12 Fashion Brands in Ghana that pushed the PR Button in 2018

 For any brand to be visible and talked about for all the right reasons, then they must be doing something amazing. The fashion space this year has witnessed quite a number of fashion events at different times which has open up to more opportunities for designers to increasingly generate more visibility and buzz for their brand.

I would share my twelve 12 fashion brands in Ghana that have this year pushed the PR button in 2018 by way of creating brand presence both online and offline through fashion events and shows, collection launch, collaborations, celebrity placements, media features, awards and social media presence amongst others. I would start with;

Christie Brown

I’m sure I won’t be wrong if I say, Christie Brown is one of the most admired and respected fashion brand in Ghana.  Celebrating their 10^th anniversary with a fashion event at the plush Kempinski hotel earlier this year, one would have expected them to be content because they are known globally but on the contrary. They work as hard to keep the brand visible at the right places. Their online presence has been feeding followers with breath-taking designs and fashion inspirations. This year, they also launched their captivating SS18 Collection called “Conscience”.  

During the Mother’s Day celebration, they collaborated with some fashion creatives to outdoor a campaign that appreciates their clients who are mothers. They were featured in an editorial with Maria Borges for Nigeria’s Schick Magazine.

Christie Brown also participated at the SheTrades event in New York and won the African Designer of the Year at the Glitz Style Awards 2018.  This definitely looks like a great year for the brand as they continuously work to expand the CB brand.

Chocolate by Kwaku Bediako 

Chocolate by Kwaku Bediako is a menswear fashion brand. The designer was selected by African Fashion Fund in the #TailoredAfrica2018 Project and had the opportunity to showcase their collection at the Paris Fashion Week and also showcased at the fashion show held in honor of their Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during their royal visit to Ghana.

The designer was awarded the Designer of the Year at the EMY Awards and nominated as the Menswear Designer at the Glitz Style Awards. With a tall list of celebrities and public figures on their clientele, Chocolate has earned a spot as one of the Ghanaian designers that has garnered global attention and media buzz including styling Jamal Lyon of Empire fame and features on Vogue, BBC Africa, Congo Airways Magazine amongst others.

Pistis

Mention traditional, weddings and red-carpet gowns and Pistis would certainly come to mind. They have continuously positioned themselves as the go-to designer for anything within that specification. This for me is a brand that understands that finding your niche and being consistent is key. Even though at the beginning of the year, they introduced a new line called “Melange by Pistis” which I believe caters for the RTW line, it obviously wasn’t able to overtake what they are known for.

Within the year, they also collaborated with creatives such as award-winning Makeup Artists Valerie Lawson to create the CVL Campaign. You are most likely to find a celebrity or public figure in a Pistis gown at any major event in Ghana. Among their tall list of personalities include the 2^nd Lady Samira Bawumia, Naa Ashorkor, Joselyn Dumas and a host of many others.

Pistis was spotted on the cover of Dreams Wedding Magazine which featured Joselyn Dumas as the Cover star. This brand obviously continues to dominate the bridal and red-carpet gown space and it looks like they aren’t backing down anytime soon.

Atto Tetteh

Speak about urban menswear brand in Ghana and no doubt Atto Tetteh would be listed. Slowly, slowly, Atto Tetteh is creeping into the fibre of Ghanaian fashion industry to become one of the favs for many fashion enthusiasts. Earlier this year, they launched their new collection called “Patched 18” which featured a wide range of beautiful pieces for both men and women.

They also participated in SA Menswear Week in South Africa where they shot editorial campaigns with other creatives for their collection. The likes of Manifest, Sarkodie, Ameyaw Debrah, Okyeame Kwame and a host of others have all be spotted in an Atto Tetteh.

They crowned the year winning the Menswear Designer of the Year at Glitz Style Awards. I see this brand making greater strides in the coming year.

Selinabeb

Selinabeb is an accessory brand. Earlier this year, the designer showcased at New Orleans Fashion Week which was featured on major media platforms across the country. She has been one of the Ghanaian designers that has garnered a lot of media features through interviews, fashion shows and exhibitions.

She participated in Glitz Africa Fashion Week where she showcased her “Mama Africa” Collection in honor of her late mother and has exhibited at several trade events both in Ghana and outside Ghana.

The brand received 2 nominations this year at both Glitz Style Awards and Accra Fashion Week Awards as the Accessory brand of the Year. Personalities such as Nicole Parker, Dentaa, Nikki Samonas, Kokui Selormey, Bozoma Saint John and many others have been spotted carrying a Selinabeb clutch or handbag.

