Coutriers won the countrywide design competition aimed at discovering the next generation of environment-friendly designers in South Africa. He not only won the title of top green designer and a MacBook Pro worth R26,000 but now could also see his designs produced and retailed in selected Woolworths homeware stores.
First runner-up is Kirsten Skidmore, a graphic-design student from The Red & Yellow School in Cape Town, for her distinctive and savvy shopper, made from recycled Woolworths plastic shopping bags. Kirsten won a MacBook Air worth R23,000. Nivesh Rawatlal, also a graphic-design student from Durban University of Technology, was second runner-up for his cost-effective and sustainable canvas place mats. Nivesh won a MacBook worth R13,000.
“Clayton-Emil's evocative designs have a uniquely South African look,” says Paul Duncan, head of design, homeware, Woolworths. “They are inspired and new. They embody what House and Leisure and Woolworths are looking for in their search for new home-grown designers. His designs are unique and timeless and I believe they will resonate with our customer.”
The competition was looking for a winner whose original designs would demonstrate an understanding of what it takes to design environment-friendly products that can be turned into marketable merchandise to which consumers can relate.
