Fashion & Style
The “Kente Clause”: How Ghanaian Textiles Rewrote the Rules of Red Carpets and Royalty
For centuries, if you wanted to signal that you had arrived—truly arrived—you slipped into something by a French fashion house. Paris and Milan dictated what royalty wore to galas and what stars wore to award shows. But lately, the most powerful garment on the planet isn’t coming down a runway in Europe. It is coming from a loom in Bonwire or a design house in Accra.
We are living through a quiet revolution in global fashion. You can call it the “Kente Clause”—an unwritten rule that says if you want to make a statement about power, heritage, or identity on a world stage, you are now likely to do it in Ghanaian cloth. Whether it is a Duchess stepping out in a handwoven stole, a musician accepting a Grammy in bold print, or an artist using recycled wood to tell stories of the diaspora, Ghanaian textiles are no longer just “traditional attire.” They have become the new language of luxury and political weight.
The Royal Seal: More Than Just a Pattern
When Meghan Markle walked into the Africa Centre in London in 2022 wearing a custom shirt dress in a vibrant kente print, the internet did what it always does—it debated the politics of it. Was it appreciation? Appropriation? A calculated nod?
But for those who know the fabric, the story went deeper than the headlines. Kente is not a generic “African print.” It is a textile with royal blood. Historically, certain patterns, such as Adweneasa (meaning “my skills are exhausted”), were reserved for the highest officeholders. When Meghan wore it, she wasn’t just acknowledging a continent; she was tapping into a visual history of sovereignty.
This is the shift we are seeing. In the past, African textiles on Western bodies were often anthropological curiosities. Today, when celebrities choose a custom kente gown over a standard Versace slip dress, they are rewriting the dress code of celebrity. They are saying that heritage has more currency than hype.
Weaving a New Economy
This global hunger for authenticity isn’t just about red carpet photos; it is sending ripples back to the weavers’ villages. For a long time, the people who actually made these masterpieces were the invisible hands behind the luxury. That is changing.
Take the recent announcement from Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. He revealed that ECOWAS foreign ministers have specifically requested fugu (smocks) made in their national colours for upcoming summits. Think about that. Diplomats, whose uniform is usually a stiff suit and tie, are choosing to sit around negotiation tables wrapped in Ghanaian handiwork. This isn’t fashion; this is soft power.
We are also seeing institutional efforts to protect this legacy. The launch of the Royal Kente Gala 2025 in Kumasi, held with the blessing of the Asantehene, is a direct response to the global demand. The mission is twofold: to preserve the sacred traditions by building modern weaving centres in communities like Adanwomase, and to ensure that when the world comes calling for kente, it is the authentic, handwoven product—not a mass-produced imitation—that answers. As Kwame Nyame of ROKWESA put it, “It is our story, pride, and legacy”.
The Diaspora Comes Home
The most interesting part of this story, however, isn’t happening on a runway or at a diplomatic gathering. It is happening in the hands of artists reinterpreting the cloth itself.
Consider the work of Ato Ribeiro, exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. Ribeiro doesn’t weave with thread; he weaves with discarded wood scraps collected from carpentry workshops. By translating Kente patterns like ntata (chevron) into wooden sculptures, he comments on the extraction of African resources while simultaneously building a bridge for the diaspora. He uses the grid of Kente—traditionally a fabric for royalty—as a “framework upon which to weave diasporic stories” .
This is the “Kente Clause” in its purest form. It is a clause that grants permission to Black people everywhere to claim a piece of the throne. When a young professional in Atlanta wears a kente stole at their graduation, they are participating in a tradition that was once the exclusive domain of kings, re-purposed for a new generation of leaders .
Appreciation vs. Appropriation
Of course, with great exposure comes great risk. When Virgil Abloh used kente patterns in his Louis Vuitton menswear, it sparked a fierce debate. Abloh, whose grandmother was Ghanaian, defended the collection by saying, “Provenance is reality; ownership is a myth”.
But for the weavers back home, ownership isn’t a myth—it is their livelihood. The Ghanaian market is flooded with cheaper, machine-printed versions made in China, which undercuts the labor-intensive work of master weavers who spend weeks on a single cloth. This is why initiatives like the proposed BataKente concept are so crucial. By pushing for certification and standardization, Ghana is fighting to ensure that when the world buys “Kente,” it is buying the real story, not a cheap copy.
The Fabric of the Future

