S13 Quarter 2 2013

...inspiring an African market with smart solutions...

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Illustration by Jacques du Toit

A vision for Africa

echnology is surreal.

Sometimes the sudden leaps in progress that are taken boggle our minds and propel us into a future we could not begin to contemplate. The remarkable eye tracking technology of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is just that kind of leap of technological faith and is the technology that inspired this issue.

This is the groundbreaking vision of Samsung Electronics Africa: entertainment, connectivity for all and educating and inspiring an African market with smart solutions.

“The African continent presents a number of unique challenges and opportunities which require a carefully

cultivated understanding by suppliers. Samsung is committed to providing solutions that address the multitude of specific needs across the continent,” says George Ferreira, Vice President and COO for Samsung Electronics Africa.

By investing in research and development programmes that consider best practice for Africa, Samsung has been able to devise a targeted basket of products. Leading-edge technology is adapted and tailored to conform to the niche consumer requirements of each country. Underpinning any new product development and launch is the philosophy Samsung Africa has adopted in its ‘Built for Africa’ initiative.

“This environment-specific

programme sees the introduction of product packages that consider the physical and infrastructural demands of Africa,” adds Ferreira.

“Samsung acknowledges that in order to remain at the leading edge of smart solutions for Africa, we also need to align ourselves with other companies that will add value to the customer offering. Cognisance is given not only to defined technological advancements but, more importantly, to the presence of a similar ethos and visionary pillars. The relationships that are derived from setting this as a non-negotiable factor create additional benefits for our consumers,” Ferreira points out.

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On the cover D’banj Photographer Ross Garret at Lampost Productions Photographer’s assistant Bianca Theron Production Sharon Becker Assisted by Kate Conlan and Sahil Harilal Grooming Leslie Whitby D’banj wears Clothing courtesy of Row-G S/S 2013 Collection, Bow tie by Toyboy Designs, Glasses by Milkteeth.

create/inspire

Eye spy.................................................8

Guest editors’ note: When Samsung asked us to guest edit this issue of S13 we were both inspired. We took the brilliant eye tracking innovation contained in the Samsung Galaxy S4 as our starting point for S13Q2 because we work in a world that is premised on the eye. We love the gritty reality involved in truly seeing. We love people who

are visionaries , those who can see beyond the obvious and whose minds bend to alternative visions of a new reality. So we dedicated this issue to the eye – a pretty marvellous piece of biological innovation in itself.

Aspasia Karras & Sharon Becker, Marie Claire South Africa

Cover stor y.......................................16 Galaxy S4.......................................... 24 S Health............................................ 28 Chris Saunders & the S4.............. 30 Angola wins at Venice Biennale.34 Korean & African bloggers.......... 38 IF Design Awards............................ 44 K film & Nolly wood........................ 50 Korean VIP centre. . ........................ 56 Samsung experience centres . . ... 58

inside S13Q2 play share/invest African visionaries. . ....................... 62 Four ways to change Africa......... 68 Rebranding Africa. . ........................ 70 Hi-tech in Kenya. . ........................... 76

S13 Quarter 2 Editor in chief Eben Keun Guest editors Aspasia Karras and Sharon Becker at Marie Claire South Africa Finance Ilan Green Designers Leanie Herbst, Jacques du Toit, Tillie vd Merwe, Production Michelle Nelson, Keo Sardinha

The histor y of eye tracking. . ....... 82 Facehunter .. .................................... 84 Samsung Chelsea trip. . ................. 90 African runway report.................. 94 City guide: Luanda. . ....................... 98 New TV in Africa........................... 102 Smart Trainer................................ 104 A day in the life of........................ 106

Contributors Africa Knows, Andrea Nagel, Nicholas Boerma, Annemarie Luck, Chipo Mapondera, Chris Saunders, Hanfred Rauch, Joanna Imrie, Katya Fidalgo, Lauren Fowler, Nimi Pretorius, Phiona Okumu, Kate White, Richard Cook, Ross Garrett, SDR Photography, Si Maclennan, Tunet Jordaan, Vali Mbusi, Zanele Kumalo, Yvan Rodic, MornĂŠ van Zyl, Ki Ho Park, Kostadadin Luchansky, Bennet Raglin.

For editorial queries contact S13@breinstorm.co.za S13 is published quarterly for Samsung Electronics Africa by Breinstorm Brand Architects, Dispatch Building, The Media Mill, 7 Quince Street, Milpark, SA, 2092 Commissioning editor Christine Roux

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Eye spy Maximise your multimedia exposure Small enough to fit into your pocket and powerful enough to suit your busy lifestyle, the Galaxy Note 8.0 mid-size tablet ticks all the right boxes. Getting your professional and personal life sorted is easy with this wonder. Its features include a slick design, the S Pen that offers handwriting-to-text conversion, and the S Planner and S Note Templates that allow you to set up, edit and manage meeting notes, to-do lists and diary entries.

There’s the split screen option where two apps can run side by side, and a range of info-tainment features like the e-Book reader or the Smart Remote that seamlessly manages TVs and DVD or Blu-Ray players.

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Day & night

Deep matter

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Rendezvous is a smart, stylish and reliable timepiece, driven by a self-winding mechanism and featuring a day and night indicator. The guilloché dial, encircled by oversized digits, finished with a diamond-set bezel for classic appeal, make this timepiece a keepsake.

This vintage-inspired deep sea wonder by JaegerLeCoultre was crafted from Cermat – a revolutionary composite of light weight aluminium matrix with ceramic particles. It is lighter and more resistant to shocks and pressure than most metals, an asset that divers and gentlemen are sure to appreciate to the full.

Keeping you covered In a world first, Samsung Electronics Africa recently announced that it will provide customers with a 24-month Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) warranty to cover screen and liquid damages at no extra charge. The warranty will come standard on the Galaxy S4 phone and will be rolled out to Samsung’s other devices in the months to come.

After purchasing the Galaxy S4, you will need to register it through the Samsung e-Warranty service at www.samsung.com.

So in the event of damage, you’ll be able to take the device to an authorised Samsung service centre, which will replace the screen or board free of charge. This warranty will cover screen and liquid damage and customers will be limited to two incidents over 24 months.

Visual leads

Guest illustrator Loren Fowler looked at the graphic shape inherent in the eye, a camera lens and the earth, as well as at the concept of wholeness for inspiration for our section dividers. perfectly in sync HomeSync is all about limitless home entertainment. It brings the best of Android gaming, movies, TV shows and streaming content direct to your lounge. How? By enabling you to stream content from your Galaxy device wirelessly to the TV. HomeSync integrates your TV and devices, as well as shared or private storage for all your content, and allows you to sync multiple devices with its powerful 1 TB drive.

This means it can support eight separate accounts to cover a family, and can let each user upload or download content from multiple devices and instantly share with other family members. File encryption and user-specified ID and passwords ensure content in a user’s private space remains separate from the shared space. www.global.samsungtomorrow.com S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 0 9

Kitchens of tomorrow At this year’s Milan Furniture Fair, visitors were awe-struck by “the kitchen of the future”. Samsung, in collaboration with Toncelli Kitchens

by Experientia, created a kitchen featuring tabletop computing technology. This took the form of an interactive touchscreen with technology by Samsung.

Hence, the countertop served as a large tablet where technosavvy cooks could pull up their favourite recipes, photos and videos directly from the web.

Bass notes With the help of DJ Don Jazzy, Samsung has developed an electrifying bass-filled speaker as part of its Built for Africa R&D initiative.

Iris-like lights that flash to the rhythm of this oversized boombox turn after-dinner tunes into a dance-floor soundtrack. Expect to be moved by the power of music.

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Samsung wins again For the second time in a row, Samsung clinched the coveted titles of Device Manufacturer of the Year and Best Smartphone at the Global Mobile Awards 2013. The announcement formed part of the Mobile World Congress, held in Barcelona.

Samsung clinched the award for the Galaxy Camera, which combines the functions of a smartphone with a camera.

Medical marvels Samsung is known for its cutting-edge technology that creates a better tomorrow, today. But did you know that the company is also a leader in the field of medical devices? Samsung Medison, founded in 1985, sells state-of-the-art medical devices in 110 countries.

In 2011, Samsung Medison became an affiliate company of Samsung Electronics, integrating the world’s best IT, image processing, semi-conductor and communication technologies into medical devices.

Samsung’s new medical device brand is called GEO. It leads innovation in digital radiography, ultrasound diagnostic systems and in-vitro diagnostics.

Eyes that sparkle Marine theme

Rough and ready If Indiana Jones owned a smartphone, we’re pretty sure it would be the Galaxy Xcover 2, boasting features that outdoor types will love. It is dust- and sand-proof, and water resistant to a depth of one metre for up to 30 minutes. There’s also the fantastic pre-loaded Google map data, enhanced GPS, LED Flash and huge battery capacity of 570 hours, which makes this the best exploration companion around.

This summer, make your eyes pop by opting for bold, bright colours. Marine hues are making waves on the runway this season, so choose a turquoise or jade liner and use it like a black liquid liner by drawing a thick line on your upper lid. You can add emphasis below the eye with a simple stroke along the lower lashes. (L’Été Papillon de CHANEL, 2013 Summer Makeup Collection)

Bling it on!

Take your eye make-up to the next level with mini rhinestone embellishments. Keeping your base colour in a neat cat-eye shape, you then carefully apply the crystals from the lash line to your brow by following the shape of your liner. For a fun, somewhat bold look, try bright colour combinations. (Thibaut de Saint Chamas for Christian Dior ) S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 1 1

Cut to perfection South African born Rahim Rawjee founded his luxury brand, Row-G, back in 2000. Known for its cutting-edge design and innovation, and boasting an array of clients in the creative industry, Row-G has become the go-to brand for those in the know.

Its flagship showroom in Milpark, Johannesburg, has already garnered a reputation as a space for men to indulge S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 1 2

their individual style. Enjoy a tailored experience that reflects the brand’s design philosophy of applying knowledge, innovation and excellence, all supported by a close-knit family foundation.

Every garment – from suits to shirts, dinner jackets to blazers – is tailored according to a tradition of superior craftsmanship, and is refined with leadingedge technology.

Be sure to check out the splendour of Row-G’s made-tomeasure menswear as worn by our cover star, D’banj. www.row-g.com

Going green

Retro specs

Samsung Electronics recently received the 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award. The award was given by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recognition of Samsung’s continued leadership in protecting the environment. This was no mean feat, considering that the company was selected from nearly 20 000 other organisations.

An Energy Star partner since 1996, this marks the fourth consecutive year Samsung has been lauded for providing its customers with energyefficient products that have reduced consumption and helped save on energy costs.

Major design houses like Chanel and Miu Miu have taken a nostalgic peek into the past and released a plethora of vintage-inspired sunnies. Styles from the roaring ’20s to sultry ’60s are making a comeback. Find your favourite:

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Create Inspire

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I know you like D’banj

Nigerian musician Dapo “D’banj” Oyebanjo is hitting all the right notes: three MTV awards and collaborations with stars like Snoop Lion have cemented his success. Yet he remains rooted in Africa...

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Grooming: Leslie Whitby. Clothing courtesy of Row-G S/S 2013 Collection Bow tie by Toyboy Designs, Glasses by Milkteeth

Photographer: Ross Garret at Lampost Productions. Photographer’s assistant: Bianca Theron. Production: Sharon Becker. Assisted by: Kate Conlan and Sahil Harilal .

“A

wise man once told me that one should dress how one wants to be addressed.” So says musician Dapo “D’banj” Oyebanjo while posing for our photo shoot in Johannesburg.

