Panelists at the Fashion Forum Ghana's 4th talk series
‘The challenge of Fashion in Ghana’
Once again, Fashion Forum Ghana (FFG) didn’t disappoint as it ended its 2016 fourth talk series on STYLES OF WEST AFRICA, recently at the British Council Ghana. It kicked off with a fabulous showcase by high fashion brand TOTALLY ETHNIK.
Esther Armah, Moderator and CITI FM’s host of the international award winning show ‘The Spin’, spoke to a packed house of fashion business owners, students and enthusiasts taking them through an interactive, thought provoking program on trade fairs and market opportunities within ECOWAS to benefit people in fashion in West Africa.
FFG4 panelists present were Mr. Alexander Dadzawa, Head of marketing & promotions (Trade Fairs) – GEPA, Ghana Exports Promotion Authority, Madame Marie KIPRE, CEO & Creative Director of fashion brand Totally Ethnik and veteran Mrs. Letitia Sam, CEO of Tishy’s Textiles.
They gave introductions on themselves, detailed their experiences, and revealed industry insights. The audience also participated in the event by sharing their views and adding their voices to the debate during the very lively Q&A session.
From 2010, its pre-launch stages the Fashion Forum Ghana, an NGO, had been conducting market research on the fashion business community in Ghana and developing its talk party concepts. This preliminary research and information gathering was with support from AFFORD UK, African Foundation for Development.
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Fashion Forum launched its first panel discussion as an introductory session in March 2016 at the annual, Ghana Culture Day events held at the National Theatre, in partnership with the Ghana Culture Forum (GCF) and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
Fashion Forum’s growing popularity amongst fashion and its business community here in Ghana is slowing causing an African fashion revolution. The Forum is building momentum with social media audiences outside the country and in the African diaspora. The interesting panel discussion, with high quality, expert and experience based-speakers, commands a full house at its quarterly talk parties, bringing together fashionable creative attendees in March, June, September and December.
The idea of Fashion Forum was developed when founder Makeba Boateng realized that the African youth, had not much hard copy documentation on the fashion business community, in particular in Ghana.
It was not easy to find representative images of successful or accomplished Ghanaians in all areas of fashion, past and present. It was difficult to find a book on them or relevant information that was of benefit. It was puzzling to not find associations that were active and could selflessly support budding talent to realize their full potential within fashion industry.
Makeba Boateng, remarking on the need for Fashion Forum to fill the gap, said, “FFG has had a measurable impact on the fashion community here in Ghana, We strongly feel that our talk forum and its organic approach is worth replicating in the ECOWAS region.
This has always been part of the plan and we hope that we can provide help to any collective who want to collaborative and support us to run Fashion Forum in their country”.
She concluded,“Our vision is to be a collective force for the people, to be a living, active organization, affecting positive and creative change through views and voices of its stakeholders, serving as a positive, united and peaceful model for everybody, especially the mass in the business of fashion. We want to create a REAL difference, building strong and sustainable relationships within the fashion business communities in Africa”.
Fashion personalities and invited guests at Fashion Forum Ghana 4 (FFG) talk party included, the most talented Papa Oppong, a fashion designer/illustrator and in-house designer at studio189. Mr. Akunu Dake, Vice Chairperson/Co-Convenor of the GCF, Ghana Culture Forum, and Miss Geraldine Atta Sappor, Miss Tourism Ghana 2016.
Fashion Forum in its selfless effort to encourage conversations, interactions and collaborations as a way to help connect the ECOWAS fashion communities. FFG wins for everyone in the fashion business community, encouraging an open forum to discuss and debate…to learn and build. Don’t you like being inspired? Get ready for FFG5 in March as part of Ghana Culture Day.
