Zoya Artisanal Rugs

The Design Edit

Celebrating emerging design talent through the art of the rug.

Design Time School students holding Zoya wool colour trays at The Design Edit workshop

It was a privilege for Zoya to collaborate with Design Time School on this special design competition and to work alongside a school that does such wonderful work nurturing creativity, confidence and a genuine love for design. We are incredibly proud to showcase the fabulous work created by their talented students, bringing their original ideas and unique perspectives to life through the art of rug making.

Each rug featured in The Design Edit is available to purchase, with a contribution from every sale going directly back to the student designer. In this way, every purchase not only brings an original piece of design into your space, but also supports and celebrates the young talent behind it.

The winning designer will be announced at a special awards ceremony held at the Zoya showroom in November. As part of their prize, the winning design will be brought to life as a finished rug and presented to the student, a lasting celebration of their creativity and achievement.

The Top 10 Designs

Meet the ten shortlisted designs from The Design Edit. Each concept can be commissioned as a handcrafted Zoya rug.

Winner will be announced on the 21st November 2026 and this list is in no particular order.

Echo rug design by Gemma Kieck, inspired by the Brenton Blue butterfly

Echo

By Gemma Kieck

Inspired by the Brenton Blue butterfly, Echo translates its delicate blue and earthy brown wings into a fluid, organic rug design.

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Aoi rug design by Morgan Pearce, inspired by the Koi Dumbo Betta fish

Aoi

By Morgan Pearce

Inspired by the Koi Dumbo Betta, Aoi captures the fish’s flowing movement and fan-like fins in deep cobalt and soft blue.

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Tertial rug design by Benjamin Price, inspired by South Africa's Blue Crane

Tertial

By Benjamin Price

An abstract interpretation of South Africa’s Blue Crane, Tertial celebrates its graceful movement through sculptural form and a restrained blue-grey palette.

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Noctua rug design by Louis Marais, inspired by the delicate silk moth

Noctua

By Louis Marais

Inspired by the delicate silk moth, Noctua echoes the soft shimmer and organic geometry of wings in motion through a luxurious, understated composition.

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Madame rug design by Alisa Oberholzer, inspired by Art Deco architecture

Madame

By Alisa Oberholzer

Madame draws its distinctive form from Art Deco architecture and the Chrysler Building, paired with a cinematic palette inspired by The Grand Budapest Hotel.

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Fleur Élan rug design by Jordan Viljoen, inspired by a flower in motion

Fleur Élan

By Jordan Viljoen

Meaning “Flower in Motion,” Fleur Élan translates blooming petals into flowing organic forms, rich earthy tones and sculpted pile heights.

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Beyond the Frame rug design by Lea Redelinghuys, inspired by architectural doorframes

Beyond the Frame

By Lea Redelinghuys

Beyond the Frame reinterprets the architectural language of traditional doorframes as a contemporary threshold laid horizontally across the floor.

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Mamma Africa rug design by Kate Human, inspired by African landscapes and cultural motifs

Mamma Africa

By Kate Human

Mamma Africa weaves earthy tones, organic shapes and cultural motifs into a tactile narrative of the continent’s natural and cultural richness.

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Caesura rug design by Shannon Cooke, inspired by clouds, waves and moments of stillness

Caesura

By Shannon Cooke

Inspired by drifting clouds and sunlit waves, Caesura uses layered textures and carved organic forms to create a meaningful pause within movement.

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Shucked rug design by Jade Dreyer, inspired by the oyster shell

Shucked

By Jade Dreyer

Inspired by the oyster shell, Shucked combines its organic silhouette, natural texture and soft colours in a fresh expression of understated luxury.

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View other Design Edit projects

Inside the workshop

Zoya rug design boards with wool pom pom samples and Pantone colour references
Design Time School students reviewing a rug design with a Zoya team member
Zoya rug yarn samples arranged on a Pantone colour chart during the workshop
Zoya wool colour map with Pantone matched yarn samples in blues and sand tones
Full spectrum of Zoya rug yarn colour trays laid out in the studio
Design Time School student with Zoya rug yarn pom pom colour trays
Rug design workshop with students selecting colour palettes from yarn trays
Design Time School students with Zoya rug design prints and colour references
Zoya wool yarn colour samples lined up along a studio work table
Zoya rug yarn pom poms in autumn colour palette on the studio table
Student designer completing a Zoya rug order form beside wool colour trays
Group rug design workshop selecting yarn colours at the Zoya studio
Two students choosing rug yarn colours at the Zoya studio
Zoya designer explaining rug design details to Design Time School students
Wide shot of The Design Edit workshop at the Zoya studio
Design Time School students listening to a Zoya presentation
Student selecting Zoya rug yarn colours in the studio
Zoya rug design colour consultation between designer and student
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