As he slips in and out of Row-G bespoke suits, channelling the aura of a distinguished gentleman with his taut frame and dashing looks, it’s a wonder the 33-year-old entertainer – one of Africa’s highest paid and most recognisable faces – hasn’t been snapped up by the fashion world yet. He has, after all, amassed brand endorsements ranging from Nigeria’s telecoms operator, Glo, to the development finance institution, Bank of Industry.

Says D’banj: “The idea has crossed my mind to create my own range, called Kokowear.

But the music industry here in Africa is still growing. There are a few things we need to get right; we can spread out to the other stuff in time.”

Born to a military official father and businesswoman mother in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, for over seven years D’banj has been busy with music. The MOBO, BET and MTV award-winner had released three solo albums by the time his breakout hit song, Oliver Twist, surfaced, claiming a place in the UK top 10. The video roll-called members of Kanye West’s record label – people like G.O.O.D Music’s Big Sean, Pusha T as well as Mr West himself – following the announcement that D’banj was officially part of the fold.

The only thing that was as talked about on the urban African music scene was D’banj’s fallout with his longtime Mo Hits label partner, the

producer DJ Don Jazzy. It’s a bitter-sweet situation, like at the MTV Base’s Africa All Star concert, when hip-hop icon Snoop Lion called D’banj on stage to jointly perform their Mr. Endowed remix. All three were last seen on the video of this song in amicable times.

“I miss him. I missed him even more on that stage,” admits D’banj. “I wish he could have been there singing with me. He and I walked that jour-

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It’s easy to assume D’banj’s success is based solely on cool by association. “It’s not magic,” he counters. “Many people have done collaborations and got nowhere. It depends on the motivation. For me, after three MTV awards it was time to take this to a new level. When I did that Mr. Endowed remix with Snoop, it settled things.

It showed how big I was in Nigeria and Africa, and opened doors for other African artists

Our generation has the opportunity to do things differently and really get out there in the world

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ney together to make things happen. We put that song out as a unit so this would have been a moment. But you know what they say: ‘Everything happens for a divine reason’.”

Since then, a slew of collaborations has followed: with fellow Naija artist Naeto C on the remix for Bad Pass (Tony Montana), and appearing with fellow label mates on the critically acclaimed G.O.O.D Music compilation, Cruel Summer.

D’Kings Men (DKM) is the compilation album heralding the birth of D’banj’s own imprint, DB Records. It features Congolese star Fally Ipupa and American rap sensation 2 Chainz – just some of the greats scheduled to perform at D’banj’s birthday bash in collaboration with Ndani TV.

to work with top US artists like P Square and Rick Ross.

“I’m trying to make a point that we’re just as good doing songs together. Even when I do tracks with someone like Fally Ipupa, who sings in Lingala, we get rid of the barriers and people can enjoy the music. Our predecessors walked as individuals, but there is strength in numbers. Our generation has the opportunity to do things differently and really get out there in the world.”

At the time of writing, he’s headed for Lagos, and then it’s on to Atlanta – two of his homes these days, in addition to Jozi. “South Africa’s love has been extraordinary,” he smiles.

“I live in Naija, of course, but I have friends everywhere.”

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Changing the way we live A smartphone that knows when you’re looking at it?

You’ll have to see the GALAXY S4 to believe it.

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t’s a game changer. The Samsung GALAXY S4 smartphone, developed after extensive research, has been designed based on insights and needs dictated by consumers from all over the world.

The people’s phone In today’s past-paced world, we need technology to contribute to our lives in a meaningful way. Potential consumers say that even though their phone is inanimate, they view it as a companion, an assistant that either enhances or detracts from their day-to-day experiences.

The engineers at Samsung answered the need for meaningful connections with a new smartphone that enables users to experience real interactions with the people in their life.

Emotionally speaking, each feature has been designed to make life easier, by keeping you connected to friends and loved ones and enabling an effortless work/life flow.

pause when you look away and start playing again when you look back at the screen.

In the same way ‘Samsung Smart Scroll’ allows you to surf the web and answer emails without touching the screen.

It does this by detecting your eye tracking and recognising the movement of your wrist.

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...each feature has been designed to make life easier, while creating a bond, either by connecting with friends and loved ones or providing a seamless work/ life flow.

Look at me A first of its kind, the GALAXY S4 has revolutionary features that follow your face, voice and actions. Screen movement and interaction is controlled via these movements – with no need for finger or touch activation.

By tracking your eye movement, ‘Samsung Smart Pause’ enables you to control the screen direction. For example, a video you’re watching will

dial. With ‘Air Gesture’, you can change the music track, scroll up and down a web page, or accept a call with a wave of your hand. It really is as if the phone gets what you need to do and reacts immediately.

‘Optical Reader’ is another smart feature. It recognises text, a business card or QR code information, and supports useful functions such as translation, call, text message and search.

With ‘S Voice Drive’, traffic jams become productive moments with the use of voice control. Once connected to your car’s Bluetooth, the phone automatically switches to driving mode - converting text to speech so that you can write, check and continue with your business and leisure life while on the move.

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Samsung Smart Scroll then mimics this by scrolling the pages up or down accordingly.

Thanks to ‘Air View’ you can preview an email, S Planner, image gallery or video simply by hovering your finger over the content. You can even see a magnified view on the Internet browser, or a phone number saved in speed

Come together What if your phone could enable you to share, play and enjoy music, photos and games with your friends? Instead of being the symbol of antisocial behaviour, the Samsung GALAXY S4 uses ‘Group Play’ to connect users directly with others - no Wi-Fi or cell signal needed. Preloaded game content will also be available.

When playing music, ‘Share Music’ syncs the same song on different phones, allowing users to create the best party atmosphere and enjoy it together.

All content will be accessible from the Samsung Hub, a convenient, single entry point for Samsung’s four S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 2 5

content services. Samsung Hub features an integrated search functionality – just browse a keyword and the results will show related content from all four services at once.

The Samsung Apps storefront has also been upgraded.

Upgrades include a new service: users can now browse through a huge variety of apps optimised for Samsung devices, as well as choose and use popular applications that are part of the Google Play offering.

of frame effects. For example, the front and rear pictures can be blended naturally, or the size of the pictures can be readjusted. Using ‘Dual Video’ users can also make and receive group video call with friends and family.

Other features include ‘Drama Shot’: see all the action in one continuous time-lapse, and ‘Sound & Shot’, where you can record voice with the picture.

And after snapping away, ‘Story Album’ stores your photos and videos and content such as SNS posts, memos, location and weather details.

Here’s looking at you The camera is another revolutionary aspect of the GALAXY S4. ‘Dual Camera’ allows users to include a self-portrait when they take a photo. By activating this function, the 13-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front camera work at the same time to take photos or videos simultaneously.

When capturing moments, you can choose from a variety

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The global village The GALAXY S4 is a phone that lives with you and stays with you on your journeys.

When away from home, users can activate S Travel. To facilitate connections with more people, the GALAXY S4 has a feature called ‘S Translator’. Translation can be used for text or voice and

works both ways: speech can be converted to text or text to speech. ‘S Translator’ also works with ChatON – messages received and sent can be translated into any language.

The phone works off HSPA+42 mbps, so wherever you are in the world, you can rely on perfect connectivity. An LTE version will be launched later this year.

Beauty and brains The GALAXY S4 is also incredibly easy on the eye. The highly crafted design has a larger screen size and battery as well as a minimised bezel, housed in a 130g, 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm body. The ultra-slim body is made from polycarbonate, a durable, scratch-resistant yet lightweight material, and will be available in two striking colour options - Black Mist and White Frost.

Content will also look better. The GALAXY S4 features the world’s first Full HD Super AMOLED display. It has a

5-inch screen, with a massive 441 pixels per inch. ‘Samsung Adapt Display’ is also available – an optimal viewing platform can be chosen for each type of application, and ‘Samsung Adapt Sound’ offers the option for each user to personalise the level and type of sound played.

Extended warranty What’s innovation without peace of mind? As part of their dedication to improved customer service Samsung has also included a 24-month Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) warranty to cover screen and liquid damages. In the event of

damage, you’ll be able to take your device to an authorised Samsung Service centre where the screen or board will be replaced free of charge.

In the moment It’s an intuitive phone – one designed to empower your life and take care of your wellbeing. Most of all, it makes your experiences seem effortless and it makes your life easier and hassle-free. In short, Samsung has managed to design a phone that responds to you, lives life with you and enables real connections every time you use your phone.

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Samsung has managed to design a phone that responds to you, so that you can create and continue to make true connections with the friends and family who make your life meaningful.

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An app a day Now your phone can inspire you to maintain the healthy lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. Using the ‘S Health’ software on your GALAXY S4, you can access up-to-date health and wellbeing information and use it to make smart health choices. Available as an optional accessory, the ‘Body Scale’ allows you to measure your weight and keep an eye

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on it with the ‘S Health2.0 app’.

The phone also has a number of sensors built into the device that automatically monitor your health. Feeling tired?

The ‘Sleep Efficiency’ monitor measures how much you’ve moved in your sleep, so that you can know how much real rest you are actually getting.

For those who take an active lifestyle seriously, the ‘S Band’ is the perfect training partner. It tracks your steps, amount of calories burned and your running/walking distance.

Waterproof, lightweight and

easy to use, it’s a bit like a wearable personal trainer - one that you can use anywhere, anytime.

Sold separately, the HRM Running Coach comes complete with Heart Rate monitor and ‘Running Pro’ app for those who hit the road on a regular basis.

No more excuses - now you can manage your own wellbeing and have a healthy, happy life at your fingertips. The GALAXY S4 is just what the doctor ordered.

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Every time I sit with this phone, I find out something new about it. It is one of the most advanced gadgets I’ve experienced...

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The lensman

Local photographer Chris Saunders is loving the streets of Africa and his GALAXY S4 smartphone. Words Chipo Mapondera

“R

ight now, the world is focussed on Africa and what is coming out of the continent,” says photographer Chris Saunders. “Our history and cultural references are unique and overseas they are curious about our stories and ideas.”

For Saunders, whose photographic interests centre on the street culture of his native Johannesburg, it is an opportune time to work on homegrown projects that tell stories about Africa.

The stories that Saunders documents are not going unnoticed at home or abroad: he has been assigned a range of commercial projects for various clients, including Edgars, MTN, Nedbank, SABC and most recently, Diageo, the international premium alcohol brand house.

“My most recent project for Guinness is an interesting and very modern approach to marketing,” says Chris.

He’s one of five African filmmakers who’ve been commissioned by the beer brand to create S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 3 1

a 60-second short film on the countries in which they live.

Chris’s film, which was shown at the recent Cannes Film Festival as part of Guiness’s new campaign, is called The Streets of Jozi. It combines various depictions of the city’s street culture, from Pantsula dancers to “street stylists” like the Smarteez – people whose creativity comes from the street and influences South African popular culture.

These are subjects that Chris has previously documented and continues to investigate as part of his oeuvre.

Chris applauds the beer brand’s vision as it enables photographers like him to publicise the regions in which they reside while promoting the young creative individuals who reside there.

Samsung is also bridging the gap between its brand and the African market, and Chris is excited at what the brand has to offer. “Samsung is the only brand in its category that is making a concerted effort to actively understand this market. Its range of gadgets are not only functional, they are also offered at various price points, which makes the technology more accessible.

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“Undeniably, that level of access is important for development in Africa.”

Chris is on point, given that the cellular market is thriving on the continent. More and more people are embracing technology, acknowledging the integral role it plays in enabling businesses both small and large to be run from a single device.

