Evolving the Decorex Africa brand identity in a manner that paid homage to its legacy, while leading it into the future, was the task that the longstanding brand set for itself in 2022 – in line with its much publicised relaunch to the industry. This saw the creation of a new branding system that allows room for play and evolution. The rebrand has envisioned the identity as a sum of its parts as opposed to individual elements.
Decorex Africa’s new curator Bielle Bellingham, a former décor magazine editor, commissioned Robyn Newham to take on the task. Newham is an independent Design Director based in South Africa, specialising in human-centric design and three-dimensional brand expressions. For Newham, four key principles informed Decorex Africa’s new brand identity: platform, play, authority, and flexibility.
Representing multiple partners and seasonal design trends, Decorex Africa’s new identity needed to be a platform for culture, community and storytelling while making space for the play and delight intrinsic to a thriving design industry. It was also important to affirm the status of Decorex Africa as the continent’s largest decor and design trade exhibition. Additionally, it needed to be flexible enough to make it future-proof and adaptable for an integrated, 360-degree rollout.
Informed by empathy as a tool that connects brands authentically to their audiences – and the belief that this is at the core of human-centric design – the outcome of this reimagining is a classic logo and flexible grid framework. “These form a base from which to collaborate and a platform for the event’s partners and for African storytelling. It’s simple yet intelligent design that allows for agility,” states Newham.
Newham has created a flexible system of standardised, modular components that can be adapted to different locations. The new identity may be simple, but it is hyper-efficient, confident and boldly executed.
Designing for a new world also means creating an environment that feels as fresh as it is
familiar, including certainty alongside surprise. These principles have guided Decorex Africa’s design towards a place where inclusion, sustainability and excitement coexist symbiotically.
For more information about Decorex:
Please visit https://decorex.co.za/ , contact +27 (0)11 549 8300 or email decorexinfo@reedexpoafrica.co.za.