houses and more towards tin and thatch roofs.

“Shiny furniture is out and people want to feel the authenticity of the wood and that inspires me as a designer.

“Being second in the competition has given me confidence. I am starting a family business and it seems that there is not a lot of well-established businesses.

I have five children, some in school and others in varsity so it is hard, but I am excited about the future, what I can leave for them and leave behind unique furniture across South African houses.

Whoever buys my furniture will have a story to tell, who I was and what I have achieved, and that is what my goal is.”