So, what happens when a textile moves from the palace to the global stage?
The future looks like Aristide Loua’s brand, Kente Gentlemen. An Ivorian designer showing at Lagos Fashion Week, Loua uses hand-crafted fabrics from weaving communities and gives them silhouettes that could walk down any street in Tokyo or New York. It looks like weavers in Agotime are embracing ICT skills to design patterns that appeal to modern weddings and celebrations, proving that tradition isn’t static—it evolves.
Ghanaian textiles are no longer just something you wear to a funeral or a wedding at home. They have become a diplomatic tool, a red-carpet statement, and a canvas for diasporic healing. The “Kente Clause” ensures that in a world hungry for meaning, the cloth woven by our ancestors will continue to dress the future.
Fashion & Style
Polaris Beauty Lounge Is Quietly Redefining What Luxury Beauty Means in Accra
Finding a salon you can trust is becoming just as important as finding the right outfit. In Accra, where appearance often plays a role in everything from weddings and business meetings to social events and content creation, beauty has become an extension of personal branding.
That shift is helping salons like Polaris Beauty Lounge stand out, not through flashy marketing, but through consistency.
Located on Brenya Avenue in Tesano, Polaris Beauty Lounge has spent the past five years building a loyal following by focusing on what many clients say is increasingly difficult to find: skilled stylists, quality service and results that last.
Instead of rushing customers through appointments, the salon begins with consultations that consider each client’s hair type, lifestyle and styling goals.
From silk presses and precision cuts to colouring, treatments and natural hair care, the emphasis is on healthy hair that looks good long after leaving the chair.
Protective styling remains one of Ghana’s strongest beauty traditions, and braids continue to dominate fashion across generations. Polaris Beauty Lounge has leaned into that demand by offering knotless braids, box braids, twists, cornrows and custom protective styles that balance neat finishing with client comfort.
It’s an approach that has attracted women from neighbourhoods including Tesano, Dzorwulu, East Legon, Airport Residential and Cantonments, many seeking styles that remain polished for weeks.
The salon has also embraced the growing popularity of premium hair extensions. Professional installation of weaves, wigs, frontals and closures has become essential for clients who want versatile looks without compromising the health of their natural hair.
By prioritising seamless finishes and careful installation techniques, Polaris Beauty Lounge reflects a wider movement within Ghana’s beauty industry, where technical expertise increasingly defines luxury.
As Accra’s fashion and creative scenes continue to expand, beauty salons are becoming more than places for grooming. They are spaces where confidence is built, identities are expressed, and first impressions begin.
Polaris Beauty Lounge’s steady rise shows that in today’s style-conscious Ghana, reliability may be the most fashionable statement of all.
Fashion & Style
FRUCHÉ’s ‘KLEG’ Collection Turns Society’s Beauty Standards on Their Head
What if the very features people are taught to hide became the season’s most celebrated fashion statement?
That question sits at the heart of FRUCHÉ’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection, KLEG, a presentation that transformed the runway into a powerful conversation about identity, heritage, and self-acceptance.
Named after the Nigerian Pidgin word often used to describe bow legs or other perceived imperfections, KLEG reclaims a label that has long carried ridicule. Instead of disguising physical differences, the collection celebrates them.
Models walked proudly with scars, tribal marks, broad noses, full lips and facial asymmetry presented not as flaws to be corrected but as defining features worthy of admiration.
In an industry often criticised for narrow beauty ideals, FRUCHÉ offered a refreshing reminder that individuality has its own elegance.
The message was matched by exceptional craftsmanship. Creative director Frank Aghuno drew inspiration from nostalgic Nigerian school uniforms, reinventing familiar gingham fabrics through luxurious handwoven Aso Oke textiles and resist-dyed Adire.
Traditional wood carving techniques, intricate beadwork, and indigenous craftsmanship elevated each garment beyond clothing, turning every piece into a visual story rooted in Nigerian culture.
The collection also reflected a wider shift taking place across African fashion. Designers are increasingly finding global recognition by embracing local traditions rather than adapting their work to fit Western expectations. KLEG demonstrated that authenticity itself has become a defining luxury. Cultural heritage, artisanal skill and personal storytelling now stand alongside impeccable tailoring as hallmarks of contemporary African design.
For audiences across Africa and beyond, the collection carries a message that reaches far beyond fashion. It encourages people to reconsider the features, histories and identities they have been taught to conceal.
In doing so, FRUCHÉ has shown that style can challenge social attitudes just as effectively as it can set trends.
If KLEG proves anything, it is that fashion’s greatest innovation isn’t always found in new silhouettes or fabrics. Sometimes, it begins with permitting people to be seen exactly as they are.
Fashion & Style
How Two Global Stars Turned the FIFA World Cup Final Into a Runway for Ghanaian Fashion
When billions of people tuned in for the FIFA World Cup final, their attention was fixed on football, music and the spectacle surrounding the world’s biggest sporting event.
Yet hidden in plain sight was another story unfolding—one stitched together through colour, craftsmanship and cultural pride. Ghanaian fashion had quietly found its place on one of the world’s grandest stages.
Internet sensation IShowSpeed offered the first clue. As he appeared during the celebrations, he wore a bracelet featuring Ghana’s unmistakable red, gold and green colours. It was a small accessory, but one loaded with meaning.

Ever since his widely celebrated visit to Ghana during his African tour, the online star has spoken warmly about the country and its people.
Wearing its national colours before a global audience transformed a simple fashion choice into a subtle expression of identity and connection.

The second moment was impossible for fashion enthusiasts to ignore. American rapper Swae Lee performed in a striking custom-made “Flower Boy Jacket” by rising Ghanaian designer Hasheem.
The piece blended sharp contemporary tailoring with African-inspired creativity, demonstrating that Ghanaian fashion is no longer confined to local runways or regional fashion weeks. It now belongs on international stages where culture, entertainment and style collide.

For emerging designers across Ghana, the moment carried significance beyond celebrity endorsement.
It highlighted a growing shift in the global fashion industry, where African creatives are increasingly recognised for originality rather than simply contributing inspiration behind the scenes.

Every appearance by a global artist wearing a Ghanaian design expands visibility for the country’s thriving creative economy and encourages international audiences to look beyond traditional fashion capitals.
Fashion has always communicated identity without words. At the World Cup final, Ghana’s presence wasn’t announced through speeches or ceremonies—it appeared through colour, design and craftsmanship.

While many viewers celebrated the football, others witnessed something equally remarkable: proof that Ghanaian fashion has become part of the global conversation, confidently shaping culture one iconic look at a time.
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