Lioness CoLab / From Juggling Acts to Industry Authority: The PR Power-Up You Might Be Missing

January 16, 2026 Melanie Hawken

Lioness CoLab

From Juggling Acts to Industry Authority: The PR Power-Up You might be Missing

Elize Fisher from WorkingMama and Marilize Jacobs from VocalCord PR, South Africa

You are a master of logistics. A virtuoso of negotiation. A calm captain in the storm of a crisis. Your to-do list is a masterclass in making miracles happen before lunch. As a Lioness, you’ve built a formidable network of peers, mentors, and champions who cheer you on. But here’s the quiet question that may nag so many of us: What happens when the networking event ends, the LinkedIn post fades, and you’re back to being the best-kept secret in your industry? Networking gets you in the room. But Public Relations complements this tactic by building you a platform in that room, so the right people come to you.

Lioness CoLab / New UNafraid limited edition rug collection launched to celebrate Women’s Month in South Africa

August 26, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness CoLab

New UNafraid limited edition rug collection launched to celebrate Women’s Month in South Africa

A collaboration between South Africa’s ZURI and IMANI, a passion-driven surface and textile design studio, and decorative flooring specialist, Airloom Decor, has resulted in the launch of a limited edition rug collection. The 'UNafraid' limited edition rug collection is a collaboration between ZURI and IMANI founder, Joy Ezeka and the founders of Airloom Decor, Rosie and David Bradshaw. This collaboration was launched on 1 August 2022, in honour of South Africa Women's Month, a celebration of resilience - as communities, as individuals, and particularly as women.

LIONESS COLAB / AMWA Designs X Allbirds team design a special edition of the Dasher trainer

August 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Lioness CoLAB

An exciting CoLab has just been announced between the talented textile designer, Chrissa Amuah, founder of AMWA Designs, and Allbirds, the highly innovative and sustainable global footwear brand, well known for its trainers. Chrissa collaborated with the Allbirds team to design a special edition of the Dasher trainer - and the results were incredible.

LIONESS COLAB / Two powerhouses of the entrepreneurial world in South Africa collaborate on a new approach to compliance and cyber security training

February 16, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Adv. Lufuno T Khorommbi and Sharmantha Valjee

Lioness CoLAB

Growing awareness of the need to protect personal and corporate information in cyberspace has led to the need for expert training and development of staff in these knowledge areas. In South Africa, two companies - DesignTech Training Academy and Orizur Consulting Enterprise - have collaborated on a range of solutions to address this skills deficit.

LIONESS COLAB: AAKS x United Arrows & Global Goods Partners & Bamford

June 23, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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This summer, the fabulous luxury handmade accessory brand from Ghana, AAKS, founded by entrepreneur Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, is collaborating with not one but three partners to launch an exciting new range of bags for the season.

LIONESS COLAB: Monalisa Productions x Dark Crown Productions

April 7, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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Two women-founded production companies in South Africa and Namibia celebrating the power of collaborative storytelling

Today, everyone knows the phrase ‘Content is King’, but creating really world-class content that consumers want to take time out of their busy working and personal lives to enjoy is tough. However, two women entrepreneur-led businesses are proving that collaboration can make really powerful content happen, and at scale, by harnessing the power of traditional and digital screens to reach audiences. Monalisa Productions in South Africa and Dark Crown Productions in Namibia are two businesses who are proof positive of going further, together.

LIONESS COLAB: Katannuta Diamonds X Chocoloza - Ruby X Ruby

February 10, 2019 Melanie Hawken

It’s always exciting for women entrepreneurs to be able to partner up with fellow successful brands. So, following on from the excitement of Katannuta Diamonds’ chocolate diamond collaboration with leading South African artisan chocolate brand Chocoloza in June last year, the two brands came together once more to host another exciting evening in November. This time, the theme was Ruby X Ruby - a focused collaboration inspired by rubies - ruby chocolate and ruby jewellery.

LIONESS COLAB: Benji + Moon X Little Pine Tree

February 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Continuing its collaborative approach to business, South African specialist pet accessory online store, Benji + Moon, recently undertook to bring another niche business into its curated luxury pet accessory gift boxes. This time, social entrepreneur business, Little Pine Tree, based in Johannesburg was the chosen collaborative partner.

