Nicola Hadfield
Interior Designing in Cape Town

Nicola Hadfield a name synonymous with world class creative design in South Africa and internationally renowned for pioneering the countries ever interior design and decor exhibition in 1994.

Just think how many of the world's top garden designers began their careers as interior decorators-the late DAVID HICKS for example. As the years went by there was a need for fresh creative ideas, and these designers came to appreciate the importance of enhancing their beautiful room settings by extending them into the surrounds. Seventeen years ago, then interior designer, art agent and single mother Nicola Hadfield took the South African design world by storm when she launched Decorex SA, the first ever interior design exhibition on the African continent. Decorex SA was launched in 1994, as Nelson Mandela was poised to become the first president of a democratic South Africa. It was a time of hope and opportunity, but also one of sceptism and uncertainty about the country's future. However, these somewhat unstable conditions, a lack of capital, threats from overseas design exhibition competitors, and competitive local exhibition organisors did nothing to deter Nicola who managed to persuade design companies to accept her idea and buy into her dream. With very little money but a whole lot of passion and confidence, she successfully presented the most stylish and comprehensive design exhibition South Africa had ever seen, while also giving the international design exhibition world a new benchmark. The result of Nicola's persistence and business acumen was a record number 27 000 international and local visitors to her first exhibition. After Decorex's debut, enquiries were received from around the world requesting space for the next year's event resulting in Nicola's decision to double the size of the space and then, three years later, trebling it. She then decided to expand the show to Durban and Cape Town and visitors increased to 100 000 while exhibitors, most of whom saw profits soar in their first year of exposure at Decorex SA, continued to exhibit year after year. Determined to maintain the quality and panache the first year brought to the South African market place, Nicola maintained a vigilant eye on the growing exhibition ensuring strict standards of display and presentation.