SANDTON
As part of South Africa’s bold new vision, Johannesburg shopping offers the best world class and local retail experience in the country, with the next generation of retail developments fast becoming new icons in the local fashion scene.
But even before Joburg’s new hype, wealthy suburb SANDTON in the ‘Great North’ has always been the city’s most sophisticated shopping hub, attracting a local upmarket clientele seeking chic or unique labels.
Even though Sandton has its own prestigious ‘Central Business District,’ it’s not too slick or sterile. The local community, a mix of long time residents and international travelers, celebrates its stylish lifestyle with neighbourhood magazine, “Sandton” - a monthly testimonial to what locals call ‘the Good Life.
SANDTON CITY SHOPPING CENTRE
A great place to start (and almost never stop!) shopping is the beating heart of the district, NELSON MANDELA SQUARE - a huge expanse fringed by impressive stone arches with a famous oversized, but very human bronze statue of Mandela that captures his amazing warmth. A high concentration of designer boutiques and fine dining is mixed with enough local curiosities and intimate coffee shops to create variety and local atmosphere.
But you’ll need more than a day to shop around the square once you discover Africa’s biggest shopping centre, SANDTON CITY. I am not necessarily a mall person, as I really love the human scale of strolling an old-fashioned “high street” layout, but Johannesburg is known for its well-designed malls with beautiful interiors, and this is my favourite, with the best variety of upmarket shopping for luxury travelers.
The massive centre has a whopping 144,000 m2 of shopping space that not only offers the best of South Africa, but the world. The country’s new-era upswing of international visitors and business tourism has boosted the presence of hot global fashion brands like DKNY, GUCCI, LOUIS VUITTON, VERSACE COLLECTION, MONTBLANC and one of Jonathan’s favourite Italian streetwear labels, DIESEL. Although I particularly love seeking out local design talent while traveling, the presence of fashion’s big star brands always gives a retail district that ‘on the map’ international cachet.
The three-tiered tower, criss- crossed by escalators, has also aimed for an “Afro-cosmopolitan” mix of over 300 retailers: a melting pot that blends traditional African businesses selling tailor-made African couture, art, tribal crafts and furniture - alongside contemporary South African fashion designers.
In the JENNI BUTTON boutique you’ll find exclusive gowns cut from unusual imported silky fabrics and subtly embellished with traditional beading or evening sparkles.
HILTON WEINER’S URBAN DEGREE store elevates great basic pieces into cutting edge fashion with his distinctively bold graphic patterning, dots, stripes and whimsical colour combos. From cargos to this season’s asymmetrical orange and pink striped sweaters and full 50 skirts you are bound to find new items that are not only wearable - but memorable!
As a mum I absolutely love finding imaginative kids clothing that strikes a balance between the majority of the market, which can be either too dull or over-the-top tacky. NAARTJIE is a great South African label: the boutique is full of fabulous, comfy cotton baby and children's clothing that still has a sense of fun, with bright colours, prints and fashion-conscious cuts.
WIZARDS is a must-see for those who like their women’s wear with edge - the clothes, shoes and bags are stylishly smart but with a unique, even daring flair that will appeal to travelers who want to add a jolt of originality to their wardrobe.
While some jewelers are either niche specialists or gem traders, the excellent ANDRE JEWELLERS offers a one-stop experience. You can find stunning European watches from famous design houses like Baumer Mercier, Tag Heuer and Boss; unusual, high-end ethnic pieces (usually found at the lower end of the market) and superb precious stones sold loose, including the famous local South African diamonds. This store is worth visiting even if you simply love staring at really beautiful, decorative pieces…
The unique, primal quality of African art often intoxicates visitors who want to stay under the spell of this magnificent continent and take a little piece of it home with them. THE TOTEM GALLERY is the perfect place to pick up genuine items that were made for tribal use, not the souvenir market. All the statues or figures, furniture, masks, jewelry and textiles are unique, collectible pieces that come with their own certificate of authenticity and can be shipped worldwide.
Sandton City is only going to get bigger and better. A 1.77-billion Rand redevelopment - due to be completed in 2011 - includes the construction of an 80-storey office tower, Africa’s tallest new building, a new hotel, and an extra 30 000 m2s of retail space.
