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Melanie Crane’s Signature Avion Cape Is A Wardrobe Must Have In Ghana

Proud graduate of Ghana’s popular school ‘JACCD’ has set fire and made a historical contribution to style in Ghana. As previously we have seen various contributions in the past that have never faded. Such as stretchy woven print clothing, the popular button bib necklace and print strand necklaces, and much more. These are all characteristics and attributes that comes to mind when one speaks of fashion in Ghana.

Our extended AVION CAPE

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However, spectacularly, a signature style that is picking up in Ghana by fashion designer Melanie Crane, is the Avion Cape by Melanie Crane, a V Shawl bib, as seen styles on Ghanaian style girls such as Akosua Vee. When one seeks a more royal edge to their style, this is definitely an clothing item that should be added to one’s closet.

Not only does it work magnificently in the winter, look wise, but also the black fringe details sub merges perfectly with rich print colors selected by the designer. The Avion Cape as she calls it has also been purchased and dawned by many celebrities such as Sandra Ankobia and more.

This year the designer is set to amaze us with her latest collection

Zac Posen Vs Ghanaian Fashion Brand Afre Anko In Copy Cat Style Dress. Influence Or Coincidence

US fashion designer, Zac Posen, popularly known for his outspoken support for the #BlackModelsMatter campaign has just found himself in a little dig after producing a dress almost identical to pieces from Ghanaian fashion brand Afre Anko’s SS17 collection.

Afre Anko is a fashion brand that stands as one of Ghana’s top brands creating clothes with some of the most amazing finishing the country has. The brand is a little removed from the pop culture, yet it is known for creating clothes for some of Ghana’s diplomats, dignitaries and esteems individuals of high position.

It’s last collection was showcased last year at Accra Fashion Week from ‘one of her three’ fashion lines ‘Miss Afre Anko’. Naa, The head designer behind the brand created a casual wear with suiting fabric decorated with floral red print. Alternatively and very similar to this, Zac Posen presented a same such dress, only this time with actual red sewn in flower designs.

There is no telling what inspired Zac Posen to randomly create an almost identical dress to that of Afre Anko, but history has shown Africa’s lack of ability to record our history in fashion and popularize our designs and brands for years has led to our talents being emulated by some of the biggest brands in the West. In fact we have published so many of these in the past here on FashionGHANA.com.

There is a new Africa now, with fashion blogs and social media handlers just as swift as that of the west. Maybe it is time we make it viral everytime such creativity is mysteriously emulated so credits to such creativity and talent can be pointed in the right direction in the case of designers that do copy creativity.

How Zambia’s Mangish Doll Is Revolutionizing The African Print Culture With Her Bold Tropical Style

Who would have thought young Kapasa Musonda was about to discover a new path and style for print lovers with her fashion designing trip when she discovered her fashion brand Mangishi Doll in 2014? The young Zambian designer has added a component which one can say has been missing from the print culture, and that is eccentricity.

The Fikeni II by @mangishidoll Mdoll @mulenga.chileshe

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After viewing the print culture go through various phases for decades, first it’s popularity in Africa, then it’s loss of popularity, then it’s casualness, then it’s appeal to black Americans, then it return appeal in Africa, then it’s appeal internationally, then it opens doors for designers in Africa, then it opens doors and business opportunities for blacks in the West that start to use print fabrics.

#tbt…Funky Throws from The Edena Collection’ by @mangishidoll Hair by @hairvention ❤️

A post shared by Mangishi Doll (@mangishidoll) on

Never in this timeline has there been such a used of print, creating such an ecstatic tropical feel with an appeal to resort fashion lovers. Young Kapasa is definitely upto something, and we call it innovation. For years many in the print culture end of the fashion world (not all) have emulated styles that already existed, simply fusing print into their creations.

This can be true with one or two pieces of Kapasa’s work, but the overall love is beyond the usual.

Chuks Nacho (Nigeria)


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Chuks Nacho (Nigeria) | Biography


Chuks Nacho clothiers has for the last six years had a transformational impact on both formal and casual menswear fashion with a design aesthetic rooted and inspired by traditional classic men tailoring.

Defined by modern international style, finesse, astute detail, and impeccable artistry. Our instinctive combination of colour, cut and fabric fuses well crafted classic tailoring with a high end modern design focus on the refinement of a man's silhouette, this has brought tailoring to a whole new generation of men.

