Your wedding day should be one of the most romantic, exciting and unforgettable days of your life and the Wedding Expo®  taking place on the 14th and 15th March 2015 at the dome in Northgate, is the place to visit to transform your  wedding into that extraordinary experience. Planning a wedding is more than just a dress, a cake and a fabulous reception.  What you’re planning needs to be as special as you wish the rest of your life to be. Your wedding is about love, romance, commitment; it’s about having the people close to you witness your union and your dedication to one another. Witness your ‘Happily Ever After’!

The Wedding Expo® understands this and works tirelessly to bring the most comprehensive and creative bridal exhibitors to showcase their wares and services all under one roof and all with one aim – to assist soon-to-be-newlyweds in making their dream wedding a reality - without all of the stress.

Recognised as the South African Bride’s favourite bridal event, The Wedding Expo® boasts premiere exhibitors showcasing everything from the perfect wedding stationery to beautiful blooms, breath-taking wedding gowns to gorgeous jewellery, tantalising table décor to hedonistic honeymoons. The Wedding Expo® also offers the opportunity to interact with some of South Africa’s top wedding planners, photographers and caterers and get expert advice on financial and legal matters. This hands-on advice is invaluable and usually comes at a premium, but at The Wedding Expo®, this is just part of what is offered to ensure your wedding day goes off without a hitch.

A new feature to this year’s Expo is aptly named ‘Make Me a Bride’ where lucky volunteers will be transformed into a bride with hair, makeup and a wedding gown! During their makeover, they will receive key advice from the specialists doing the makeover and a leading stylist. There will be 3 opportunities each day and everyone will get the opportunity to see the fabulous change when she appears on the fashion ramp to show off! They will also receive a VIP invitation to the all-new Wedding Inspirations stand where they will get the opportunity to ‘walk into the magazine.’

The inspiring daily fashion shows offer visitors the opportunity to grab a seat in the front row and catch a glimpse of the latest and most beautiful bridal trends in wedding apparel for both brides and grooms.  From couture designers to ready to wear labels, there is sure to be something for every taste. These will include beautiful creations from couture designers Bridal Room, F Wilson Couture, G&B Couture, Gerald C, New Romantics, White Lilly Bridal and bridesmaid dresses from Bloumossie, Gelique and Bride&co! Ready to wear labels will also be on the runway and you will be able to see Olivelli, Maggie Sottero, Bridal Wardrobe, Bride&co and lingerie from The Corsetiere. Menswear will also be featured so don’t let your groom miss out on seeing suits from Eurosuit, Gerald C, F Wilson and Frank Bespoke.

Don’t miss a chance to vote for your favourite table décor at the special display of tables by our creative exhibitors. You could stand a chance to win a fabulous weekend at the Khaya Ndlovu Manor House in Hoedspruit valued at R7 500.00!

There is already more than enough on offer to entice every bride-to-be not to miss this annual celebration of all things wedding, but one more reason not to miss it is the chance to win a R320 000.00 wedding Multiflora wedding at Diamond 4 Estate as well as a honeymoon at Khaya Ndlovu Manor! Entries at the Expo and you must be there to win. Saturday finalists will be back on Sunday for the finals at 3pm!!

“We are always so excited at the beginning of the year when we are looking forward to our beautiful show. We produce the best wedding planning platform for all those bridal couples! It is a dedicated wedding space with beautiful stands to visit and professional service providers to choose from!” says The Wedding Expo® managing director Amanda Cunningham.

So make a date to attend the Wedding Expo® - it will go a long way to ensuring that your wedding day is the extraordinary experience that you always hoped for.  

Event details: Date: 14th and 15th March 2015 Venue:  Coca-Cola dome, Northgate, Johannesburg Cost: R120.00 per person Fashion shows: 11h30, 12h30 and 14h30 daily Competition draws: 11h30, 12h30 and 14h30 daily.

We, Kansai Plascon, have achieved one of our best B-BEE ratings to date and are recognised as a Value Adding Supplier. Our B-BBEE procurement recognition level has increased from 110% to 137.5%, which is higher than that of a non-value adding level 1 status supplier. So, when tendering for projects, our combined B-BBEE status and Value Adding Supplier position effectively make Kansai Plascon the preferred procurement choice.

