the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Suraya Williams, founder of Design26 (Pty) Ltd (South Africa)
Startup Story
In South Africa, clothing manufacturing has always played an important role in the local economy, creating jobs and developing skills. Today, Suraya Williams, founder of Design26 (Pty) Ltd, is carrying on the legacy of her late mother by transforming a clothing manufacturing business to a CMT (cut-make-trim) operation, creating skilled jobs in the process.
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Angellah Manda, founder of Angelos Crochet (Malawi)
Startup Story
Crocheting is an art that many Malawians are taught at an early age, but for Angellah Manda, founder of Angelos Crochet, she was inspired to take the craft to the next level and into business. Today, her beautifully crafted crochet garments and accessories are desirable fashion items by her growing customer base.
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Xoliswa Hlongwane, founder of XO Collection (South Africa)
Startup Story
South Africa needs jobs, and it also needs to rebuild a strong clothing manufacturing industry sector, and that’s where entrepreneur Xoliswa Hlongwane is making her contribution to the economy through her XO Collection (Pty) Ltd.
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Zola Shabangu, founder of iGoda Clothing Manufacturing Incubator (South Africa)
Startup Story
Driven by a desire to create opportunities for South African clothing manufacturers and designers to create and supply their clothing to local retailers, Zola Shabangu launched iGoda Clothing Manufacturing Incubator PTY Ltd. Today, the business is a development incubator for a new generation of fashion designers and seamstresses.
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Mapholo Ratau
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Mapholo Ratau, a South African entrepreneur creating a contemporary, clothing and accessories brand.
Entrepreneur Mapholo Ratau knows how to spot a gap in the marketplace, and for her, that gap was creating high quality, contemporary clothing and accessory designs that are a celebration of South African culture. Her solution was to create a premium brand and range of clothing and accessories that are unmistakably her own.
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Anne Drane, founder of The Sawa Sawa Collection (Kenya/USA)
Startup Story
One of the biggest challenges for women artisans in Kenya is getting their handcrafted products into global markets. The Sawa Sawa Collection, founded by Anne Drane and her co-founders looks to help change that narrative, empowering women to make a sustainable living from their work and contribute to local economic empowerment.
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Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd (United Kingdom / Cameroon)
Startup Story
As any woman who has larger feet will tell you, it can be a real challenge trying to find shoes that not only look beautiful, but are also well crafted and comfortable to wear. Entrepreneur Nicoline Bole, founder of Bolnique Ltd based in London, has the solution. Her uniquely created designs are appealing to all those discerning women customers who want luxury shoes that actually fit larger feet.
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Lioness Launch
Seeing a gap in the marketplace in Mozambique, entrepreneur Mónica de Sousa Mahanjane has launched a new accessory brand, Pretoóla, with a range of stylish ties, berets and lapels in stylish designs, complete with matching masks.
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Hloki Raphuting, founder of PalmH (South Africa)
Startup Story
Who doesn’t love a beautifully crafted leather handbag or a stylish, eye-catching pair of leather shoes? In South Africa, entrepreneur Hloki Raphuting, founder of PalmH, is manufacturing high quality bags and shoes, all made from the finest leather, and for customers who want to look and feel good.
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Lilly Alfonso
Lioness Launch
Covid-19 has created the need to innovate and produce new products that help people to protect themselves in their daily lives. This challenge inspired multi-award winning Malawian fashion designer, Lilly Alfonso, to create a new range of safety combo packages, combining practical products such as face masks, gloves and hand sanitizers.
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Chrissa Amuah, founder of AMWA Designs
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.
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Linda Khumbanyiwa, founder of Lynne Kayenne Studio (Malawi)
Startup Story
Creative entrepreneurs are often inspired by their cultural heritage, and for Linda Khumbanyiwa, founder of Lynne Kayenne Studio, that was certainly the case. Her inspiration came from Malawi, the country of her birth, and a deep desire to change people’s perceptions of it, through her creative work.
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Jacqueline Brown, Founder, Africa Fashion Guide Ltd, (UK)
Jacqueline Brown, Founder, Africa Fashion Guide Ltd, (UK)
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Hazel Aggrey-Orleans, founder and creative director of EKI
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Hazel Aggrey-Orleans is the founder and creative director of EKI, a luxury women’s fashion brand based in London designing ready to wear and bespoke pieces. Lionesses of Africa chatted to Hazel this month to learn more about this unique luxury brand that is winning fans from around the world with its celebration of silk and African heritage.
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Glaussia Monjane, founder of Grandonas MZ (Mozambique)
Lioness Launch
Many women suffer anxiety and self-esteem issues, particularly around selecting clothing that makes them look and feel good. In Mozambique, entrepreneur Glaussia Monjane, founder of Grandonas MZ, knows these issues from personal experience, and is launching a new plus-size fashion range that aims to help other women.
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Femi Olayebi, founder of FemiHandbags (Nigeria)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Femi Olayebi is a self-taught handbag and accessories designer, trainer, mentor and the creative force behind the eponymous FemiHandbags brand. A translator turned designer and manufacturer, her entrepreneurial journey started in 1992 when she tried her hands at making a diaper bag for her first daughter. Since then, she has poured all her energies into building her business, consistently pushing the boundaries and emerging as a leader in the Nigerian leather space. Renowned for her statement, colour-drenched pieces, Femi has received several awards, and in 2013, her business became a case study for MBA students at the prestigious Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.
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Laura Struik, founder of ROF-Style (South Africa)
Adele Dejak
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
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 jewellery and accessory design entrepreneur, Adele Dejak, founder of the striking global luxury brand that carries her name.
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Lilly Alfonso
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Lilly Alfonso is a renowned and credible fashion brand with over ten years of experience in fashion and design. Its founder and Head Designer, Lilly Alfonso, is a two-time International Fashion Award winning designer for her contributions to the fashion industry. The unique and high-quality garments she designs have been showcased on numerous runways such as: Kigali, Cairo, Paris, London, Milan, Kuala Lumpur, Amsterdam, Sydney and Barcelona. The Lilly Alfonso Brand has two flagship labels; men’s wear collection is under the LAmann Label while, Women’s wear collection is under the LAwomann Label. Lilly Alfonso introduced a sporting collection under LAsport which is still under development.
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Frances Edwards, founder of House of Cinnamon
Lioness Launch
This month in South Africa sees the proudly Afro-European accessory brand, House of Cinnamon, launching its exciting new Autumn/Winter 2020 collection. Inspired by enduring classics, the House of Cinnamon AW20 collection brings together classic and iconic pieces that will carry its customers through the seasons. The new collection features limited edition items that have been carefully designed with uncompromising attention to detail.
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