His baptism into the fashion design business started way back during his universities days early 2004 where he designed literally everything he wore which attracted his peers. Some began to buy clothing he wore, and others requested he handled their wardrobes, at which point he was encouraged to go full time into fashion. His sense of fashion and style was influenced largely by the works of Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Tom ford, Taryor Gabriels, and Mai Atafo, Fashion for him has been a worth while journey. Chuks Nacho to date has handled the wardrobes for some of the leading choirs in Nigeria like: (covenant Christian Centre), as well as dressing gospel acts like stellar award winner Don Moen. However, one of his most important achievements is being able to provide jobs for people which he takes immense pride in.
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Why International Fashion Buyers Are Saying No To African Fashion Weeks

Such a title might be a contradiction to read on the website of an African fashion week. However, we won’t feel comfortable doing so if we didn’t have foresight on how to progress beyond this issue. One question we hear a lot from our applicants is “Are you going to have buyers? Which buyers would you have?” etc etc. In fact before we began Accra Fashion Week, one time I found myself in the middle of two gossiping ladies at another fashion event where one designer actually was criticizing the event explaining why she wasn’t doing it that year and that how the previous year there were no buyers.

The lady further went to a fashion week in China and one in London and she still has no buyers, and here is the reason why “African designers do not understand how the buyer culture works” (obviously not all, but almost all). Buyers do not jump up and go to a country looking for a show to enjoy, they go to places looking to crack business deals with fashion brands, 9 times out of 10 if they are not at a fashion week you are part of, it most likely means there is no brand that was ringing bells loud enough for them to attend.

Fashion weeks in the main capital are not as they are here, where one super man or woman organizing an event and expected to carry the success, promotion, and deals for some 20-30 designers, just the thought of that is ludicrous. Fashion Week in the west are a compilation of various shows in various building put together by the brands, hiring their own models, spending their own money, seeking buyers themselves that will take an interest in their items, and executing their own event promotion external to the fashion week schedule. Unfortunately in Africa, our fashion industry is not flourishing enough for our designers to hold independent fashion shows as such where they pay for all models, venue, promotion and all, unless they find sponsors, and so our designers are made to rely these events that brings all designers to the light.

Unfortunately, by paying a small fee to be part, designers already begin to feel disarmed from any other responsibility of furthering their brand. They hardly work on their pre and post press coverage, they do not work on their guest invitations, they do not work on their creative input into the shows, nor doing the right amount of branding to appeal to designers, and when the event is closed, some question the organizers for their success, mind you we have not even opened dialogue about the buyers yet, but simply a distinct relationship between the tremendous efforts by designers abroad during fashion weeks compared to the expectations of event organizers in Ghana.

So now we know this, lets look at 4 reason why international fashion buyers turn a blind eye to African fashion.

1/ Buyers Are Swarmed By Many Creatives Even In Their Own Country: Before coming down to deal with any complications of Ghana’s international trade agreements, uncertainty with production processes and more, buyers are swarmed with designers in their own country whom they have never bought from before, or who they bought from previously, or even sometimes, whom they are buying from now attempting to have them buy more, and so forth. Buying from new clients and countries is a great hassle unless they are sure they can secure the process or they are seeing something totally different and profitable. What have you done to make the buyer know stocking your item would be profitable? Are you highly in demand where his shops are based?

2/ Another reason is Most Africans Do Not Create Fashion By Seasons: Buyers like to ensure what they will stock in their shops will not be out of fashion or bought elsewhere before the time you are able to produce the quantities they need. Most designers showcase fashion that is already out in public that they are ALREADY selling. If you have a collection that is well publicized and sold prior to our fashion week, And a buyer visits your show and purchases in bulk, here is what happens. When the bulk orders are made, delivery and all such is done, it might take another 4 months before they are available in stores, by this time your items are out of fashion and really nothing new being that they have been out in public for over 5 months or so. Even within the basic trends of print fashion we have seen cape dresses, off shoulder dresses and flair sleeves all come and go out of season in one year, 2016. Buyers are peculiar with what they buy into. And stocking clothes that are out of fashion is a big turn off to buyers. Using the cinema reference, Batman Vs Superman was release last year, no one will visit the cinema to watch it now. This is your out-of-date product in a store. If you wish to attract buyers, the collection you showcase must not be available to the public during your time of showcasing. If you are very dedicated to seek buyers, do not shy away from showcasing a collection that is set to be released for a later date. Ghanaian designers currently do not have seasonal releases and most collections are available as they are shown, and therefore buyers see our fashion shows as kids play, and do not even consider attempting to be part of the trading process.

