Africa on Luxury
by Buyi Mafoko
Africa on Luxury is a Podcast & Cultural Conversations Platform championing African luxury through culture, creativity and commerce. Founded and hosted by Buyi Mafoko, we curate conversations with African creative visionaries, cultural pioneers and industry leaders unlocking Africa’s potential as the next frontier of global luxury.
Episodes
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S3 EP11: The Narrative Strategist with Lerato Tshabalala
Lerato is an author, editor, broadcaster, executive creative director and cultural commentator whose career spans more than two decades across South African media, publishing, advertising and brand storytelling. She has worked across leading editorial titles including Sunday Times Lifestyle, True...
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S3 EP10: The Cultural Custodian with Prof. Pitika Ntuli
Professor Pitika Ntuli is one of South Africa’s most extraordinary living cultural voices — a sculptor, poet, philosopher, academic, linguist, cultural worker and custodian of indigenous knowledge whose life and work span more than six decades. As an artist, he works across materials including...
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S3 EP9: Stitched with Story - Tshepo Mohlala
Tshepo Mohlala is the founder and creative director of TSHEPO, one of South Africa’s most recognised contemporary fashion brands. Known for its premium denim and contemporary African luxury aesthetic, the brand’s Atelier represents world-class craftsmanship emerging from the heart of downtown...
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S3 EP8: The Culture Architect with Scoop Makhathini
Siyabonga Ngwekazi or Scoop Makhathini is a cultural architect, media personality, creative entrepreneur and a key voice in SA’s urban culture. For over two decades, he has helped shape and amplify the evolution of African pop culture across TV, radio, fashion, music, sport and digital media. A…
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S3 EP7: The Future Fossil with Lezanne Viviers
Lezanne Viviers is a Johannesburg-based conceptual fashion designer, artist and founder of VIVIERS, a sustainable, handcrafted clothing studio working at the intersection of sculpture, fashion, craft and design. Through VIVIERS, Lezanne creates garments she describes as “future fossils” — pieces...
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S3 EP6: The Making of an Artrepreneur with Monalisa Molefe
Monalisa is an artrepreneur who has quietly but decisively shaped how contemporary African art is collected, positioned, and valued. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Artform Factory and Artform Advisory, where she works with collectors, brands, and institutions. Here her work sets to...
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S3 EP5: Wearing the Future with R'frique
Through a carefully curated wardrobe of pieces from leading African designers, R’Frique is pioneering a circular fashion model rooted in sustainability, craftsmanship, and cultural pride. Guided by a shared belief that African luxury should be both globally visible and locally accessible, Ceejay...
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S3 EP4: Manhood, Media, and Meaning with Kojo Baffoe
Kojo Baffoe is one of those rare thinkers who moves through the world with quiet depth — thoughtful, curious, and intentional in everything he creates. He is known for his thoughtful and intentional approach to storytelling. Rich and nuanced in perspective, he has shaped some pivotal…
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S3 EP3: The Ancestral Minimalist with Lulama Wolf
Lulama Wolf is a defining voice in modern African art and luxury expression, she stands at the intersection of intuition, identity and innovation. Her work is shaped by spiritual reflection and African vernacular traditions, it blends minimalist expressionism with deeply rooted ancestral...
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S3 EP2: A Year in African Luxury with Khami Sithole & Lindelwa Busakwe
In this special edit, we look at the 2025 roundup of the year where Africa took centre stage from Fashion, Art, Travel & Cultural Power. I sat down with our Content Curator and the Marketing Manager to reflect on Africa’s biggest cultural moves of the year - from luxury moments that mattered…
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S3 EP1: The Feminine Language of Luxury with Buqaqawuli Nobakada
Buqaqawuli is a South African mixed-media artist trained in Fine Art and influenced by architecture. Her works are known for her striking use of lace - a thread that connects generations of women; a language of beauty, softness and strength. Through her textured paintings, she reimagines black...
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S2 EP 9: The new language of luxury with Amonge Sinxoto
Amonge Sinxoto is a youth architect, social entrepreneur, public speaker and the founder of Blackboard Africa, a youth-led nonprofit shaping a bold, identity-centered narrative for African youth. A Wits University graduate and current honours student in Political Studies, she has designed and...
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S2 EP 8: Luxury x Streetwear with Gugu Peteni
She is the visionary founder and creative director of GUGUBYGUGU, a South African luxury streetwear label renowned for its bold, gender-neutral knitwear. Gugu’s work is deeply rooted in authenticity and sustainable innovation—using locally sourced mohair and merino wool. She has showcased at New...
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S2 EP 7: Finding circular solutions to textile waste with Rewoven
Esethu Cenga is a leading circular fashion entrepreneur and sustainability advocate, recognised as one of Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 and a Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South African. She is the co-founder of Rewoven, which transforms textile waste into recycled fabric, and also leads Future of...
