GHANA is not short of talented fashion designers, but renowned designer and fashion educator Joyce Ababio says creativity alone will not carry the industry onto the global stage.
She is calling for greater investment in technical training and skilled manufacturing professionals to push Ghanaian fashion beyond its current limits.
According to her, Ghana has made good progress in training creative designers. The gap lies in specialised personnel who can turn design concepts into quality products that meet international production standards.
The founder and President of JACCD Design Institute Africa named skilled pattern drafters, quality control officers, production technicians and other manufacturing professionals as critical to building a competitive fashion industry.
Madam Ababio made the remarks during a panel discussion at The Black Star Experience Fashion Summit in Accra on Wednesday, November 4. Industry experts gathered to examine the theme “The State of Ghana Fashion: From Potential to Industry" and to discuss what it would take to build a globally competitive Ghanaian fashion economy.
Ghana, she said, already has a fashion industry. The real test is building the capacity to compete beyond its borders.
“As far as we are concerned, we have an industry. However, if that industry is going to be able to go global, that is where the challenge is," she said.
She explained that while several fashion institutions have trained designers who are doing impressive work, the industry must look past creative design and invest in technical and vocational training that supports manufacturing.
In her view, teaching people to sketch, develop concepts and create collections is not enough to sustain an industry that wants to serve international markets.
"We need skilled pattern drafters. We need quality control people. We need technicians to work. We need those who understand what production is and how to run their lines," she said.
Madam Ababio believes closing these gaps will strengthen Ghana's manufacturing capacity, improve product quality and lay the foundation for local brands to fulfil large international orders.
Also on the panel, Director, Diaspora Affairs Office of the President, Kofi Okyere Darko, popularly known as KOD, pointed to several hurdles, including inadequate capital, inconsistent sizing standards, limited production capacity and the tendency of young designers to launch their own brands straight after graduation without enough industry experience.
He stressed the value of learning from established fashion businesses and paying close attention to details such as standardised measurements and production quality if Ghanaian brands are to compete with international labels.
The discussions were part of Black Star Fashion Week Summit (BSFW), a two-day initiative organised by the Black Star Experience Secretariat on the theme, "Put Ghana On."
The event was held at Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra and Royal Senchi Hotel in Akosombo. It brought together designers, entrepreneurs, industry professionals and other stakeholders to showcase Ghanaian creativity and explore ways of growing the country's fashion economy.
A major highlight was the Presidential Runway at the Fashion show at Royal Senchi, which featured collections from leading Ghanaian designers, alongside musical performances by Okyeame Kwame and Lamisi.
