Seven pioneers of Ghanaian fashion and garment production have been honoured at the inaugural Black Star Fashion Week in Akosombo.
The awards were presented on Saturday, November 7, at the Royal Senchi Hotel during the Presidential Runway showcase, the closing event of the two-day programme. Designer collections were shown alongside live performances by Okyeame Kwame and Lamisi.
Organised by the Black Star Experience Secretariat under the theme “Put Ghana On”, the event was created to connect fashion and design with manufacturing, investment and trade.
Four of the recipients Joyce Ababio, Nora Bannerman-Abbott, Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto and Tetteh Adzedu attended the ceremony to receive their awards. Relatives collected posthumous honours on behalf of Kofi Ansah, Juliana Miranda Norley Kweifio-Okai and Ricci Osei.
Ababio was recognised for making Kente more accessible as everyday clothing and for developing young designers through the JACCD Design Institute Africa, which she founded. She became the first Ghanaian designer to win Best Formal Evening Wear at Miss World, in 1995, and has styled First Ladies since 1992.
Bannerman-Abbott, the Chief Executive of Sleek Garments Export Limited, was honoured for her contribution to Ghana’s garment export industry. In 2007, her company exported 75,000 men’s shirts to the United States through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Okudzeto was recognised for his influence on streetwear during the hiplife era through the Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto, MAWULI and MKO.GH labels.
Adzedu, the founder of Adzedu of Shapes and a 1998 Principal Prince Claus Award laureate, was celebrated for updating traditional African menswear for modern audiences.
Ansah was remembered as a leading figure in modern African couture. He founded the Federation of African Designers and was also noted for mentoring a younger generation of designers.
Kweifio-Okai, who established Chez Julie in 1960, was honoured for blending African clothing with international influences. Her business also served as an inspiration for women entrepreneurs.
Osei, who died in 2001, received a posthumous citation for the way his St Ossei and BRASS labels brought together fashion, music and art.
The recipients were announced on Wednesday, November 4, by Black Star Experience Coordinator Rex Omar, who said the honours were intended to protect the memory of the industry’s founders.
“These are individuals who have contributed immensely to where we are today, often without the recognition they deserve,” Omar said. “Their stories must be told, their contributions celebrated and their legacies preserved for future generations.”
During the ceremony, the honourees urged emerging designers to remain committed to their work and called for stronger systems and greater investment in Ghana’s fashion industry.
