Selina Beb fulfills childhood dream
Selina Bebaako-Mensah had no background in fashion design when she entered the industry.
She only had a childhood dream of owning a fashion accessory store.
Today, she is the Founder and Creative director of the African fashion accessories brand, “Selina Beb” and says the legacy she wants to leave in the industry is to be known
as “someone who dared to live her dream and put Ghana on the global fashion map”.
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Established in 2012 from her car booth and marketing on social media with a mobile phone, Selina Beb has grown to project Ghana on several global platforms such as Africa fashion week, London 2015, New Orleans Fashion Week 2018, BBC focus on Africa, Voice of America, Vogue Italia and she is listed on Beyoncé’s “Black Parade” directory on beyonce.com.
She was the only Ghanaian to be featured in Meta’s global campaign, titled “Made by Africa; Loved by the World” to celebrate Africa Day 2022.
Selina has won many awards
The campaign aimed at amplifying the voice and stories of people and businesses from africa that are impacting the world. Meta is the mother company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
In a chat in Accra with The Mirror recently, Ms Bebaako –Mensah said she had worked hard to manifest her dreams and expanded this dream by putting made-in - Ghana products on the international fashion market.
A model showcasing her accessories
Tagline
She said her brand was one that was in line with its tagline, ”real design for real people”.
Her products include a textile infused with leather from the Northern Region of the country designed into bags, footwear, ready-to-wear outfits and accessories all made right here in Ghana.
For a bold fashion statement or a great way to jazz up laptop, iPad or phones, Selina Beb has a tailored solution for all.
Her products are owned by dignitaries such as Prince Charles’s wife, Camila Parker Bowles, iconic singer, Angelique Kidjo and the America’s House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
Selina Bebaako-Mensah (right) on the runway with model, Victoria Micheals
Challenging journey
Recounting her journey, Ms Bebaako-Mensah said “showcasing Ghana on the international fashion map did not come cheap”.
“I was willing to invest money. You will need to invest money to make money. Otherwise you will just be a local champion. I didn’t want to be known only in Ghana. When I hear of a show outside Ghana, l enquire about it and with most of these shows, you will need to pay. So l check my budget and if I can afford to do it, I do it”, she explained.
The Fashion designer said “when you do one show the organisers see it. Soon they will start contacting you for shows. I got there because l put myself out there. Once you put yourself out there, the offers will start coming and you grab them. Do not shun away from interviews. Any opportunity that comes and you think it will be good for your brand, accept it”.
She said her journey began over 11 years ago with inspiration from her teenage days when she loved fashion accessories.
One of her beaded clutch bags
“And so when l moved back to Ghana in 2008 and saw that African prints were in vogue, l said to myself that maybe I can now live this dream. I thought the dream would materialise when I
was old into my 50s but I realised there was a market for it,” she said.
Ms Bebaako-Mensah said she observed that most of the African prints that had been designed into wallets, shoes and bags on the market at that time were not well made. Unable to get the quality accessories that she wanted, she decided to pursue her dream.
Colouful bags are part of her collections
“l want international standards but made in Ghana. I want people to see my products and ask if it is really made in Ghana”, she said.
She said her dream was not enough and had to take different courses including training in bagmaking in Italy.
Her bags are made in Ghana with international standards
“When l think about my journey l feel great. It has been amazing. Last year was our 10yearsanniversary and we climaxed with a fashion show and cocktail in December. One of my biggest inspiration is Oprah and my father, Ambassador Sir J.K Bebaako-Mensah is my role model,” she added.
She pursued law at the Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford, Essex, Uk, and also an old student of Ola Girls High School in Ho.
She accessorises herself with her designs
Raw materials
Selina who worked as a broadcast journalist before she launched her fashion brand mentioned the lack of quality raw materials and human resource as some of her challenges.
“The main challenge l have had is working with some Ghanaian artisans. I have had some good ones but a lot of bad and disloyal people. There are those who will steal your designs and raw materials and go make for others. I have caught them twice so I know. And there are those who are with you for a short while and so you are always going through a recruitment process. It is hard to find skillful people to give the kind of quality l want. After the first set of completion you tell them to do another one and there is a difference in quality,” she explained.
Beaded accessories are her thing
Ms Bebaako-Mensah said 80 per cent of the leather she used were imported and 20 percent were locally produced from Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
Though she would have loved to use only local leather for all her work, she noted that the local ones were light, not well treated and that made it difficult to use for certain designs.
“Some Ghanaians do not like the local leather because they say it smells. And that’s because they do not treat it as good as the imported ones. Bolgatanga leather is good for soft bags. I think institutions need to organise some form of training for Bolgatanga leather artisans”, she suggested.
She has beautiful leather bags
The Fashion entrepreneur who designs every piece herself said it was better for young people who wanted to go into business to do so for the right reasons and not to only make money.
“Find your passion, carve a niche for yourself by working hard and upgrading yourself. Be patient and build up, you will get there”, was her advice to beginners.
Selina Bebaako-Mensah on the run way with models at Glitz Fashion Week in 2020
She said her “Selina Beb” brand had become one of the most sought-after accessory brands in Africa since it was launched in 2012, with outlets in countries allover the world, including Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Italy, United States of America, London, Australia and the UK.
