Every two years, Nando’s takes on a talent search for the next Hot Young Designer (HYD). The event was hosted at Constitutional Hill on the 26th of October and after an in-depth evaluation of the top 10 finalists, design duo Nindya Bucktowar and Nikhil Tricam were unveiled as the 2022 Nando’s HYD Talent Search Winners.
This marks the fourth Nando’s HYD talent search competition that saw young designers from across the nation answer the call to conceptualise a condiment unit to display the brand’s acclaimed Peri-Peri sauces.
The competition received 134 entries from across the country and the finalists were chosen by 12 local and global industry judges. Drawing inspiration from each other, the duo’s winning entry looked at the South African flora and desert landscapes.
About the winners:
Nindya and Nikhil are the founders and owners of Kalki Ceramics, a Durban based design studio that specialises in bespoke handcrafted ceramic tiles. When asked what inspired them to become designers, this is what Nindya had to say:
“I think there is something really magical in the fact that we are incredibly talented to create beautiful things. Sometimes people ask me, what do you do and what’s your purpose here? And my answer is always, ‘to create beauty’”.
Nikhil added, “it’s to affect a visible and real change in my immediate surroundings, that can be architecturally or through product design. When we conceive of something and have the ability to actually manifest it in real life…”
The motivation behind the pair’s entry to the competition was because Nando’s HYD is one of the most incredible programs run globally.
Amongst the finalists is Mbali Maseko who is an architectural designer. Mbali took a leap into interior designing for the Nando’s HYD and from her experience she had fun and learned a lot.
“I just wanted to take a leap into design because the industry I was in was more technical. So, I was really exploring,” she said. Mbali reiterated that it does not end here for her.
However, she looks forward to having a relationship with Nando’s and Clout/SA.
Kalki Ceramic’s winning Cactus Server draws the pair’s combined experience in ceramics, product design and architecture create a rich and textural functional art piece. The duo mentioned that the competition was not an easy one, but they are very proud and glad to have won.
“I always had faith in our design, we wouldn’t have put it forward if we didn’t think it was worthy of winning, and we also said that even if we don’t win, we love it so much that we are going to build it somehow. So, when we won, we were like ‘cool’ it just validates the faith we already had in the design,” Nikhil said.
Titled as the winners for the Nando’s’ HYD 2022 will open new business opportunities for both Bucktowar and Tricam. This includes having their piece prototyped and incorporated on Nandos’ Portal to Africa, an online ordering and purchasing platform utilised by interior design studios. Locally and globally, to source South African designer items that will be used in Nando’s’ restaurants across the globe.
Watch the full interview with our winners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM8cy2Mhq0w
The winners will also receive ongoing mentorship and development support from the Clout/SA team. Which is designed to help fast-track their progress in the industry.
For more information on Nando’s HYD 2022, please visit https://clout-sadesign.co.za/ . #feedyourcreativity
