'Fashion shows sell more women than they sell clothes' - Van Calebs laments

A provocative question has been raised regarding the fashion industry in Ghana and whether it is truly as lucrative as the massive online publicity and glamour, that it has been associated with, has projected it to be.

Ghanaian event organizer, Van Calebs made a statement today describing fashion shows in Ghana as avenues for scouting for 'sex partners' and not for the sale nor advertisement of clothing. He was responding to a question on fashion as the next vibrant business for many young Ghanaians in an interview in Accra.

Van Calebs holds a very strong opinion that when it comes to fashion shows, it's the models with the most sexual appeal that makes it to the runway. He says, fashion show organizers have lost their focus from clothing and are now supplying a more ready and far more paying market.

"Now, it's no more about the clothes but about the one wearing them... I mean this in a negative way. During the show, rich guys, who are usually the friends of the organizers, attend and look at the beautiful models on the runway. After the show, they ask the organizers for the numbers of some of the ladies; and even some of the male models too.

"Then, they meet up and offer them some money or opportunities in exchange for a sexual relationship with them. So, these rich guys also sponsor the fashion shows with money and so, this is in a way their benefit because, most fashion shows don't make money through either ticket sales or even designer participation fees; it's just a pathetic situation", he explained.

Emphasizing the desperate situation many fashion shows in Ghana are in, Van Calebs added that almost all the very popular fashion shows in Ghana underpay models who are used on their runways.

"In Ghana today, almost all of these fashion shows will use a model for 3 or more days of fashion shows and pay them Ghc400 to Ghc500. And yes, they don't have cash sponsors and they don't sell enough tickets, so where does the money come from?", he said.

Finally, Van Calebs said the Fashion Designers who are the spine of the fashion industry, are also in distress.

"In Ghana, many fashion designers are like social media bloggers. They are seasonal and then they fade out never to be remembered again. Just look at our most celebrated fashion icon, the late Kofi Ansah. His 'Art Dress' company and collections are now in some garage instead of a fashion studio or a boutique. Also, Joyce Ababio who was once a vibrant fashion designer is now focused on running her fashion school ...

"I guess that one pays far more than her being a fashion designer. I can go on and on because there are many fashion designers on Instagram doing a lot of photoshoots but, how many are selling and have records to show it?", he said.

Nevertheless, in Ghana, Fashion has become a major item on the lifestyle and entertainment calendar. A good fashion show on a weekend can pull both local and foreign nationals as guests in Accra. Also, the sustenance of many fashion schools and even Universities with 'Fashion Degree Programmes' such as 'Radford University' and 'Blue Crest University', with a growing number of students per year, gives hope the fashion industry in Ghana.