Every month at Lionesses of Africa, we showcase the passionate women entrepreneurs who are making a real impact through their businesses, their innovation, their products, services and craftsmanship, in a particular business sector in Africa and the Diaspora. This month (May), we are turning our attention to the incredibly creative women jewellery designers who are turning precious metals, gems and semi-precious stones into beautiful decorative pieces for the world to wear. They are putting the continent on the global map through their uniquely African-inspired jewellery designs and technical brilliance.

All this month at Lionesses of Africa, we are featuring and paying tribute to some of the most creative jewellery designers on the continent and the Diaspora whose unique sense of style and passion we love. They are both inspirational and practically making such a difference to the jewellery design landscape on the African continent and around the world. Some are names you may already know and their creations you may be wearing right now - others may be new to you, but their work speaks volumes and is really exciting - these are the Women Jewellery Designers to watch.

Here are just some of the African Women Jewellery Designers who are inspiring us this month, not simply for the work they produce, but in many instances because of the difference they are making on the African continent to the lives of other makers and crafters. Watch out for our daily feature articles all this month as part of our special focus on jewellery and accessory design in Africa.

Featured

Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge, a luxury jewellery brand builder changing the lives of Kenya’s artisans

Startup Story

Umutoni Thuku-Benzinge is the founder and creative director of Umutoni, a luxury jewelry brand where every piece is handmade with love by the best artisans from the heart of Kenya. She is on a mission to empower the disenfranchised through her ethically driven jewellery. With a degree in Economics and background in the IT industry, Umutoni is utilizing skills developed in her professional background to share the narrative that jewellery can be an agent for social change. Having spoken at Cambridge University, being featured in Forbes and BBC, she's keen to share the brand story and continue to make an impact as she continues to amalgamate her worlds together.

Adele Dejak, a Kenya based entrepreneur building a global luxury accessory brand that celebrates the true African experience

In the highly competitive world of international jewellery design, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. But this is certainly not the case for Kenyan jewellery and accessory design entrepreneur, Adele Dejak, founder of the striking global luxury brand that carries her name.

Chita Mumba Zulu, an entrepreneur creating beautiful, affordable engagement and wedding rings for Zambian couples

Successful businesses understand that finding a gap in the market is key, and for entrepreneur Chita Mumba Zulu and her team at Eternal Jewellery Zambia, that gap was in the wedding and engagement ring market. Today, the business is making a name for itself by supplying quality, affordable and beautiful jewellery for couples who are planning their wedding celebrations.

Tayo Bello, a highly creative jewellery designer from Nigeria taking her inspiration from global travel experiences

It takes a huge amount of passion and personal conviction to change careers, and start a business. But Tayo Bello, founder of jewellery design company Bello Creations, successfully made the brave leap from IT specialist to jewellery entrepreneur.

Katy Valentine, a South African jewellery designer creating collections inspired by two continents

Jewellery is such a personal thing, and often those buying pieces to wear or to give as gifts are inspired by the stories behind each unique piece, or by the cultures they reflect. The Katy Valentine Collection, a business and brand named after its creator, uniquely takes its inspiration from Africa and India, but with a contemporary design aesthetic.

Nkatha Gitonga, a Kenyan entrepreneur curating chic jewellery through a unique storytelling marketplace

Everyone loves a good story, and for today’s conscious consumers, getting to know more about the backstory of the brands and products they buy is increasingly important. Nkatha Gitonga, a Kenyan entrepreneur and founder of Yakutti, is using the power of storytelling to advance the identity of African design.

Clare Appleyard, a South African geologist turned entrepreneur creating diamond jewellery for those special life moments

Who doesn’t love diamonds? These fascinating precious stones that are infused with so many stories, memories, dreams on the part of the owners and wearers. For Clare Appleyard, her love for and extensive technical knowledge of the diamond industry led her to launch her own business, Katannuta Diamonds.

Mary-Jean Treloar, a South African jeweller putting her passion for Africa into precious metals

Some people are born creative, and others are born entrepreneurial, and if you are lucky, you get to be a combination of the two! South African entrepreneur and talented jewellery designer, Mary-Jean Treloar, displays both of these traits in huge quantities. Her highly personal brand, MΛRY JEΛN JEWELLERY, is inspired by the continent she loves and the stories that are woven into the very fabric of society. Her unique work is winning fans of great jewellery design both at home and abroad.

