Behind The Edit

Jinae Heyns's journey to building Matsidiso — an African inspired luxury shoe brand — is in true Behind The Edit style, an unconventional one. Not only is Jinae an American gal living in South Africa, but she's also a digital marketer turn shoe designer. After lengthy deliberations about her mother-in-law's dancewear factory's future, Jinae and her husband decided to pivot the business into a shoe factory in 2017. With no prior experience in the shoe industry, what Jinae has learned and achieved in less than five years is truly remarkable. In the final episode of season one, Jinae gives Behind The Edit an audio tour of her Cape Town-based shoe factory's intricate workings and shares openly about the past few years' most challenging discoveries. Tune in to episode eight to hear Jinae share about her realistic take on the various layers of profitability versus sustainability and the importance of finding a balance between the multiple considerations that impact a business' holistic sustainability. Jinae also talks about having a healthy business ecosystem and happy employees, why breathing is an essential component to running a business successfully, being open to pivoting your business when needed, and why starting small is the best way to grow your brand.

As the founder of Dear Rae — a handcrafted jewellery design studio based in Cape Town — and one of the first artisanal jewellers in South Africa, Karin Rae Matthee needs no formal introduction in the design world. Since the inception of the brand in her parents' home back in 2010, Karin has had a truly magical journey in growing her brand: From recently opening up a beautiful showroom on Bree Street to implementing environmentally-conscious design practices to scaling her business and employing sixteen artisans and operational staff. If you're curious to know what it takes to build a successful brand from scratch, listen in to Behind The Edit to hear Karin share about the early days of building Dear Rae, the importance of an open and honest work environment, and finding freedom in separating herself from her brand. In this episode, Karin also talks about her creative process when birthing a new collection, the impact of having a support structure when running a business, and how the art of observation can turn an unsuccessful moment into a learning experience.

Luke Pedersen created his dream job. Due to a lack of product design opportunities in the country, Luke, alongside his university buddy and business partner, James Lennard, founded Pedersen + Lennard in a garage back in 2008. More than a decade later, their furniture design company based in Cape Town has more than 30 employees and roll out 50 - 60 projects every week. With an Interaction Design master's degree from Mälmo University in Sweden and familial ties to Denmark, Luke brings a Scandinavian touch to all Pedersen + Lennard products. Tune into episode six to hear Luke share more about his connection to Scandinavian design and his intention to design timeless furniture that can be passed down for generations to come. Luke also candidly talks about the design of their infamous bucket chair, the role of conversation in his design process, the intimate partnership between design and production, and why attitude is key when training others.

By (quite literally) weaving her past career experience into one business, Jeanine Birch, founder of Coral & Hive, truly makes a dent in the global design industry. Her bespoke natural handwoven rug studio based in Somerset West has created opportunities for local weavers to create some of the most desired handwoven rugs in the world. Jeannine's innate drive to uplift and support her team of weavers has resulted in successfully collaborating with some of the world's best-known international interior designers. Tune in to the latest episode to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek into Jeannine's world, from tapping into her psychology background to understanding her drive to make the world a little bit better than how she found it. In this episode, Jeannine also shares the ins and outs of the weaving process, why colours are catalysts of emotion, and how the act of weaving can be therapeutic even for children.

If I could use two words to describe Hannah Lavery, it would be structured creative. Her easy-going demeanour, yet calculated approach to her business and life, oozes through everything she does. From successfully building her fashion brand Hannah Lavery as a fresh Design Academy of Fashion graduate to her genius capsule wardrobe designs that live beyond seasons, Hannah exists at the nexus of being serious without taking herself — or her brand — too seriously. No wonder Hannah Lavery clothing is likened to the midpoint between pyjamas and power suits. Take a listen to the latest episode of Behind The Edit to hear Hannah discuss her unplanned plan to build her business, the significance of her "cocoon phase" when processing uncertainty, why it's important to test clothing on real women during the design process, and how unexpected pressure and risk helped her propel her brand forward.

Tamburai Chirume was born to be an entrepreneur. With one foot in finance and another in a market stall (literally), Tamburai — alongside her mother Pauline — build their luxury fashion and accessories brand, ONEOFEACH, from the ground up. Since childhood, Tamburai had an entrepreneurial spirit, and at university, she became the go-to gal for anyone looking to buy a bespoke Pauline Chirume outfit. As a Zimbabwean growing up in South Africa, Tamburai brings a fresh perspective to business and life. Tune in to hear her share about an inspiring collaboration that emerged during the global pandemic, the journey of building a brand from nothing, presenting to 7,000 people at Facebook Dublin, and why one should never underestimate the power of a humble market table displaying beautiful products.

There's something special about Jeanneke Malan, the creative brain behind Mia Mélange — a Stellenbosch-based artisanal weaving atelier. She (alongside her husband, Simon) manages to successfully run five businesses while genuinely knowing and caring deeply for every person she employs. If you want to feel a little bit better about the world, listen to the latest episode of Behind The Edit to hear Jeanneke share priceless anecdotes of the makers behind the brand and how a team member (and a sewing machine) carried her community through the harsh realities of COVID-19. In this episode, Jeanneke also shares her journey of taking over Mia Mélange from the founder and how the brand innovates through making mistakes.

As the founder and creative director of PICHULIK, Katherine-Mary Pichulik is a force to be reckoned with — her intricate jewellery, handmade from utility rope and found pieces, embellish women's wardrobes worldwide. Her bold and colourful pieces reside in numerous international luxury retail and exclusive museum stores, including MoMA, Tate Modern, Bloomingdales, and Selfridges. But like other Behind The Edit guests, her path to success was a winding one. She trained as a printmaker at Michaelis School of Fine Art, qualified as a paâtissier, and travelled while working on organic farms through Spain and India before entering the world of jewellery making. Tune in to the first-ever episode of Behind The Edit to hear Kat speak about the importance of finding the perfect business partner, how inventing and following recipes can be helpful beyond cooking, and trusting your gut during the creative process.