Your handy A-Z guide to Jozi's Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair

This year's Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair promises to be a celebration of the most eyebrow-raising, delicious and arresting food, design and fashion that SA has to offer.

On from October 12 to 14 at Hyde Park Corner, Joburg, there'll be everything from small-batch gin to handcrafted jewellery as well as a generous helping of snob-iety (and not so much sobriety).

While we can’t help you dodge the inevitable backhanded compliments from assorted socialites, we can help you navigate the stalls.

Here are some of the best ones to look out for:

A IS FOR ALEXANDRA HÖJER & METRO

Swedish-born fashion designer Alexandra Höjer’s Atelier is one of the coolest shops to open on Bree Street, Cape Town. She makes wearable limited-edition garments that reflect a modern nostalgia.

B IS FOR BABYLONSTOREN

SA’s pioneering lifestyle brand Babylonstoren will be running and curating the Lifestyle Pavilion, one of the four pavilions at the show.

Babylonstoren is a Cape Dutch farm that boasts one of the best-preserved historic farmyards in the country.

C IS FOR COLLABORATION

Sunday Times Fashion and Tinsel Gallery, which is headlining the jewellery pavilion at this year's fair, collaborated with a host of creatives on a collection of unique earrings. 

Swing by the Tinsel Gallery stand to check them out, or click here to find out more about the various creatives' jewellery designs.

D IS FOR DARK HORSE

Dark Horse is a Cape Town studio that creates its own sexy brand of furniture and accessories like classic leather satchels, wallets and notebooks.

E IS FOR ESPOSITO

Hailing from the Kamberg Valley in the Drakensberg, Esposito brings an authentic taste of Italy to your kitchen with their handcrafted cured pork products. These natural delights are made using traditional Apennine methods from pigs fed on milk, cereal and acorns (in season) with no growth hormones or antibiotics.

F IS FOR FROST POPSICLES

The most delicious alcohol-infused ice lollies in a wide range of flavours.

G IS FOR GIN

The cool thing about a trend is setting it, not playing catch-up. And South African craft gin makers are right at the front of the pack, leading the revival of the white spirit. Flowstone Gin, Westcliff Gin, Mirari, Jorgensen and Ginifer are five great gin makers whose wares you can taste at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair.

H IS FOR HOUTLANDER

Founded by designers Phillip Hollander and Stephen Wilson, Houtlander makes furniture that's not only beautiful, but functional and easy to live with.

Check it out if you're a fan of Modernist design with a Scandinavian aesthetic.

I IS FOR IRRESISTIBLE

Chocoloza pralines are made with pure Belgian chocolate — and traditional Belgian methods — as well as the best ingredients SA has to offer: the finest fruits and nuts in the world.

J IS FOR JANE SEWS

Cape Town designer Amy Venter’s clothing label, Jane Sews, combines classic shapes and styles with a focus on quality and craftsmanship.

K IS FOR KARU

Karu is a line of artisanal home textiles and clothing that balances style with simplicity and craftsmanship with ease. Each versatile piece is designed to be timeless and convey the softness of feeling at home.

Whether in the carved wooden block prints or hand quilting, dyeing and stitching, each Karu product has a handprint, making it subtly unique.

L IS FOR LRNCE

Based in Marrakesh and surrounded by palm trees and oversized djellabas, LRNCE is inspired by the cults and rituals of African tribes.

The brand was established in 2013 by Belgian sun chaser Laurence Leenaert, who creates beautifully textured cushions with intriguing line designs, magnificent blankets and carpets and ceramics that are works of art

M IS FOR MAKERS OF STUFF

A Johannesburg-based design studio creating a range of lighting and furniture products. They specialise in commissioned bespoke design pieces.

• For N - Z, please visit Times Select.