SHE-Y by Menaye, the international cosmetics brand owned by Ghanaian model and entrepreneur, Menaye Donkor Muntari has made further inroads into the global luxury market following a successful exhibition in France.
Top products from the SHE-Y line on display at the Fashion for Peace show held as part of the Paris Peace Forum in France recently attracted many guests, including designer, Olivier Theyskens, former French Minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy and industrialist, Laurent Dassault.
The fashion event organised by Ghanaian entrepreneurship coach and African Fashion Ambassador, Roberta Annan also featured Ghanaian brands, Duaba Serwa and Chocolate by Kwaku Bediako as well as Senegalese designer Sophie Zinga.
Menaye, a former Miss Universe-Ghana winner, produces her SHE-Y products in Italy, using ethically sourced shea-butter from Ghana and algae from Senegal. A portion of the proceeds from her business goes to the Menaye Charity Organization, which provides education for underprivileged children.
SHE-Y is an Italian luxury brand that uses the highest grade of shea-butter and other rare ingredients to create unique all natural skin care products, while preserving old shea-butter making traditions. The respect for nature, quality and artisanal processing plays a major role in the philosophy at SHE-Y. The exclusive products are made with high quality Grade A shea-butter from Ghana and other rich ingredients produced in the best laboratories in Italy. The SHE-Y products include body creams, body scrub and body oils.
Ms Annan of Roberta Annan Capital Partners has been supporting entrepreneurs like Menaye Donkor to help Africa to progress rapidly in the growing global luxury market.
“I’ve appointed myself as an ambassador — nobody has appointed me — to really position people that are doing things, so we can rebrand and reposition how people view Africa,” Ms Annan said.
In line with her passion for the speedy growth of the African fashion industry, Ms Annan launched the Impact Fund for Africa, a 100-million-Euro investment fund that will support African creative talents working in fashion and lifestyle.
The fund is a partnership between her African Fashion Fund project and the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI), a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
It will be managed by Roberta Annan Capital Partners, a specialised boutique investment and advisory company, with members from the EFI serving as Non-Executive Board Members.
Ms Annan has also organised internships for African designers at companies including Edun, the socially conscious clothing label founded by Ali Hewson and her husband Bono, and Macy’s, through its DC Fashion Incubator.
“She is probably one of the best ambassadors for Africa,” Ms Karine Ohana, Managing Partner of the investment bank, Ohana & Co, said and also noted that the population of the African continent is expected to rise to 2.5 billion by 2050, making it a key trade partner for Europe.
“These are the types of success stories we want to project outside, because the perception of Africa is not the right perception. What is actually happening there is so different from what we read or see in the news,” Ms Annan stated.