Afroluxe brands are making quite a name for themselves on the global fashion scene right now, and South African entrepreneur, Lilian Muhammed, is looking to put her LONDRÉ TAN brand in the spotlight with her luxury fashion accessories, all proudly produced in her home country.

LoA spoke to Lilian this month, as part of the #ChooseArtisan campaign focus, to find out more….

What does your company do?

LONDRÉ TAN is the epitome of African luxury fashion accessories. We produce beautifully handcrafted leather bags, purses and precious stone jewellery in our studio in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"The LONDRÉ TAN brand takes influence from the modern woman who embodies style, craft and luxury."

"I want to take Africa to the world. I want my accessories to be a household name in the world, for beauty and quality. I want every style enthusiast to know LONDRÉ TAN and own a LONDRÉ TAN piece."

What inspired you to start your company?

The brand was created with the aim of producing great quality, locally made fashion accessories with exceptional craftsmanship, and a modern look and feel. The brand takes influence from the modern woman who embodies style, craft and luxury. Our superior craftsmanship is evident in our products. The driving force behind the brand is quality and style. “Common practice in the industry has seen a rise in the import of numerous commercial fashion accessories, hence compromising quality and true style”.

Why should anyone use your service or product?

With over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry, I have launched my own line of fashion accessories, designing and making quality leather accessories; precious and semi-precious stones jewellery – and also providing job opportunities and sharing my desire to improve the African fashion industry. At LONDRÉ TAN, we believe in making products locally and supporting local business, hence we gladly make our products locally.

"At LONDRÉ TAN, we believe in making products locally and supporting local business, hence we gladly make our products locally."

Tell us a little about your team

I am the Owner and Creative Director of LONDRÉ TAN, a fashion accessory brand based in Johannesburg South Africa. The brand was created with the aim of producing great quality locally made fashion accessories with exceptional craftsmanship, a modern look and feel. True to the brand’s ethos, LONDRÉ TAN fosters a truly enabling entrepreneurial environment by sourcing and manufacturing locally, therefore promoting the ‘make local- buy local’ goal, creating employment and building young and talented artisans.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

I started my career in 2005 as a fashion stylist while studying for a B.Sc. in Mass Communication. I grew in my profession, becoming a contributing fashion editor before completing my undergraduate program. I later joined Cosmopolitan magazine SA in 2009, starting off as a fashion assistant where I styled and managed all fashion shoots in Johannesburg, and later became the junior fashion editor of the Magazine. I have also worked as a fashion stylist and consultant for different print and TV media and also appeared on different media as a fashion contributor, analyst and style enthusiast. Combining my passion and over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry, I havelaunched my own line of fashion accessories, designing and making quality leather accessories; precious and semi-precious stones jewellery – and also providing job opportunities and sharing her desire to improve the African fashion industry.

"True to the brand’s ethos, LONDRÉ TAN fosters a truly enabling entrepreneurial environment by sourcing and manufacturing locally, therefore promoting the ‘make local- buy local’ goal, creating employment and building young and talented artisans."

#EntrepreneurAdvice: "Know your purpose and always stay focused on your passion."

- Lilian Muhammed founder @londretan

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

I want to take Africa to the world. I want my accessories to be a household name in the world- for beauty and quality. I want every style enthusiast to know LONDRÉ TAN and own a LONDRÉ TAN piece.

What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?

Providing job opportunities and sharing my desire to improve the African fashion industry.

What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?

Know your purpose and always stay focused on your passion. Many other thoughts and obsessions will come your way as you plan your great journey, but lean on your first love - PLAN A.

Contact or follow LONDRÉ TAN

Why LoA loves it….

At LoA, we love those women entrepreneurs who are incredibly creative and are producing world class products that help to put Africa on the global map, and winning legions of fans for their products along the way. In the case of Lilian Muhammed, the founder of LONDRÉ TAN, she combines her wonderful eye for design and detail, with a desire to create a truly enabling entrepreneurial environment by sourcing and manufacturing locally. Her passion for promoting the ‘make local- buy local’ goal, creating employment and building young and talented artisans, is inspirational and embodies everything that is great about Africa’s women artisan and Afroluxe scene right now. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa