US confirms handbag designer Marks as South Africa ambassador

The United States announced on Friday it had appointed Lana Marks has been appointed U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

Marks, a luxury handbag designer, was born in South Africa and speaks Afrikaans and Xhosa, the White House has said.

The U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination, which President Donald Trump put forward last year.

Washington has had no ambassador in South Africa since Patrick Gaspard left in December 2016, with its mission being overseen by a chargé d’affaires.

The website for Marks’ firm offers handbags for up to $20,000 and says they have become favourites for celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Kate Winslet and Madonna.