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hink rich and opulent furnishings that ooze sophisticated style and elegance and only one name pops to mind. Gracing the homes of diplomats, celebrities and private clients across the globe, the beautiful bespoke pieces that are lovingly handcrafted by Moorgas & Sons are highly sought after by those in the know. Expert artisans and skilled practitioners amalgamate their unsurpassed skills and pure passion to create exquisite pieces of furniture that are more akin to that of fine art. The source of this dedication emanates from the owner’s of the business, David and Lianne Moorgas, who exudes a friendly, laid-back charm and absolute passion for their business. In the words of David. “I learnt everything I know from my father, who was also an artisan. I used to help him in his workshop during the school holidays and he taught me how to make furniture and cabinetry. It was a chore at first, but as I began to produce my own pieces, my passion for the work grew and led to me to where I am today.” David’s inspiration for starting his own business came from his youngest son. He tells the story that one morning, while walking with him in Hermanus, he looked at the rays of sunlight shining down on his son’s face, and a vision came to him – to start his own furniture and cabinetry workshop and follow in the footsteps of his father. In 2007, David and Lianne purchased a going concern and with 10 of their key employees from a previous business, they turned the dated entity into a thriving factory with over a 100 employees. David’s passion for his business runs to his people as well and every year he awards apprenticeships to 10 eager learners from previously disadvantaged areas. “The key is to pass on the knowledge from workman to apprentice, like my father did with me. Each carver is given an assistant and they learn first-hand through working experience. I love this project as I feel I am not only helping someone gain knowledge and experience to change their lives, but am supporting their families at the same time.” Staying true to maintaining a family-run business, David’s wife,
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Lianne supported him from the beginning and has been his ‘right-hand-woman’ ever since. Lianne’s forte has been the design-side of the business – conceptualising ideas with David and then hand-drawing them for client proposals. While technology now allows her to draft her ideas on computer instead of by hand, her passion for the business remains and she now runs her own design studio in the factory where they show case their finished pieces to architects, interior designers and other industry specialists. When asked whether she sees her sons taking over the family business from their father, she isn’t sure. “I think the boys would study something that would benefit the company from a more corporate business perspective.” Maintaining the highest standards of workmanship and staying loyal and true to clients has always been the backbone of the business and one that has culminated in an elite client-base, including the likes of Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher and the exclusive One&Only Hotel. By not serving retailers with mass-produced pieces, David has been able to maintain his vision of ‘marrying modern technology to the time-honoured techniques of traditional craftsmen and artisans, to create products that truly redefine the concept of exclusive furnishings’. Proudly South African manufactured products, using only locally sourced materials for each piece, hence boosting the local economy and thus encouraging consumers to purchase local South African products and services. David and Lianne believes in quality, not quantity and takes extreme pride in their work, which echoes in his ethos of “a leader does not stand next to his people, he leads from the front. With a history of over 50 years and an upcoming upgrade of the factory and brand to maintain their world-class standards, Moorgas & Sons has comfortably carved a niche in the highend, bespoke furniture production industry and continues to grow from strength to strength.
Affluence Magazine August 2014
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