LIONESS COLAB: Dounia Home X AphroChic

October 28, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dounia Home & AphroChic wanted to bring something special to the world, a lighting collection that is a true marriage between form, function and craftsmanship. The Amur collection, inspired, designed and handcrafted in the ancient city of Amur Akush, today known as Marrakech.

LIONESS COLAB: Carrol Boyes x The Joinery

September 16, 2018 Melanie Hawken

In South Africa, the iconic South African homeware design brand, Carrol Boyes, and sustainable lifestyle brand, The Joinery, have launched a new collaborative community collection.

LIONESS COLAB: Gone Rural Swaziland X Dokter and Misses

September 8, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Innovative South African design company, Dokter and Misses have teamed up with artisan weavers Gone Rural Swaziland, a high impact social enterprise in rural eSwatini, to develop the modular Soldier Screens system. The screens are made of a slender steel frame with inserts woven from a combination of sustainably harvested sisal and indigenous Lutindzi grass, which grows wild on rocky outcrops in the Swazi mountains.

LIONESS CoLAB: Mash T Design Studio X Karingana wa Karingana Textiles

August 19, 2018 Melanie Hawken

A shared love of cutting edge design and contemporary African textiles led to a recent collaboration between multi-award winning South African design entrepreneur, Thabisa Mjo, founder of Mash T Design Studio, and creative Mozambican textile designer, Wacy Zacarias, founder of Karingana wa Karingana Textiles.

LIONESS CoLAB: Benji + Moon X Solid Concrete

July 22, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Two South African companies recently brought their collective skills together for a collaboration aimed at taking a luxury design approach to the world of pet accessories. Benji and Moon, an online specialist pet accessory store and Solid Concrete, a company specializing in creating beautiful sculptural and textural concrete products, created a new range of practical yet aesthetically pleasing food bowls for pets.

LIONESS CoLAB: AAKS X UNHCR

July 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

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AAKS in Ghana and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees joined forces for a home décor project titled ‘Weaving for Change’. The collaboration to produce a range of beautifully handcrafted lamps and light fittings reflects the preservation of a time honoured Malian weaving technique of the Tuareg community from Northern Mali, who are living as refugees in Burkina Faso. Behind every handcrafted lamp you will find a cultural identity of the Tuareg.

LIONESS CoLAB: Katannuta Diamonds X Chocoloza

June 24, 2018 Melanie Hawken

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A collaboration between a bespoke diamond jewellery brand and a handmade luxury chocolate company might at first glance not be the most obvious. But for two South African women entrepreneurs who are passionate about luxury and a bespoke approach to their businesses, it’s a creative match made in heaven. Clare Appleyard, founder of Katannuta Diamonds and Vicki Bain, founder of Chocoloza, have just launched an exciting new collaboration, and its all on the theme of chocolate.

LIONESS CoLAB: Frazer Parfum X Nandipha Mntambo

June 20, 2018 Melanie Hawken

FRAZER PARFUM X NANDIPHA MNTAMBO

DISSONANCE --- AN ARTFUL FRAGRANCE BORN OUT OF COLLABORATION

Dissonance is a intriguing new perfume project born out of a co-lab between a talented local artist and a well known perfumer. Cape Town-based perfumer Tammy Frazer and Johannesburg-based artist Nandipha Mntambo have teamed up to create Dissonance, a bespoke fragrance that's sold with a pair of unique gold leafed lithographic prints.

LIONESS CoLAB: YSWARA X ARDMORE for Orange Babies

May 1, 2018 Melanie Hawken

The ever creative Swaady Martin, founder of YSWARA has joined forces with the very beautiful and soulful brand ARDMORE to create the umSisi Collectors' Tea canister to support ORANGE BABIES, a charity whose ultimate aim is to achieve an HIV-free generation in Africa.

Lights, Camera, Action as Africa’s luxury brands collaborate for a unique photoshoot at Start-Up Night! Africa in London

April 29, 2018 Melanie Hawken

The Start-Up Night! Africa event in London was the perfect occasion for a unique collaboration amongst the women entrepreneurs being showcased on the night - a joint fashion photoshoot featuring all the creations and products on show from each of the women pitching their businesses.

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