Ndaneh Howard, a Sierra Leonean entrepreneur creating bold African accessories for the world to wear

African women are proud of their unique style and creativity particularly in the world of fashion and accessory design. And for one Sierra Leonean entrepreneur, Ndaneh Howard, founder of accessory brand Ngewormia, this sense of pride is reflected in her work and her personal mission to get the world talking about the beauty of African accessories.

Anna Cole Ojukwu, a Ghanaian design entrepreneur instilling confidence through her bold accessory and clothing collections

As the world is increasingly more interested in African design, particularly in the accessory and clothing space, one entrepreneur in Ghana is captivating attention through her label Pernia Couture. Anna Cole Ojukwu is taking the best of African inspiration and turning it into must-have accessories and clothing.

VIDEO: Adèle Dejak talks about Kenya's fashion industry gaining traction

Adèle Dejak is one of an emerging group of entrepreneurs who are adding value to Kenya's arts and fashion industry. Speaking to Nikiwe Bikitsha for the Africa Connected series, the jewellery designer said that she aims to create a platform that shares information with women that will empower them in business. Adele is part of a group called "Lionesses of Africa" which aims to recognise all those women entrepreneurs in Africa who are an inspiration to us all, those who have made it to the top of their fields and who are shaking up their industries and business sectors.

Shikha Vincent - The startup story of a Kenyan entrepreneur who has founded a business based on her passions for jewellery design, travel and conservation

Many women entrepreneurs in Africa are inspired to start their businesses because of a personal passion, and in the case of Kenyan entrepreneur Shikha Vincent, her jewellery design company SHIKHAZURI, was motivated by just such passions. Her fascination with ethnic and tribal jewellery from across the African continent, combined with her desire to support wildlife conservation in her country, resulted in the creation of a jewellery brand with a strong backstory and purpose which is resonating with customers at home and abroad.

Yvonne Manyiki - The startup story of a creative entrepreneur with a passion for designing handmade jewellery with a modern, African flair

A love of traditional beadwork, combined with a passion for creating unique colourful and eye-catching pieces, led South African entrepreneur Yvonne Manyiki to startup her company Dimzique Enterprise, and tap into the market for affordable yet elegant costume jewellery. The country’s markets and festivals provide a wealth of customers who appreciate her fine beadwork and her wonderful creative eye for design.

PODCAST: White Rabbit Days founder Helen Andrews talks laser cutting to create beautiful jewellery

LoA had the opportunity to chat with Helen Andrews, the creative founder of White Rabbit Days, at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair in October. Her unique jewellery design company uses laser cutting techniques to craft astonishingly beautiful pieces from a range of materials from leather to brass.

Johanette van Niekerk - The startup story of a South African jewellery and accessories designer whose creative passion turned into a business and a new, positive life direction

South Africa has a long tradition of beautiful jewellery and accessories craftmanship and beading, and one creative entrepreneur is taking it to a whole new level with her company, Sew Good Handmade. Johanette van Niekerk is a woman with a wonderful creative soul who sees beautiful design possibilities in everything around her and particularly in the materials she uses. Her handcrafted products are literally kaleidoscopes of colour, designed to lift the spirits of anyone wearing or displaying them.

Anna Raimondo - The startup story of a contemporary South African jewellery designer inspired by bold and quirky references of the past

In any jewellery design space, it is sometimes hard to make things that are instantly recognisable as the work of one creative person. Yet Anna Raimondo has created a brand personality and a design style that are uniquely hers, and as a result, the SMITH Jewellery brand is truly memorable.

Mary-Anne Grobler - The startup story of a trend-setting jewellery business with an eye for natural raw materials

South Africa is renowned for its precious and semi-precious stones and for one of the country’s up-and-coming jewellery design brands, Matter of Fakt, these wonderful raw materials provide all the inspiration needed to create unique contemporary pieces.