Though a challenging year for Selinabeb, she has managed to keep the brand visible and one can only be confident of a greater year in 2019.

Velma Accessories

This year has been a great one for Velma’s Accessories. Starting off the year with an exhibition in London at the ‘Great Hat Exhibition’ and going on to launch their spring collection during their Fashion Expose dubbed “Velma’s Garden” which also introduced their men’s hat collection.

Throughout the year, the brand has partnered several designers such as Ophelia Crossland, Christie Brown, Duaba Serwa, Lauren Haute Couture amongst others to launch editorial campaigns. They also participated in the Radiance Wedding Fair and later launched their AW18 Collection “Sheisaqueen” Collection which was showcased during the Glitz Africa Fashion Week 2018.

Velma was crowned the Accessory Designer of the Year at the 2018 Glitz Style Awards and have secured a number of media features including being featured in Nigeria’s Pleasures Magazine.

Sima Brew

We have all come to know and love the Sima Brew brand. Known to create very detailed and stunning looks with each piece, the designer continues to shine through several campaigns they have launched in the year.

Starting off the year, she was out doored at a media event by Zylofon Media as the Fashion Icon and Representative for the label. This year, the brand launched 3 Collections. The “Dream Collection” which featured Berla Mundi in a number of Bridal Gowns, “Timeless Collection” which featured Selly Galley in striking dresses and gowns and then the “Obaapa Collection” which featured Empress Jamilla in Traditional Kente Inspired Gowns.

Sima Brew also opened its own Sima Brew Fashion Business Faculty. They were nominated for an international Achievement Recognition Awards as Best Female Designer 2018 and showcased at the London Fashion Week Runway. It’s been a great year for Sima Brew as they are constantly on our feeds and timelines feeding us with new and exquisite designs.

Abrantie the Gentleman

Abrantie The Gentleman is not new to pushing the PR button each year. Especially for the designer, you are most likely to see him at every major fashion related event happening in the country. Similarly, he engages in interviews and speaking opportunities all of which are strategic ways to keep the brand visible.

This year, they participated at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Accra where they showcased the “Grey of Greatness” Collection and had earlier outdoored the ‘NAA 345 Collection’. His bespoke suits and traditional wears are the go-to for any would be groom and has collaborated with Vlisco to create designs for their showroom.

They were nominated as the Menswear Designer of the Year at the Glitz Style Awards.

Ophelia Crossland

Being the Swarovski West African Ambassador for the past few years, this brand has become a force to reckon with when it comes luxury and haute couture in Ghana. Earlier this year, she was selected among few international designers to display her gowns at the Swarovski Exhibition in Dubai.

Ophelia Crossland won Womenswear designer of the year at the Glitz Style Awards and also showcased their “Ethreal” Ready to Wear Collection at the Glitz Africa Fashion Week as well as participated at the Wedding Radiance Fair.

They launched a series of stunning collections among which were the “Malaika Collection” and the “Wedding Guest” Campaign.

Charlotte Prive

 Charlotte Prive this year has been working to project another value of the brand which is one that is sustainable and dedicated to making change in the environment. Earlier in the year, they partnered with Water Aid Ghana to produce a collection dubbed “Fashion for Change”. The designer also organised a masterclass which was aimed at helping designers build careers in fashion design.

They held their 2^nd edition of “My Christmas Wish” fashion show which attracted many fashion enthusiasts and customers and have had an active social media presence which constantly fed our timelines with what they are up to and who they are engaging.

Yartel

Call him the new kid on the block. He may be young in the industry but this year has been a good year for the brand. You are most likely to guess right when you spot a Yartel piece especially because of the choice of fabric and design silhouette. A good number of celebrities that have been seen in a Yartel among which are the 2^nd Lady Samira Bawumia, Becca, Zynnel Zuh, Sandra Ankobia, Efya, Claudia Lumor, Joselyn Dumas, Anita Erskine and a host of many others.

Yartel pieces were featured on two magazine covers, Glitz Africa Magazine and Agoo Magazine and won the emerging designer of the Year at the Glitz Style Awards 2018. They also debuted their collection during the Glitz Africa Fashion Week. With such remarkable brand positioning for this year, 2019 can only get better for this brand.

