In brief
The fashion week finished with models showcasing Ghanaian-made garments on the presidential runway in Akosombo. Speakers—including Black Star Experience Secretariat coordinator Rex Owusu Marfo, designer George Tetteh and Titus Nartey Doku—urged greater investment and international exposure for local designers, while stressing the event’s role in promoting Ghana’s cultural tourism.
On Saturday night, Ghana’s Black Star Fashion Week wrapped up in the town of Akosombo in the Eastern Region, featuring models plying the presidential runway with stitched stories of Ghanaian heritage, music, and dance. The event drew a mix of traditional rulers, government officials, industry leaders, and international partners, all keen to talk investment and growth for Ghana’s fashion scene.
Central to the agenda was the idea that the week would raise Ghana’s profile in the global fashion industry and highlight Akosombo’s potential as a premium tourist destination beyond the capital. The gathering celebrated the creativity of top‑notch local designers while framing how Ghana has to act intentionally on the world stage.
Speakers and Their Messages
Rex Owusu Marfo, coordinator of the Black Star Experience Secretariat, spoke at the event. He explained why the week was set in Akosombo:
"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."
Designer George Tetteh, from the Atto Tetteh brand, highlighted the blend of heritage and modernity in his collections. He noted the special role that culture, fashion trends, and innovation play in creation, and urged Ghana to invest more actively in its design talent:
"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."
"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."
Titus Nartey Doku, a designer known for turning used clothes into trendy garments, also stressed the need for concerted effort from all stakeholders to help local designers reach international audiences:
"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," he said.
"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."
Across the event, participants acknowledged the collective effort required to bring Ghanaian fashion to a wider world stage. The discussion ranged from import‑export logistics to media exposure, with particular emphasis on aligning government policy, private investment and industry innovation.
Beyond the runway, the surrounding ambiance of Akosombo—its crystal lake, mountain backdrop, and well‑designed exhibition spaces—underscored Rex Owusu Marfo’s point that location can amplify brand and tourism messages. The evening’s cultural performances, featuring traditional Ghanaian music and dance, added a celebratory context to the showcase.
In closing remarks, the event’s organizers reiterated that the Black Star Fashion Week was not merely a display but a strategic platform to position Ghana as a fashion hub, to create sustainable pathways for designers, and to cement Akosombo’s identity as a luxury tourism destination. The dialogue set the stage for future initiatives that aim to attract foreign attendance, media coverage and investment, ensuring that the creative talent showcased tonight can continue to thrive both locally and globally.
