{"id":13985,"date":"2026-11-05T23:36:15","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T23:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=13985"},"modified":"2026-11-05T23:36:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T23:36:15","slug":"black-star-fashion-week-kicks-off-in-accra-with-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=13985","title":{"rendered":"Black Star Fashion Week Kicks Off In Accra With Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The inaugural Black Star Fashion Week (BSFW) kicked off on Wednesday with a summit at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.<\/p>\n

Put together by the Rex Omar-led Black Star Experience and running under the theme \u201cPut Ghana On\u201d, the initiative aims to chart a clearer path for Ghana\u2019s fashion sector.<\/p>\n

It brought together policymakers, creatives and other industry players for masterclasses, panel discussions, fireside chats, exhibitions and networking.<\/p>\n

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Ghana\u2019s Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, In her remarks, saluted the organisers and called for fashion to be recognised as a \u201cstrategic pillar of Ghana\u2019s creative economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stressed fashion\u2019s power to create jobs, draw investment and boost exports, pointing to Kente, Fugu, Adinkra symbols, beadwork and embroidery as a foundation for innovation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith deliberate investment, improved production capacity and market access, the industry could create thousands of jobs, particularly for our young people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

According to her, \u201cWe must therefore deliberately integrate fashion into Ghana\u2019s tourism offerings. Our fashion weeks, textile exhibitions, cultural festivals, heritage tours, creative markets and fashion showcases should become important features of our national tourism calendar.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that through initiatives such as the Black Star Experience, Ghana can become a destination where people come not only to see attractions but also to experience creativity, engage with culture and invest in creative industries.<\/p>\n

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Madam Gomashie also commended leading designers including Kofi Ansah for bringing \u201cGhanaian fashion to international attention,\u201d and Oswald Boateng for his contribution to global menswear.<\/p>\n

She also commended Kofi Okyere-Darko, for his impact in the fashion space with Rhythms On Da Runway and cited Duaba Serwa, Pistis Ghana, House of Paon and Abrantie the Gentleman, as well as weavers, models, stylists, photographers and entrepreneurs behind the industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo our emerging designers and young creatives, I encourage you to study the achievements of these pioneers but never be afraid to develop your own distinctive voices. The next internationally recognised fashion house could emerge from any part of Ghana,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGhana has several competitive advantages: a rich cultural heritage, internationally recognised indigenous textiles, a talented and youthful population, a growing creative ecosystem and a strong connection to the African diaspora. We must leverage these advantages to attract international fashion houses, investors, buyers, fashion journalists and tourists,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

On his part, the Coordinator for Black Star Experience, Rex Omar, said, the fashion week offers a key platform for conversations around industry data and international competitiveness, access to finance, market development, infrastructure, skills development, and intellectual property protection.<\/p>\n

He announced that the Black Star Experience Secretariat will begin publishing an Annual Ghana Fashion Industry Report from 2027.<\/p>\n

According to him, \u201cWe cannot adequately develop an industry we do not sufficiently understand, and we cannot attract the level of investment we desire without the data and evidence to support our ambitions,\u201d he said, adding that the document will offer \u201ccredible data, insights and analysis to help us better understand the size, structure, opportunities and challenges of the fashion ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom weaving communities to fashion workshops, from the runway to retail outlets, and from production and logistics to digital marketing, the fashion value chain creates opportunities for young people and sustains thousands of livelihoods across the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Omar also announced a recognition initiative for pioneering figures in Ghana\u2019s fashion industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are individuals who have contributed immensely to where we are today, often without the recognition they deserve. Their stories must be told, their contributions celebrated and their legacies preserved for future generations,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Speakers explored the storytelling power of fashion, effective financing models, building brands for the global market, and the role of technology, sustainability and innovation in shaping the industry\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

A panel discussion moderated by broadcaster Chrystal Kwame-Aryee, on the theme \u201cHow Do We Put Ghana On? Kente, Culture and the Power of Our Story,\u201d featured Osei Bonsu Sarfo Kantanka, author, historian and anthropologist; Dr. Courage Besah-Adanu, Head of the Geographical Indications Unit at the Ghana Industrial Property Office; Andrew Ackah, President of the Advertising Association of Ghana; and Gideon Aryeetey, Secretary of the Creative Arts Council.<\/p>\n

Stakeholders called for stronger intellectual property protection, fairer remuneration for traditional artisans and strategic investment to boost the global visibility and commercial value of indigenous Ghanaian products.<\/p>\n

Dr. Besah-Adanu described Kente as a communal cultural asset requiring deliberate protection through legal frameworks, regulations and national investment. He cited Fugu and shea butter as other indigenous products with significant cultural and commercial value that could benefit from similar protection, and highlighted geographical indications as an important tool for protecting products linked to specific origins and communities.<\/p>\n

Ackah highlighted the importance of international recognition and protecting Ghanaian cultural identity, while emphasising effective promotion.<\/p>\n

Aryeetey said lack of confidence in promoting locally produced works remains a major challenge, with inadequate branding and marketing limiting visibility and commercial potential. He outlined plans by the Creative Arts Agency to introduce a registration and licensing framework for creative arts enterprises to strengthen regulation, improve data collection and support enforcement.<\/p>\n

Panellists also called for targeted training to equip creatives, artisans and businesses with practical knowledge of intellectual property rights, branding and other protection mechanisms.<\/p>\n

The festival climaxes on Saturday, November 7, at the Royal Senchi Hotel in Akosombo with \u201cThe Presidential Runway\u201d fashion show.<\/p>\n

Also in attendance were Ghana Tourism Authority CEO Maame Afua Hoadzeto and UNESCO representative Edmond Moukouala, among other high-profile dignitaries.<\/p>\n

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The inaugural Black Star Fashion Week (BSFW) kicked off on Wednesday with a summit at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra. Put together by the Rex Omar-led Black Star Experience and running under the theme \u201cPut Ghana On\u201d, the initiative aims to chart a clearer path for Ghana\u2019s fashion sector. It brought together policymakers, creatives…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-trending-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t