Afrik Fashion; a Startup Bolster for the Fashion Industry in Ghana.
Cultures around the world are constantly influencing each other; hence, the world’s cultures are changing fashion constantly… Competition in the fashion industry is so rife such that the survival of fashion organizations cannot be guaranteed (Stuart, 1995).
It gets more gloomy for the fashion industry in Ghana as the developments of new technologies all over the world and growing globalization of countries economies in the last decade have produced the fastest changes ever seen in the context of our lifestyle and socioeconomic environment.
Please permit the writer to forego the temptation of reflecting on the “effects of COVID-19 on the fashion industry” today — he will hopefully dive into it in a subsequent blog post.
However, one thing is sure; the global health pandemic is but a blessing in disguise — in that regard, a startup innovation as that of Afrik Fashion is noteworthy in this context… “dear reader, stay with me…”
The fashion industry in Ghana and a brief analysis of its worth in sub-Saharan Africa.
Take nothing for granted, the fashion industry is a lucrative business. One may ask, “…in Ghana?” — the answer is “…not yet”, but some parts of the continent, i.e. South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Rwanda have experienced in recent time massive national, continental and international patronage and endorsement of their indigenous fashion products designed and produced by locals.
To put just a little emphasis on how serious some countries consider their fashion industry, the East African Community (EAC), composed of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, has gone as far as to propose a ban on the over-reliance on fashion products from the West, to boost local manufacturing and development of their fashion industry.
According to Euromonitor International, “the combined apparel and footwear market in sub-Saharan Africa [alone] is estimated to be worth US$ 31 billion.”
Ventures Africa reflects, “If there is any time to invest in the African fashion industry, it is now.” Those who invest first will likely be the biggest beneficiaries of them all.
The Fashion Startup — Business Concept
Against this background, Afrik Fashion — a startup in GrassRoots’ startup incubator program in partnership with Ghana Tech Lab — seeks to serve as a business solution to craft makers and fashion designers who encounter severe challenges in promoting and attracting buyers for their fashion products (i.e. arts, crafts or designs).
Afrik fashion intends to solve the problem of market access and reach for indigenous fashion designers and craft makers, whereas promoting decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) among young creative local fashion designers first within Sunyani, the regional capital of the Bono region of Ghana.
Startup Innovation
Through a three-day empathy field trip undertaken by Redeemer and Dorothy (i.e. the Co-founders of Afrik) during the early stages of the incubation program; as part of our design thinking process, these young fashion entrepreneurs discovered that fashion designers and craft makers in Sunyani shared the similar pain of limited customers, failure of customers to pay for products after they have been designed and the disadvantages associated with their location. A common experience shared by fifty (50) fashion designers engaged during the empathy trip was “word of mouth” advertisement and marketing — utilise to promote their business.
In this regard, Afrik fashion has developed a functioning multi-vendor e-commerce web app that seeks to promote fashion designers and craft makers who are struggling to attract and retain customers; showcasing their designs and products in as part the shared interest of increasing patronage of indigenous fashion designs, arts and/or products.
A Clarion Call
Ghana’s fashion industry has the potential to be a force to reckon with in the international market. However, with fashion entrepreneurs moving abroad to find “greener pastures”, growth planners and startup developers like GrassRoots Hub and the Ghana Tech Lab intends to offer progressive support to Afrik Fashion to serve as a bolster for existing fashion designers, craft makers, models, makeup artists, stylists, fashion publishers, etc; enticing them to stay in Ghana to create a medium through which to spread the Ghanaian culture, from its authentic source to the rest of the world as well as create jobs for young enthusiasts in fashion and creative arts.
To this end, Afrik fashion is optimistic and ready for internal and external investment to reach its full potential.
Kindly reach them for further engagement via Email|Twitter|Facebook|Instagram.
Afrik Fashion — “The Fashion Bolsters!”