Our B-BBEE status now stands at level 3, as of  September 2014, having increased from level 4 in 2013. With a score of 80.27 points, this rating cements our position as the coatings industry market leader.  

There's great news for our customers too. Companies that  purchase from Plascon will  improve their own procurement scores thereby improving their B-BBEE ratings. By partnering with us, customers benefit through improved B-BBEE procurement scores.  

In contrast, if a customer purchases products from a non-value adding level 5 supplier and not Plascon, then their  procurement recognition will amount to a far lesser 80% only. All this renders Kansai Plascon the obvious choice.  

Kansai Plascon has 125-year long history of leading quality assurance, superb formulation and trusted performance – and now, we have also secured our position as the market leader in benefitting our customers.  

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About Kansai Plascon Kansai Plascon is a company within the global Kansai Paint group. Kansai Paint is the world’s sixth largest paint company and Japan’s foremost coatings manufacturer. With the backing of Kansai Paint, Kansai Plascon will continue to drive innovation and excellence in the retail, trade and industrial coatings market in South Africa and will further the company’s interests in Africa.  

For further information, please contact: Alex Coggins Marketing Executive, Kansai Plascon + 27 11 951 4500

StateoftheART is proud to present 'Asking For It?' an exhibition of paintings by Maria Patrizi on the Exhibition Wall.

This series of work is the artist's response to the excuse often given that clothes are responsible for rape. Women displaying their femininity and/or sensuality, are considered to be handing out open invitations to being verbally or sexually abused.

"By moulding clothing into evocative and anonymous female forms, the artist has given the clothes a voice, "we are just clothes, so what exactly are we asking for?"" - Maria Patrizi

Patrizi's work has often been compared to photographic negatives. "At first the comparison surprised me but after some thought, I couldn't believe I hadn't made the connection myself" she says.

The starting point for all her paintings are photographs that she have taken and then manipulated. De-cluttering and reducing the images so that she can focus solely on the shapes she finds relevant.

Opens 6th November @6pm

06.11.2014 till 15.11.2014

StateoftheART

61 Shortmarket Street, (between Loop & Bree)

Cape Town.

Gallery hours:

10am-5pm weekdays,

10am-2pm Saturdays.

 

The exhibition will be available to preview online through the StateoftheART website from the 4th of November. 

For more information please contact Jennifer on 0724709272 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

willowlamp unveils two new award-winning designs - the Geometric Storm and Mandala No.2!

Since its inception in 2005, willowlamp, with architect Adam Hoets at the reigns, has pioneered an innovative method of producing highly intricate and unique decorative lighting designs by attaching ball-chain to laser-cut steel frames, using geometry and nature’s 'blueprint' as inspiration. The result is a vast collection of lampshades, pendants and chandeliers that can today be seen suspended from the ceilings of globally renowned hospitality, retail and commercial sites. Perpetually inspired, Hoets is evolving not only his existing designs, but his vision for future designs too.

Latest to willowlamp’s collection, is the Mandala No.2 (a second edition to a previous design called The Mandala)  and the Geometric Storm limited edition that stemmed from fresh inspiration. The two chandeliers were revealed at the recent 100% Design South Africa where Adam Hoets won the Award for Best Lighting Design.  

The Mandala No.2 is an adapted version of The Mandala (a design Hoets developed for Southern Guild and launched at the Everaard Reed Gallery in 2012). Completely captivated by the intricacies of sacred geometry, Adam based the new design on sacred Islamic geometry. “I spent over 400 hours drawing and decoding Islamic patterns and geometry, until I nearly went mad. This, to me, was the ultimate template and key beneath all because it holds within it all of the principles of Islamic sacred geometry”. Shorter in length, but with no shortage of detail, the result is a vibrant yet sophisticated masterpiece of complexities.  

While previous designs have been based on the patterns of sacred geometry, Hoets’ new chandelier, the Geometric Storm was inspired by abstract art forms – particularly cubism. Instead of depicting objects from one angle, cubism typically depicts the subject from a multitude of viewpoints to represent the subject in a wider context. Hoets describes the shape of the Geometric Storm as “awkward yet balanced.” Layered landscapes, rock formations and strata in mountains further inspire the design. Hoets comments, “The design seems to evoke a kind of highly geometricized landscape from an alternate abstract cubist reality.”   

