By Neo Kolane
Local clothing brand Bonono Merchants walked away with two awards; Most Admired Lesotho Brand and Most Admired Lesotho Apparel at the 12th annual Brand Africa 100’s, the Lesotho edition.
Brand Africa unveiled the 12 annual Brand Africa 100’s: Africa’s Best Brands 2022 rankings of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa at a live event hosted by Brand Africa in Maseru this week.
Bonono Merchants is a clothing/wear stockist inspired deeply by positive approach to timeless trends in fashion and design.
For most admired Lesotho, Bonono Merchants won against Joachim and Basutoland Ink. While for Most Admired Lesotho Brand, it won against Joachim Garments, Alliance Insurance, Basutoland Ink as well as Tlotsa.
In an interview with theReporter, the founder of Bonono Merchants, Chere Mongangane, told the publication that these two awards were totally a surprise and it was very emotional.
Mongangane said Bonono Merchants priority is Basotho centric saying that the apparel is inspired by the life, tradition and culture of Basotho.
“The admired brand award shows that whatever we are trying to communicate there are some people who can see and understand what we are trying to do with Bonono Merchants.
“There is nothing special about Bonono Merchants besides our passion to tell Basotho stories through fashion.
“The Bonono Merchants stories come from the products made,” Mongangane said.
He mentioned Lesotho’s history, important figures of Basotho saying that it inspires Bonono Merchants apparels.
He talked of a blanket which is a dedication to King Moshoeshoe I, explaining that on it there are herd boys because it was inspired by the lifestyles of her boys in the country.
“The design is for Moshoeshoe I so as to honour him,” Mongangane said.
A winner who took an award for business excellence was Lebona Lephema who said it is an honour to be recognised by Lesotho at large.
Lephema said some of the operations he has done has been a challenge to him to see that Lesotho is a “mine of all countries that are taking money from the kingdom.”
He advised Basotho to be producers and not just consumers.
The chief executive officer of Mamoth Citrus Group Phelane Phomane said the Top 100 survey has become Africa’s only and most reference index that ranks brands in Africa.
Phomane said Lesotho brands are starting to get recognition in Africa since it joined in 2021.
Established in 2011, the Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands rankings are the most authoritative survey and analysis on brands and underlying businesses in Africa, based on a study by Geopoll across 28 countries spanning all the five economic regions and analysis and ranking by Kantar and Brand Leadership.
Collectively, they account for over 80 percent of the population and over 80 percent of the GDP of Africa. An analysis of the data over the past 10 years, has established that on average, only 20 percent of the brands admired by Africans are made in Africa.