Wear Ghana

Wear Ghana brand may be synonymous to “Wear Ghana” campaign but what has gained a lot of traction is the “GIGI Collection” by the brand. The GIGI which was launched few years back has come to stay as their signature piece. Currently available in different styles and colors, you are likely to identify a GIGI when you do see one. They have also partnered organisations, individuals and churches to customise their own GIGI which I think is a brilliant strategy. Personalities such as Lucy Quist, Esther Cobbah, Boris Kodjoe, Bozoma Saint John, Okyeame Kwame and your everyday person is spotted in a GIGI.

Their social media engagement strategy has been very impressive and this has turned friends and clients into loyal customers and ambassadors.  Wear Ghana also organises period activities such as “Free Ur Style Friday” and Corporate Tours in collaboration with other creatives as a way to connect with customers who share a common interest in fashion, music and dance. Their brand visibility and strategy this year is commendable and worth noting.

Expectations for 2019

Going into 2019, I wish designers and fashion entrepreneurs would understand that every effort they make would go a long way to create their brand image which doesn’t happen by chance. They need to be creative, research and know about the industry they work in and understand the business of fashion, create unique brand identity, invest in Public Relations to promote their work.  Have a Merry Christmas and look forward to a an awesome new year.

This post was originally published on the Business and Financial Newspaper on 21/12/2018

Faith Senam Ocloo 
Fashion Public Relations 
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Challenges of being in the Spotlight as a Fashion Business Owner

Just like the entertainment industry, being in the spotlight in the fashion industry comes with challenges as well. Typically in Ghana, designers are seldomly seen except during fashion shows and events. Most of them are busy working behind the scenes creating designs and even doing all other jobs.

They have hesitations about being in the spotlight. As a PR person, I have heard and worked with clients telling me how they dread being in the spotlight. Among some of the things they say include wanting people to know the product and not themselves, they feel they are not yet ready for the spotlight and all the ‘drama’ that comes with it, it comes with a lot of pressure they are not ready for.

Undoubtedly, being in the spotlight can be quite frustrating and consuming. It also means there is a lot of pressure on you to begin to look and act a certain way just because you feel everyone else is watching.

In an era where consumers are becoming more complex, there is the need to connect with your community. Consumers of your product or service don’t just want to know who is behind their favorite brand but also demand to know what they do and how they do it. They want to be able to reach out and connect with owners.

You will be wrong to think that your community doesn’t want to know you and to think that you can get by with hiding in the background while your brand thrives. Guess what, you are your brand and if you want people to connect with it and believe in it, you can’t pretend you don’t exist.

While being in the spotlight could offer opportunities to the brand such as creating visibility, being able to connect with your consumers and tapping into your spotlight and driving them into action(purchase), it can also come with some challenges if not carefully managed. You may also consider the following:

No privacy

Being in spotlight means your everyday life is being laid before the public domain for people to talk about. You should also know that people will be very much interested in your successes at the same time your losses and embarrassing moments. Your privacy is taken from you with anyone connected to the brand in any way feeling they ought to know what is happening in your life and are unapologetic about that.

Lost sense of Self

A lot of celebrities find themselves loosing their own self and their personal values by being in the spotlight. This is because they are compelled to live a certain way because of the constant thought of someone watching them. Loosing your sense of self could also be detrimental to your overall brand goals and objectives.

Imposter Syndrome

Bewildered by their fame, many celebrities begin to create a far from perfect image of themselves. Knowing that it is unrealistic, there is very little they can do to change that because they have been swamped into this whole stardom and are being led into faking what they are not. The loss of the spotlight after being at the center of attraction and attention can leave people feeling bereft of purpose and importance.

While it may be advisable to push your self out there because you want to be able to connect with your customers or fans, you should invest in managing the spotlight such that it doesn’t get you into a myriad of problems.

This article originally appeared in the Business and Financial Times Newspaper on 29/03/2018

Image Credit: Google Images

Faith Senam Ocloo
Fashion Public Relations
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

2017 in Fashion: Recap of the Year

This year has been another great one for fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands

Just like each year, there have been new entrants onto the fashion scene and we have also seen an all most ‘no show’ from some of established brands. It was really exciting to see many others thrive to stay top of mind throughout the year.

One game changer for this year has been social media as it continuously play a crucial role for many fashion brands who have been able to build their brand presence online. They have created campaigns and contents that gave them a voice and made them match up to even established brands. 

Touching on major happenings in 2017, the challenges and the opportunities as we look forward to a greater and more fulfilling 2018.

