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Tales from the Darkie Side - How it all began
July 22, 2019
How Darkie Designs came into being
Yes. Darkie Designs is like Star Wars. Everyone loves it and can't wait to see more. Even though we don't have helpful robots and grumbling wookiees (we know Jana's tall, but she's not that hairy) we do have a fantastic story line that began, well, a long time ago... in a little town far, far, away...
Hoedspruit is that little town. The safari capital of South Africa, surrounded by the bush and the iconic wildlife species that have made this part of Africa such a huge tourism drawcard, is also home to Bianca Black. Famed for her offbeat humour and limitless talent, "B", as she is known, used a major life event to start a business.
"I got divorced", she chuckles. "And I felt I had to do something completely different, as far removed from my original background in the medical industry as possible. So I started this (she spreads her arms at her desk in the Darkie Designs store, packed to the rafters with incredible African goods) and it, well, grew."
And grew. And grew. Since starting the DD ball rolling what was a small shop in Hoedspruit's Rock Fig centre selling primarily African "objets" has now become a warehouse in Time Square stocking some of the most eye-catching, desirable and downright gorgeous goodies for house, home, workspace and safari lodge you'll find anywhere in the country.
"We opened the workshop a year after we moved here, in January 2017," says B. "When we started out retail was 90% of our business and we occasionally got things in for clients. Now we are 90% procurement - sourcing and finding those irresistible pieces that our clients are yearning for - and 10% sales, selling the things you see around you here in our store," she adds.
It's the different stuff in the store that makes the difference, and that's part of the DD brand. It takes its lead from B's quirkiness and madness and the personality of the store is very much an extension of its owner's unique and highly endearing presence.
Since opening in its current incarnation, B has found a sidekick in her madness - someone to match her sense of style and passion for what she does. Jana Winterboer joined DD early in 2016, straight from the bush where she'd made her living as a leading safari guide. A rather tall, leggy and gorgeous leading safari guide.
"I'd always loved art and design," she of the legendary legs says. "My mom and my aunt both loved beautiful stuff, so I was surrounded by it growing up. Now I try and surround myself with beauty as much as I can, and quality too. I'd rather save up for something special than just fill space," says Jana, who's a gifted stylist with a passion for gardening.
Bianca has always loved nice stuff too... Stuff that has a purpose, rather than frivolous fluffy stuff. "I like things to have stories and I like to know where they come from," she says. "It's important that the things around you suit you and your personality. Today our lifestyles are very intertwined and are extensions of who we are rather than how we live," she adds.
"The way you eat, dress and live is all connected - there are no boundaries any more. Everything is integrated, from our open plan homes to our work and play - it's a much more fluid way of life now. And quality is more important that quantity - rather have a beautiful hand-made tablecloth in an exquisite fabric that will last a lifetime and reflect who you are than buy a mass-produced high-street alternative."
Sounds like a great mantra to live by!
Visit the DD store and find out why!
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Back in March of 2020, Bianca and Jana were dusting off their Fez’s and grabbing the pashminas out of storage in preparation to Rock the Casbah! However, as we all know and vividly remember - with March, came the eventual Covid shutdown, and instead of frolicking down the Moroccan streets, we all shut ourselves inside and watched the days tick by… 3 Years later, and now we can finally say - with conviction - that they’re going to Morocco at the start of September! This blog, filled with excitement and curiosity about all the weird and wonderful curios they might find, and endless sourcing they’ll do, stays as a reminder that sometimes plans change, things go awry and there’s not much you can do about it other than persevere - and that we did! So, here’s Bianca and Jana’s innermost thoughts about the trip, 3 years before it came to fruition, enjoy :) We've got our passports out and Jana has already picked out what she's going to wear each day… Come March [September] we'll be heading north with Air France to the Kingdom of Morocco, bright eyed and bushy tailed as we make our base in the ancient city of Marrakesh (also known as Marrakech to the French, but we're not French, so we'll go with the English version until all that fuss about Brexit is sorted out) - This turned into a year long negotiations trade, and now us outsiders would pay nearly double what we used to if we visit the UK - thankfully our flight is direct!! We'll be looking for inspiration and will be investigating what's there that we could possibly bring back to The Hoed. We can't wait to experience the atmosphere and afro-arabic influences of this amazing place as we visit the celebrated souks and off-the-beaten track artists and craftsmen that make Marrakesh so special. We're desperate to see the beautifully hand-crafted furniture, textiles, fabrics, rugs, carpets, objets d'art, accessories, lighting… anything that catches our eye and could possibly be brought back south. Berber mats and rugs are definitely on our list, as are the kind of furnishings you might find in a gorgeous Bedouin tent. If you think about it, the Bedouin refined the art of "glamping" into an artform - fabulous carpets on the ground, soft, billowing fabrics hung here and there, plump cushions spread on the ground, intricate leatherwork and carved wood, patinated metal… Total Glamping vibes! We just love all of it and will be tracking as much of it down as we can. We'll also have an eye or three out for wonderful ceramics and glassware and wonderful lamps that give off soft, filtered light. For us it's about workmanship, so we'll hopefully be finding the people who make furniture and ceramics using techniques that have been passed down over countless generations meaning that everything we look at will have its own, and its own special story. Our mission is to share those stories with you and, if it's feasible, bring some of that special workmanship home to the Rainbow Nation. We're most definitely inspired and are sure this is going to be a truly special trip! Counting the sleeps till then! Less than a month to go now - we will be keeping the updates going on our social channels as well as another few blog posts to explain in detail our wild adventures - Stay tuned!
A safari theme never really runs out of viewing time and is particularly popular for interiors at the moment. The warm, earthy tones give a sense of comfort and the accessories offer the anticipation of travel and adventure.
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