“Every time I sit with this phone, I find out something new about it. It is one of the most advanced gadgets I’ve experienced,” says Chris of his Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone and how it has enhanced his own business as a freelance photographer, especially his commercial work.

“I find it helps me to keep organised when co-ordinating my schedule. And with full integration to Google, accessing emails and calendars is easier. Plus, being able to sync the device to both Mac and PC makes data dissemination more efficient for me.

“When I am on the ground there are a number of handy features and apps,” Chris continues (he’s on a roll now), listing GPS photo tagging along with the option to add voice notes to photos as huge pros for

pre-shoot production.

“And being able to increase the phone’s memory by inserting an SDR chip gives me the opportunity to store an almost unlimited number of photos and videos.

“Best of all, I can change batteries on the go, so there is no risk of an untimely shutdown.”

For the following series that Chris shot on his Galaxy S4 over 10 days, he took his phone behind the scenes of a fashion editorial as well as on a shoot for Spoek Mathambo’s new video, which was filmed in the township of Katlehong, in the east of Johannesburg.

Chris also documented his night-time escapades amongst Johannesburg’s alternative crowd, hanging out at events and parties in the city’s everchanging CBD. Using the phone’s camera software – including the HDR feature which allows for photos with high-quality exposure, and photography apps such as Photoshop and Pudding the series displays Chris’s unique perspective of the city. It shows how much fun he’s had challenging the standard of images that the phone is capable of producing.

Summing up how the phone has become an extension of what he does, Chris says: “With my camera I focus on specific moments that add to whichever story I am working on. Shooting on

my phone allows me to contextualise my work by showing the environments that I shoot in, and the people involved, outside of the regular frame.”

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With my camera I focus on specific moments that add to whichever story I am working on. Shooting on my phone allows me to contextualise my work by showing the environments that I shoot in, and the people involved, outside of the regular frame.

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A light fitting in a bathroom.

A place matt made from different sweet

African hair shot at the designer market,

wrappers.

The Collective in Kramerville Sandton.

A shot from the window of couture

This shot reminded me of the classic

A wall shot as inspiration for the colour

designer Row-G.

intro sequence to ‘The Lost Highway’ by

palette of the new Spoek Mathambo

Location scouting in Katlehong for

David Lynch from the 80’s.

music video.

colourful backgrounds.

Most camera phones can’t shoot long

Different collars on display at suit maker

exposures very well, except for the S4.

in Johannesburg.

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Angola takes Venice

The first time exhibitors won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale for their pavillion - Luanda Encyclopaedic City.

Images courtesy of Luanda Encyclopaedic City

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ngola, exhibiting for the first time at the Venice Biennale, has been awarded the prestigious Golden Lion for their pavilion, titled Luanda, Encyclopaedic City. On display are photographic works by Angolan artist Edson Chagas, along with an installation curated by Paula Nascimento and Stefano Rabolli Pansera in collaboration with Thankboys.

The show comprises 23 posters of doorways as well as discarded objects, which visitors can pick up as part of a so-called Encyclopaedic Palace installation. They then create their own urban encyclopaedia and catalogue. But a building can contain only so

many spaces, possibilities and objects. When it tends towards the encyclopaedic, it becomes a city. The city on display – Angola’s capital, Luanda – includes a coherence of form, even though this is an urban, conflict-ridden form.

Chagas focuses on Luanda’s unpredictable spaces. He examines the way images are used to give form to one’s experience of a city. By cataloguing abandoned objects that are repositioned within an urban context, he creates new relationships between the objects and their context. What results is a new way of observing the encyclopaedic wealth of spaces around us and, perhaps, a new way of inhabiting these spaces.

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The show comprises 23 posters of doorways as well as discarded objects, which visitors can pick up.

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Installation views courtesy of Luanda Encyclopaedic City

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The series Found not taken by Edson Chagas

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The culture of I

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The mememe world of the blogosphere: Korea Words Annemarie Luck Blogging in Korea is serious business. To demonstrate the point with statistics, you need only consult global PR company Edelman’s report, titled Corporate Guide to the Global Blogosphere, released in 2007. In it, Korea was ranked second, behind Japan, in terms of percentage of the population that reads blogs regularly (43 percent).

In addition, the Korea Internet & Security Agency released a report stating that among internet users in Korea, 56.8 percent read blogs regularly, while 42.9 percent own their own blogs.

The top few who break through the status barrier and achieve measurable success are dubbed ‘power bloggers’.

First up - four famous food bloggers: Moon Sung-sil, Hyun Jin-heui, Oh Han-na and Lee Hae-young. Each was fined five million won (about R44 600) by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) for being paid to hawk goods without disclosing to ‘netizens’ that they were being commissioned.

The aching heart of Mr Joo Seong-Ha, who defected from North to South Korea and now

blogs about his and others’ experiences while pining for his home, makes for a compelling Korean following.

Moon Sung-sil, for example, is a mother of twin sons who specialises in home cooking and has been described as “one of the original wifeloggers… cute, preppy and practical”. It seems her blog, Moon Sung-sil’s Delicious Table (Moonsungsil.com), started off as one of those harmless cooking diaries but has since grown into an empire that has seen her earning commissions of 880 million won (about R7.6 million) a year from various clients who hire her to promote their products.

I guess you can’t blame her for cashing in, but the FTC does have a point: there’s a difference between buying a product that’s been recommended by a blogger and by someone who’s been paid to test it out. Still, this Korean Martha Stewart continues to grow in popularity: she has published several blooks (blog + book) and has become a renowned food columnist, restaurant menu consultant and TV personality.

Then there’s the Mr Joo

Seong Ha, the man with the bleeding heart. Before escaping North Korea in 1998, he was arrested and spent time in a concentration camp. When he arrived in South Korea, he had never seen the internet. Today, his North Korea Real Talk blog (Nambukstory.com) is one of the most widely read sites about North Korea and has attracted over 28 million page views. He works as a journalist by day and describes himself as “a Tarzan who used to live in the mountains, and now I’m in the city. I can run the fastest with bare feet in the jungle, but I can’t run like other people wearing sneakers on asphalt.”

When asked why he thinks his blog is so successful, he replies: “I think it’s because it carries my stories that are different from others… I have no magic formula for how to become a power blogger; it is not as if I can tell people to try coming back after living in the North.”

The Korean blogospher abounds with fluffier stories of K-pop and K-fashion power bloggers too. Three noteworthy ones are college student Jina of Thisisafashionblog.com; S 1 3 Q 0 2

Bits of content from Enemood, Korean fashion power blogger.

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florist-by-day Raina of Aqua417.blog.me; and full-time fashion blogger Enemood of Enemood.blog.me/40158840891. All of them are fast earning the title of ‘superstars’ in Korea for their fashion-orientated musings.

There’s also Angela Ricardo, a prolific fashion and beauty blogger who’s part-Filipino, part-Korean. These days, she’s based in Milan, Italy, from where she travels the world and runs a total of seven blogs, including Koreandoll.net (the bonus here being she writes in English).

Further research reveals a plethora of popular wifeloggers spawned from the likes of Moon Sung-sil. Unlike Sung-sil, most of them have managed to keep their kitchens tidy – unless you count the ongoing feud between these ‘ajumma’ (Korean for ‘middleaged or married women’) bloggers and the country’s well-known English expat bloggers. The brawl began in 2006, when Robert Koehler of Marmot’s Hole (Rjkoehler.com) mocked the design of high-profile wifelogger, Remonterrace (Blog.naver.com/remonterrace).

The wifeloggers retaliated and proverbial pies have been thrown.

So who wins the Korean Blog Games? Is it the one who makes the most money, albeit in a slightly conniving way? Is it the one who tells the most heartrending stories? Or, is it the one who takes the prettiest pictures?

(Because aren’t the visuals half the reason we read blogs anyway?)

I think the answer, my dear, is blowing in the blogosphere.

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Enemood, Korean fashion power blogger.

The mememe world of the blogosphere: Africa Meet the re-branders, world travellers, bespoke content creators and online publishers, staking their claim in the African blogosphere.

Words Tunet Jordaan.

The fashion maverick With nose-piercings and eclectic outfits defining his signature style, the founder and editor-in-chief of style blog One Nigerian Boy, Terence Sambo, is as striking as the images he posts on a regular basis. This Nigerian local, who currently lives in London, aims to showcase African art, design and style online while promoting the best of African craftsmanship and heritage. He shares his views with 4 000 fans on Facebook and 6 499 followers on Twitter (@onenigerianboy). www.onenigerianboy.com The celebrity follower Ghanaian celebrity antics never go unnoticed when freelance journalist and Internet publicist Ameyaw Kissi Debrah is around. This intrepid blogger, based in Accra, lets his readers in on the latest events, lifestyle topics and gossip doing the rounds with his blog. Find Terence Sambo, Nigerian blogger.

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him on Twitter on @ameyaw112 where he gives his 19 745 followers the scoop, hot off the press. www.ameyawdebrah.com The news hounds The news website and blog, YNaija, posted by Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams, is the perfect place to uncover all things young, hip and Nigerian. The content delivered by these two mavericks covers politics, business, entertainment, environment, technology, popular media, lifestyle, culture, comedy and healthy living. It was ranked as the fifth most popular blog in Nigeria in 2012 by CP Africa.

Online, the two bloggers have been getting a lot of attention too, boasting a 67 679-strong following (@YNaija). www.ynaija.com The trend tracker Nancie Mwai is an awardwinning and fashion-forward blogger. Her three year-old blog, Fashion Notebook, takes the form of a digital publication that focuses on Kenyan as well as international fashion and beauty trends. The content is geared towards women in the 18 to 34 age bracket. She won best fashion blogger for 2012 at the Bake Kenyan Blog Awards and has been earmarked by several global media outlets, including British newspaper The Guardian, as the one to S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 4 2

watch. Find her on Twitter where you can join her 5 208 followers (@nanciemwai). www.nanciemwai.com The digital tester Run by the CEO of Bloggers Media Limited, Ghanaian Kennedy Kachwanya’s blog is a haven of technology. It’s filled with insights on the latest digital products that he has tried and tested, as well as with news and views on everything from start-ups to social media.

Find Kennedy on Twitter at @kachwanya, where 7 843 loyal fans follow his every update. www.kachwanya.com The marketing strategist Moses Kemibaro is a digital marketing professional based in Nairobi, Kenya. He has over 15 years’ experience in business development, account management and strategic planning, specifically in the areas of digital strategy and creative design. His personal blog, Moses Kemibaro, offers an array of opinions on digital marketing and he has a 9 335-strong Twitter following (@moseskemibaro). www.moseskemibaro.com The re-branders Creative trio Innocent Mukheli, Vuyo Mpantsha and Justice Mukheli hail from Soweto and aim to repackage the world as they see it with their own

dapper brand of photography.

Always dressed to the nines, they take pictures of themselves in and around Soweto and post them on their blog. iseeadifferentyou.tumblr.com

The online magazine editor A total of 99 593 followers can’t be wrong about Africa’s number one blog, Bella Naija (@bellanaija on Twitter).

Founded in 2006, this Nigerian site is the digital version of a glossy magazine. Headed by editor Uche Pedro and her team of savvy writers, it is filled to the brim with news on pop culture, entertainment, beauty and fashion. www.bellanaija.com The Africa reporter Africa Is a Country, established

by Sean Jacobs, is a collaborative blog that aims to challenge and demystify perceptions about the African continent and its people in the Western media. The blog doesn’t only feature journalists’ writings; it includes topics of broader interest such as art, music, film, books and graphic design.