A fusion of complex, calculated patterning and organic forms found in nature is the signature style of Adam Hoets’ willowlamp, and we can look forward to watching its evolution.    

Read more at www.willowlamp.com and contact them on 021 447 8529 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

IMAGES: Images supplied by Willowlamp
All images available in high resolution.  

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About Willowlamp: willowlamp is an award winning South African lighting company whose creator Adam Hoets uses an original method of attaching ball-chain to laser-cut steel frames. A tiny notch in the metal frame is the ingenious ingredient to creating a fastener free curtain of chains. The result is a vast collection of intricate lighting designs including vibrant chandeliers and elegantly swaying pendants. Inspired by nature and the complexities of sacred geometry, willowlamp’s designs are masterpieces of both aesthetics and form. These unique works can today be seen suspended from the ceilings of globally renowned hospitality, retail and commercial sites.  

Geometric Storm Limited Edition – R98, 00.00
Mandala No.2 Metallic – R139, 840.00

Sea Point Florstore is set to launch their new showroom, Florstore OnTrend, appointing Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd in charge of all communications 

Successfully established in 1991 by owner Phillip Victor, Sea Point Florstore has maintained a reputation of offering professional, quality-assured services including flooring and blinds. In collaboration with new business partners, Paul and Saul Berman, Phillip Victor is set to launch his brand new OnTrend Showroom in Sea Point during October 2014 and has appointed Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd to manage all PR, social media and event aspects of this exciting new décor destination.

Owner and Director, Lauren Shantall has many years of design experience under her belt, from being Deputy Editor of Elle Decoration magazine to Editor of Design Indaba magazine, as well as managing The Design Indaba Expo. Lauren was also responsible for the managing and launching of the Freeworld Design Centre, which was named “Best Design Concept in Cape Town” by House and Leisure magazine in December 2011. Today, her integrated communications company, Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd, boasts a list of hot SA design and lifestyle clients, including Plascon, Inhouse Brand Architects, Willowlamp and Indigenous (to name but a few).  

Florstore OnTrend will showcase a multitude of interior designers and décor suppliers, making Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd an apt fit for representation with her industry proficiency. Florstore OnTrend is a unique space, which allows designers and home-owners to connect and share ideas in a professional yet relaxed and creative atmosphere.  

The showroom team is made up of highly skilled professionals who insist on keeping up-to-date with not only the latest technologies, but the latest trends too. An ongoing series of industry-related events such as talks and workshops, combined with up-to-the-minute displays will make Florstore OnTrend the go-to destination for the latest flooring ideas, home finishing and décor inspiration for trade professionals and consumers alike.  

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY: Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd Contact: Lauren Shantall 084 79 11 11 1 Website: www.laurenshantall.com Release: immediate Date: 02-09-2014

The second development phase at Somerset Lakes, a 42-hectare residential estate in Somerset West, will be released to the market in mid September. The first phase sold out rapidly, with 114 sales being recorded within just six weeks of the launch. Construction of the first phase is well under way and occupation is expected to take place in mid 2015.

The new phase, Waterford Green, comprises 48 freestanding double-storey houses, selling from R1,3 million including VAT, no transfer duty. These two and three bedroom homes offer spacious, contemporary, open-plan living areas and private gardens. All homes include at least two bathrooms, one being en suite, and the three-bedroom design offers a garage and an optional guest toilet.

According to Dave Harris, Sales and Marketing Manager of Somerset Lakes, the new product has been specifically designed to help meet the growing demand for affordable, quality housing in the popular Somerset West area.

“We’ve been inundated with requests from buyers looking for houses,” Harris said. “People want freestanding homes with gardens, views and security, in close proximity to the centre of Somerset West, and that’s exactly what our latest product at Somerset Lakes has to offer.”

Designed by Schabort Associates Architects, the new development phase is located alongside the six-hectare lake that gives the estate its name.

