GHANA: Football fever works its way onto the catwalk as local designers incorporate World Cup themes into their new Spring and Summer collections

Record ID: 197684

  • Title: GHANA: Football fever works its way onto the catwalk as local designers incorporate World Cup themes into their new Spring and Summer collections
  • Date: 6th May 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) NANA SEKYIAMAH, FOUNDER MAKSI CLOTHING SAYING: "I'm trying really hard to see if I can get to South Africa. I'd love to be in South Africa, I'm working on it. And even if I don't get to go to South Africa, my clothing will be in South Africa."
  • Embargoed: 21st May 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ghana
  • Country: Ghana
  • Topics: Fashion,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA17YWEZXC75Q7FYI054I7D44KM
  • Story Text: In Accra, Ghana, football fever extends beyond the action on the field; the country's top designers are also getting in on the excitement.
    Designer sister pair Nana and Abynnah Sekyiamah, who run the Maksi clothing line, have launched a new line called "Ghana Goes 2010," in the spirit of supporting Ghana's Black Stars, the national team, which has qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
    The pair are also trying to get the Ghanaian public to move away from the usual branded t-shirts that are worn during the World Cup time, to something that is distinctly Ghanaian - including the use of local textiles, designs and of course the Ghanaian colours.
    The line concentrates on Ghana's national colours: green for the country's forests, yellow for its mineral wealth, red for the blood shed in the struggle for independence, and black, symbolizing the black star - the hope of Africa.
    The sister pair say they are trying to express their love for the game and all it represents - unity, solidarity and fun -- in the only way they know how - glamorous clothes.
    "Despite political differences, people will come together and cheer for Ghana in the World Cup. You would have people who would normally be on opposite sides of the bench for political reasons, for religious reasons, coming together to support the nation. It's about patriotism, it's about love for your country, and it's about the sheer joy that people feel when they watch football," says Nana Sekyiamah, one of the founders of Maksi Clothing.
    The Maksi line's World Cup collection was debuted in a fashion show in Accra in an event also called "Ghana goes 2010."
    Beyond just the fashion, Nana Sekyiamah says the line is also a fantastic business opportunity for Ghanaian designers to get international exposure.
    "I'm trying really hard to see if I can get to South Africa. I'd love to be in South Africa, I'm working on it. And even if I don't get to go to South Africa, my clothing will be in South Africa," said Nana Sekyiamah.
    The show also profiled established Ghanaian designer Nallem's World Cup line. Both lines were well-received by the public.
    "First of all, I'm very excited about the World Cup. I've had tickets since May last year, so everything related to the World Cup is very exciting. Some of the clothing this evening has been really interesting and for sure when I'm heading to South Africa in June, I'll see if I can get some of it," said Shirley Sommah, who attended the show.
    "It's a bit adventurous for me, but I think definitely wearable by the younger people - teenagers, university students - definitely wearable by them, but a bit too adventurous for me," said Ayesha Bedwei, a tax manager who attended the show and lives in Accra.
    The Sekyiamah sisters hope to make clothes in the national colours of other African teams in time for the World Cup.
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