Fashion Designers

There were quite some designers who have worked real hard this year to keep their brand visible and grow more reach. The likes of Sima Brew with her stunning Red Carpet Gowns, Ophelia Crossland, West African Ambassador for Swarovski, Christie Brown showcasing at Lagos Fashion and Design Week, Nadrey Laurent rebrand from Totally Ethnik, Afromod Trends showcasing in South Africa, Charlotte Prive, Atto Tetteh, Abrantie the Gentleman winning 

Designer of the Year Awards and a host of many others have had a great year as they worked at keeping their brand visibly all year through both online and offline.

This year also saw the return of DuabaSerwa with its Nsubura collection and subsequently showcasing at Glitz Africa Fashion Week 2017.

Without a doubt, the young fashion designers emerging have a lot to offer and I can’t wait to see what they add on in 2018. Designers such as Lakopue, LJ Couture, Qwame Owusu have equally had a great year as they have left quite an impressive impression on our minds.

Fashion Shows and Events

Fashion shows are known to be the biggest events on most fashion calendar anywhere. This year started off with Accra Men’s Fashion Week (AMFW) in May, Mercedes Benz Africa Fashion Festival (MBAFF) in July, Glitz Africa Fashion Week (GAFW) and Accra Fashion Week (AFWk) in October. These events have had their fair share of setbacks in terms of publicity, organization, venue and timing. Nonetheless, they managed to pull through their events successfully as we look forward a more revamped ones in 2018.

The graduate shows couldn’t be left out. Radford University, BlueCrest University, Joyce Ababio Creative College and Design, Riohs Originate and Dreams College of Creative Arts all organized their graduate shows in a grand style this year.

Other events that took place in the course of the year are Fashion Forum Quarterly Series, African Fashion Voices by African Fashion Guide, Jump on Glitz and crowning it with the Vlisco & Co launch at the Untamed Empire.

Fashion Media and Bloggers

The fashion industry couldn’t have survived without fashion media and bloggers as they brought us all we needed to know in the fashion world. From designer Lookbooks, Features, Events, Style tips etc these platforms have continued to curate and bring us daily contents. The likes of Debonair Afrik, TrendsandBlends, AuntieOboshie, Fashion Ghana, YaaSomuah, Ghana fashion marketing amongst others have been constantly on the radar throughout the year.

Hopefully 2018 will bring good fortunes in regards to more collaborations and unique contents, live coverage. Looking forward to a new year full of energy and great contents from these media platforms.

Fashion Awards

Awards are crucial for any organization in business to gain recognition for its products and services and the fashion industry couldn’t be left out of this. Winning awards allows you to distinguish your company/brand from competitors. This year, we witnessed only two (2) awards. The Glitz Style Awards and Afroma Awards.

Hopefully in the coming year, we will see Ghana Fashion Awards bounce back bigger and better or other industry awards that will recognize and reward great talent.

Challenges and next steps

The fashion industry in Ghana still struggles with many issues. First is lack of a body to regulate and support designer’s work and their creativity. No organization has been able to succeed in pulling the various stakeholders under one umbrella. With a fashion council or board, fashion designers and other creatives can begin to work effectively with support from government and other institutions and gain direction to be able to build global brands.

Also, with a fashion calendar which clearly shows which event is on which date, organizers will begin to take note when choosing dates for their event. That way, the incidence of having both GAFW and AFWk on the same weekend won’t occur again.

As we get ready to celebrate the Season and New Year, I wish all B&FT readers a wonderful season. I look forward to a greater 2018 as I bring you more exciting features, personal thoughts and news on “Fashion & More with Faith Senam”

Have a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

(Post originally published in my column in the Business & Financial Times Newspaper on 22nd December 2017)

Faith Senam Ocloo 
Fashion Public Relations 
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Why Building Relationships are Important for your fashion brand

In business, relationships are equally important and having a mutual beneficial relationship could go a long way to help your brand especially in times when you need it most. From your direct customers or clients to vendors, employees to anyone who is either directly or indirectly connected to your business, building a good relationship with them serves as a bedrock upon which your product can flourish.

For many startups and young businesses, it is important to start building your relationship early in order to gain trust and credibility which could serve as an extra advantage for you in this competitive and saturated market. Be it through good customer service, personal engagement, proactive communication, good relationship should be established at all levels.