“This unique feature is a huge attraction,” Harris commented. “It’s ideal for swimming, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing, and home to a rich variety of water birds. A magnificent community clubhouse on the shores of the lake, The Summer Club, will enhance the appeal of this fantastic recreational asset, providing residents with play areas, boat sheds, a sandy white beach, and a swimming pool and deck area with stunning views of False Bay and the Hottentots Holland mountains.”

The developers, Omwieco (Pty) Ltd, a consortium of highly experienced development professionals backed by financial giant Investec, have devoted no less than 40% of the estate’s total area to green, open space for the recreation of residents. This includes the lakes and other water features, a mature forest of stone pine trees, landscaped parks and gardens, and kilometres of walking trails and mountain biking tracks.

An indigenous fynbos nursery has been established on the estate, which was recently awarded the prized 2014 SALI Gold Award for landscape design by the South African Landscapers Institute.“No expense has been spared to implement the most technically advanced security system at Somerset Lakes,” said Harris. "These measures include electrified perimeter fencing with 70 high-definition surveillance cameras, which are monitored around the clock from the hi-tech guardhouse, 24-hour guarding and patrols, and an on-site rapid response team. Other advanced features include biometric fingerprint access control."

All homes in the estate will be hardwired with fibre-optic cabling for superfast internet access, DStv and VOIP telephone connectivity, which will allow free telephone calls within the estate.

A Curro Castle School is being constructed on the estate and is due to open its doors in 2015.

Convenient access to the Somerset West village has been provided by the developers through the R16 million construction of Reunion Drive, which links the main entrance of Somerset Lakes to Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Road under a specially constructed railway bridge. Just a few hundred metres from this entrance, an upmarket new shopping centre is now under construction, where Checkers, Woolworths Foods and Clicks will be the anchor tenants.The Vergelegen Mediclinic and the Somerset West CBD are less than two kilometres away, while popular Somerset Mall shopping centre is just 3,5 kilometres from the estate.

“When you consider the amazing lifestyle advantages Somerset Lakes offers, the security, the convenience of the surrounding amenities, and the incredible natural beauty of the estate, I have no doubt our second phase will sell as fast as the first one,” said Harris.“I strongly advise anyone interested to register online for an invitation to a pre-launch sales opportunity, ahead of our public launch in mid September, to avoid disappointment.”

For further information visit www.somersetlakes.co.za or phone 021 202 2200.

The end of winter ushers in an exciting new genuinely African denim premium brand retail store, Afrikanswiss which opens its doors in the heartbeat of Joburg at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 26th of July 2014.

Located a walk away from Ghandi Square, Shop 11 Fox Street, the store’s afro-centred atmosphere guarantees to give its patrons a passionate Afrikanswiss experience that is multifaceted, an experience that is spiritually holistic while the space seeks to empower and inspire.

The clothing range exudes Afrocentric premium exclusivity with an urban twist. In essence, the Afrikanswiss brand is committed to dressing the body with dynamic denim Afrikanswiss interpretations in fusion with Africa’s inspirational stories.

“We want to be known as the first premium denim brand in Africa. A brand that has a story to tell. A story of Johannesburg’s township trio running a successful fashion brand. We have a story to tell.  An inspirational story that is going to inspire people the Afrikanswiss way,” says Tshepo Mohlala, the marketing director.

“So come and join the Afrikanswiss family as we celebrate, embrace and reclaim the pride of Africa,” adds Thato Mafubelu, the stylist.

For press assistance contact Tshepo Mohlala  Cell: +27 (0) 78 337 7381 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Indie games are fast becoming a trend in South Africa, catching on from the overseas markets. These days, children and adults alike are playing mobile games as never before. People are always hungry for something different, which is where indie games – or ‘independent’ games – come in, providing players with something other than the mass-produced mainstream products.

Now, Somerset West can boast with its very own game studio that started turning its cogs in February this year. For its first month of existence, the studio was run out of the founder’s mother’s basement – typical indie game studio protocol, if history is anything to go by. Now, running from a house close to De Hoop Primary School, the studio focuses on creating mobile games (such as their recently released Afrikaans game, Fanie de Beer) and has oodles of style, creativity, skill and initiative.