Hence, a host of original work ranging from online commentary and reports to media criticism, short videos and photography is accessed by 23 802 Twitter followers (@AfricasaCountry). www.africaisacountry.com

The Samsung CLX-6260 Performance Color Series printer.

Diffrient Smart™Chair.

Ledino Outdoor Dunetop range Pathway lighting.

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MIYAKE Design Office: Solar Mobile Light.

Samsung SC96 Vacuum cleaner.

Concept Kitchen by Kilian Schindler Produktdesign.

Mono2Eyewear

by Eagle International.

Berker Series R.classic Switch and socket outlet.

Samsung WT727QPNDMW washing machine.

Form meets function

Samsung cleans up at the International Forum Design Awards - the Oscars of the design world. Words Andrea Nagel

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ow do you honour the Brad Pitt of washing machines, the George Clooney of printers and the Julia Roberts of vacuum cleaners? By awarding them the equivalent of an Oscar. Known as the International Forum Design awards (iF for short), they are given to the best products in the world of design. Winning one means that the product designed by your company is the perfect combination of aesthetic appeal and usefulness, form and function. Earlier this year in Munich, Germany, Samsung garnered 39 iF awards for outstanding design quality, including two iF gold awards.

The latter are conferred on the company that produces the best design of a specific product.

Introduced in 1953 and awarded annually, the iF awards attract more than 2 000 product entries from countries across the globe. Winning one is confirmation of the superior value, quality and standard of a product, as judged by top designers.

Samsung made good on its iF accolades by cleaning up at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well, where they won five top honours, including Best Smartphone for the Galaxy S3 and Device Manufacturer of the Year.

The iF awards cover three categories: product design, communication design, and packaging design. Samsung excelled in the product design category. Samsung’s two gold awards were given in recognition for the company’s designs of a printer and a washing machine, respectively.

The washing machine, specifically designed for an Asian

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market, is eco-friendly and according to the judges, a testament to cost innovation. They were particularly impressed that the machine was designed for customs specific to Southwest Asia. “It is surprising at first: its sleek appearance and logistical minimalism create a truly captivating design language. However, it is not just a washing machine: this product also serves as a washstand

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down the boundary between the world inside the screen and the real world.”

The company also launched its first full HD 3D LED television in March 2010. This year, Samsung won two awards for its latest Smart 3D full-HD LED TVs. Another winner was the SC 96 vacuum cleaner.

Samsung designers explained that they had adopted a

Samsung is no stranger to winning iF awards. The company has garnered 410 of them since 1995

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for pre-cleaning the laundry,” read the jury’s statement.

The CLP-415 / CLX-4195 Efficient Color Printer Series also earned a gold award. As a compact all-in-one high quality printer for a small office, the judges found that it met all the expectations a user would have of a printer and that it achieved complex functions in an elegant design. “A well-deserved award,” said the judges.

A leader in the television market, Samsung won numerous iF awards this year for its television technology. The ultra-slim OLED TV stands on a metal pole that looks like it is supporting a glass panel.

Samsung designers explained their thinking thus: “We wanted to make it appear as if a beautiful large piece of glass is standing alone, and to break

dynamic, powerful exterior design based on the “space tension” concept. The judges were impressed with the ‘‘neo spiral” cyclone technology that features a 99.7% fine dust separation rate and marked reductions in both power consumption (32%) and carbon monoxide emissions.

Entering a design suited to the new-age realm of electric cars, Samsung was awarded for its RECS electric car charger.

The judges found that the S-shaped charging station design goes beyond a conventional crude box shape and reflects the behaviour of users, who responded well to the elegant streamlined shape of the device.

On the IT front, the iF recognised Samsung’s Chrome XE303C12 Notebook computer

– televisions, mobile phones and computers – Samsung also impressed the judges with speciality products like the LABGEO PT10 blood analyser.

Its clean lines and rounded shape are designed to convey the appearance of a simple machine, so it looks more like an iPod docking station than a piece of sophisticated medical equipment. Plus, the company won numerous awards for its series of LED light bulbs, along with a few more for its cameras and camcorders.

Samsung’s winnings were

not confined to the product category alone; the company also shone in the communication design and packaging design awards.

Samsung is no stranger to winning iF awards. The company has garnered 410 of them since 1995, primarily in acknowledgement of its electronic products, particularly hard drives, computers and televisions. And this year, Samsung was named Best In-house Designer and Manufacturer for the third consecutive year.

Images courtesy of iF Design awards

for its slim design and minimal weight. Its other winning properties include cloud computing-based Chrome OS, a rounded, ergonomic shape and lightweight technology, all of which make it a great product in terms of form and function.

Samsung was also acknowledged by the iF for its stylish Series 5 (XE550C) Notebook, characterised by its two-tone colours which make it appear ultra slim.

Besides winning awards for products for which the company is well known

NERVE CF Trailbike

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In-Ei Issey Miyake Lighting Family

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The rise and rise of K-film Koreans tend to favour the collective over individuality, familiarity over novelty. Why, then, has the Korean Wave in cinema – with its slew of emerging filmmakers – proved such a global hit?

Words Hanfred Rauch

Images courtesy of the various studios

J

ust below the surface, a vast underground train network courses through the city.

Just above, engines drone as boulevards guide sedans across town. Sidewalks are abuzz with clacking heels, bicycle bells, scooters and the occasional truck. At night, a sea of neon flares up, luring escapists into karaoke bars, restaurants, massage parlours, clubs and cinemas. Seoul, whose greater metropolis harbours 24 million, is a city composed entirely of sound and light, held together by bursts of manic energy.

In trying to uncover a modern Korean identity – one that is in a perpetual state of flux – a frenetic energy comes to the fore. It pulses through every K-pop song, drives every conversation about Korean

food and permeates its films.

Transcending all notions of art imitating life or life imitating art, it is both the turbulent past and the fluctuating present that informs Korea’s zeitgeist.

We are offered a glimpse of true Korean culture through its films. Korean television dramas (soap operas) all centre on the same formula. K-pop culture, like hip-hop, is awash with materialism. But Korean film auteurs take a more honest and varied approach. Park Chan Wook, for instance, the maverick filmmaker behind Oldboy (2003), Joint Security Area (2000) and his recent Hollywood breakthrough, Stoker (2013), is often hailed as Korea’s Quentin Tarantino. He is famous for framing supercool imagery with controversial

stories, but what sets Park apart from many of his contemporaries is that, surprisingly, his films are deeply introspective and emotionally charged too.

A tradition of melodrama underscores most Korean films, especially in their comedies.

Korea’s most globally successful comedy to date has been My Sassy Girl (2001), which spawned a Hollywood remake.

The story follows a classic romantic comedy formula – boy meets girl, loses girl, and must try to get her back again – but amidst the slapstick, the film does not lie about Korean life and gives us a valuable if exaggerated insight into the culture. Neither the actors nor the locations are made to look more appealing than they are.

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Perhaps unwittingly, My Sassy Girl, an otherwise trivial film, chronicles the tribulations of the modern Korean male in a very conservative culture caught in a familiar yet bizarre battle of the sexes. In this way, the film achieves what Woody Allen did with Annie Hall (1977): he captured the modern urban male’s plight when falling in love with a strong, empowered, sassy woman.

Korean comedy is evident in most genres. An example of this interwoven complexity is Castaway on the Moon (2009).

The film starts with a man’s suicide attempt. He ends up stranded on an islet, where he forges a friendship with an agoraphobic who sees him through her camera’s zoom lens. The film is nightmarish yet hilarious, pointing to the ingenuity of Korean filmmaking.

Korean filmgoers are no strangers to high-budget blockbusters either: their action films do very well.

In 1999, Shiri, a film about a North Korean spy plotting to overthrow the capitalist government of the south, outperformed Titanic, The Matrix and Star Wars: Episode I at the Korean box office. A year later, Park’s Joint Security Area fared even better. Korean films may deliver a fresh perspective on universal themes of human frailty, compassion and brotherhood, but these films S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 5 2

also succeeded in addressing an issue close to Koreans: conflict with the neighbours.

The Korean spirit is what spurs its manic energy.

Spiritually, the culture balances traditionally Buddhist ideologies with those of the Christian faith, which was brought to Korea 200 years ago. The result is a hybrid morality comprised of often opposing beliefs. As convoluted as this may make Koreans seem, it offers a valuable insight into their lives.

True to form, Korea’s film industry does not shy away from this emotional minefield. Two films that explore this are Secret Sunshine (2007) and Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter… and Spring (2003). Both can be seen as morality plays of Christianity and Buddhism, respectively. The former tells of a woman’s strife after the loss of her husband. She is bombarded by others who’ve found solace in God, but to the film’s credit, it remains objective. The latter, in contrast, portrays a man’s journey of self-discovery through the Buddhist ideals into which he was born.

We cinephiles discover the lives of others as we gaze at apparitions of sound and light.

A collective energy is imprinted on film. What is Korea, then, seen in this light? A contradictory and searching culture – but one that’s also revealing, quirky and passionate.

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It is both the turbulent past and the fluctuating present that informs Korea’s zeitgeist

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And here comes Nollywood Nigeria’s burgeoning movie industry is hitting new highs as its cast and crew ditch the kitsch in favour of quality feature films. The result?

Interest – and investment – on an international scale Words Nana Ocran

Images courtesy of the various studios

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irror Boy, Tango With Me, The Figurine – anyone who’s tapped in to Nollywood, Nigeria’s powerful $600 milliondollar (and counting) film industry, will recognise these blockbuster titles. They’re some of the biggest, most successful films to have come out of the West African movie-making stable over the last few years.

Nollywood is second only to Bollywood in terms of output.

Even Hollywood, the doyenne of the movie industry, will have to look sharp in terms of its

business savvy and audience pulling power.

Thanks to the digital revolution, affordable high-definition cameras and the entrepreneurial zeal of Nigerians, Nollywood – Nigeria’s biggest creative export – is upping its game. Once known for kitsch sets and shaky acting, the industry is changing. It’s evolving into something slick enough to release up to 1 000 featurelength movies a year, at around $15 000 for the average 10 days that it takes to complete each shoot-from-the-hip production.

Added to this is the VIP status of many of Nollywood’s stars, who often come under the spotlight as much for their off-screen antics as they do for their on-screen portrayals. The biggest names are Genevieve Nnaji, Stephanie Okereke, Rita Dominic, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Desmond Elliot, Ramsey Nouah, Nadia Buari, Majid Michel and Jackie Appiah – the last three being Ghanaian, but popular enough to confidently claim ‘Naija’ A-list status.

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Images courtesy of the various studios

a long way from the early 1990s, when the then Lagos-based, straight-to-video industry started to blossom due to Nigeria’s lack of cinema venues.

Many of the plot lines centred on infidelity, get-rich-quick schemes, interfering relatives and cultural foibles. These days, there’s more imagination, along with broader access to free online classic and new releases via companies like iROKOtv (www.irokotv.com).

Added to this are distributors like the London-based Talking Drum Entertainment (TDE). With access to myriad cinema screens in the UK and Europe, TDE is key to ensuring that the industry evolves into a global entity that goes far beyond entertaining an African audience. The company’s executive director, Dapo Oshiyemi, explains: “What’s driving the industry forward – apart from better quality films – is that Nollywood films now have greater access to international markets like the UK, US and South Africa. Nollywood films can generate larger incomes from multi-income streams like theatres, DVD and pay per view on a global basis.”

This year, a new initiative, Nollywood Week Paris Festival, was launched, with plans for an annual event. Films included Ijé (The Journey), about a woman chasing the American dream; the slapstick Phone Swap

involving a destination mixup; and Inalé, which sets love against tradition.

