Malcolm Klûk & Christiaan Gabriël Du Toit’s Little Black Book of Cape Town

Few names in South African fashion carry the effortless magic of Malcolm Klûk and Christiaan Gabriël Du Toit – better known as KLûK CGDT. Their designs walk the line between art and attitude, classic couture and modern edge, with an inspiring focus on sustainability and human connection. Over two decades, they’ve dressed icons, built an international following and redefined what it means to be proudly local yet globally admired. Their work is inspiring… but who and what inspires them? We sat down with the dynamic duo to uncover their top places in the Cape that fuel their creative fire.

Antique shops and second-hand stores

Wherever we go, we look for junk shops and second-hand stores. In Cape Town, Delos Antiques is a beautifully curated collab of mid-century and vintage. They’ve converted an old convent into a quirky store filled with pockets of rooms and staircases and chandeliers and furniture and second-hand clothes. OnSite on Loop Street is also fantastic, with a lot of vintage pieces from South America in particular, and an Art Deco slant.

Bruce Tate Antiques at the top of Kloof Street always has quirky stuff. We bought two of the most unbelievable chairs there for about R1 000 – but if you had to buy them new, they’d be about R35 000 each. We’re also obsessed with Pier Rabe in Stellenbosch! He’s got this warehouse of different styles and periods – from curtains to second-hand clothes, to books, to little jerseys, to unique finds… It’s eclectic. That’s the beauty of Milnerton Market, too; you never know what you might find.

Local artists doing collectible design

A lot of people are playing around with materials and experimenting – sometimes successfully and sometimes not – but it always sparks something and gets our creative juices flowing. Ross Robertson from Oliver Whyte Studio in Bergvliet uses foam and resin to create amazing furniture pieces, and he created this amazing piece for us out of furniture that got damaged in the huge storm two years ago. We also love Matthew Dasneves – who makes incredible pieces with compacted scrap aluminium – and Carl Morland, whose metal work may give us an idea for furniture pieces.

Young, experimental art galleries

People need to see the work that’s coming out of galleries like Blank Projects in the Foreshore and Reservoir on Bree Street – it’s experimental and unconventional, and they take more risks. We believe it’s important to support smaller galleries, because art has become such a commodity that they almost can’t sustain themselves, and don’t have the sort of the money and backing to keep promoting themselves.

Larger, established art galleries

We love Everard Read, SMAC and Stevenson – and then, obviously, Zeitz MOCAA and the Norval Foundation, where you’ll always find a balance between South African history and contemporary work from overseas. It’s important to expose South Africans to both, and to show them together in one space. We’re also obsessed with the Rupert Museum, where it’s amazing to see how modern Pierneef was in the early 1900s.

Local ceramicists

Ceramics have made a huge comeback over the last few years… and we’re huge fans. We always look forward to the Potters Markets – there are two a year at Rondebosch Park and two at Imhoff Farm. We love Antoinette du Plessis – a quirky Afrikaans lady who doesn’t realise how talented she is – and, of course, Anthony Shapiro in Roeland Street. Hylton Nel sells through Michael Stevenson but his studio is in Calitzdorp. It’s a trek to get there, but he’s internationally recognised and even did a collab with Dior, where they featured large-scale reproductions of his ceramics on the ramp, and incorporated elements from his work in their stores.

Furniture favourites

The majority of what we like is vintage – and we like to upcycle it as well. The furniture at Tonic on Kloof Street in Gardens is beautiful and locally designed, and Le Grange in Woodstock Quarter, Sir Lowry Road, feels bigger but still personal. The owner, Sumari, travels to find her furniture, and she doesn’t just sell furniture – she also knows how to place it. Pezula Interiors on Buiten Street is a beautiful store to visit for magazines, books and furniture. It has all the international homeware magazines and the latest books, and then you end up buying a perfume or a tsatske or something. It’s run by Stevie – the son of Dorp Hotel’s Gail Behr – and his wife, Camilla.

Barn & Werf Décor in Simondium is a beautifully curated store. Vicky Bell, the owner, knows her stuff and is very particular. There’s an Ou Meul right next to it, and a little farmstall at the back. When we go in that direction, we would almost rather stop there than go into Franschhoek. You can sit outside in this beautiful garden that Francesca Watson created, and there’s a little nursery as well. It’s also dog-friendly, which is very important to us – and our very spoiled Schnauzer, Yohji.

Amazing nurseries

One of the most incredible nurseries we’ve ever been to is Riebeek Valley Garden Centre in Riebeek-Kasteel. It’s owned by two very quirky gentlemen who’ve built this incredibly interesting and inspiring shrine of plants. It’s not tacky or pretentious or commercialised – they just love what they do and it’s beautiful. Sheilam Nursery outside Robertson is an incredible succulent nursery, and so is Rooiklip Nursery in Swellendam. Adene’s Flower Farm in Wolseley is also amazing. She grows incredible hydrangeas, peonies and dahlias, and it’s extraordinary to see her greenhouses. You can also have lunch there, and she sells seeds and roots to grow at home.

Hemelhuijs

You have to have lunch or breakfast here – it’s our favourite restaurant in Cape Town! Christiaan loves the fact that they serve mosbolletjie bread, frikadelle, pap and melkkos (sago), and always takes his dad there for something special and nostalgic. It’s all about quality and attention to detail, and we love the way it’s presented. When friends come to South Africa, we always think of what is uniquely local but on a level that shows the owners haven’t compromised – and Hemelhuijs is one of them.

