Fashion & Style
Thread, Soul, and Soil: The Five Designers Taking Ghana to the World
From the sun-drenched streets of Osu to the high-fashion runways of Paris and Milan, a quiet revolution is being stitched into existence.
For decades, “African fashion” was often relegated to a monolithic category of “ethnic print.” But today, a new guard of Ghanaian visionaries is dismantling that trope, proving that Ghanaian identity is as much about razor-sharp tailoring and avant-garde illustration as it is about heritage.
Here are the five powerhouses redefining the global silhouette.
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1. Ozwald Boateng: The Architect of Savile Row
Ozwald Boateng didn’t just join the world of luxury tailoring; he reconfigured it. As the first Black tailor to open a shop on London’s iconic Savile Row, Boateng brought a vibrant, rhythmic soul to British menswear.
His secret? A mastery of color that feels like a heartbeat. By fusing traditional bespoke techniques with a palette inspired by his Ghanaian roots, he transformed the suit from a stiff uniform into a piece of wearable art. When you see a world leader or a Hollywood A-lister in a suit that seems to shimmer with hidden depth, you’re likely looking at the “Boateng effect.”
2. Papa Oppong: The Illustrator’s Dream
If fashion is a canvas, Papa Oppong is its most daring painter. Rising to fame initially through his breathtaking fashion illustrations, Oppong has transitioned into a designer who treats fabric like a medium for storytelling.
His work often feels like a conversation between the past and a futuristic Africa. He isn’t afraid to experiment with unconventional materials or exaggerated proportions, making him a favorite for those who view getting dressed as a form of performance art.
3. Kweku Bediako (Chocolate Clothing): The Modern Afropolitan
Kweku Bediako, the brains behind Chocolate Clothing, has mastered the art of the “cool African gentleman.”
He took the traditional Ghanaian tunic and gave it a streamlined, contemporary edge that resonates in New York just as loudly as it does in Accra. His rise has been meteoric, fueled by a knack for dressing celebrities in ways that feel authentic yet universally polished.
Bediako proves that you don’t need to shout to be heard; sometimes, the cleanest lines make the most noise.
4. Free The Youth: The Pulse of the Street
Fashion isn’t always born in an atelier; sometimes, it’s born in the collective spirit of a generation.
Free The Youth is more than a brand—it’s a movement. Starting as a creative collective, they have become the undisputed kings of Ghanaian streetwear.
By splashing local narratives, proverbs, and “street-speak” onto hoodies and tees, they’ve captured the attention of global icons and youth culture worldwide.
They are the living proof that the “Cool Africa” aesthetic is homegrown and ready for export.
5. Aisha Ayensu (Christie Brown): The Queen of Neo-African Luxury
No conversation about Ghanaian fashion is complete without the mention of Aisha Ayensu. Her brand, Christie Brown, is a masterclass in modern femininity. Ayensu has an uncanny ability to take wax prints and traditional smock fabrics and elevate them into high-fashion corsetry, structured jackets, and flowing gowns.
It’s luxury that feels rooted in the soil of West Africa but belongs in the wardrobe of any woman, anywhere in the world, who prizes elegance with a story.
Fashion & Style
Dressing for Your Shape: How Strategic Styling Can Transform Everyday Fashion
Great style is not always about chasing trends or buying the latest designer outfit. Sometimes, it comes down to understanding how different cuts, colours and patterns work together to create a silhouette that feels comfortable and confident.
For people with an apple-shaped body, a few thoughtful wardrobe choices can open up fresh possibilities for personal style.
The Power of Shape and Structure
An apple-shaped figure typically carries more fullness around the midsection, with the shoulders and upper body often appearing broader than the hips.
Rather than hiding the body, strategic styling can create balance while allowing personal taste to lead.
A peplum top paired with white-leg jeans, for example, can introduce definition around the waist while adding structure to an everyday outfit. Wrap dresses offer another option, using adjustable fabric and diagonal lines to draw attention towards the waist.
Structured V-neck tops paired with bootcut jeans can also create visual balance between the upper and lower body.
For occasions that call for something more polished, ruched dresses in solid colours provide texture and shape, while dresses with darker side panels can create a subtle contouring effect.
Patterns deserve consideration, too. Strong horizontal lines may emphasise width in certain areas, whereas diagonal details can guide the eye across the body and create a different visual effect.
These are styling suggestions, not rigid rules: fabric, fit and individual proportions all influence how an outfit looks.

