Nkhensani Nkosi - Founder of fashion label 'Stoned Cherrie', Johannesburg, South Africa - http://www.stonedcherrie.co.za Nkhensani Nkosi has become a leading voice from Africa making herself heard across various ventures as a fashion designer, entrepreneur, television personality and celebrated actress. Her distinctive fashion label, Stoned Cherrie, was born when she recognised that the urban energy that exists on the continent was not being branded and packaged into products. This became her opportunity to build an African brand that celebrates South Africa's new sense of identity. Nkhensani describes Stoned Cherrie’s image as being “urban African…my clothes are not obviously African. I appreciate fashion as art. Our designs are influenced by everything around us – nature, people, the streets, music.” The funky label first hit the hotspots with its original introduction of seshweshe and Xhosa cloth into high fashion items and inspirational 50s Sophiatown and Drum magazine influences. She boasts a multitude of awards, the most notable being the Top Success Story of the Year: Top Women in Business and Government in 2005 and Young Business Quarterly: Young Business Achiever of the Year in 2003. In 2005, she was lauded as one of six high impact entrepreneurs by the US mentorship programme Endeavor. Being the founder, a managing member and the creative director of Stoned Cherrie would overwhelm anyone; but Nkhensani takes it all in her stride. The motivation behind her relentless hard work, energy and passion is the knowledge that she is living her dream.