The Nana Benz were business women of the city Lomé, in Togo. Successful saleswomen who dealt in fabrics used for pagnes, a mainstay of African fashion, they built authentic economic empires and were closely linked to the powers-that-be during the country’s dictatorship. Their businesses were also instrumental in Togo’s economical emancipation. Regarded as mythical by the population to this day, they were also known for always driving Mercedes-Benz cars.