There is also plenty to see strolling out on NELSON MANDELA SQUARE itself, including the YOUNG DESIGNERS EMPORIUM - ground zero for South Africa’s next generation of fashion talent. Several upcoming designers rent space to showcase their avant-garde urban steetwear, costume jewelry, shoes and graphic T-shirts. Shopping here is a great way to support emerging labels and snap up something totally unique.
This fantastic precinct of shopping centres, outdoor plazas, restaurants and boutiques has exploded over the last few years - you could literally turn shopping into an extreme sport here!
Since I visited 3 years ago so many more mainstream labels have joined the party. But even though it is buzzing with new development the planning is brilliant - all buildings are midrise and flooded with light, and there is lots of open space. The development itself has declared, “no more cage and cocoon.”
In 2009 alone the MELROSE PIAZZA and MELROSE SHOPPING CENTRE opened, combining a tiered urban square and “campanile” belltower with a 23 000m² shopping arcade. Fashion chains like TRUWORTH and FOSCHINI are great for top to toe basics like denim minis, floaty chiffon tops and light cotton summer blazers.
But they are also a great lightening rod for trends, always creating reasonably priced versions of the more directional, hottest runway looks, from bejeweled gladiator sandals to metallics and sequins. Specialist boutiques like EARTHCHILD CLOTHING, EYETIQUE eyewear and COCOA DIVA chocolate and cigars help keep your shopping trip more original and unpredictable.
I love the street level shopping vibe of this whole outdoor neighbourhood, which let’s you stroll for hours and always have something to see or buy - from MAC COSMETICS and OCCITANE Beauty Products to iSTORE. In keeping with the high street flavour that the Precinct wants to create, there are also trendy European or smaller fashion brands like MANGO, TIGER OF SWEDEN, ANA SOUZA, and ETINCELLE - great for travelers like me who don’t have them at home.
Melrose Arch aims to be right up there with the international retail meccas like London’s Regent Street and this dynamic, refreshingly well thought out shopping playground is well on the way!
Jonathan and I are already huge fans of market stalls, such a grass roots way to find unique wares in an age where global chains flatten the shopping experience with sameness…
What I love about this rooftop market is the sounds of African drumming that rings in the air, hypnotically beckoning you in. It is also a great way to sample so many African cultures all in one spot, especially for those travelers who don’t have a chance to discover regional Africa and are just passing through town.
You could get all your gifts or souvenirs under one roof as there is a huge range of artwork, masks, fashion, textiles, carvings, toys and jewelry here from all corners of Africa, from the Ivory Coast to the dustbowl villages of Zimbabwe.
This is a fantastic place to find something special if you are shopping for children. The beautifully crafted toys here are a world away from the cheap, mass-produced plastic objects that kids seem to go through so quickly these days.
Everything has been handmade by craftsmen throughout Africa, from Malawi (now made famous by Madonna) and Tanzania to Angola and South Africa. There are all the boy toys - rockets, trucks, tractors and bikes - as well as really charming soft dolls made from hessian and wool that little girls will carry around for years.
The Fairtrade policy really puts back into the toymakers’ communities, and the objects on the shelf look like little works of art, so you may even want to buy some for yourself!
This wonderful store is owner, Susanne Allers’ passion project: she has curated her favourite South African artists, like PIERRE CRONJE, HALDANE MARTIN and DOERTE BERNE for her Joburg interior design clientele, but the painting, ceramics, pottery, jewelry and linens make great finds and gifts for travelers as well.
The store is actually a converted house with a peaceful enclosed garden. Rather than a conventional shopping experience, a visit to Objekt is more like being invited to a chic designer home, then being able to pick out what you’d like to take with you! I loved the large, iron modernist entrance to the garden where a sculpture hints at the artistry to come… The slant is South African but you’ll also find homewares and crafts from places further afield in Africa like Namibia, Mozambique and Madagascar. Experiencing the space is as enjoyable as finding your favourite item…
Although my passion for fashion and design interiors is my greatest interest, there are plenty of other fun shops and showrooms to visit in Joburg. The vintage motorbikes at Royal Enfield could be a great reward for the men who have had enough of being dragged around the boutiques.
Even I could appreciate the retro beauty of this 1901 British brand, with models like the “Bullet Machismo,” the “Bullet Electra” and the “Bullet Classic Deluxe” bringing back the “British Gentleman Biker” chic of the 1920s, when riders wore goggles and leather gloves, not tattoo!
These niche classic bikes are having an upswing amongst younger people in South Africa as they use far less petrol - and look sensational out on the road. A fun visit!
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