Be it internal or external stakeholders, their role to the growth of your business varies and as such they all play a unique role that needs to be solidly built for the benefit of your business. Same way, any dent on these relationships could adversely affect all efforts put into it.

Building relationship also means establishing good communication lines between your company and these various stakeholders or publics.

Here are 4 ways why building relationships are important to fashion brands.

Helps you achieve your goals

Every company no matter how young the business is has company goals and objectives. By building good relationship with your publics for instance your employees, you are more likely to achieve your desired goal as they are able to work hard and bring on board their best ways which becomes beneficial to your business. You must work in harmony with everyone including the community within which you operate, that way they there is goodwill which is transferred onto the work and its growth.

Helps you reach the right target

As a fashion designer, your target markets are usually those who are interested in your buying and wearing your clothes. In order to reach such people, you need to communicate effectively using the right channels to reach them. With the good relationship with editors, bloggers, journalists, marketers etc you are able to create strategic visibility for your brand using the right channels thereby reaching your targeted market.

Puts you in a strong position when customers are making buying decision

In an age where social media is king, word of mouth is key. The kind of relationship you have with your customers influence what they say about you. Good relationships, loyalty and referrals are the order of the day. Many people buy products because of what they have heard about it. With that achieved, work at building a strong relationship with them such that they become loyal to the brand and then end up referring their friends to purchase as well.  

Easier access to funding

For startups looking to attract investors and some funding for their young fashion businesses, having a good relationship with the various stakeholders opens up opportunities for growth. With clarity on the company’s vision statement and mission, investors become confident of your business and possibly will want to invest in them.

The important thing to remember is that the earlier you build good relationships with the right publics for your brand, the better your chances at positioning your brand for opportunities that will further leap the fortunes of your company.

Through a mix of effective communications, good customer service and appreciation, feedback mechanisms and proactive engagements, you’ll be well on your way to being able to accomplish more as a strong fashion brand.

Faith Senam Ocloo

Fashion Public Relations 

Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Totally Ethnik Rebrands to ‘Nadrey Laurent’

Totally Ethnik, one of the leading fashion brands in Ghana on the 30th June 2017 officially rebranded to Nadrey Laurent. Many have asked what inspired the Rebrand as they love Totally Ethnik anyway.

It became necessary at this time as the brand is gaining more global attention as well as making great in-roads onto various fashion markets.

So here is to why we did a rebrand: Totally Ethnik was established in 2013 as a home/interior décor company which later transitioned into a clothing brand. Overtime, we have had the feedback on the name Totally Ethnik especially when foreigners come into contact with the pieces, they expect the name to live what they see(must be totally ethnic). You know what I mean, must be african prints or completely African and be as ethnic and possible. 

Truth be told, our pieces are a mix of anything the designer is inspired by.  The designer doesn’t want to be boxed into making collections with only prints or African fabrics. She loves to have the creative freedom to express herself, hence we realized that the name “Totally Ethnik” was becoming a limitation.

Now on Nadrey Laurent; with a desire to have personal connection our customers, we decided to have a name that will connect easily with our customers as well as give it an international appeal.

Nadrey Laurent therefore is my love, my heart for Nadrey in a (local dialect in Cote D’Ivoire) which is also the name of the Designer's first daughter and Laurent which is also the name of designer’s father whose fashion sense serves as a source of inspiration to her.

So yes, we are now Nadrey Laurent. The name change was done together with the official opening of Nadrey Laurent Flagship shop in East Legon near A&C Mall same building as Hair Senta New Shop.

It is located on No.24 Jungle Road, East Legon.

Hope you will stop by soon to check out the place and our new collection below:

Visit www.nadreylaurent.com to see more

Designer                              :              Marie Kipre

Models                                 :              Naadei, Kenza & Nii Otoo

MUA                                     :              Makeup by Asare

Photography                    :              KlassyFilms

Stylist                                  :             Sarah Ferdjani

Accessories                        :             Odara, Muggs Jewellery

Directed by                        :             Mareep Production  

Faith Senam Ocloo 
Fashion Public Relations 
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Welcoming "Aku+Vi" Fashion Brand onto the Ghanaian fashion scene

Ese (ShotbyEse Photography)Louis and Faith Senam (fashion PR girl) at Aku+Vi Launch

The fashion scene has witnessed the birth of a new fashion brand called “Aku+VI”. It was founded by Nana K. Brenu, also the designer for the internationally acclaimed luxury brand 1981.

