By Francis Kobena Tandoh & Seth Gafah
Ghanaian cultural heritage, music and dance, as well as eye-catching designs displayed at the presidential runway, climaxed the Black Star fashion week Saturday night at the plush Senchi Royal hotel at Akosombo in Ghana’s eastern region (province).
The event, marked on the theme “Put Ghana on”, brought together traditional rulers, government officials, industry players, and international partners to explore opportunities for growth, investment and international collaboration.
The audience were held spellbound as topnotch Ghanaian designers one by one took to the presidential runway through their models to showcase their talents, creativity, and artistry.
Speaking at the event, the coordinator of the Black Star Experience Secretariat, Rex Owusu Marfo, said the rationale behind the fashion week is geared towards putting Ghana’s name on the global map regarding the industry.
“We have come to Akosombo deliberately; our vision is simple yet very powerful. We are not in the conventional city hall; instead, we are in this serene, well-resourced area to showcase the beauty of Ghana beyond our capitals and to position Akosombo as a premium tourist destination. So, as the light dims and music rises, let’s remember every stage tells a story, every design carries a dream, and every step of this runway is a step towards putting Ghana on the map permanently.
George Tetteh, a designer with the Atto Tetteh brand highlighted what goes into his work and urged intentional efforts by stakeholders to put the country’s fashion onto the global stage.
“A lot of things go into a creative process, but predominantly it is our heritage, our culture, and then also fashion trends and everything that comes together for a creative to make a collection,” Tetteh told Xinhua in an interview.
“For all the fashion capitals in the world, it takes intentional effort to make them. Ghana has to make it an intentional effort and investment and then also create avenues like this for us to be able to show our work, he added.
Titus Nartey Doku, a fashion designer who recycles used clothes for making trendy designs stressed the significance of concerted efforts to help the creatives show their work to the rest of the world.
He said, “It’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and then it can be done. We need to go to our own local textile industry. That’s one thing that we have to start with. Yes, then designers, we make beautiful designs. You’re putting out beautiful work, but we need the media, and we need buyers. We need the government involved in trying to push the designers out there, outside the shores of Ghana.
Some late prominent Ghanaian fashion icons including Juliana Miranda Norley Kweifio-Okai, Kofi Ansah, and Ricci Osei were posthumously honoured during the presidential runway show at the Royal Senchi Hotel in Akosombo as part of the Black Star Fashion Week 2026.
Nora Bannerman, Joyce Ababio, Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto (MKO.GH), and Tetteh Adzedu were also honoured for their contributions to the industry.
According to a 2023 UNESCO report, cultural and creative industries account for 3.1 percent of global GDP and 6.2 percent of total employment. It also estimated that Africa’s annual exports of textiles, clothing and footwear amount to approximately 15.5 billion U.S. dollars. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
