Ghana’s creative sector is set for a major boost this November as the Black Star Experience rolls out its inaugural Black Star Fashion Week, themed, “Sustainable by Design: Shaping Africa’s Fashion Future”. The initiative aims to spotlight the country’s thriving fashion industry, create jobs for young people, and position Ghanaian designs on the global stage.

Speaking in a recent interview, officials from the Black Star Experience outlined ambitious plans centered on the organization’s seven pillars: film, music, fashion, cuisine, aesthetics, heritage culture, literature, and art. “The fashion industry is the biggest in Ghana,” one official explained.

“So we decided to come up with a fashion week that will bring up the conversation of fashion industry in Ghana, because it all boils down to creating jobs, creating platforms and opportunities for the young people”
Black Star Fashion Week Officials

The Fashion Week forms part of a broader strategy to activate each pillar systematically. Just last week, organizers launched the Black Star Comedy Experience scheduled for January 2. Similar activations are planned across other sectors in the coming months.

Organizers highlighted significant growth in Ghana’s fashion scene, particularly among young designers who remain under-amplified. Market access remains a key challenge. “I believe that if we want to create jobs for young people, the fashion industry has a lot of issues that needs to be dealt with. For example, market access,” one speaker noted. They pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area as a major opportunity for Ghanaian brands to expand regionally and internationally.

“The Black Star Fashion Week is meant to first bring the already established fashion brands and bridge them with the young people so that they can be groomed and they can be directed as to what to do”
Black Star Fashion Week Officials

A full-day summit on November 4 at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra will kick off proceedings. The event will feature presentations, exhibitions, and masterclasses focused on practical industry issues, including business skills, funding access, and market development. Top designers and industry leaders will share their stories and insights.

Emerging designers have a direct pathway to the spotlight. An open call invites applications, with five designers to be shortlisted and one ultimately selected to showcase on the Presidential Runway. Mentorship programs and sustained support throughout the year form part of the planned outcomes. “We are going to select. We are going to shortlist five of them. But ultimately, one is going to get an opportunity to be on the presidential runway,” organizers confirmed. Registration details are available at www.blackstarexperience.org, with the emerging designers’ link opening shortly.

The Presidential Runway

The Presidential Runway, held in Akosombo, elevates the fashion showcase beyond Accra. Organizers chose the location deliberately to promote tourism. “Our aim is to have people come for the fashion, but stay for the experience,” one official said. A VIP boat party on the Dodi Princess is scheduled for Friday, followed by hiking and boat-riding activities on Saturday in partnership with the Ghana Tourism Authority and other operators. Hotels in the area are offering discounts to encourage overnight stays.

The “Presidential” designation carries deliberate weight. The event falls under the auspices of the presidency, reflecting the government’s prioritization of the creative economy. Organizers recalled the president’s public promise to walk the runway and expressed confidence he would deliver. “The president always delivers on his promises,” one speaker stated.

The night will also honor longstanding fashion icons, including historic houses dating back to the 1960s whose contributions have often gone unrecognized compared to those in music and film.

Conversations around second-hand clothing imports, known locally as “foose,” and sustainable practices will feature prominently. Young designers engaged in upcycling and sustainable fashion are already part of the dialogue. The steering committee includes industry figures such as Madame Joyce Abebrese and KOD, working alongside the Creative Arts Agency and Ghana Tourism Authority.

The Black Star Experience has already demonstrated its collaborative approach. In 2025, the secretariat supported Panafest with musical groups and a camera crew. More recently, it exported Ghanaian culture to Ethiopia, taking a Kente weaver, SMEs including GTP, Skin Gourmet, and 57 Chocolate, plus a Ghanaian chef for a one-month residency at Kuriftu Resort.

The chef introduced a full Ghanaian menu, including jollof, and the hotel has committed to a Ghana store for future exhibitions. These efforts were carried out with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Ghana Tourism Authority.

Participation in the Fashion Week has been strong so far. “It hasn’t been bad at all,” organizers reported, noting active engagement on platforms and direct outreach from stakeholders, including a ministerial invitation. While corporate support has been mixed partly due to perceptions that the creative sector is purely entertainment-focused-the Fashion Week deliberately emphasizes economic value, policy formulation, and job creation.

For participants, the takeaway centers on networking, industry knowledge, and practical pathways. Young creatives will interact with established names and gain insights into financing and markets. Policymakers will hear firsthand about the sector’s realities, including the tension between developing local industry and the influx of imported clothing.

“We believe that the world has been wearing Ghana already. There is so much demand for Ghanaian products,” organizers said. With its focus on pride, opportunity, and sustained activation, Black Star Fashion Week seeks to turn that demand into tangible progress for designers, tailors, and the wider creative economy.