While the Apmil Game Studio has only been up and running for a few months, the people who daily put their shoulders to its wheels have been building up relationships for the last three-and-a-half years. Even though the studio officially started up in February, the idea of an indie game studio had been brewing in the mind of Studio Head, Pierre Bezuidenhout, since 2011. Pierre started lecturing in the Animation Department of Cape Town’s City Varsity in 2011 – and this is where he met the three students who would later join him in this grand venture.

Pierre, as leader of the team, is Apmil’s Programmer and Technical Director. He has previously worked in advertising and animation for Wicked Pixels in Woodstock and held the position of lecturer at Concept Interactive as well as at City Varsity. His impressive skill set includes a sharp eye for detail as well as design flair and programming aptitude in different digital languages and platforms – he is also quite the people-person. Altus Barry is the Technical Lead, taking charge of rigs, renders and other related tasks. Mabet van Zijl did her major in 3D Narrative and, as Generalist, leads Apmil’s marketing and writing in between her usual workload. Louren Hattingh takes the roles of Lead Animator and Concept Artist. While each person has their area to lead, the workflow runs with a ‘rock-paper-scissors’-style in which one falls under the delegation of another while dealing with respective area-specific tasks. Sitting around a whiteboard, each armed with a marker, they discuss character design, story line, player motivation, level arrangement, time constraints and load division before jumping in with the actual development.

The first released game, Fanie de Beer, is a 100% physics-driven, full 3D, indie puzzle game with a distinct South African flavour. Playing as Fanie de Beer, a 12-year-old farm-boy, the player utilizes simple little rocks by tapping once on the screen to clear best friend Jaco Kriel’s fields of strategically placed, ancient landmines. Built in Unity, the game takes place in a single day – with the story starting early in the morning and ending in the evening – transporting the player through a dynamic day/night cycle and colourful, saturated farm fields as they progress through the 84 levels, meeting new mine types and increasingly difficult challenges as they go along. Written and designed in Afrikaans, then carefully translated into true farm-style English, this game is unique, fun and proudly South African. The demo is available for download from the Google Play Store, while the full game can be purchased on Samsung Apps and Amazon.

The next game in the pipeline is different from Fanie de Beer in virtually every way. Where Fanie is a very colourful 3D puzzle game with just enough back-story to set the player up for the context and flavour of the game, the current project is a heavily story-driven platform-game that takes place in a fictional world made up of parallaxing silhouettes and strange characters.

Apmil Game Studio has not only been created as a platform to build games, but also as a springboard for fellow animators, developers, designers and illustrators. It’s a breeding ground for collaboration, ideas, innovation and learning. Each person hones their skills while doing fun and challenging work through creating games and stories as well as fulfilling the creative needs of small to medium-sized businesses in the Western Cape and Gauteng.

Apmil Game Studio services include animation, app creation, game creation, rendering/stills, asset creation, video editing and UX. The creative division of Apmil, led by artist Janet Botes and writer Michelle Albinson, offers logo design, graphic design, online/web design, interactive design, writing, editing, proofreading and illustration.

Apmil prides itself on being different: Fresh ideas, innovative applications, strange and wonderful games – they are all things that receive the studio’s love and attention to detail. To find out more or to get involved, contact Pierre Bezuidenhout at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call him on 082 499 3133

Studio ingredients:[A]ltus makes the bus and [P]ierre drives the bus; [M]abet takes the bus t[i]ckets and [L]ouren makes the bus move. Thus, [apmil].

Free demo: Google Play – bit.ly/fanie_demo 
Full version: Samsung Apps – bit.ly/fanie
Official Trailer: Youtube – bit.ly/fanie_trailer 
Apmil page: Apmil/Fanie – apmil.co.za/fanie-de-beer 

{pp}The annual Makhulu Polane t-shirt design competition is open for entries. This local initiative was started by Big Blue in 2006 in a quest to discover and support fresh homegrown talent, and entries are received each year from graphic designers, fashionistas, daydreamers, students, illustrators and frustrated corporate workers who dream of design fame and winning the Makhulu Polane title.

{pp}Lutho, the South African based online marketing company today officially launched a unique website wizard that will make it possible for aspiring entrepreneurs and small and medium sized business (SME) owners to get their own professional-looking website and a company-branded email address in less than two hours.