The festival’s director of communications, Nadira Shakur, acknowledges that Nollywood has gone beyond Nigeria’s borders, but says: “It is still virtually unknown in France. We felt it was time to bring the second largest film industry to the country that invented cinema – France – in a festival format. We had over 1 000 spectators watching seven films over four days, with directors including Tunde Kelani, Obi Emelonye and producer Keke Bongos flying in from Nigeria.”

Nollywood has generated interest in other places too.

In 2011, Copenhagen hosted Denmark’s first Nollywood film festival. Danish newcomers to Nigerian cinema were treated to a variety of Nollywood themes, plus the appearance of director Jeta Amata, who attended a Q&A of his film, Black Gold, which deals with the oil situation in the Niger Delta. Amata’s film features well-known US actors – Vivica A. Fox, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Tom Sizemore – illustrating the fact that Nollywood is confidently pushing the Hollywood envelope.

The growing number of directors to watch also include Mahmood Ali-Balogun, (Tango with Me) and Kunle Afolayan

(Phone Swap). Their films depict psychological drama and slapstick comedy respectively, highlighting the fact that Nollywood can take on all genres. An example of this is Nigeria’s response to South Africa’s breakthrough science fiction movie, District 9.

Successful as it was, the film was criticised by West Africans for depicting flesh-eating Nigerians. Nollywood hit back by releasing its own take on sci-fi, Kajola (Commonwealth), a fantasy directed by Niyi Akinmolayan revolving around a totalitarian Nigerian state in 2059.

More recently, NigerianAmerican writer Nnedi Okorafor used District 9 as inspiration for her latest novel, Lagoon, about an alien invasion in Lagos. What started off as a screenplay for Nollywood director Tchidi Chikere has now been acquired by UK publishers Hodder & Stoughton.

Not bad, in terms of a film plot, for a film industry that’s barely out of its teens.

Nollywood has come far, fast, and there’s no stopping it.

The global potential is clear, but the industry holds firm to the playful sensibilities of its primary audience, who will watch the higher-end blockbusters but are also happy to see lighter fare like Fazebook Babes and Lady Gagaa, as well as horror flicks like Blind Lust.

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Brainstorm central Samsung is breaking new ground in productivity. Words Andrea Nagel

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Images by Ki Ho Park

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n a recent interview, South African author Lauren Beukes spoke of a new app that locks you out of the Net, away from distraction, so you can focus on a specific task. She said the app works wonders, and sales of her latest book confirm this.

The app is called Freedom.

Samsung electronics has its own real-life version of this, but Freedom would hardly be an appropriate name for it.

Fifteen years ago, Samsung set up the Value Innovation Program (VIP), bringing together engineers, designers, product planners, programmers and marketers from the main company and insulating them from the distraction of the outside world. Samsung management hoped that this tactic would radically increase productivity and innovation.

The plan worked: Samsung has since become the world’s largest IT company.

The five-storey VIP Center stands among the huge factories and office towers that make up Samsung’s industrial complex in Suwon, South Korea, a manufacturing town an hour south of Seoul. There are 20 project rooms, 38 bedrooms (where employees can sleep overnight), a gym, sauna, traditional baths, and ping pong and pool tables. The centre is open 24/7, because a great concept can hit at any time.

The idea for the centre is two-fold: to provide a safe space in which to pitch new ideas and to keep Samsung employees devoted to tasks by locking them in, mixing them up, encouraging brainstorming sessions and giving them guidance via ‘‘value innovation” specialists, who are required to keep the think tank on point.

Employees assigned to the programme have to stay at the VIP Center until they’ve solved their specific problems.

Although they may go home to sleep, Samsung executives acknowledge that 18-hour days are not uncommon.

The programme was set up back in 1998. The then chief executive, Yun Jung Yong, concluded that up to 80% of cost and quality is determined in the initial stages of product development. According to Bloomberg Businessweek magazine, Yong believed that the company could streamline its operations and make better gadgets by bringing everyone together at the very start to discuss their different ideas.

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The centre is open 24/7, because a great concept can hit at any time.

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It was like a forerunner to the Big Brother TV series concept, with a group of people living together in a house and having no outside contact – except at the VIP Center, they all had to work together as a team to achieve specific goals.

The centre was born at a time in South Korea’s business history when the government embarked on efforts to propel the nation to the cutting edge of information technologies,

ultimately building a national broadband Internet network that is currently one of the best in the world. ‘‘The growing digital infrastructure gave Samsung a vast, real-world laboratory for testing new products and services,” says Peter Lewis in Fortune magazine.

The idea for the centre was innovative at the time and yielded a number of marketable products for Samsung, including the popular Bordeaux TV. “The company’s obsession with reducing complexity early in the design cycle is one reason Samsung Electronics has lower manufacturing costs, higher profit margins, quicker time to market, and often, more innovative products than its competition,” adds Lewis.

Any employee of the company can pitch an idea at the VIP Center. About 90 projects pass through the centre every year. Each idea is subjected to a selection process and if selected, activated by the team.

The CEO of the European Centre for Strategic Innovation, Alessandro Di Fiore, says: “A VIP project results in a detailed concept, including the value proposition, design blueprints and technical and cost specifications. When completed, the project is passed to the standard product development process for further development.”

Staff at the VIP Center aim to make Samsung gadgets more user-friendly and to trim inefficiencies in the manufacturing and development processes.

In setting up the centre, Yong wanted to offer customers “new value” by giving them exactly what they want and by finding the ideal balance of cost, innovation and technology that makes a product sell.

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The VIP centre in Suwon, South Korea.

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Experience the retail revolution Phiona Okumu looks at the changing face of retail design on the African continent and Samsung’s new experience store.

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uch has been said of the rise of the African middle class consumer over the last five years.

According to several trend reports, this segment of the new African economy is the target of global investors’ attention, thanks to its newly acquired wealth. Nowhere is this more visible than on the continent’s retail landscape.

West Africa’s biggest shopping centre – a massive $93 million, 10-hectare investment currently under construction – opens its doors in Accra, Ghana in October 2014.

This, after equity firm Actis announced plans back in 2012 to build East Africa’s largest shopping mall which will accommodate leisure, commercial and living facilities in an area measuring 50 000m².

As consumer brands open shop in this ultra-modern establishment, expect to see Samsung’s distinct blue and white flag flying high among them.

Samsung has announced its intention to change the face of retail by launching what it calls “experience shops”. This entails harnessing the power of partnerships to set up stores that reflect our modern-day lifestyle.

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Walking into a Samsung Experience store, you’ll be immediately aware that this is no ordinary shop floor showroom. Each store is a pristine high-tech haven divided into certain sections. The plasma television screens configured on the walls will synchronise with music systems activated by a simple hand motion from the comfort of the sofa (no more fights for the remote control), while a cyber bike will get you visualising your workout on the LCD screen overhead.

Even the die-hard foodie’s experience can be transformed.

Instead of having basic standard fare and convenience foods in your kitchen, a Samsung tablet showcasing your favourite recipes can be fixed atop the kitchen counter alongside state-of-the-art microwaves, stove and fridges. No more wondering what to make for dinner – inspiration is right there in front of you!

“It’s no longer about consumers just going into the shop and buying stuff,” says Samsung Africa’s MD, George Fereirra. “We are building our Samsung Experience shops based on the many hats we all wear daily. A phone is no longer just a communication device, it’s also an apparatus

with which to show your various personalities. For instance, right now we are professionals, but after work we are gaming fanatics. Hence, we are getting to the bottom of how our devices can enrich our lives.”

In April this year, Samsung Electronics South Africa officially opened a first-of-its-kind premium Smart Care Centre in Johannesburg, offering consumers an easily accessible same-day walk-in service across its range of products.

Much more than a repair site, the interactive Smart Care Centre also serves as a training facility for Samsung device users and employees, and offers consultation on how the best cross-functional use can be made of Samsung’s vast product range.

This premium service will be replicated in Samsung’s 290 brand shops currently spread out across the continent. These will transform into demarcated spaces incorporating experience zones. The plan is to roll out 1 000 Samsung Experience shops in Africa at the rate of 30 to 40 a year.

Leading brands that complement the Samsung lifestyle experience, such as DStv, Microsoft Connect Box and Beats By Dre, will be in-store.

Images by Richard Cook

As part of its commitment to growing the capacity of Samsung dealers and distributors, with the exception of its premium flagship experience stores, none of these shops will actually be owned by Samsung but instead by appointed partners – all of them leaders in their local retail communities.

Samsung’s commitment to investing in product and solutions that are built for Africa extends to involving the very people who make the brand a success. “Who better to run a Ugandan enterprise than a Ugandan?” explains Fereirra.

“He speaks the language and he knows the customs. We have the skills to supply the goods which will uplift and create wealth in the communities.”

Sounds like a win-win situation all round.

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From Africa’s own Bill Gates to the writer who has piqued Hollywood's interest, these visionaries are rebranding the continent by showing the world why proudly African is the way to go.

Words Zanele Kumalo THE INNOVATOR

Herman Chinery-Hesse GHANA

www.softtribe.com Dubbed the Bill Gates of Africa, Herman is an IT and software entrepreneur. He was born in Ireland, educated in Ghana and the US, and worked in the UK. He has returned to Ghana, his parents’ homeland, to share ideas about technology.

What is Softtribe all about?

Launched two decades ago, Softtribe is a software developer that designs and implements computerised business application systems in the public and private sectors.

What excites you most about working and living in Africa right now?

The opportunities – we have a young population, our underdeveloped infrastructure means more growth possibilities and the absence of racism means that people who look like me can access opportunities. We’re rich in natural resources, so the sky’s the limit.

Simply put, underdevelopment means opportunities to make money and provide people with better solutions.

How have your achievements rebranded Africa?

The world is finally recognising how we’re ahead of the game. African tech used to be an oxymoron, but it has put us on the map. There are many areas where Africans are leaders. We’re leaders in terms of mobile technology. The existence of people like me tells the world that Africa can operate at a hi-tech level.

What is holding Africa back?

Governments need to work with communities more and they need to favour African business to a greater extent than is currently happening.

What is the next big thing?

In terms of the work that I’m involved in, Shopafrica53. It’s launching later this year. The world has never really seen our products. We are going to change that. We are going to make it possible for international trade to take place in Africa, and we’ll make it possible to empower all Africans, from those in the villages to multinationals, by creating an Amazon or eBay for Africa.

This was never possible before, but mobile telephones have made all the difference. It means that potential geniuses, even those who live in the most rural of areas, can start trading.

Our company will handle logistics, facilitate payment

and create a web presence for their ideas. We will just take a percentage of their transaction.

The payment system will work on any system – you won’t have to have access to data; a mobile telephone is sufficient. Once you’re on our system, we can offer loans. We think that the African diaspora will be the main market.

What do you have our eye on at the moment and want most right now?

I dream of 10 million businesses doing brisk business in Africa so that our countries can become wealthy. People won’t need to come into the city to make money and get rich, so we can reduce the corruption that takes place when people try to bypass laws because they can’t make money in the normal ways.

How do you feel about being labelled “Africa’s father of technology”?

I am flattered, but I’m not there yet. I do want to change things at grassroots level, though; we shouldn’t still have to worry about things like malaria in this day and age, and I would like Africans to be able to pay for whatever they want and need. Africans are not stupid – we just haven’t had certain opportunities.

