Platform45 Brings Creatives Together Through Wine & Design

Fashion designer Isabelle Lotter interacted with South Africa’s most creative minds at the monthly Wine & Design gatherings. This is an initiative conceptualized and sponsored by web and mobile app developers Platform45, Wine & Design is a space for the likes of architects, fashion designers, creative directors, illustrators and app developers to bounce ideas while enjoying the finest locally cultivated wines.

Isabelle Lotter from SIES!Isabelle was the guest speaker for the session I attended. She shared with us her story of being a fashion designer in South Africa, the struggles, the saturated market and showing at SA Fashion Week. I do not remember much but what stood out for me is when she said – as a designer she doesn’t create looks but rather she creates story with her designs. She wants people to buy and be convinced the story she tells through her clothes or designs. Well... at least something to that effect.  

Co-founder of Platform45, Neil Henegan says, ”We came up with the Wine & Design because we wanted to create an informal social setting for designers to connect. As software developers, we use design to integrate people as closely as possible with the software. User experience is everything and design creates the user experience."

Each event is held in a fresh space and gives like-minded individuals the opportunity to be inspired by a guest speaker from the design field. Past speakers include architect Carl Ascroft, landscape architect Johann Matthysen, illustrator and graphic designer Rikus Ferreira and interior designers Mirisa Ban and PJ du Toit.

If you are a designer and want to connect with other creatives to nourish your bright ideas, while enjoying delicious food and wine, then please contact Platform45 for further details. Cape Town queries can be sent to Tarn de Villiers (tarn@platform45.com) and Johannesburg queries to Annette Beetge (annette@platform45.com). You can also visit the Wine & Design blog www.wine-design.co.za for further details.