Lively exhibition space at this year’s Ideas Expo

Imagine a market place were young creatives could meet to share ideas and showcase quality quintessential products that they made. Such was the case at the Ideas Expo Exhibition space this part week at the BOBS Auditorium. Fashion Designers/Stylists, shoemakers, illustrators, store owners, barbers, graffiti artists, and portrait artists were present to showcase their latest innovations.

 
Past Ideas Expo creative conferences often neglected the exhibition aspect of the event something the organisers sought to correct this year, “This year, we want to push other existing activities such as the exhibition part of the creative week. Last year it did not attract as many people so this year we want it to have a market feel and stand out.” One of the organisers Tumiso Mabusela had said in an earlier interview.

 
Local fashion stylists GatshFros showcased their new collection inspired by the traditional Mogagolwane blanket. They showed designs in bags, hats and winter blazers while esteemed graffiti artist Khwezi Mphatlalatsane also showed some of his street graffiti work. African lace showed their new shoe collection and bags while furniture makers Tyre Seats exhibited their stools made out of old tyres. A barber whose work station was placed In the middle of the exhibition space was a unique touch.

 
“This is the first time that we are exhibiting and we are happy that, people are excited about our stuff and they appreciate what we do. On day one of the Expo, a lot of people didn’t come maybe because of the change of venue. UB is a central location and more people would have come to the exhibition. More people showed up on the second day maybe because it was on a Saturday.  I am just happy that, most of our target market was here so we have a lot of potential clients, we are definitely interested in being a part of the exhibition next year,” said Gaone Mothibi and Tsholo Dikobe.