Ardmore, with its distinctive African-inspired ceramics, textiles and luxury home décor, is one of South Africa’s most recognisable luxury brands. The idea took shape in a thatch cottage in the Drakensberg — without any thought of creating a premium product.
“The luxury status came naturally as the quality of our work gained recognition globally,” says Fée Halsted, founder and creative director. The brand is now celebrating its 40th anniversary.
From vases and jugs to fabrics, table linen, scarves and a growing line of homeware and apparel products, the style is whimsical and fanciful with a strong use of colour and a sense of naivety. Halsted says the Ardmore creators draw inspiration from the natural beauty of Africa, “and the intricate designs reflect our deep connection to wildlife and culture”.
To mark the 40 years, there was an exhibition in London at Patrick Mavros, a luxury brand that is hosting its first Ardmore community fundraising event at Caversham in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands from June 13 to 15. Later this year Ardmore will exhibit at furniture retailer Ebony in Franschhoek. And a new collection, with new products in the home and fashion categories, will be launched next year.
Ardmore now has global recognition, including from Christie’s London, known for selling high-end art, antiques, jewellery and other luxury items. The brand has collaborated with Hermès (France) and Cole & Son (UK), which allowed its creators to push the boundaries of their art. The latest collaboration with Cole & Son involves a third wallpaper collection with distinctive designs translated into beautiful, high-end interior décor.
The creative team, once all women, has expanded to include male artists, among them Phineas Mweli, Nhlanhla Nsundwane and Wonderboy Nxumalo. The sculpting has also grown more ambitious.
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Ardmore’s largest overseas markets are in the US, the UK and France; it ships worldwide via its website. Ardmore Fashion, launched in 2021, now has stores in Caversham, Joburg and Cape Town, and at OR Tambo International Airport.
The business began with Bonnie Ntshalintshali (who died in 1999) and Halsted crafting moulded ducks and selling these at art fairs. They also created biblical sculptures to sell at exhibitions. Initially, Halsted managed the financials and logistics and fired the ceramics. The small team gradually expanded to include relatives and friends of Ntshalintshali.
It was about nurturing creativity and providing a platform for underprivileged artists to thrive
— Fée Halsted
After being retrenched from her teaching position at Durban Tech, Halsted moved to the Drakensberg to join her farming partner. There she began teaching Ntshalintshali and other local artists. What started as a passion for ceramics evolved into a way of supporting and empowering the local community, leading to the foundation of Ardmore. “It was about nurturing creativity and providing a platform for underprivileged artists to thrive,” says Halsted.
In 2002, Halsted set up Ardmore Studio, the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Museum — the first museum in South Africa named after a black woman artist — and the Gallery at Caversham on Ardmore Farm. Today, there are about 70 sculptors and painters. Halsted’s children — Jonathan, Catherine and Megan — joined the business in 2010. Jonathan now leads Ardmore Home and Catherine designs fabrics and fashion items. Halsted is also training her grandsons, Benjamin and Charles, to carry on the family legacy.
Best-selling pieces are often the most detailed and beautifully crafted works. Animals, especially those with striking patterns such as spots and stripes, are popular, as are endangered species. “These designs and ceramics not only showcase our craftsmanship but also tell important stories about the natural world,” she says.
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The artworks have been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, including the Museum of Arts & Design in New York and the Museum of Cultures in Basel. Pieces are often presented as state gifts to dignitaries, among them the late Queen Elizabeth and former US president Bill Clinton.
In 2013, Ardmore partnered with French luxury brand Hermès to design a series of silk scarves, bringing an African aesthetic to a more global fashion audience.
The name Ardmore, Gaelic for a “high place”, comes from the farm where it all began. It was given by Scottish settlers who moved to the Drakensberg and named the surrounding areas after their former homeland. The name stuck — and so did the legacy.
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