“The creative and cultural sectors of our economy matter because they invest in the very essence of what makes us human: our ability to create, dream, and tell unique stories. A set of distinctive qualities that creative and cultural businesses channel to build a heritage and foster growth.”
So say co-founders Giyani Mashimbye and Cassandra Twala. Their luxury furniture brand, GIYA, blends traditional African design with contemporary aesthetics and is one of the 12 Création Africa laureate cultural businesses chosen for full immersion, incubation, and funding in the French initiative to support the creative and cultural industries of Lesotho, Malawi, and South Africa.
The immediate goal of these Johannesburg-based entrepreneurs is to establish GIYA as an inspiring and sustainable brand in South Africa. In time, they want to take GIYA to international markets to promote African design and craftsmanship globally. “The Création Africa experience has been invaluable in refining our brand strategy to position us to thrive,” says Mashimbye.
“African design has an exciting story to tell the world, and furniture is a wonderful medium to sustainably create timeless heirlooms that represent who we are as Africans: our design talent, our stories, and our relationship with nature and the environment. We’re out to close the gap between heritage and modern luxury through exquisitely crafted and culturally rich pieces,” Twala adds.
Twala and Mashimbye love working in a field that enables them to create tangible opportunities for other craftspeople and entrepreneurs, along with the furniture pieces that come off their design table and studio.
They emphasise harmonising their creations with nature by promoting sustainability across their operations and have already secured strategic partnerships with established manufacturers and distributors. GIYA’s debut range, featuring three uniquely designed chairs, is planned to launch in Johannesburg this summer.
“This is not just furniture – it celebrates creativity, cultural heritage, and sustainability; it creates jobs and a future for many; and it tells Africa’s story.
“It’s about a lasting legacy and taking African design to the world,” Twala concludes.
Find out more:
https://iqoqo.org/ca-top-12/giya-home-pty-ltd
Création Africa is a groundbreaking initiative by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign
Affairs, coordinated by the Embassy of France and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), in partnership with UVU Africa and Bpifrance. It aims to boost and support entrepreneurship in the cultural and creative industries in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi.
