Café Prestige Turns 1 Featuring Beso Media

If coffee shop orders were named for local creatives, “a Betty Sibeso” would get you a caffe latte and a ham and cheese sandwich.

It’s a simple order by the complex chief creative officer of Beso Media who unveiled a typography themed digital print showcase titled ‘Speak’ at Café Prestige’s first birthday soirée last Thursday.

Café Prestige and Beso Media’s creative collaboration is an apt one. Known for their clean designs, mo-dern aesthetics and minimal leanings, Beso Media certainly speaks to Café Prestige’s open layout, white walls, pops of plant life and revitalising feng shui.

“Cafe Prestige has become one of those places I can take my team for a meeting, work away from my home or just meet a friend for a sundowner,” says Sibeso. “I love the energy, the vibe, the people – it’s such a safe space for me. Even more so because they allow Namibian creatives the opportunity to showcase their art.”

The obvious romance between the brands is reciprocated and Café Prestige director of communications Johnathan Fong admits to having been crushing on Beso Media for a minute.

“I admire Betty’s work and follow her brands on social media. As a graphic designer myself, I wholeheartedly appreciate the agency’s efforts to help realise brand potential here in Windhoek. With each successful project, the general public grows more aware of the importance and value of creative thinking.”

To that end, the earthy-toned ‘Speak’ features local words, phrases and greetings ultimately using graphic design and typography to highlight an element of social culture in a contemporary and proudly Namibian way.

“Typography is a fundamental element of written communication and graphic design, but is often under-appreciated by the general public because of its common use,” says Fong. Sibeso adds that the colour palette was inspired by Namibia’s dunes and skies.

“The showcase was a team effort,” says Sibeso. “Concept and phrases were submitted by the entire team, while Avenida Katamila, a junior designer, and I created the art.”

Having always wanted to be a part of an exhibition and shouting out Fong and his team for the opportunity, Sibeso says it felt great to step back from client changes and design briefs that weren’t her own to actually create something from the self.

As for the birthday café, the Café Prestige team looks back on 2019 with a euphoric sense of accomplishment.

“We love the space, and so do our customers. While we are pleasantly surprised with our success, the support and loyalty of our customers is testament to the experience we designed. That was the intention: To be more than just coffee, and more than just a place to sit and work. The Prestige Experience is what we set out to create, and I think we’ve realised that,” says Fong, who cites mindfulness towards customer needs and intentional interior design as two elements of the space’s success.

“Creatives have also shared their appreciation for the ‘Gallery Wall’, as it’s been nicknamed, with the knowledge that we embrace and celebrate local creativity. It’s a highlighted feature at Café Prestige, and completes the space.” Café Prestige is perhaps best recommended by a creative stan.

“If you love airy and cute spaces like I do, this is definitely a place you should try out. I promote The Prestige Experience for a reason,” says Fong proudly. “Step into our shop, sit and enjoy. You’ll discover what our existing customers can attest to. We welcome continued conversation over coffee.”

Café Prestige is situated at 1990 Freedom Plaza in Windhoek.

‘Speak’ digital prints are available from Beso Media’s online shop.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.