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S2 EP 6: Africa Your Time is Now with Papama Mtwisha
Papama is a multi-talented creative force whose career spans the worlds of fashion, design, styling, and entrepreneurship. An award-winning stylist, fashion director, designer, businesswoman and speaker, she has established herself as one of South Africa’s most influential voices in contemporary...
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S2 EP 5: The Creative Economy with Tebogo Moalusi
Tebogo has a passion for creative industries and is the Founding Executive Director of MNM Marketing Solutions, a marketing, brand activation and events management company. He is also a successful business professional, creativepreneur and social activist. He’s worked at various levels in leading...
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S2 EP 4: Behavioural science and luxury consumption in Africa with Timothy Maurice
Timothy is a human behaviouralist, researcher and bestselling of author of multiple books centred on themes about human and brand behaviour. Known as the CEO Whisperer for helping C-suite executives understand behavioural psychology to position themselves and their mission; this methodology has...
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S2 EP3: Building a career in media with Sika Osei
Dynamic, versatile and respected Ghanaian media personality, Sika Osei has close to a decade of experience as a TV presenter, actress and live show host. She started her career in PR, Advertising and Magazine publishing as one of the founders of CANOE Africa Magazine which set her up for entry…
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S2 EP 2: The art of winemaking with Ingrid Best
Ingrid is a multi-hyphenate businesswomen rewriting the art of winemaking. Raised a stone-throw away from Napa Valley wine region in California and a career spanning over two decades in the wine and spirits industry, iBest Wine was an inevitable creation. Drawing from the travels and…
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S2 EP 1: Ideas and insights shaping 2025 with Dion Chang
Meet my guest He is preceded by an extensive reputation as one of SA’s foremost strategic thinkers and trend analysts pioneering idea forecasting for more than two decades. Dion is the founder of Flux Trends whose definitional business philosophy “trends as business strategy” has served as a...
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EP 15: Discovering curated travel with Silvia Njoki [bonus]
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Silvia Njoki stands as a prominent figure in the Kenyan online content creation sphere, wearingmultiple hats as a seasoned...
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EP 14: Localising communications for African consumers with Max Ngari
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Max is an award-winning Executive Creative Director, with over 14 years experience in the creative industry conceptualising…
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EP 13: Reconciling Culture & Creativity with Emuron Alemu
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Emuron is the Founder & Chief Creative Officer of The Quollective Africa, a multi-disciplinary culture agency bridging the...
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EP 12: The luxury of education with Gugu Ndebele
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Gugu is currently the Executive Director of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. A social impact meets leader in…
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EP 11: Globalising Maxhosa Africa with Ntsika Tyatya
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Ntsika is a friend, colleague and the key custodian of the MAXHOSA brand story, him and I share the passion for the luxury...
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EP 10: The business of luxury with Lihle Nqini
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Lihle is the Managing Director of MAXHOSA Africa, a trans-seasonal luxury knitwear brand founded by Laduma Ngxokolo. The brand...
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EP 9: Becoming a global fashion icon with Laduma Ngxokolo
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Laduma is a leading fashion designer, innovator and Creative Director at the helm of the luxury knitwear brand - MAXHOSA…
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EP 8: Pioneering change with Ofentse Pitse
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest A true pioneer, Ofentse is an orchestra owner, conductor, classical music arranger, producer, musician and curator of intimate...
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EP 7: Showcasing Kenyan craftsmanship with Mark Stephenson
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Mark began his career in advertising and communication disciplines, before joining Sandstorm for which he is now an investor…
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EP 6: The evolution of design with Adrian Jankowiak
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Adrian is a designer, facilitator and creative strategist. He is the Founder of Nairobi Design Week, annual design festival,...
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EP 5: Effective brand strategies for emerging luxury brands with Louise Darko
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest A multi-hyphenate creative, Louise is a seasoned Brand Consultant with over 15 years experience, skilled womenswear designer,...
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EP 4: Branding ‘Made in Africa’ luxury with Thebe Ikalafeng
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest An afroventurer who epitomises worldiness, our proud export and leading advocate for a brand-led African renaissance. Thebe is...
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EP 3: Decoding sustainability for African fashion brands with Hadeel Osman
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Hadeel Osman is a Sudanese award winning creative director and sustainable fashion consultant, she is also the founder of...
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EP 2: Evolving the definition of sustainable fashion with Lukhanyo Mdingi
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Eponymously named after the designer himself, the Lukhanyo Mdingi (LM) brand is a transcendental fashion label of global...
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EP 1: Curating an authentically African art story with Ruzy Rusike
This podcast embarks on a series of culturally-rich conversations seeking to explore, inform and create a unique definition and discovery of African luxury. Meet my guest Ruzy Rusike is an artist, curator and social activist. She currently working as the Head Curator at The Melrose Gallery, the...
About this show
Africa on Luxury is a Podcast & Cultural Conversations Platform championing African luxury through culture, creativity and commerce. Founded and hosted by Buyi Mafoko, we curate conversations with African creative visionaries, cultural pioneers and industry leaders unlocking Africa’s potential as the next frontier of global luxury.
Hosted by
Buyi Mafoko
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