3/ Buyers Don’t Buy Designs They Buy Brands: Buyers are not your marketers, you do not sit down and make a nice dress and hope they will buy it and promote it for you for sales simply because it is nice. They are more like distributors hoping by the time your clothes hits their shop you have aroused interest or some demand from the general public. Until you really popularize the demand for your brand you really cannot call for the presence of a buyer. This is why I like to use the cinema reference. A film company makes a film and the cinema will buy the rights at a certain price to show that movie in their venue. The cinema is not looking to purchase a film nobody wants to see and then start promoting because they will lose money if the tickets don’t sell, they look to buy a film the audience are desperate to watch. Meaning that film producers need to do excess promotion via various avenues in order to appeal to buyers, one various review magazines, blogs and TV shows. This is your relationship with the buyer, “If I take your clothes to stores in the UK, do you expect me to start promoting you there?”- The Buyer

If you brand is strong and well pushed, they might even call you ahead of your show. Fashion might be luxury but it will also forever be a necessity and to those involved it’s business. Despite the situation of the world people will always wear clothes. Despite how funky a creative you are, buyers are living lavishly in a world of endless sales, so why should they buy your clothes? What promotional and branding efforts have you executed to ensure that people will walk into their stores asking for your brand before it’s even stocked? What work have you done to ensure that you are in media that their clients are tuned in to? Buyers also need to survive, they are business women and men and not charity workers here to push you after purchasing, that’s not their field of expertise. Most African brands are not known beyond the fashion circles in their own countries. If one wishes for buyers to pay attention to their work, they need to execute a hefty amount of PR and promotion and when you do, believe it or not, the buyers will contact you themselves to attend your show, just like a cinema will contact a movie company it doesn’t know for a well demanded movie before it’s released. You can’t ask for international buyers if you are not working towards an international brand. This point should really not be underestimated and should actually be paid for, thank us later.

4/ Most African Fashion Designer’s Do Not Follow World Trends: I am not so much of a believer in following world trends, nevertheless, clothes in mainstream shops and in fashion magazines sometimes can be seen to have similar themes running through them, buyers again are business men. They follow what they feel is trendy in public, whether is generated by press or authentic. The question is how are you infusing the world trends into your upcoming collection, which they know designers in Africa for not doing so.

So What To Do?

This article is not to say a number of African designers in Africa have not struck lucky here or there, but speaking generally. The world is constantly evolving, Africa is in it’s own unique spot and at a pivotal point with potential to revolutionize the fashion world. However, our position and forward steps can not mimic the ancient steps that created success for nations miles ahead, that would be no different from a new record label trying to succeed by sales of CDs. Africa needs to be more innovative with how we approach our fashion weeks. The list of points above was simply an extract from one of a number of documents provided to participating designers in Accra Fashion Week. Others include, putting together collections, creating the right look books, pricing your items and much more. Also our forward motion on how best to move forward in the buyer culture is a part of what we share amongst our applicants. Thanks for reading, please remember to share with a fashion friend.

Mimine Ag (UK)


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Mimine Ag (UK) | Biography


Mimine Ag from her real name Yasmine Agbantou is a Beninese- French fashion and print designer born in Paris and raised in Benin. Mimine is the nickname her mother gave her from the day she was born and Ag are the two first letters of her surname.

She graduated from Ravensbourne University in London with a fashion and print design BA for womenswear in june 2015.

The aesthetic of the brand is based on the attention for details such as cut outs,color blocking as well as the use of abstract prints and the promise of exquisite haute couture techniques to always provide perfectly tailored pieces. The collections are mainly tributes to women empowerment. The Mimine Ag woman is cheeky but lovable; she does not try to fit in the society she lives in. She makes her own statement through the way she dresses and behaves. She is not afraid and likes to draw attention through her clothes and her personality.

Mimine Ag has gained experience over the years by working for brand such as RALPH & RUSSO(HAUTE COUTURE HOUSE),PETER PILOTTO, TOPSHOP, TATANAKA and PHINEY PET.
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View Our New Lavish Venue For 2017 Courtesy Of Ghana’s Top Decoration Company, Unique Floral

If you were part of the explosive experience at the inaugural edition of Accra Fashion Week in 2016, the organizers are about to step it up to a whole new level. Event planners and decoration company Unique Floral will now be an intricate part of Accra Fashion Week 2017. Their venue in the International Trade Fair Center will now host the 6 day fashion extravaganza starting from 3rd to 8th October 2017.

The organizers believe promoting the designers on an international level if very essential to appeal to boutique owners, but how their clothes are presented is even more essential to their branding, and this is why they chose to orchestrate #AFWk2017 with Ghana’s best decoration company Unique Floral.

The Unique Floral Building is one of out many in the Trade Fair, it is well furbished, air conditioned and spacious. The organizers have stated that it might be one of the best location to host a fashion show in Ghana and fits perfectly with their narrative.

