The start.

Adriaan grew up on the banks of the Olifants River in a small farming community.  After he matriculated he went on to pursue his passion studying fine art.

His professional career started in 1979, where he joined the world of academia, lecturing in fine art at Johan Carinus Art Centre, as well as lecturing part time in Art for the Department of Education, Rhodes University.  Thereafter, he lectured at the Jack Meyer Art Centre in Paarl.

He was appointed Director of the Tygerberg Art Centre in Cape Town and lectured jewellery design at the Cape Town Teachers’ College until 1994, when he was seconded by the Cape Town Education Department to the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Western Cape to establish the offices of the Minister and to act as private secretary to the Minister.

The global stage called.

Three years later he established and managed his own interior design business in De Waterkant, Cape Town, offering a bespoke services to private clients.  In 2002, the global stage called and Adriaan was invited to join internationally renowned Italian Passementerie, Castellano-Beltrame.  He joined the company as creative manager to lead product vision and direction.  During his time at Castellano, Adriaan was responsible for product interpretation and colour development for all custom-designed and custom manufactured projects worldwide, collaborating with the design team and ensuring the production of all new collections throughout 63 countries.

New collections were launched annually at the major European International Exhibitions, where Adriaan became famous for his elaborate exhibition stands, taking on the responsibility for the design, layout and styling of Castellano-Beltrame’s five to six national and international exhibition stands every year, which took him around the world to Maison des Objects and Biennale des Editeurs in Paris, Abitare Il Tempo in Verona, Decosit in Brussels, High Point in North Carolina, Proposte in Como, Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Decorex in London, Rooms on View and Decorex in South Africa.

Clients he’s worked with.

Between constant travelling he also had the responsibility for new Marketing and Development proposals for international and national markets,.  Major clients with whom he worked included Dēdar, Elitis, Etro and Nobilis in Europe, Ralph Lauren, Robert Allen, Kravet and Stroheim & Romann in America; Andrew Martin, Osborne & Little and Romo in the United Kingdom.

In 2007, he returned to Cape Town and resumed his interior design business, offering a bespoke design service to high-end private clients – locally and abroad.

Hes equally involved in product design and floral design installations and is passionate about the youth and contribute to the Aged in many ways.