It's the 'Year of the Return' at Accra Fashion Week

Record ID: 1435771

  • Title: It's the 'Year of the Return' at Accra Fashion Week
  • Date: 8th October 2019
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DESIGNER CLAVON LEONARD, SAYING: "So, I thought about what encompasses coming back to Africa, coming back to Ghana, coming back to Accra. And I thought about strength and I talk about all those who have travelled and endured not having tried in the fire and to return and so it took a strength to not only endure what they went through but also to return. So, I was really inspired through Ghana, through the culture, through the food and even the language, the diversity. "
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2019 13:58
  • Keywords: Accra fashion week year of the return Ghana fashion designers
  • Location: ACCRA, GHANA
  • City: ACCRA, GHANA
  • Country: Ghana
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Fashion
  • Reuters ID: LVA004B08LNX3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Accra fashion week opened last week with designers Clavon Leonard from the U.S. and Okumo Bertha Djangmakuor from Ghana showing their designs.
    This year's fashion week celebrated 'The Year of the Return' a Ghanaian campaign which encourages African descendants to invest in Africa.
    "I'm here for the year of the return. And I'm here in Nivea Accra Fashion week and I show my collection, my black and gold collection. The collection was really inspired this year because I think black symbolizes strength and gold represents tried in the fire. So, I combine these two and it was my inspiration, my initial collection because I think that what black Americans stand for. The richness of culture and the strength of being black," said designer Clavon Leonard from New York.
    His collection celebrates the Ghanian symbol of gold, worn traditionally by the Ghana's influential Ashanti community.
    "So, I thought about what encompasses coming back to Africa, coming back to Ghana, coming back to Accra. And I thought about strength and I talk about all those who have travelled and endured not having tried in the fire and to return and so it took a strength to not only endured what they went through but also to return. So, I was really inspired through Ghana, through the culture, through the food and even the language, the diversity," Leonard added.
    Okumo Bertha Djangmakuor - who is based in Ghana - was also inspired by the 'Year of the Return' and wanted to emphasise African strength through her designs.
    "Africans we have had enough of the inferiority. We have had enough of the limitations. We need to rise and make things work together again. So, my collection is actually talking about we Africans you can see the flag of all the African countries in there. What I am trying to say is that Africans we can do it one as individuals. We all need to come together and make things work so enjoy my collection thank you," she said.
    The Accra Fashion Week is one of the highlights of the continent's fashion calendar. The four-day event closed on Sunday (October 06).
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