Inspiring African Women – Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe

Many women have really used their strength to fill a much-needed gap in the fashion market. One such woman is the wife of Patrice Motsepe, Dr. Precious Moloi Motsepe. She is a Doctor by profession and chairman of Southern Africa’s leading Fashion Weeks company, African Fashion International. 2012 saw the brand get Mercedes-Benz sponsorship and are now part of the international clique of MBFWs.

Dr. Precious Motsepe – At the MBFWJ 2013 Launch (AFI: Blog)

Unlike the usual Model-turned-fashionista (We Thank Tyra Banks for that) story Precious is an inspiration to academic oriented people, as she is a professional doctor, a business woman, wife and parent. She married to an equally successful man, her husband is part of African billionaire club and she is a respected fashion person. 2012 saw her being invited to speak at the IHT Luxury conference on “FASHION, LUXURY AND THE PROMISE OF AFRICA: FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE”.

AFI her company is involved with Zimbabwe as Allana Finley who is part of the executive AFI team came in 2012 with Cape Town Fashion Council’s Bryan Ramkilawan at the Zimbabwe Fashion Week. This was the passage for Zimbabwean designers to have a show at the inaugural Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2012.

Allana Finley (AFI), Priscilla Chigariro (Zimbabwe Fashion Week) and Bryan Ramkilawan (Cape Town Fashion Council CEO) at the 2012 Zimbabwe Fashion Week Cocktail – SDR Photo/Simon Deiner

Her Professional Biography

Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe is a Johannesburg based businesswoman. She is chairperson of African Fashion International (AFI), a company that owns and hosts Mercedes-Benz Fashion weeks in South Africa and Africa. AFI’s goal is to promote and develop South African and African fashion and to bring it into the mainstream. Through partnerships with various companies and government, AFI brings together fashion designers, media, retailers and consumers. This gives fashion designers media publicity and orders from retail buyers and the public.She believes that the fashion and clothing industry can play an important role in supporting and developing small businesses. The success of AFI has been in getting several designers known locally and taking some to shows in New York and Paris Fashion Weeks. AFI’s main events – Joburg Fashion Week, Cape Town Fashion Week and Africa Fashion Week have become well-known in the fashion and clothing industry.

Dr. Moloi-Motsepe started her career in medicine at Wits University. She is Patron of Birdlife South Africa and Patron of Child Welfare South Africa. She is past President of the Cancer Association of South Africa and is now its lifetime member. She sits on the board of Synergos, an organization dedicated to addressing global poverty and social injustice through collaboration with governments, business and civil society, by creating sustainable systems change. She enjoys reading, travelling and watching football with her family. She is married to Patrice Motsepe; they live in Johannesburg with their 3 children. (Source: AFI website)

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