Confidence Beyond the Clothing
For Ghanaian fashion lovers, where tailored outfits, colourful prints, occasion dresses and contemporary streetwear all have a place in personal expression, these principles offer another way to approach the wardrobe.
A peplum blouse can work for a professional setting, while a wrap dress can transition easily from a social gathering to an evening event.
Ultimately, dressing well is less about fitting a body into fashion rules than finding clothes that make the wearer feel at ease.
The best outfit is one that works with your proportions, reflects your personality and lets confidence take centre stage.
Fashion & Style
Christian Louboutin’s Kumasi Visit Puts Ghana’s Footwear Craftsmanship in the Spotlight
Christian Louboutin is famous for turning a flash of red beneath a heel into one of fashion’s most recognisable luxury signatures.
Now, the French designer’s reported visit to Kumasi is raising a bigger question: could Ghana’s Garden City become a new meeting point for international luxury fashion and local craftsmanship?
Louboutin met Lady Julia Osei Tutu, wife of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at her private residence on October 12, 2026, following his attendance at the Akwasidae Festival at Manhyia Palace.

Accompanied by members of his team and representatives of Studio Dream, the designer’s visit has drawn attention to discussions about a possible Christian Louboutin outlet in Kumasi.
The significance extends beyond luxury retail. Kumasi has a longstanding reputation for craftsmanship, commerce and creative enterprise, while Ghanaian shoemakers and leatherworkers contribute to a wider fashion industry built on practical skill and entrepreneurial ambition.

An international luxury brand exploring a presence in the city invites questions about how global fashion houses might engage with local talent.
Could such interest create opportunities for Ghanaian artisans, strengthen professional networks or bring greater international visibility to the country’s footwear makers?
For now, these possibilities remain speculative. No confirmed announcement establishes a production partnership with local manufacturers, and the reported discussions centre on the possibility of an outlet rather than a footwear factory.
Still, the encounter offers a compelling fashion story. Louboutin’s presence around Akwasidae, an important Asante royal festival, also places the visit at the intersection of luxury branding, cultural heritage and traditional authority.
Whether Kumasi eventually becomes a retail destination for the red-soled heels or something more, the conversation highlights an opportunity: Ghana’s creative industry deserves attention not only as a source of inspiration, but also as a potential partner in the global fashion business.
Fashion & Style
Twenty Years, One Red Carpet: BellaNaija Celebrates Two Decades of African Culture in Style
Some birthdays are marked with cake. BellaNaija marked twenty years with a runway.

On October 2, the Nigerian media powerhouse gathered some of the country’s biggest names for its BN20 High Fashion Icon Grand Red Carpet Experience, and the theme was never going to allow a quiet night.

Guests arrived ready to interpret “icon” in leather, velvet and architectural gold.

Veekee James set the tone early in a custom oxblood leather coat-gown by Abbas Woman, its exaggerated shoulders and sculpted hips crowned by an oversized black hat.
Mercy Eke chose icy glamour instead, drifting down the carpet in blue velvet with cobalt detailing and pearl-inspired embellishments.

Osas Ighodaro brought structure and shine in ivory and gold, while Mide Iwasokun delivered the night’s most theatrical moment: a white Komeh Swish gown with a fan collar and a cascading ruffled train that refused to go unnoticed.

The roll call read like a living archive of Nigerian pop culture. Mercy Eke, Rita Dominic, Ini Edo, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Denrele Edun, Mai Atafo, Idia Aisien and Blessing Nze shared a room that blurred the line between guest list and guest book.

That was the quiet achievement beneath the flashbulbs. When BellaNaija launched in 2006, social media had not yet reshaped culture, and African fashion and entertainment were still fighting for global attention.

Two decades later, the platform has grown into a brand that no longer simply covers the culture, it helps shape it.

For anyone watching from Accra, Nairobi or London, the message landed clearly: African storytelling has arrived, and it dresses exceptionally well.










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