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THE EPICURE

Swaady Martin-Leke Cote d’Ivoire

www.yswara.com Africa is rarely synonymous with luxury, but Swaady is slowly changing tastes – with tea. Tea is on the uptick, not only as the fastest growing beverage worldwide but also as an elegant ritual, so she couldn’t have picked a better time to promote it.

“Africa is the largest global exporter and the world’s third largest producer of mass-produced tea; tea is also the most consumed beverage after water,” says Swaady.

But Yswara, the brand she founded, is not just about tea.

It’s about making tea a luxurious experience. The artisanal quality associated with tea began as a slow Western movement in the ’80s, culminating in its widespread adoption this decade. Yet Eastern tradition has always associated tea-making and serving with ceremonial grace.

You don't enjoy fine tea made from loose leaves in a hurry. It requires you to indulge in a little ceremony of steaming, steeping and pouring. And Swaady aims to make the experience of Yswara all about creating that perfect tea moment, using

leaves sourced from Malawi, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Sudan and Egypt, along with Rooibos from South Africa.

So far, she has curated a selection of 23 black, white and green teas and flavoured blends. These make up three collections, named after African kingdoms, African queens and the Seven Wonders of Africa.

Then there’s the pièce de résistance: a signature tea with edible 22-carat gold petals.

Clearly, only the best and rarest leaves are handpicked, sundried and processed using strictly natural methods.

They are then packaged in beautiful tea caddies.

Apart from the teas and tea sets made by African designers and artists, scented soy oil massage candles are also sold. Each fragrance references an African city.

“I want to create a global market for luxury teas that are created, blended, packaged in and exported from Africa,” says Swaady. “I’d love to see Yswara, a brand about African heritage and its sophisticated culture, to sit alongside Hermès.”

Swaady uses culture as a source of distinction.

Having been nominated by the French Luxury Institute for a prize in its New Talent category and named as one of Forbes magazine’s 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa, she’s set for success on a local and global scale.

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Swaady Martin-Leke, founder of Yswara

THE VISUAL ARTS AMBASSADOR

Jepchumba Kenya

www.africandigitalart.com Based in Cape Town, Jepchumba is a Kenyan digital artist and cultural curator. Named one of the Youngest Power Women in Africa by Forbes magazine, she has created an online collective for artists to showcase their work, from websites to short films, graphic art or design.

Why is it important that Africans produce art?

Art is essential for the development of any society. It helps us to communicate and it archives what is going on in society. It inspires people to think, create and participate.

What excites you most about working in Africa right now?

Africa has the fastest growing mobile industry in the world.

We are great early adopters.

Many products may work in the West but don’t always apply here. We've proven that with limitations we are great innovators. If the electricity goes off, we make urine-powered generators. We aren't afraid of thinking out the box.

What are the misconceptions about Africa that helped you succeed?

When you do a Google image search of Africa, it's the same visual markers: an outline of a continent or a sunset image

Selfportrait by ADA founder, Jepchumba

with a giraffe. African Digital Art is where you can recognise that Africans are diverse and what is ‘African’ is hard to determine. Africa has always had a rich visual history: different styles of dress, language, food and music.

Little was out there on the Internet to showcase this.

How do you think your success has rebranded Africa?

Before African Digital Art most people may not have associated African art with digital. Technology is not limited to the tech world; it is incredible what happens when creatives use it.

What challenges does a woman in your industry face?

I am usually the only woman on a project, or the ‘only’ African woman. It proves how much harder I have to work to be an example to young girls who want to get involved in the tech/creative industry.

What's your advice to digital artists starting out in Africa?

Share your work, collaborate and network so you get feedback and grow as an artist.

What is holding Africa back?

We worship western culture more than our own and we don't support our own culture as much as we should. The rest of the world has so much to learn from Africa.

What’s the next big thing for Africa digitally?

I see a great opportunity for entertainment distribution.

Digital content has a bright future ahead.

THE TIME-TRAVELLING NOVELIST

Lauren Beukes South Africa

www.laurenbeukes.com An award-winning South African novelist (The Shining Girls, Zoo City, Moxyland), as well as a journalist, scriptwriter, short story and comic writer, Lauren is currently writing her next widely anticipated novel, Broken Monsters.

Recently, rights to The Shining Girls were sold to US actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s film production company, Appian Way. What is the most important thing that your writing has done to shift perceptions about South African authors and novels?

That we can play with twisted and inventive fiction as a way of exploring our current reality; that there’s an appetite for stories told differently; and that we have a unique perspective on the world, wherever the story is set. Broken Monsters is set in Detroit, which is my way of exploring South African issues (that are really global issues) through a different lens. It’s about challenging perceptions: Detroit is a city that looks blighted and violent and ruined from the outside – it’s become a cliché, the same way people perceive Hillbrow, for example.

Similarly, I decided to set The Shining Girls in Chicago, to broaden the canvas of the story and the conversation, but it’s in many ways a Johannesburg story. We like to think that we have the market cornered on corruption, segregation and violent crime, but these are commonalities in every city – and some more than others.

I’m taking South African sensibilities and applying them to the rest of the world.

What excites you most about working and living in South Africa right now?

I’m inspired by our spirit of reconciliation and our sense of humour even in grim circumstances, by the way we have to hustle to make anything happen. Of course we have major problems, that often seem devastating and insurmountable. We’ve cut down the poison tree of apartheid, but the roots of its legacy will still be tripping us up for years to come.

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Lauren Beukes, Novelist, Image by Morné van Zyl/Nikon

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I’m inspired by our spirit of reconciliation, our sense of humour even in grim circumstances, by the way we have to hustle to make anything happen.

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people committed to doing it. It’s a hell of a fight, though. We have to step up.

What are some misconceptions about South Africa that may have helped your success?

That African stories can only be about child soldiers, or Aids orphans, or rural villages, or gloom and despair, or crime, or white versus black. Zoo City took people by surprise.

What qualities do you believe you have that allowed you to become a successful writer?

My success has been 80 percent hard work and determination, 10 percent talent and 10 percent sheer bloody luck. But luck is opportunity that you grab onto. You have to be ready, you have to be cheeky, you have to be gracious.

What advice would you share with writers starting out now in Africa?

I just heard from a brilliant writer friend who was told by a UK agent that her work isn’t “authentically African enough”, meaning it doesn’t conform to expectations. And we laughed about it, but it’s also tragic and stupid.

Defy expectations. Write what you want, write the story that moves you. You don’t have to fit into neat categories. It’ll make it harder to sell, but it’s worth fighting for.

What is the future of books?

I think ebooks, cellphone novels and projects like Paperight (a website that lets you print out books

and other documents legally and quickly) are going to drive literacy by making books more accessible. We need to get stories into children’s hands and their cellphones are already occupying that space. We need to make books widely available and cheap, in formats people have access to.

What do you have planned next?

I have an apartheid novel I want to write, although I’ve been talking to a US producer about possibly doing it as a movie. I’d like to do more comics, maybe another animated show or a TV series or a documentary. I'd like to take a six-month break from novels, although I’ll always return to that form.

Are you excited about Hollywood?

I’m excited that there are smart, generous, committed, ambitious producers who see a spark in my work. It’s fun to imagine the possibilities but I know that development is a long process with no guarantees of the project ever being made.

Regarding each lead character from each book you have written, which actor would you pick to play them?

I don’t cast my characters when I’m writing them. As long as Zinzi and Kirby are played by interesting women who can get into the complexity of their experiences, I’m happy.

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The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.

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Rebranding Africa, one image at a time Two TED fellows are changing perceptions about Africa using citizen photo-journalism.

Words Zanele Kumalo

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overty, disease, war, corruption and failure tend to be five key words most associated with the African continent. It’s what novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns against, saying: “The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”

TED fellows Dr Sheila Ochugboju and Joshua Wanyama have created a visual bank of citizen photo-journalism to tell a different story of the continent: Africa Knows is a crowd-sourced photo agency that aims to rebrand Africa using words and photos.

Sheila is a biological scientist, co-founder of TedxNairobi and a communications expert for an economic think-tank based in Ghana. Joshua is an entrepreneur and online marketer. The two aim to show a continent going through many revolutions at the same time – technological, agricultural,

political and social – and one that can tell its own story instead of letting others perpetuate a story for Africa.

“People tend to choose a simple, myopic lens with which to view a vast, complex continent,” says Sheila. “In the past, perspectives on Africa were usually categorised into two camps: Afro-pessimism or Afro-optimism.”

While admitting that the discourse on Africa has matured, Sheila cites as an example the way in which the press reports on globalisation: “It’s all about how Africans will be left behind in the march to modernity, yet Kenyans have embraced innovative banking systems like mPesa to allow the poor, mostly unbanked population to conduct transactions with a lot less fraud than that within the banking system.

Africans are inventive, pragmatic and can find solutions.”

The image bank currently holds content from 13 African countries. She and Joshua are working to grow these numbers S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 7 1

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When it comes to Africa, people tend to choose a simple,

and include photos from all over Africa.

The images needn’t be of professional quality, but they have to be technically sound in terms of composition, having no digital noise or grain and capturing a realistic view of daily life in Africa.

They have over 4 000 images, as well as more than 100 000 images they share with the Bigstock database.

Sheila concludes: “Africa emerged S 1 3

from the global recession with a growth trajectory that surprised many. Also, the continent comprises mostly young people, whereas many developed economies are ageing and can’t replenish their populations within a generation.

“This may be our wild card, along with our embrace of technology and our partnerships with emerging economies like China, Brazil and others.”

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Nairobi Night by Cindy Okello

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Lekki bridge by Joshua Wanyama

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myopic lens with which to view a vast, complex continent

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Brave new world Kenya’s iHub is revolutionising business in Africa. How? Not via plans, charity or committees, but by harnessing hi-tech to uplift its citizens.

Words Nicholas Boerma

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enya is home to many promising technology start-ups that had to shut down when hard times hit.

The contested election of 2008 was marred by conflict as dissidents clashed with despot rulers in a sad African cliché.

Perhaps it’s thanks to Kenya’s beauty, proud history and most of all, the resilience of Kenyans, that pockets of technological advancements began to manifest. Take this success story: Ushahidi means “testimony” and ushahidi.com was just that. It was a site designed

to crowd source (asking ordinary people to report on and track) the violent incidents as well as peace efforts taking place in the country via text messages, so that citizens could survive the upheaval. Some 45 000 Kenyans used the site.

This vast number was achieved mainly by word of mouth. It’s a perfect model of African innovation whereby lives have been affected for the better.

The trouble in Kenya had a negative effect on the economies of the whole East African and Great Lakes region. Kenya

is a powerhouse of various resources, not least of which are its people and their hunger for technological advancement.

In 2010, blogger Erik Hersman created the first iHub in Nairobi with the help of funding from Ushahidi. A socalled business incubator and an analogue version of crowd funding and sourcing, the iHub takes the form of a room filled with people who plan to increase capital and promote progress. Hackers, developers, investors, entrepreneurs and eager minds congregate to

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L-R: David Kobia, Ory Okkalbah & Erik Hersman, three of the fouding members of Ushahidi

make good on the metaphor of getting all the right people in the same room.

The iHub is not about schmoosing, though. It’s about peer evaluated learning, shared knowledge and original thinking. It’s about breaking the shackles of poor governance and overcoming socio-economic barriers. iHub is not a substitute for charity but a place where human resources are nurtured in a professional environment.

Hence, cutting-edge business functionality define the iHub.

The building is home to more than 11 000 members, with more than 780 jobs created to date. Jobs are varied and range from social media officer to front-end developer for a refugee site aimed at reuniting estranged loved ones. iHub recruits the best people in their field to share their knowledge, thereby creating opportunities for skills transfer and promotion. Its primary aim is to build a tech community in Kenya and enable the country to become a key player on the global and domestic front.

