Hosting Wellington's first African Fashion Festival

BACK in 2008, someone complimented Ghanaian-born Pinaman Owusu-Banahene on her outfit, and asked if she had thought about a career in fashion. She hadn't, but the idea led her to create the African Fashion Festival.

She is determined to see the festival happen in
Wellington in May, after it had to be postponed for lack of funding in November. Its aim is to showcase internationally acclaimed African Designers, with all proceeds going to developing young.leaders and creative talent.
Owusu-Banahene, a senior adviser at the Ministry of Health, has locked in eight designers from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Australia and New Zealand. They include Senegalese designer Sophie Nzinga Sy, who studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York, and has shown at Paris Fashion Week. Each of the designers already give back to their communities by employing and upskilling local tailors and artisans. Owusu-Banahene says the festival will support the African community in New Zealand, but will also expose Kiwis to the breadth of culture in Africa. culled