Rachel Phiri - The startup story of a Zimbabwean jewellery designer with an independent creative spirit

Zimbabwean jewellery designer, Rachel Phiri, founded her company Silverbox Jewellery based on a passion for beautiful accessories and an inbuilt creativity that was looking for an outlet. The result is a jewellery business being built across two countries in Africa, and involving the family and their talents in its growth and development.

Laura Nyahuye - The startup story of an avant garde Zimbabwean designer challenging existing notions of jewellery design

There is a real sense of drama about the design work of Laura Nyahuye and her brand, AdornU, who is challenging convention and creating sculptural adornments for the body that speak volumes for the individuality and confidence of the wearer.

Teta Isibo - The startup story of a Rwandan designer creating bold African fusion jewellery with a contemporary edge

Rwandan jewellery and accessory brandbuilder, Teta Isibo, is passionate about bold design and harnessing the creative craftsmanship talent of local women artisans to create unique pieces that have an instantly recognisable Inzuki Design style and aesthetic.

Ashley Heather - The startup story of an innovative jewellery designer reclaiming precious metals from computer circuit boards as source materials

When LoA heard about South African jewellery designer, Ashley Heather, and how she is creating beautiful, handcrafted and contemporary jewellery pieces from, of all things, precious metals reclaimed from computer circuit boards, we just had to find out more.

Claire Nouvel - The startup story of a South African-based jeweller inspired by the precious metals and fabrics of the country

Claire Nouvel is a young French-born, but South Africa-based jewellery designer who is deeply inspired by African culture and uses that inspiration for the creation of her unique, contemporary jewellery pieces, each one celebrating the local metals and materials used and preserving their integrity and authenticity.

Janet Pulford a South African jewellery designer inspired by the colours of the changing seasons

As part of LoA’s Focus on Africa’s Women Jewellery Designers this month, we spoke to Janet Pulford, the Founder and Creative Director of South African company, Gemboree, about her current collection, its design inspiration, and what customers can look forward to in the coming weeks.

Amy Sinovich - The startup story of a South African jewellery designer telling inspirational stories through her wearable art

There is something truly wonderful about translating the power of storytelling into beautiful pieces of bespoke, wearable art that connect on a deeply personal level with the person commissioning it. Amy Sinovich is an incredibly talented South African jewellery designer that is one such storyteller par excellence. Every unique handcrafted piece she creates from precious metals and semi-precious stones tells its own story, inspired by nature, poetry and the life of the person for whom it is made.

Sheila Mokgoadi - The startup story of a woman building a handcrafted Afroluxe jewellery brand with a modern twist

Inspired by the unique, joyous nature of traditional African jewellery design, Sheila Mokgoadi’s luxury brand, Azura Luxury Handcrafts, has created a range of bold, chic and highly desirable pieces that appeals to the most sophisticated global buyers. Her dedication to ensuring the highest levels of craftsmanship, combined with a fiercely modern design aesthetic, are what make this African luxury jewellery brand so unique.

Katherine-Mary Pichulik - The startup story of a South African accessories designer who transforms everyday materials into something precious

For Katherine-Mary Pichulik, a hugely talented and creative South African entrepreneur and jewellery accessory designer, the inspiration for her work comes from the alchemy of transforming everyday materials through craft, touch and design, and elevating them into something precious and covetable.

Jenna Clifford - The startup story of a world-renowned South African jewellery designer and entrepreneur

Jenna is an inspirational example to women entrepreneurs across Africa that despite significant challenges in personal and business life, with many setbacks and considerable personal heartache along the way, it is possible to find business success.

Karin Rae Matthee - The startup story of the creative designer behind Dear Rae Jewellery

In the world of jewellery design in South Africa, Karen Rae Matthee is a young entrepreneur with a vision, a unique design and creative aesthetic, and a deep commitment to skills development and upliftment in her community.

At Lionesses of Africa, we also encourage everyone visiting our website and social media platforms to nominate those women jewellery designers in Africa and the Diaspora who inspire them, and we will happily profile them this month. Click here to make your nomination. Our month-long Focus on Women Jewellery Designers is all about showcasing the best and most inspirational women working and building businesses and brands in the field of jewellery design on the African continent and in the Diaspora, so be part of the process and make a difference to a woman jewellery designer that inspires you.

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