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a site designed to crowd source the violent incidents as well as peace efforts taking place in the country

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iHub serves as a model for growth from grassroots level and can be adapted to the most developed societies.

The physical space is open, encouraging co-operation between like-minded coders to pool their intellectual resources.

Hersman, the founder of iHub, is a native Kenyan and Sudanese who has pioneered technology in the midst of desolation. His now famous blogs are aply titled “AfriGadget” and “WhiteAfrican”. Erik has generated support for iHub from key sponsors like Samsung, Intel and Google.

The hub has four initiatives: »» Consulting – pertains to

pooling local talent and technology, and in doing so, growing local enterprise. »» Cluster – a new programme dealing with parallel computing and programming. »» UX Lab – an environment where budding mobile and web developers can promote their ideas. »» Research – the basis of iHub’s growth and development.

Through these processes, iHub serves as a model for growth from grassroots level and can be adapted to the most

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developed societies.

Google’s Innovation Awards for 2013 in Kenya went to innovations such as tiny apps for inventory management, paygates or TB patient management. And IBM has built a centre in Kenya to give technology enthusiasts training and access to its hardware and software – a fitting investment in a country where even minibus taxis offer Wifi.

The world is recognising Kenya’s valiant moves to adapt to hi-tech– proof indeed that hard work and perseverance pay off.

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Promotional poster for Ushahidi

Images courtesy of Ushahidi and iHub

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Facehunter An eye on the street from Seoul to Cape Town by Yvan Rodic.

For Yvan Rodic, also known as Facehunter, style is about much more than clothes – it’s an attitude, a form of self-expression, a way of interacting with the world that is at once expansively global and S 1 3 Q 0 2 P 8 4

distinctively local. From this belief sprang Rodic’s plan to go on a yearlong face-hunting expedition to cities like Seoul and Cape Town, to prove that the best outfits and most beautiful faces aren’t necessarily

on runways and in magazines. Look out for his Thames & Hudson coffee table book or look at his blog at www.facehunter.blogspot.com for more inspiration.

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An amazing journey Goitsemang Lengene (South Africa), Ishmael Mensah (Ghana), Mvelo Mvuleni (South Africa), Jep Mallam (Nigeria) and Moses Magnut (Nigeria), were among 12 lucky teens selected to travel to Chelsea Football Club to train with their favourite players.

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Mvelo Mvuleni form South Africa braves the cold for a kick

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amsung Electronics, together with Chelsea Football Club, helped to realise the football dreams of 12 youngsters with their Dream the Blues campaign. It was designed to give youths around the world a once-in-a-lifetime experience by attending a Chelsea football training camp and hospitality programme in London from 14 to 19 May 2013.

The South African youths, Goitsemang Lengene and Mvelo Mvuleni, joined their African teammates – Ishmael Mensah from Ghana and Jep Mallam and Moses Magnut, both from Nigeria – for a trip they’d never forget. The week-long camp included: »» training sessions with Chelsea Football Club foundation coaches »» training exclusively with Dream The Blues ambassadors Fernando Torres, Juan Mata, Oscar dos Santos and Victor Moses »» a tour of Stamford Bridge »» attending the last match of the English Premier League season, where Chelsea took on Everton.

After training with the children, soccer star Fernando Torres enthused: “It is wonderful to play with the kids. The chances that Samsung and Chelsea Football Club have afforded them are huge. I wish I had this chance when I was a kid – it was difficult for me to even find a space to play football. This is a great chance for them to play with the players and learn so they can realise that they too can become a

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closer to realising this dream.”

Jep Mallam added: “I love watching Oscar, Torres, Mata and Victor play football.

Training with them is a dream come true.”

Lucy Jones, Corporate Marketing Leader for Samsung Electronics Africa, concludes: “Samsung supports youth development and provides experiences that go beyond expectations. While this is a global initiative, the strong

The kids are keen to take that passion and some learnt skills with them”

footballer and their dreams can come true. They have to keep trying and working hard.”

The kids are keen to take that passion and some learnt skills with them. Said Ishmael Mensah: “My dream is to become a World Cup captain of the national football team – the Black Stars – and this camp has given me skills that bring me

African presence was felt, giving five African kids the chance of a lifetime. Samsung is about enabling consumers to discover a world of possibilities. The Dream The Blues campaign has been another way for us to give kids who love football access to opportunities that help them realise their dreams.”

Dream The Blues ambassador and Chelsea player, Victor Moses

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Dream The Blues Team, with global youths.

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Tiffany Amber Tiffany Amber celebrates femininity through draping, attention to proportion and creating a distinctive

silhouette designed to “bring out the princess in every woman�.

Head designer and creator Folake Folarin-Coker originally studied Law, completing her Masters in Petroleum Law. However, design took precedence and she launched Tiffany Amber in 1998.

Having grown up in Europe, Folake seamlessly combines her ethnic roots with a global aesthetic. She has extended her clothing range to include a diffusion line, TAN by Tiffany Amber, and a couture line, Folake Folarin.

Jacob Kimmie Inspired by Johannesburg, Jacob Kimmie’s collections are deeply personal, reflecting the

socio-political turmoil in which he grew up. There’s an aesthetic dialogue to his clothing, where tones of anger and romance, submission and dominance emerge. Kimmie explains: “I’m driven by anger and injustice. I think it’s why I push my work to embody an ideal of

absolute, eternal beauty. It’s like an antidote. It’s the only truth to which we can aspire.”

Despite the anger, style remains Kimmie’s trademark – he’s known for his tailored silhouettes and haute couture designs.

Laurence Airline Designer Laurence Chauvin Buthaud founded his menswear

label, Laurence Airline, in 2010 to reflect the two cities he inhabits: Abidjan and Paris. The clothes, like these cities, are dynamic and have mass appeal. Buthaud’s design aesthetic merges contemporary lines and vibrant patterns with a

strong African identity.

Africa’s cultural heritage remains Buthaud’s inspiration. Indeed, his collection is produced in the Ivory Coast, where locals are trained to manufacture quality garments that meet international standards.

Maki Oh Nigerian born Amake Asakwe, designer and creator of the Maki Oh brand, studied at the Art University of Bournemouth in London.

She draws inspiration from her Lagos heritage and the arts in general. Her Fall 2011 line was influenced by classical pianist Ludovico Einaudi’s song, Love Is A Mystery and included geometric prints and texture combinations.

The Fall 2012 collection, inspired

by the works of artist Henri Matisse, earned her the accolade, Designer of the Year. For Asakwe, design is about more than fleeting trends and superfluous colours. It’s about the design process itself and using one’s creative flair.

Images Courtesy of SDR photography and Getty images.

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Angola-la!

Images courtesy of Kostadin Luchansky (angolaimagebank.com) and Julian Taylor Design Associates.

Katya Fidalgo visited Angola a few times before making a decision to move to this bustling central African country – she gives us her personal guide to Luanda.

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very morning we wake up in our retrolicious art deco apartment right in the heart of the city to the sound of heavy traffic, hooting, talking and the fish ladies singing, “Peixe, peixe, peixeeee… fish, fish, fish!” It’s the buzz of Luanda the capital of Angola with a population of 2 million. Luanda’s raw mix of life, reality, fantasy, cruelty and opulence is invigorating.

Exploring the cuisine Food is a crucial element to the Angolan lifestyle. In the mornings you can grab a quick espresso over the counter at most European inspired coffee shops and add to that

a delicious Pastel de nata – a Portuguese pastry. Everything stops for “almoco”, lunchtime.

The restaurants in Angola offer an abundance of variety, specialising in home cooked traditional Portuguese cuisine.

Pimm’s is one of the most popular and established restaurants in the city, and the city centre is full of delicious dining options - Fortaleza, Embaixador, Cais de quarto, Tamariz. Hidden away with no signs on most street corners are the local gems frequented by everyone, which is your best option for traditional homegrown Portuguese food.

Don’t stick to chicken and prawns. Bacalhau, a salted cod fish, is a firm favourite amongst locals while the simple stews and soups at the heart of Angolan cuisine allows each ingredient to speak for

itself. For the most opulent of dining experiences Oon Dah, meaning “wave”, is an absolute indulgence from the venue to the service to the menu to the bill! Owned by the President’s daughter, (and richest African woman) this exquisitely designed restaurant is absolute elegance incarnate.

PIMM’S +244 222336290 FORTALEZA +244 923 416995 EMBAIXADOR +244 923535625 OON DAH +244 937286000 www.oondah.com

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Oon Dah Restaurant, Luanda, designed by Julian Taylor.

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get together to dance traditional Angolan Tchianda. It is a delight to watch.

Paulo Flores is the voice of Luanda - internationally renowned for his music, soulful melodies, his original style and hair (yes his hair!) try and catch him live.

All week party Angolans live by the motto “A vida e uma festa”, meaning “Life is a party”. The “Ilha” or island side of the bay is filled with beach lounges and bars all lined up serving cocktails and light snacks. Some favourites include Lookal, Caribe and Chill out, but be warned - the party only starts at midnight.

And yes, Angolans really know how to party!

This is the Luanda lifestyle primer: Monday you recover from the weekend at work, Tuesday you do some work, Wednesday you start warming up, Thursday you party light, Friday you party hard, Saturday you party real hard, Sunday (yes Sunday) you continue to party on, followed by lazy beach day. On Monday it starts all over again!

LOOKAL +244 936000016 CARIBE +244 222309 493 CHILL OUT +244924282810

Angola street fashion Fashion is a large part of the social calendar in Angola, and locals will find any reason to dress up. With little access to shopping malls or retail stores, local flavour, individuality and creativity is about making the most of what you have — handme-downs are transformed into new confections and clothing S 1 3 Q 0 2 1 0 0

HOTEL TROPICO +2244 222 370011 CELAMAR +244 222309044 cdcangola.com

Too hot zips double as earrings.

Angolans make up 30% of the purchases of luxury brands in Portugal, making brand identity almost a staple in their lives – a uniform if you like as attested to by the abundance of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Chanel monogram prints. Shopping addiction is a growing trend.

The social life Hotel Tropico, in the centre of Luanda, was a refuge to many during the war now it is the heart of the Luanda social scene. Pop in for a drink and you’ll soon find yourself mingling, wine tasting and hobnobbing with practically everyone who is anyone in this town.

The hotel often hosts local and African art events; local artist Guilherme Mampuya is one to watch.

Celamar, run by Marcella is a vibrant art space showcasing artists from all over Africa and Europe. Every Saturday morning a group of young girls

to miss Is it corny to mention Miss Angola 2012 was Miss Universe? Yes, I know this doesn’t quite fit with this topic but I just had to mention this and say that Angolans are extremely proud of Leila Lopes.

The Miss Angola pageant is an event not to be missed. Other events not to be missed include: »» Angolan Music Awards »» Moda Angola »» We Love Africa party

Weekend breakaway Cabo Ledo is the perfect weekend hotspot. Only an hour away from Luanda you’ll find a large stretch of beach, straw umbrellas and fantastic calamari. Go for the day or stay overnight at the cute bungalows at the Carpe Diem Resort – tropical paradise found, fully equipped with air conditioning, mosquito nets and white bed linen.

Images courtesy of Julian Taylor Design Associates.

On the way back, be sure to stop at the well known Kwanza village it’s mostly known for its fishing, but perfect for a drink at sunset.

