ATU fashion students hold final exhibition
The Department of Fashion Design and Textiles of Accra Technical University recently hosted its annual fashion exhibition, showcasing the creative talents of final-year students.
The event featured stunning designs and garments that highlighted the students' skills in fashion design, production, and textiles.
Themed, “Promoting African Heritage – Our Pride, Our Fashion,” the exhibition brought together parents, faculty, industry stakeholders and fashion enthusiasts to celebrate the creativity of the graduating class.
The show gave final-year students the platform to display their creative skills while projecting African heritage in contemporary ways.
It formed part of the department’s efforts to use fashion as a tool for cultural preservation, storytelling and innovation.
Speaking at the event, Dean of Faculty of Applied Arts, Professor John Osei Agyei, commended the department for nurturing students to combine innovation with precision in order to meet both industry standards and cultural expectations.
He said the aim of the show was to “go back to our roots” and project African identity at a time when imported clothing had become dominant in country’s markets.
“Through this show, we are combining what the Gen Zs identify with and what the older generations value, creating a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. We want to maintain our traditions in clothing, signs and symbols while meeting contemporary tastes,” he said.
He encouraged the general public to patronise locally made products, stressing that competence-based training at ATU had equipped students to deliver high-quality, custom-made garments that reflect Ghanaian culture and pride.
Beyond the beautiful designs, the collections carried social and personal messages.
One of the exhibitors, Cecilia Ama Makafui used her collection to highlight the dangers of galamsey (illegal mining), describing her work as a way of using fashion to communicate the urgent need for environmental protection.
“This message is for government, citizens and industry. If we continue with galamsey, we destroy our water bodies and future generations. Fashion can speak, and my designs are a call to stop galamsey,” she said.
Another student, Peter Kelly Anderson Jnr said his designs were inspired by the Jamestown Lighthouse and his own life story.
“There was a time I was sacked from my hostel and had nowhere to sleep. I found solace at the lighthouse, which became a source of inspiration for me. We cannot talk about African heritage without acknowledging architectural treasures like the Jamestown Lighthouse and Elmina Castle among others,” he said.
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