Local made lovely the Lemon Litchi by IV way

Company profile: Lemon Litchi by IV

We met up with Lemon Litchi by IV at the Homemakers Fair. Here is what we spoke about…

What exactly is Litchi Lemon by IV?

“We are a fun and bespoke lifestyle brand that has art and design at its heart. As fabric designers, we create unique printed fabrics and decor that elevate any space. We are artists first and foremost, and we use our own drawings and paintings to create exclusive and striking print designs, that we print onto luxurious base fabrics. Our designs range from bright, vibrant jungle prints to moody and mysterious woodland designs, joyful kiddies prints and ethereal florals. Everything is totally customizable.”

For them it’s all about being able to bring our customer’s vision to life.

“We create scatter cushions, baby accessories and nursery decor, throws and blankets, curtains, upholstered furniture, tablecloths and runners, lampshades and wall art.”

Lemon Litchi began in 2017 as a fashion design studio with the vision of creating bespoke fabric designs to transform into beautifully constructed unique clothing pieces.

“We spent nearly two years creating our art library and designing prints. We painted, sketched and drew a collection of fish, birds, flowers, insects, animals and plant life. In deciding what our style and our signature would be, we wanted to glorify God and His creation by capturing it through our art and designs.”

After seeing their art come to life on printed fabric, the business naturally evolved towards bespoke soft furnishings and they knew they were on the right path. Their print design range and art library has grown immensely, but if the client wants something else, they love creating custom designs from scratch.

“The possibilities are endless, and this allows our clients to truly play around in their space. It is bespoke, it is unique, it is Lemon Litchi.”

Lemon Litchi is proudly 100% woman owned. Aunt and niece duo, Ilene Van Der Merwe and Verishca Beets are the creative powerhouses who deliver the Lemon Litchi magic.

“We grew up with a love for art, creativity and nature and always dreamt of starting a creative entrepreneurial business together. We wanted to create beauty and add a vivacious flair to people’s lives.”

Their first step was getting a diploma of Interior Design from the Interior Design Institute in 2015.

“From there we wanted to grow and hone our skills, and we began our Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design from The Design School of Southern Africa.”

Refining their drawing, sewing and designing skills, Both Ilene and Versishca received our BA degrees Cum Laude in 2017 and got down to business.

Their dedication and passion are taking them from strength to strength.

“One of our proudest moments was to be featured on the Home Channel in 2025.  Showing how our illustrations, drawings and paintings are used to design our fabrics and how our printed fabrics are transformed into stunning soft furnishings was such fun.”

This gave them the opportunity to show the world what Lemon Litchi was all about, which is transforming art into fabric and the making that fabric a masterpiece. The road to success did come with some speedbumps, but their work ethic and dynamic energy helped them overcome every challenge.

One of these challenges was to make the decision of pivoting away from pure fashion design and shift to interior design and lifestyle items.

“When we saw our art printed for the first time, we knew our fabrics would be amazing when used in interior design and décor.”

Shifting the whole perspective of the business from fashion to interior was a big change but they have never looked back.

“This journey has made us fall in love with creating wonderful living spaces with amazing art pieces as décor.”

This doesn’t mean that they won’t expand back into fashion.

“We may one day grow to include our fun, bright and unique fashion range as well.”

They feel positive about Lemon Litchi becoming an established name in the décor and lifestyle zone.

“We did our first Homemakers Fair in 2023, and this was an opportunity to meet our customers face to face, as up until then we were only an online store.”

Seeing the joy as customers explored their products and the endless potential for custom designs, confirmed the potential of the Lemon Litchi brand.

Quality, and attention to detail is a core value for Lemon Litchi.

“Our personal, on-site consultations give our clients the chance to see our fabric sample books and colour swatches in their homes, offices and businesses. We can make their bespoke ideas and dreams a reality.”

Lemon Litchi is unique in that they can offer a fully custom, collaborative creative process.

Running a proudly South African business and manufacturing locally has taught them many important lessons.

Starting a new business is always a challenge. Finding a workable business idea that inspired them and showcased their talents and strengths while at the same time creating something truly unique, was the biggest challenge initially.

“Once we figured out what we wanted to do with this business, it all came together. Create the art, design the prints, transform the, to the fabric and then create beautiful decor masterpieces.”

Their advice for If you want to start a business, make sure it is something that brings you joy. A business will be a challenge and you’ll have doubts.

“…But stick with it, work hard, find amazing suppliers and make sure you use the best quality materials. Don’t be afraid to take chances with unusual ideas for your products. Some of our most daring, eccentric and unusual print designs have become our best sellers.”

At the moment, the Lemon Litchi team consists of its two founders and creators, Verishca and Ilene. They have a well- established network of contractors and service providers that handle the manufacturing aspect of their curtaining and upholstery.

“All our beautiful products are manufactured locally in the Lemon Litchi production studio.”

Never ones to sit still, they have exciting projects on the horizon.

“At this year’s Homemaker’s Fair we launched our baby and nursery product range. This has been met with such love and enthusiasm from our customers, and we are currently busy creating our own Little Lemon Litchi kiddie’s range.”

These new ranges will allow clients to decorate nurseries and kid’s rooms with exceptional designs in bespoke kid-centred themes. Customise these luxury fabrics with unique details like names and affirmations, creating a nurturing, remarkable and loving environment.

The future is bright and their energy boundless.

“We also have big plans for the growth and expansion of Lemon Litchi. We aim to become one of the leading fabric design brands in South Africa and abroad.”