Aspiring arts and fashion designers are being urged to prioritise research as a critical tool to identify viable areas and understand the fashion landscape of Ghana to trade successfully. 
 
Ghana’s fashion industry wields economic potential, but a deeper understanding of social activities and garment demands is essential for driving patronage. 
 
At the recent KNUST Fashion Show, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Industrial Art, Dr Akosua Mawuse Amankwah, emphasised that graduate designers must align their creations with local context that avoids niche markets.
 

The colourful event assembled graduate designers of the Department of Industrial Art Textiles and Fashion section of the Faculty of Art of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
 
The department, seeking to unleash the potential of students who have graduated with various expertise in Industrial Art Textiles and Fashion put together the event as a tool to advance their creativity. 
 
The glittering night, themed “Abound” featured aspiring designers hoping to clinch investors, showcasing their talents and creativity in fashion and art for potential patronage. 

Dr Akosua Mawuse Amankwah, also encouraged designers to find their expertise and focus their efforts accordingly.
 

“Apart from research we also look at technical ability, like translating your sketches into patterns, sewing them, finishing them and presentation. In Ghana, incoming designers need to know what social activities and what garments are required to be able to drive patronage to their works.

“Dealing with context, in Ghana, you cannot say you design lingerie and expect to get money. You need to identify the sector, the Ghanaian context and activities that drive trade,” she said.

 
Forty-one graduate designers took to the stage to climax their graduation process, showcasing their designs for the 2024 KNUST fashion show. 
 
The event challenged designers to put together attractive apparel that followed prescribed themes like bridal, formal, and casual clothing that meet international standards.
 
Dr Amankwah indicated that the show will help participants to find their feet, and abilities within the industry. 
 

“The graduate fashion show is to showcase designers' creativity to the industry. So we are looking at practitioners who will attend and their scout for the best. It is to also sell the university.

“Apart from that the designer are able to speak about their collection confidently and consistently for viewers to appreciate the depth of work that has gone into it,” she said.