The inaugural Black Star Fashion Week (BSFW) has honoured seven pioneering figures of Ghana’s fashion industry at a special awards ceremony held during the Presidential Runway showcase at the Royal Senchi Hotel in Akosombo on Saturday, 7th November 2026.
The recognition celebrated the contributions of some of the country’s most influential fashion personalities, whose work across design, entrepreneurship, garment manufacturing, fashion education and international promotion helped shape the development of Ghanaian fashion.
The seven honourees were Chez Julie founder Juliana Miranda Norley Kweifio-Okai; St Ossei founder Ricci Osei; celebrated designer Kofi Ansah; Joyce Ababio; Sleek Garments Export Limited Chief Executive Nora Bannerman-Abbott; streetwear pioneer Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto; and Tetteh Adzedu.
Three of the honourees, Juliana Miranda Norley Kweifio-Okai, Ricci Osei and Kofi Ansah, were recognised posthumously. Relatives of the departed icons received their citations on their behalf, while the living honourees attended personally to receive their awards.
The two-day initiative, organised by the Black Star Experience Secretariat under the theme “PUT GHANA ON”, sought to spotlight Ghana’s fashion industry and stimulate conversations about its advancement, bringing together designers, creatives and industry stakeholders.
In receiving the recognition, the honourees reflected on the importance of hard work, dedication and perseverance in building successful careers in fashion. They also called for greater recognition, investment and support for practitioners, stressing the need for more deliberate efforts to advance the profession and strengthen the industry’s structures.
Among the honourees was Joyce Ababio, celebrated for her pioneering work in integrating Kente into everyday clothing and her contribution to fashion education. In 1995, she became the first Ghanaian fashion designer to win the Best Formal Evening Wear award at the Miss World pageant. She has dressed successive First Ladies since 1992 and founded the JACCD Design Institute Africa, which has contributed to training generations of fashion professionals.
Kofi Ansah, honoured posthumously, was recognised as one of the leading pioneers of modern African couture. His designs brought Ghanaian fashion to international attention, while his contributions to the industry extended to founding the Federation of African Designers and mentoring younger creatives.
The late Juliana Miranda Norley Kweifio-Okai, founder of Chez Julie in 1960, was celebrated for blending African dress with international influences and establishing a fashion business that became an important part of Ghana’s fashion history. Her entrepreneurial journey was also recognised as an inspiration for women seeking to build businesses and shape cultural industries.
Ricci Osei, who died in 2001, was remembered for his St Ossei and BRASS labels and his distinctive understanding of fashion as an expression of personality, cultural confidence and contemporary African identity. His work also connected fashion with art, music and culture.
Nora Bannerman-Abbott was recognised for her entrepreneurial leadership of Sleek Garments Export Limited and her contribution to the development of Ghana’s garment manufacturing and export industry. The company was recognised as an AGOA success story in 2007 after exporting 75,000 men’s shirts to the United States, demonstrating the potential of Ghanaian garment production in international markets.
Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto was honoured for his influence on Ghanaian streetwear and youth culture, particularly during the rise of hiplife. Through the Mawuli Kofi Okudzeto, MAWULI and MKO.GH labels, he helped establish a distinctive fashion identity that connected clothing with music and contemporary youth expression.
Completing the list was Tetteh Adzedu, founder of Adzedu of Shapes, whose work brought African menswear and traditional textiles into contemporary design. A recipient of the 1998 Principal Prince Claus Award, he was recognised for demonstrating that cultural heritage could serve as a foundation for innovation and international relevance.
The honours followed an announcement by Black Star Experience Coordinator Rex Omar at an engagement on 4 November, where he disclosed plans to introduce a recognition scheme celebrating pioneering figures across Ghana’s fashion industry.
“These are individuals who have contributed immensely to where we are today, often without the recognition they deserve,” he said. “Their stories must be told, their contributions celebrated and their legacies preserved for future generations.”
The recognition ceremony was one of the key highlights of the Presidential Runway, which also featured collections from leading Ghanaian designers and musical performances by Okyeame Kwame and Lamisi.
The Black Star Fashion Week honours reinforced the initiative’s broader ambition of positioning fashion as a serious economic sector, linking creativity with manufacturing, investment and international trade.
By celebrating the individuals who laid the foundation for the industry, the initiative also sought to inspire a new generation of designers and entrepreneurs to build on their achievements and contribute to a more competitive, professional and internationally recognised Ghanaian fashion industry.