5 African Lifestyle Brands You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner
Across Africa, a quiet but powerful shift is unfolding. Creatives and entrepreneurs are reimagining what it means to live well, on African terms. In place of mass market trends or borrowed aesthetics, they’re building lifestyle brands that honour heritage, embrace contemporary design, and speak to how we actually live: with intention, resilience, and a sense of rooted beauty.
From modern wellness rituals inspired by ancestral knowledge, to elevated homeware that fuses tradition with bold innovation, these brands are shaping the everyday in ways that feel both familiar and new. Whether you’re setting a table, lighting a candle, or choosing what to wear and why, it’s all becoming more conscious. More local. More us.
Ahead, meet five African lifestyle brands that are quietly raising the bar. Each one offering something distinct, meaningful, and worthy of a spot in your daily rhythm:
1. Ilera Apothecary
From handcrafted shea body butters to aromatherapy rollers that double as mindfulness tools, Ilera Apothecary champions clean beauty with Yoruba inspired grounding. The brand takes a holistic approach to skincare, blending botanical science with ancestral knowledge. It’s not just about looking good, but feeling rooted.
2. Veldskoen Shoes
Born in Cape Town in 2016, Veldskoen reinvents South Africa’s traditional “veld school” (field shoe). Founders Nick Dreyer and Ross Zondagh introduced bold, flag colored soles and laces to these heritage shoes, turning them into a stylish symbol of national pride.
3. Cape Union Mart
A household name for outdoor lifestyle gear in Southern Africa, Cape Union Mart has been serving adventure lovers since 1933. With 116 stores and in house brands like K-Way, the retailer blends durability with style for hiking and travel essentials.
4. Rich Mnisi
Rising designer Rich Mnisi integrates minimalism and identity into fashion and lifestyle design. Known globally yet deeply rooted in African expression, his pieces, from apparel to home goods speak to both luxury and cultural integrity.
5. 99 Design
99 Design curates slow fashion and lifestyle objects in Cape Town’s Woodstock district. Their model supports emerging brands, allowing customers to discover unique, small batch items without mass production. It’s a hub for intentional style.
For those craving beauty routines that blend heritage with modern elegance, check out our feature on brands reimagining ancestral beauty: From Tradition to Shelf: African Brands Reimagining Ancestral Beauty
