50. Bonolo Mataboge
Vital Stats:
- Business: AfriBlossom
- Established: 2011
Up-and-coming fact:
When she was forced to drop out of fashion school after developing a growth disorder that caused her lower leg to grow inward, Mataboge saw it as an opportunity to seize a gap in the fashion market.
A visit to the United States as an exchange student in 2011 planted the seed for Afriblossom, when she realized how much more difficult it was to find plus-size clothing in South Africa. Afriblossom’s aim is to provide the curvy girl fresh, flattering, modern Afro-chic and budget friendly designs for every occasion. Matabogo currently outsources production to a factory in Johannesburg CBD and she is meeting with potential retailers for her clothing range. She also has hopes of moving into the textiles industry.