Arthur’s Mini Super

Arthur’s Mini Super in Sea Point has to have a mention, because it’s such an extraordinary and unique and fun experience. We recommend everything there, but they do the most delicious French toast. Willy Hobson, one of the owners, is larger than life with a huge afro, and he has a wonderful, carefree spirit about him – but he takes what he does very seriously. They’ve also added a shared workspace at the back, so you can sit in that amazing cafe environment and do your work and drink coffee. And we can take our dog!

Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden

For years, people told us to visit the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden – and when we finally went, we totally got why people rave about it. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the sculptures on their own, you’ll get it when you see them in that garden because it’s Dylan Lewis’ passion and love. It’s well maintained and it’s a feast for the eyes. Definitely an inspiration.

Babylonstoren

Everything here is done to perfection, and the love that they put into it is beyond. For example, they’ll put a glass jar around a pear while it’s still small on the tree, and then it grows into this massive fruit in a jar and you don’t know how they got it in there. They’ll pickle it or make it into a mampoer, which is so special and interesting. They also have an insect hotel and a beautiful clivia walk. And for those who don’t want to go for a fancy lunch, we recommend going to The Conservatory and just having a sandwich, or tea and cake (if you can get in).

Between Us

Our favourite cocktail in Cape Town is at Between Us on Bree Street, which is run by twins Jamie and Jesse Friedberg. They only serve it at lunch, but you can ask for it – even for dinner. It’s a non-alcoholic cocktail called the Blackberry Thai Basil, and it’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever tasted. We would go there just for that – but the food is also really fantastic. Delicious, thought-provoking, interesting and unpretentious. Try their cavolo nero and black rice dish, and look out for their homemade biscuits, they make great gifts.

Dorp Hotel

Talk about being unapologetic and uncompromising! If you weren’t a friend of the late Gail Behr, you weren’t invited to her boutique hotel. She was uncompromisingly difficult, but as somebody who wanted to put a stamp on something that is of a certain level, nobody did it better – and we’re very happy to see that they’ve continued with that. We would totally go there for the roast chicken or the curry, and the view is obviously exceptional. The portions are enormous, and the characters you’ll meet are quite extraordinary.

Good to Gather

Another one of our favourite restaurants is Good To Gather in Stellenbosch. You know you’re going to have a good meal, plus it’s dog friendly. It’s a little difficult to get in if you don’t book in advance, but that just makes it even more special. Their whole philosophy is locally sourced – they’ll proudly tell you that the butter is from down the road and the eggs are from this particular farm – and we ended up shopping there too, because they now have a little deli side.

Riebeek-Kasteel

Riebeek-Kasteel is a beautiful place for a night or a weekend away. Stay at the Royal Hotel or in one of the incredible guest houses that have popped up there. We stayed at Kokos Huis, which was unbelievable. There’s an amazing antique store called Wunderkamer and a French-style bistro called Au Bouchon Rouge, and they have an annual Solo Studios art weekend. There are only three or four galleries, but they represent artists in the surrounding areas as well. There are also artist visits or open studios, and it’s beautiful to see how the town supports art and uses it as a tourist attraction.

Stanford

Stanford in summer is a must-go. It’s one of those towns that still has a very small family atmosphere, where everyone knows each other. Madre Restaurant is incroyable, and Corrado Giovannetti at La Trattoria is unbelievable. He runs it with his son, Lionello, for six months of the year, serving authentic Roman Italian food. It’s very under the radar and it’s not fancy, but the food is incredible, and they’ve also got a little ice cream shop next door. We recommend a visit to the Betrag Art Gallery, and there’s Wortelgat on Springfontein Wine Estate. It’s very high-end but delicious. The town has a Saturday Market and, in summer, an evening market every Friday night in the main square.

Montagu

Jacques Erasmus of Hemelhuijs has a guest house called Jonkmanshof in Montagu, and you 100% you have to stay there. It’s the same vibe as Hemelhuijs, but a whole hospitality experience. It’s a beautiful home with a conservatory of succulents and a pool in an orange grove… and obviously, their food is delicious. From Jonkmanshof, you can walk to a restaurant called 22 on Church for a delicious burger or steak… or you can take a walk up into the mountains, which is really beautiful. Jacques also has a store called Die Nagmaal, where he sells locally made ceramics.

Wellington

Wellington hasn’t had much exposure, but there’s so much to see and do! We recommend 55 Croissants, Osteria Prego & Wine Bar and Volver Antiques & Collectibles, not to mention swimming in the Bainskloof pools (over the Bainskloof Pass). Vygie Kitchen and Dining Room is also a beautiful day out. It’s dog-friendly and the drive from Cape Town is extraordinary – but it’s not easy, so take your 4×4, not your low Lamborghini. Depending on the weather, you’ll sit in the barn or on the banks of a river – and one of the tables is almost in the river. The food is delicious (it’s a set meal) and the owner is incredibly straightforward – you know, “This is what you get. If you don’t like it, sorry for you”. The service is nice but not over-comforting, and we love that.

Kalmoesfontein

Adi Badenhorst has a farm outside Malmesbury, and we are obsessed. You can stay there, and they cook delicious food for you, and there’s a huge aviary of exotic birds. Ceramic Matters also has a studio there, which is incredible. Even if you don’t see Adi and his wife Cornelia, you feel like you’re visiting them personally and staying in one of their cottages. Everything is incredibly simple and authentic, but it’s all top quality – the best bedding, proper towels, fresh milk and rusks, and so on. Adi is also a huge personality who is very passionate about what he does. He’s very big on organic wine and is actually working with a lot of the grape growers along the West Coast to develop a West Coast wine industry. He’s even opened a new place called the Saldanha Wine and Spirit Company in Saldanha; it was an old garage and is now an “oyster, wine and sherry beach bar”. We haven’t been yet, but it’s sure to be incredible.

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