I’m back, Gems! After 11 days of traveling to Ghana, Africa, I’ve made it back to the US. I’m still dreaming about the trip and everything it showed me about life. When I tell people I went to Africa, the first thing they ask me is, “why?”. Here’s the scoop. My friend, Andrea Howell and fashion designer behind Tidal Cool, debuted her latest collection at Accra Fashion Week and was wonderful enough to let me tag along for the trip. Since Accra Fashion Week was the reason we were there, I thought I’d start my blog posts of the trip off there.
It was the coolest thing to experience fashion show like this on another continent and I’m definitely inspired to add some more vibrancy to my wardrobe! The runway was filled with color, bold prints, and so much personality. The 2018 Summer/Harmattan edition of Accra Fashion Week was the 1st ever major fashion week to take place as the 2nd installment of a fashion week in Sub Sahara Africa. Providing an innovative experience for designers and fashionistas alike, Accra Fashion Week is connecting the industry on a new frontier and bridging the buyer-designer gap with their #SHOPTHERUNWAY online boutique (yep, they’ll even ship to the US!).
In the well-lit, spacious showroom of CFAO Motors, guests waited patiently for the designs to grace the runway. Up first, I was able to catch some designs from graduates of the Riohs Originate Fashion School. I’m always intrigued to see creations by those who have a fresh perspective on the industry.
Madlyn Mode
From the line up of main designers, I enjoyed the sophisticated, differentiating details on the bridal gowns presented by Madlyn Mode, a couture and bridal wear brand founded by Edna Quaye that has dressed many Ghanaian celebrities. The bronze embellishments against the white gown below just look so elegant and stunning!
Randa Khatib
Randa Khatib, a Lebanese fashion designer from Ghana, showed an array of middle Eastern inspirited Kaftaans with beautifully painted art in eye-catching gold tones and eclectic full length skirts. The gold leafs showered throughout the collection reminded me of a more upbeat version of fall fashion making these pieces perfect for days at the beach. They also fit right in for transitional autumn dresses that can be easily layered for a chillier season. As a previous ballet dancer, the flowy, color-blocked tulle skirts made my heart happy and I envisioned pairing one with a simple t-shirt for a chic, street style look.
Tidal Cool
As expected, I was captivated by the new Tidal Cool Lagoon collection. Andrea has taken many our American athleisure favorites and infused them with African inspired fabrics and vibrant colors. Earthy blues, cool periwinkle, and classic black garments were accented with bright yellows and hot pinks creating a relaxing, sea inspired color palette. The collection included a must-have pair of subtly sparkly joggers and a short sleeve sequin pullover that I simply cannot wait to add to my closet! Overall, these bold, globally inspired pieces are so wearable that they’re perfect for everything from vacation and lounging by the coastline to running errands and layering fall looks.
Ekua Addo
When I’m watching a runway show, my favorites are always pieces that could slide right into my personal style while bringing something unique to my wardrobe that isn’t already in it. That’s exactly what I found in the Ekua Addo AFRO-LATINA Collection. The brand’s inspiration stems from the designer’s cultural background with roots in both Jamaica and Ghana. The statement pieces and details include proud native designs influenced by the pre-Columbian artifacts of the Taino tribe, which is now deemed almost extinct.
