If you were a stranger to menswear in western Africa and you had only the Ghanaian brands showing at the 2016 Accra Mens Fashion Week as a litmus test for what African men considered fashionable, you’d be convinced that we were mired in post colonial patriotic 70’s style. This is somewhat confusing because Ghanaian men are indeed known for their fashion savvy and the country is known for its open approach to embracing new ideas. Emerging label Ok Fashion, continues in this rut.
For the label’s presentation, it shows a mixture of traditional menswear styles and a handful of classic western menswear pieces done in ankara.
Like many of the labels, Ok Fashion’s designs are interesting and well tailored and show years of experience in construction. But the innovation that separates any fashion brand from a proper design label is missing. There are many pieces from Ok Fashion that designers like Quophi Akoutuah and Theo Style have nearly identical versions of.
The collection does not advance the possibilities of traditional menswear, or make it better suited for increasingly hot tropical climates. Even innovations as simple as well hidden but strategically placed vents would have changed a lot of things.
Ok Fashion played safe, and that kept it’s collection a flash in the pan instead of a real player.
Photo Credit: Qwesie Asephua Photography
