The Wild Mauritius project is making every attempt to contact all potential stakeholders who have an interest in Mauritian design, from Government, through para-statal bodies and educational institutions, manufacturers and small designer makers. Our mission is to identify those individuals or companies which convey a strong sense of originality, creativity and 'Mauritian-ness' in their design, and whose artefacts would be likely to appeal to discerning buyers in European markets. The selection procedure will, therefore be very stringent, as at the same time designs will need to be competely commercial and practical, as well as meeting EU Safety and other legislation. If you are a stakeholder in the future of Mauritian design, please feel free to contact us on the link below.

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design in Mauritius-the present position

The subject of design has been the matter of widespread debate in recent years. 'Here is an economy', the argument runs, 'which has carved itself an important position in the clothing sector, increasingly the upmarket designer-wear sector, but where is the indigenous talent to feed this growing sector, and expand it into complementary areas, to create a designer based economy and produce home-grown designer products?' In fact this is only partially true, as there is a growing designer sector, but this caters mainly to local markets, in particular visiting tourists, making a small but useful contribution to the economy.

The government has recognised this deficiency, and following a visit and advice from a UN advisor, Professor Edward Newton, it is now proposed to establish an Institute of Fashion and Design in Mauritius, to offer degree-level training and act as resource to design-based businesses. The government further sees this as a potential tool of social democratisation, and as a way of improving and enhancing the Mauritius 'brand'.

What is problematic, however, is that there is no real consensus on what Mauritian design actually is. This is partly a product of Mauritius's diverse ethnic, cultural and faith mix, which takes a pride in its own individual identity. If this is put together with the unique flora and fauna of Mauritius and other factors, this makes the matter of a unique Mauritian design identity complex and difficult to define. There is also a tendency to lean towards mother-cultures in the East and the West for inspiration. This is understandable, but in this context, unproductive.

If you have a view about what makes Mauritian design unique, and where this will lead in the future, please contact the Wild Mauritius project on the link below. The most interesting opinions will be published here. If you prefer, you can join the debate on this subject at Facebook, full url

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2245795135&topic=4304

We look forward to hearing from you.

contact wild mauritius