31/08/2026
On the 1st of September 2002 I opened a shop on the Pimlico Road in London. I can now see how brave it was- I was 26, I had no money or track record, just an idea and a dream- to sell the very best South Africa could make in the international interior design market. A small brand faces is so many challenges - so many things that I never even dreamed I would have to deal with and things ebb and flow - and I’ve made many many mistakes- but on the whole I’m so proud of the people I’ve worked with- clients, craftsmen and team members- and of the many many beautiful pieces of furniture that we have made. The Furniture collection is now beautifully distilled point of view of pieces handmade autism is either in Portugal or South Africa and in the next two weeks we will announce an exciting new home for the Justin van Breda Furniture Collection in London which is something we’ve been working on for a year - quite simply the most serendipitous meeting turned into a wonderful opportunity. My own life took a huge turn two years ago and I I’m now living back in my home country of South Africa having set up another dream – Craft School South Africa- and I travel to England as much as I can to see clients, friends who think I’ve fallen off the face of the Earth, and my beloved dogs. It’s not easy to move away from a 25 year life- and when I look at this photograph taken the day before that shop opened I was filled with so much purpose and I feel so lucky that that same passion and sense of purpose carries on in the handmade furniture collection and I recognise that sense of purpose in the 26-year-old me now in the work I am doing at the Craft School where we really can empower with hope young people with so little opportunity. I want to thank the people who have helped me on this journey in many ways- friends clients and colleagues and I’m going to name some colleagues over the past 24 years- somewhere at the beginning and are still there now - Marni Burger Matthew H Welden Amelia Hobson Sarah Heinamann l Bronze & Crystal Artist Isabel and Co Interior Designer Sussex Jacob Cilla Van Breda Greg Mellor margot.gilfillan Warwick Slow THANK YOU