Serra da Leba is a hidden gem. It may take a little longer to get there and the roads are challenging, but it is well worth the trip – close to the city of Lubango it feels like God has just finished creating it. Dinosaur trees, leaves the size of buildings and views that stretch forever. Find the perfect rock, relax and simply listen.

It’s the perfect place to meditate.

Treat yourself and stay at the 4 star Serra da Chela Hotel.

CARPE DIEM +244 912502207 wwwcarpediemresort.net SERRA DA CHELA HOTEL +244 261245176 www.serradachelahotel.com

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Oon Dah Restaurant, Luanda, designed by Julian Taylor.

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The wide angle Africa is in the process of adapting its television programming

and distribution to the IT age. In doing so, new channels are springing up and gaining huge market share on the continent and beyond.

Words Phiona Okumu

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frica is adapting its television programming and distribution to the IT age by launching new channels that are gaining huge market share

The fashion maverick Jason Njoku, a Nigerian, spotted a gap some years back when a search online for Nollywood films for his mom yielded no results. By then, Nigeria’s film industry was, as it is now, the second largest film market in the world in terms of output, so he knew the demand was there and increasing worldwide. Just like South American telenovelas that populate local African channels (because they are relatively cheap to buy), their low production values never got in the way of their popular pedestrian storylines.

Njoku headed for the Nollywood production capital of Alaba to acquire licences for the West African films. He then brokered Nollywood Love, YouTube’s first online partnership of its kind in Africa, which streamed Nigerian films. In January 2012, it became the blueprint for the media giant that is now iROKOtv.

Sistaz Image courtesy of ebonyLifeTV. Images courtesy of Joanna Imrie for PANA TV

Mixed bag The Internet has been indispensible for supplying content produced in Africa to a broad overseas contingent. PANA TV (Pan African TV) is an Internet television service that streams a variety of African-inspired news and shows to the world.

Streaming in English, Arabic, French and Portuguese, it has a mostly diasporan African audience – a segment of the global market with a large demand for this programming and with the fast and cheap

broadband facilities to enable consumption.

Much of Africa’s Internet consumption happens on web-enabled feature phones.

Video-on-demand platforms like Kenya-based Buni TV have seized the opportunity to reach African viewers through both web and mobile.

Exchange plan Buni TV is part of Buni Media, the multimedia house behind Kenya’s political satire programme, The XYZ Show, which reaches a monthly audience of over eight million via Web and mobile. Its proposition for content owners like producers and filmmakers is a 50/50 advertising revenue split.

In February 2013, Buni TV also partnered with the Senegal-based AfricaFilms.tv.

These two platforms share their catalogues to target continental and diaspora audiences, while continuing to operate under their own brands.

Not only does this herald an unprecedented way for African visual content to be monetised, it also lays out a long-overdue digital path for cultural exchange between Anglophone and Francophone Africa.

Youth appeal Another new entertainment and lifestyle channel is EbonyLife TV. Launched initially on DStv, EbonyLife will roll out syndicated programmes on other pay TV platforms worldwide, including Sky TV in the UK and DISH in the US. Expect a range of high quality, locally commissioned shows from drama through comedy as EbonyLife positions itself to be “Africa’s first global black entertainment network”.

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The stars from new reality series Sistaz! on EbonyLife TV, L-R: Stephanie Coker, Eleni and Jojo Stavro.

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Series of screen grabs from a Pana TV documentary shot by Joanna Imrie.

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Game changer «

To stay at the top of my game, I have worked really hard on my strengths in the last couple of years. The only way to get there is to train and refine those skills until they become second nature!

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— Chiliboy Ralepelle

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What if you could get tips from Ernie Els to improve your golf swing? Or ask AB de Villiers for help with your cricket serve? With Smart Trainer, an innovative online training programme now available on Samsung phones, you’ll always have the best players in your corner.

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hat makes a top sportsman truly great? Why are some of us born to be faster, higher and stronger than others? Now you can tap into the skill and talent of the sporting world’s biggest names and use their valuable input to up your game.

LLoyd Rabie, CEO and founder of Smart Trainer, wanted to create a platform for young people everywhere, so they could receive support on the sportsfield, whatever their circumstances. Now Samsung users can enjoy free access to content from www.smarttrainer.co.za, Rabie’s inspiring online training programme.

Whether you’re an eager dad wanting to show your son the ropes, or a keen sportsman who wants to go to the next level, Smart Trainer is the answer.

The offering already offers training programmes from

sporting greats like Roland Schoeman, Mark Fish and Chiliboy Ralepelle. Exciting new coaches are added all the time, with many popular professional players joining Smart Trainer each month to share what they know. New content becomes available on a monthly basis, depending on which sports are in season.

You don’t have to be online to access the info you’ve downloaded – you’ll have access to all the videos and courses you downloaded whenever you need it.

The great news for Samsung users is that the Smart Trainer app will be preinstalled on all Samsung smart devices. It will also be available to purchase in the Samsung App Store, which means that Samsung users everywhere will now be able to follow their dreams with a little help from their sporting heroes.

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A day in the life of…

Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 takes technology further to help us lead simpler and more fulfilled lives. Meet members of the team who are working to bring this technology to households across Africa:

Craige Fleischer Director: Mobile Communications (Samsung Electronics South Africa) What was your first job? Being a waiter. This taught me to put the customer first and that the better your service, the better your remuneration, as I worked for tips only.

What is the one thing you do every day, without fail? I am usually the first one up in the morning in my family, so I suppose the thing I do every day without fail is to make the family coffee.

Describe your favourite work outfit. I always wear a suit except on Fridays. I’ll still put on a blazer with my jeans on a Friday, though.

What’s in your lunch tin today?

I have 500 grams of biltong, an apple and a bag of cashew nuts.

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What tips can you give regardbeen working long and hard ing time management? I am up on our strategy, and are seeing early, so I usually check emails, the fruits of our labour. It’s so appointments and tasks for the satisfying. day before I get going. It gives Your proudest career achieveme a sense of what the day ment to date? There have been holds so I can prepare myself. quite a few, but the most recent Planning is the key to success was the Africa launch of the in any job; one needs to be proS4. It was the culmination of active. I don’t like surprises in months of planning and was business, so my team and I try executed perfectly. I’m proud to pre-empt most outcomes and of my team! plan well in advance.

What’s your favourite feature How do you use social media? of the S4? I love playing games I am more of an observer with against my kids in group play. regard to Facebook. I like to This lets the kids do what they keep my private life to myself. love too and gives us interacI only post pictures and check tive time together. in when travelling globally.

How much physical activity I spend the last hour of my do you engage in every day? I day on my Galaxy S4, checktrain four days a week with a ing mail and going through personal trainer before work.

Twitter. Twitter gives me a I have always believed in the good idea of what is happening “healthy mind, healthy body” around the world in terms of ethos. technology and news. I also get What are your favourite hobreal-time information on what bies? I love to read or meditate. leaders feel about Samsung and I’m also more spontaneous, our competitors. which is a different approach to What gives you the most the way I run my business. satisfaction at work? Seeing In three words, describe being the plans come together. We’ve in the job you are in. I love it!

Emmanuel Revmatas Director: HHP (Samsung Electronics West Africa) Describe your favourite work outfit My local Naija style twopiece kaftans.

What was your first job?

Human Resources Officer.

Your proudest career achievement to date? Being part of creating Samsung history in Nigeria.

Aiden Rosseau Business Leader: HHP, Samsung Electronics Southern Africa How do you prepare for a day at the office? I make an action list that is prioritised between meetings and operational executions.

What was your first job? As a teenager I served tables in a restaurant on weekends.

What is the one thing you do every day, without fail? I check the month-to-date sales status.

What is the one thing you do every day, without fail? Go through all my emails, wherever I am. While my driver fights his way through early morning Lagos traffic, I check my emails on my S4. And using a Samsung application, I do some work-related approvals.

What tips can you give regarding time management? Plan, prioritise, delegate.

How do you use social media?

I network and connect with friends, colleagues and customers. I use Facebook to chat to my sons who are at university overseas. I also Skype my son, who is in London, from my S4 on the drive home.

What exciting aspects of the S4 campaign are you working on right now? We will be running weekly free S4 User

Workshops for existing and potential customers. They will take place at our Samsung Experience Stores on Saturday mornings.

What’s your favourite feature of the S4? The Sound & Shot feature, which is best described as pictures with sound. It is not a video, it’s a still image where you can record a few words of up to nine seconds before or after the picture. It’s so cool!

What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep at night? I kiss my wife goodnight and say thank you to the universe that I lived to fight another day.

In three words, how would you describe your job? A rollercoaster ride!

What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep every night? I reflect on the day’s events and understand the priorities in brief for the morning.

Describe your favourite work outfit. Semi formal – jeans, jacket and lounge shirt (no tie).

Do you buy lunch or bring food in from home? I tend to buy lunch. I enjoy a local franchise peri-peri chicken called Nando’s. I do a lot of business lunches too.

How do you use social media?

I monitor upcoming events, competitor activities and performance in the marketplace. I also catch up with my extended family.

In three words, describe your job Finger on pulse!

What is your proudest career achievement to date? Taking over a run-down export

department in 2009 and turning it around completely by building a new department and achieving the set targets.

What’s your favourite feature of the S4? I like the S-Health.

It enhances active and healthy lifestyles, motivating you to do more because it tracks what you’re doing and gives you feedback on your progress. It has features like Walk Mate, Food Tracker, Exercise Mate, Comfort Level and lots more.

The Galaxy S4 also has sensors that can pick up your blood pressure or sugar levels.

How much physical activity do you engage in every day?

Depending on the day of the week and if I’m in the country or travelling, I average an hour and a half.

What are your favourite hobbies? Playing soccer and golf.

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Business Leader: Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics East Africa

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I bid goodnight to my children and then reflect on the day’s events with my S4 planner, noting every good thing that happened that day.

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In three words, describe your job. Create consumer experiences.

What is the one thing you do every day, without fail? I use my S4 to read up on tech news locally and internationally.

What time-management tips can you give? The S4’s planner and organiser is the best tool to manage your time. The ability to port events and to-do lists from emails and other screens to the S Planner eases the task of managing your day. You can’t forget about something you haven’t done as it just moves into the next day calendar.

What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep every night? I bid goodnight to my children and then reflect on the day’s events with my S4 planner, noting every good thing that happened that day.

I also check the schedule for the next day. If I am travelling outside the country, I check the weather on the phone and other important things about the destination.

What was the first job you ever had? My first job after university was doing a oneyear engineering training programme in a fixed telecoms switch company, learning the software programming and configuration.

Do you buy lunch or bring food in from home? I believe in eating with my colleagues as part of my bonding time. This gives me an opportunity to listen, understand and learn things that I would not normally learn in the office. Tricky problems are often solved in the cafeteria.

Describe your favourite work outfit. I love wearing smart, strong outfits – a combination of office shirts, trousers, a jacket and decent shoes. I prefer not to wear suits on a normal work day.

How do you use social media?

I only use Facebook for work purposes. I use Twitter and sometimes blog on my personal blog.

What gives you the most satisfaction at work? Building the ecosystem is crucial to me. I attain satisfaction from getting feedback and reading reviews by bloggers, developers and the community. I enjoy having conversations and building brand value in the youth market.

What is your proudest career achievement to date?

Being called by NASA App Challenges to be a judge in the Kenyan leg of their competition.

How much physical activity do you engage in every day? I ride the stationary bike for 20 to 30 minutes and do toning exercises.

What are your hobbies?

Listening to music and reading the latest tech blogs.

illustrations by Vali Mbusi

Changarampatt Manoj

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