1974 French Embassy attack in The Hague

• This loss of human talent and skills – the “brain drain” – is arguably one of Africa’s key developmental challenges.
• That is “brain gain” – the return migration of professionals – and “brain circulation” – temporary migration of professionals between countries.
• This is the gap we sought to fill, using a case study of the late Ghanaian fashion designer, Kofi Ansah.
• Ansah’s impact on Ghanaian fashion was immense because of the timing and context of his return in 1992.

Transforming Ghana’s fashion industry

• For the Kofi Ansah case study we interviewed 31 Ghanaian fashion designers whose career journeys had been directly and indirectly influenced by him.
• After completing his secondary education, Kofi enrolled in the Chelsea School of Art in the United Kingdom to study fashion design.
• He made his first fashion headline after he designed a beaded dress for Princess Anne.
• Ansah transformed Ghana’s fashion industry in four areas:
• Another project spearheaded by Ansah was the Ethical Fashion Initiative, a partnership between the United Nations and the Presidential Special Initiative programme.
• Such travel was geared towards acquiring knowledge that would have an impact on Ghana’s fashion industry.

Ansah’s impact

• Steve French and other young designers are recognised for their creative works and talents.
• Garments made by Ghanaian designers like Duaba Serwaa and Christie Brown are worn by stars such as Lupita Nyongo and Beyonce respectively.
• The current status of Ghana’s fashion industry is largely due to the efforts of Kofi Ansah.