Accra Fashion Week made a ground breaking entry in 2016 and works to give a platform to the various creatives across the nation as well as those from abroad that want to expose their talents to the African fashion world. The objective is for Africa to have it’s own fashion capital with a fashion week that can be compared to the likes of those in the fashion capitals and centralize African fashion. Accra Fashion Week 2017 is not to be missed, for more information visit www.accrafashionweek.org

Who Will Win Face Of Accra Fashion Week 2017 Model Competition; See All Info Here

Face of Accra Fashion Week is back following the victory of fashion model Grace Quaye who walked away with 3000ghs, and will front the advertisement and promotional campaign for Accra Fashion Wee 2017, and is scheduled to open and close the main shows this year.

The search is on for the Face Of Accra Fashion Week 2017. As the Accra Fashion Week brand grows, so will the treats and rewards of the face, and this year with a promising number of companies on board, our lucky winner might not only be the face of Accra Fashion Weeks, but also a number of brands.

AFWk LTD in partnership with FashionGHANA.com and Confidence Models have come together to bring a competition that will see Ghana’s most beautiful fashion model leave with 3000ghs worth of prizes, a 3 year contract with Ghana’s best fashion agency Confidence Models.

The winner would also be granted the luxury of being FashionGHANA.com’s style girl where she will be featured daily on FashionGHANA in monthly editorial fashion shoots such as that of amazing.

And last but not least, you will get to walk the runways of various international shows which will be presented to you according to your availability.

The competition is open to both Female & Male models and application forms cost no more than 50ghs. And guess what,
No walking or modelling experience needed. All criteria and Audition details can be seen at www.accrafashionweek.org/face.

TO GET A FORM IN ADVANCE TEXT YOUR NUMBER TO 0233 622 004

Accra Fashion Week 2017 is set to take place in October 2017 at the International Trade Fair Center in Accra Ghana. The event is set to host foreign designers from over 30 countries as well as all the popular Ghanaian fashion brands! For more information please visit www.AccraFashionWeek.org

Me We Paris (France)


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Me We Paris (France) | Biography


Born in ivory coast, MATHILDE ME-WE, who founded ME-WE, is sharing her life between Paris and Abidjan. She left her hometown at a young age to travel all over Africa and Europ, where she found her inspiration.

The Fashion designer emphasizes her African roots and combines the strenght and the warmth of Africa materials and westen tissues. The result is a bold collection, a mix of modernism and elegance in a multiculrural spirit. Mathilde‘s passion for fashion is women‘s pleasure. Mé-wé is a French brand which propose an elegant and feminine selection of ready –to-wear clothing, with great mix of creativity and harmony for women who want to have a modern and perfect look.
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Celebrating Ghana At 60 And What It Means To Ghana And Africa’s World Of Fashion

This year Accra Fashion Week is taking this opportunity to celebrate 60 years of independence and hopefully center it as Ghana’s biggest international celebration of this beautiful moment and here is our ethos.

As far as setting the path for the fight of independence, Ghana took the first step upon welcoming our neighbors into a new Africa. Our achievements unfolded much success, however our world of fashion is still yet to be freed from the various struggles it faces today.

It is fair enough to say, after reviewing various designers and designs around Africa, Ghanaian fashion has expressed some of the most creative styles and designs to the point of influencing the world. Yet we are hardly benefiting as there are no structures put in place for success.

Accra Fashion Week was created not simply to be another show, but 1/ to give a platform to various talents in Ghana 2/ change the fashion trends of the day to day Ghanaian, and 3/ to be heavily focused on bringing business structures to our industry. Currently, Ghana is experiencing a very fragmented world of fashion, and playing a role and extension of foreign fashion industries.

It is silly to believe any one individual, organization or event can be fully responsible for a nation wide change, however our aim is to play a role in it or ignite it. We have so much fashion business executed in Ghana, The moment you see a whole town of fully clothed men, women and children there is definitely business going on. The question is how to turn this into the clothes we produce, and this starts with our designers, their branding, and the boutiques. This is a necessary step needed to be executed prior to developing the buyers culture we all wish for and see in the West.

We believe if Ghana is able to execute this within our own nation, we could easily become the Mecca of African fashion, just as we have done paving the way for independence. Accra Fashion Week is working on various activities to ensure our colleagues in the fashion industry are playing the role to make this change, not vaguely, but with core plans and daily strategies we are currently executing to tie all together at Accra Fashion Week 2017.

This is our main objective, all whilst showing to the mass public great trends and styles of great mass appeal. Wee hop you will be a part of this, and Happy Independence Ghana, happy independence Africa!!!

Below are a few designers already set for the runway in 2017