Fashion trade fair for Sept

Saturday, May 30, 2009 (The Mirror Pg 46)

By Rebecca Kwei
Come September this year, a trade fair that will help Ghanaian designers meet, network and trade directly with international buyers will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Dubbed ‘Clothes Show Live! Ghana ’09 it will operate as a fashion road show brand (Clothes Show Live) which has been running in the UK for more than 20 years where local fashion designers sell their apparel on the spot to buyers from the large chain of retail shops.
Speaking at the press launch in Accra, the event organiser, Eric Manu of the London Designers Fashion Show Limited, explained that the event is not a fashion show but rather a trade fair which will run for two days.
Although, there will be a catwalk show, Mr Manu maintained that it is a trade fair where participants will set stalls and show their new collections to fashion consumers.
“During the day, there will be a 10-minute catwalk show every hour by various designers, but there will be many stalls with exciting exhibits for everyone,” he said.
So far about 30 international designers of African descent are preparing to come and join other local designers for the exhibition.
Some of the designers are Kofi Ansah, Ghana, Imane Ayissi, Cameroon, House of Ole, Kluk CGDT, Thula Sindi, David Tlale all from South Africa, Bantu Wax, Ethiopia (based in US), Sika Designs, Ghana (based in UK), Deola Sagoe, House of Jole, both from Nigeria and Mustafa, Tanzania.
He said the event is open all — seamstresses, tailors, fashion designers, fashion accessories producers, shoe designers and makers, textile manufacturers and any industry that has a link to fashion from Africa.
According to Mr Manu who has been in the fashion business in the UK for close to 10 years, his vision came about as a result of a deep passion to help stimulate the fashion industry in Africa.
“Being from Ghana, I chose to make Ghana the home for this event, so that we may hold the exhibition periodically and bring in many participants from all over the world, thereby building on our tourism receipts too.”
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hanna Tetteh, said the fashion industry in Ghana has a great future if the private sector collaborates with government to create a platform to showcase Ghana’s potential to the global market.
Additionally, she said the industry has the potential of creating job opportunities for the many unemployed youth and urged the organisers of the event to link up with our tertiary institutions to discover the numerous talents in the industry that are produced yearly and create a platform for them to showcase their talent.