Aku+Vi was launched at the beautiful scenery of Untamed Empire to celebrate sisterhood for every woman and contemporary life.

As part of the launch was the debut collection called Modern Renaissance. 

This collection are a blend of clean details, finesse cuts with prints inspired by the renaissance motifs and Adinkra symbols to create designs that makes the fashionable woman conscious of her inner strength and outward capabilities.

I happened to handle media relations for this launch and I look forward to seeing every chic and fun lady owning a piece or 2 of Aku+Vi pieces in their closet.

Going to that event and want a simple quick dress to wear, dash straight to purchase any of these at an affordable price at 1981 shop just opposite the GT Bank in East Legon, Lagos Avenue.

Myself, Nana K. Brenu and Louis

Photocredit: ShotbyEse

Faith Senam Ocloo 
Fashion Public Relations
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

Targeting the right customer for your fashion brand

Photo Credit: Shotbyese

There are many fashion businesses in Ghana that are still yet to define which segment of the fashion market they belong or target. Be it a luxury or mass consumer brands, knowing who your customers are sets the tone for success of your fashion business.

Understanding your customers means knowing their interests, needs, demographics, lifestyle and purchasing power amongst others. Every aspect of your brand’s marketing has to correlate with your ideal customer. Your brand identity, positioning, attributes and brand building process are better developed and guided by what you know about your potential customers.

This implies that, knowing your target market helps you right from the start till you are able to achieve your overall brand and business goal. Once a decision is made to launch your own fashion brand, this should be clearly answered; who is your target market?

For many entrepreneurs, they think it’s best to target as many as possible. But the truth is that you will be spending lots of money producing and sending your designs to everywhere and most probably the wrong places. Especially because you have failed to know who your customers are and how to get to them. When the right targeting is done, you are able to position your brand advantageously to sell and eventually grow your business.

The ultimate goal of every business is to sell and make money. No matter how you could be producing the best collections or designs that could look good on almost any fashionable woman or man, when you fail to know how to match your designs and brand to the right customers, you could definitely be missing the ultimate goal. 

As a Fashion PR representative for one of the leading fashion brands in Ghana, we have had several invitations to participate at trade shows or pop up events. Being a high-end to mid class brand, we carefully analyze the event and anticipate the kind of people the event is targeting. Are they the kind of people we want to reach? Will they be interested in our designs when they attend the event?  Will people be able to afford or buy our pieces when they come there? These are some of the questions we try to answer before accepting or declining the invitation. You don’t need to be everywhere just because you have been invited. 

Be it a luxury brand or mass market brand, carefully analyze where you want your brand to be and decide what is best for your brand. For instance exhibitions, pop up events, sales events are best for mass market brands whereas, private sales, presentations are best of luxury brands.

The success of any business is knowing where and how to get your product to your customers and the best part is they being willing to pay to get that product because it meets their needs. This means that knowing and understanding your customer’s needs helps you to plan your marketing and sales strategy to your advantage and grows your fashion business into new markets and territories.

Faith Senam Ocloo 
Fashion Public Relations 
Fashion I Beauty I Lifestyle I Arts

10 Fashion Brands in Ghana that pushed the PR Button in 2016

As I did last year, I shared my 10 fashion brands in Ghana I thought have pushed various aspects of the communication mix to get their brand out there. This year has been not been an impressive one for many fashion brands. 

That notwithstanding, some few brands have still managed to push further and keep working to create some visibility for their brand. Some established brands are fading off whiles some emerging brands have made good in roads this year and 2017 could only get better for them.

Below are my 10 Fashion brands in Ghana that have worked pretty hard this year to put their brand on the radar and create brand presence both online and offline through fashion events and shows, lookbook/collection launch, product/celebrity  placements, media features, awards amongst others.

1.    Sima Brew

This brand has become the go to for many female celebrities. There was no single major event in 2016 that won’t see a celebrity in a Sima Brew Gown. Celebrities such as Selly Galley, Zynnell Zuh, Berla Mundi, Becca, Joselyn Dumas amongst others have been seen in one Sima Brew dress or the other.

The brand also won Red Carpet Designer at the Glitz Style Awards 2016 and Designer of the Year at the Ghana Fashion Awards and also showcased at the Glitz Africa Fashion Week 2016. With such remarkable brand positioning, 2017 can only get better for this brand.

2.    Abrantie The Gentleman

This brand is almost becoming one of the strongest brands in Ghana. They have remain consistent over the last couple of years. They launched 2 collections in the year; AYEYI and GMAN Collection with a buzz on both traditional and social media.

