Jo'burg Launches first Merchandising Competition

THE winning designs in the City's first merchandising competition that aptly and impressively captured the essence of life and living in Johannesburg will be announced on Tuesday, 27 June.

In May this year, the City called on designers, artists and craftspeople to submit designs for products that would form part of the City's contemporary range of merchandise, and the response was astounding.

More than 500 entries were received from both established and emerging designers and the high quality of workmanship made it difficult for the judges to select the winners.

"We were overwhelmed with the number and the quality of entries and were fascinated by the way in which the entrants had depicted the city. We asked for new interpretations and we certainly got them," says competition organiser Chantal Collet.

There were three categories in which one could enter: clothing; accessories; and functional goods. The items had to be practical with a reference to Johannesburg's vibrant culture and lifestyle.