Africans have embraced clothes and items made and distributed by Africans, Chimamanda Adichie’s #WearNigerian Campaign is a solid proof to that. Accra Fashion Week, one of the biggest platforms that showcase made in Africa fashion items, is giving more than just a fashion week this year.
The #ShopTheRunway initiative is the new way of promoting African made fashion items and encouraging attendees to buy designs by local artisans showcased at the just concluded Accra Fashion Week. This is a new beginning to a society that lives, breathes and trends collections by African designers.
Convener Nana Tamakloe says:
It’s enough, we can not continue to live in a society where we pack up African fashion shows and clap for the top African designers throughout, whilst dressed in our Louis V and Gucci’s, knowing very well we are going to go home and live the rest of our lives wearing just that. If that’s your purpose, stay home! Wearing African fashion in 2018 onward is a symbol of strength, it’s a symbol of effort. It’s the new Woke. In fact to some extent is actually just as a respectable act as that of those that fought for our independence. Their efforts was rigid, ours is more cunning but in the end they both lead to the same goals. It’s time to beautify ourselves and set trends that the world admires.
Accra Fashion week continues to play a significant role in the African fashion industry; not only the fantastic chic clothes displayed on the runway but by inspiring other events to push the bar a step higher. There has been a great increase of fashion events across west Africa highly inspired by AFWK as well as a drastic improvement in various Ghanaian fashion events in order to keep up.
For the first time ever in fashion week history in Ghana, an online shop will be created on the website belonging to the event www.accrafashionweek.org, allowing guests present and not present to buy all and any goods the see showcased on the night by professional designers and have it shipped to them anywhere in the world. It hosts popular Ghanaian and foreign brands such as Abass, Bri Wireduah, Iva Michaels, Mish Mega, Nackissa, Outrage by Jida, Sara Q and Tobams Colors.
Don’t forget to stay #WOKE while we anticipate the event which is set to hold from the 3rd – 7th October 2018.