ABT The Gentleman showcased at the SA Menswear Week, African Fashion Week Amsterdam, Durban Fashion Fair and Mercedes Benz African Fashion Festival. The brand was also nominated as Designer of the Year at Glitz Style Awards and Ghana Fashion Awards and won Designer of the Year at Afroma Awards. Their brand visibility this year is commendable.

3.    Totally Ethnik

Totally Ethnik one of the top fashion brands in Ghana have launched 2 collections this year; Dolce Vita and Colors of the Earth which gained several features in top fashion blogs and also generated several media buzz.

Totally Ethnik showcased at the Mercedes Benz African Fashion Festival and Glitz Africa Fashion Week. They were also nominated for Glitz Style Awards and Afroma Awards as Designer of the Year.

The brand have worked in creating not just presence in Ghana but also in Lagos, Abidjan, Kampala, Kigali, Paris, Geneva by stocking their pieces in shops and also organized private sales events in several cities. Celebrities such as Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Bolinto, Sandra Ankobia, Toke Makinwa have been spotted rocking a Totally Ethnik dress. I see this brand making greater strides in the coming year.

4.    Atto Tetteh

This brand is one of the emerging brands that have made great inroads this year. They started off the year participating at the Accra Men’s Fashion Week and then at the Glitz Africa Fashion Week. Their 2016 collections Tohazie and Artisan have been really impressive.

They were nominated as Emerging Designer at the Glitz Style Awards and won Emerging Designer at the Ghana Fashion Awards. Celebrities such as Stephen Appiah and Okyeame Kwame have been spotted in an Atto Tetteh outfit. With such progress made already, we can look forward to better 2017.

5.    Christie Brown

Being one of the ‘role models’ in modern day Ghanaian fashion, Christie Brown has managed to still keep up with being on the list of top fashion brands that have still been pushing hard to keep up with their brand presence. Even though this brand did not participate in any fashion show all year through in Ghana, they however launched 2 collections which created a buzz among fashion lovers all over including a feature in the Teen Vogue.

6.    Charlotte Prive

Charlotte Prive this year worked on making their brand visible at most trade and exhibition events held all year through as this earned them great brand presence within the fashion space. They won Designer of the Year at Glitz Style Awards and also participated at Flower and Garden Show event organized by Stratcomm Africa.

7.    Studio 189

This brand which recently opened its shop in Accra launched its first collection in 2013. They recently showcased at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week, being the only brand from Ghana to have participated at that event. They have gained several media features among which were a feature in vogue.

8.    Selinabeb

One of the very few accessory brand, Selinabeb has continued to create visibility for its fashion brand by introducing a collection called the Stars Collection which featured several top Ghanaian celebrities such as Sandra Ankobia, Joselyn Dumas, Berla Mundi, Kokui Serlomey and Victoria Michaels.

They participated at the African Jewelry and Accessory Fashion Week and Glitz Africa Fashion Week and also won High End Fashion Accessory at the Feminine Ghana Achievements Awards and also participated at several trade fairs among which was the annual Guba Expo event in London.

9.    AfroMod Trends

Being a ready to wear line, Afromod Trends brand’s marketing strategies have made it the go to brand for many smart and easy going women. Their collections for 2016 Elegance Fugu and Canvas of Dreams gained some media attention.

Celebrities such as Sandra Ankobiah, Naa Ashorkor, Yaayaa are mostly seen wearing Afromod Trends at different events and created some visibility for the brand.

10.  Brommon Bespoke Menswear

Brommon Menswear is one of the top handmade suits based in Ghana.  The brand has become a strong force within the menswear space. Prior to its launch and after its launch mid this year, the bespoke brand has position itself as a go to for menswear style inspiration. Personalities such as Nana Asante Bediatuo and Bola Ray, Stephen Appiah have been seen severally in a Brommon piece.

My expectations for 2017

Going into 2017, I wish designers and creative entrepreneurs be more creative through research, learning and investing in building strong and recognizable brands that match global brands.

By Faith Senam Ocloo

The writer is the founder of E’April Public Relations, a boutique PR firm. Senam is a fashion public relations specialist with interest in fashion, beauty and lifestyle. She can be reached on +233272686959, faithsenam@gmail.com, @senamapril on Instagram and @faithsenam on Twitter.

Kindly note photos used here are not my personal photos