What started as a simple idea to help university friends improve their sewing skills has, 10 years later, grown into a fashion school training and supporting emerging talent in Ghana and beyond.
For the Founder of Dreams College of Creative Arts, Dr Clement Asemnyra (EdD), the journey was not originally about establishing a fashion institution.
While at university, some of his peers struggled with sewing assignments and suggested that he should teach them during the vacation.
That became the beginning of a holiday bootcamp in Winneba.
“We started with the bootcamp and realised the impact was getting better through social media because we were very active on Facebook,” he said.
The growing interest, he explained, led to further training programmes in Accra. It was during this period that he identified a gap in fashion education.
While several training institutions were producing graduates with basic skills, there was limited opportunity for those who wanted to advance their knowledge and build stronger fashion businesses.
“A lot of training institutions trained a lot of people who were all at a certain level of proficiency, but there was that need for upgrade, that need of having higher-end skills and knowledge to really push the businesses out there,” he said.
That gap influenced his decision to pursue further studies and develop advanced programmes. The introduction of master classes became a major turning point for Dreams College of Creative Arts, attracting established fashion brands seeking specialised training.
The school later expanded its programmes and began attracting participants from countries, including Kenya and Nigeria.
Looking back, Dr Asemnyra believes the institution has also witnessed and contributed to the growth of Ghana's fashion industry.
He noted that while only a few names were widely recognised in the industry a decade ago, there were now many talented designers and brands competing locally and internationally.
“We are excited to have been part of the voices that have changed the narrative,” he said.
Celebrating 10 years
The school's 10th anniversary is being marked this month with a series of activities combining fashion, education, philanthropy and recognition.
The celebrations began with a press launch and donation of clothes to the Odukanpkui Primary School at Kasoa under the “Dreams Brighter Horizon Initiative”.
The main celebrations will take place on Saturday, September 19 at the Tang Palace Hotel in Accra with a convocation, charity luncheon, alumni awards and graduate fashion show.
The convocation will see graduating students receive their certificates, while the charity luncheon will raise funds for a school that supports young women from rural communities and places them in established fashion houses for training.
The luncheon will also recognise alumni who have made an impact in the fashion industry over the past decade.
An alumni master class led by Gwen Gyimah Addo will focus on building profitable and influential fashion brands.
“Actual fashion has moved beyond making the clothes because everybody can. You can always hire somebody to do that,” he explained.
The day will end with a graduate fashion show, where students will showcase collections reflecting different aesthetics and stories.
Kente for the milestone
As part of the anniversary, the school has also created a special Kente known as “Nimdi3 Y3 Tumi kese3”.
The textile draws on the school's connection with couture and its contribution to fashion education.
