WE’VE DISCOVERED THIS AFRICAN DESIGNER AND YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HIM TOO.
With no official collection yet, no media attention, no external funding, and having started a fashion brand from scratch with a sewing machine from a single room in Taifa (a suburb of Accra-Ghana), Boadi Raymond Manu’s story of putting Africa on the map in a way which changes the narrative for the continent through sustainable fashion, would inspire you.
After completing an HND in Fashion Design & Textiles at Accra Technical University (Ghana) in 2016, Raymond went ahead to pursue his dreams even at a time when things were not rosy. From such a humble beginning, his now profitable fashion company, BOA DI Custom Tailoring which he started in 2018 has clothed hundreds of clients from different parts of this world with premium tailored outfits and has provided employment and opportunities for others.
Some of the rare things to usually come out of the fashion scene in Africa has been design excellence, attention to details and fabric quality; all of which this brand embodies. It is really encouraging to see these young brands emerging towards the global fashion scene with so much boldness and excellence which projects Africa in a better way.
For an entrepreneur like Raymond, exceeding customer expectations has been one of the hallmarks of his brand as he delivered his very first order three weeks before client’s deadline, which skyrocketed the brand afterwards. Talking about his Ghanaian dream, Raymond said,
My Ghanaian dream is not just for Ghana but Africa as a whole; I would want to see people around the world accept Africa and its people for who we are and all we represent”.
This is a profound way of reinstating the narrative of young Africans breaking the rules and creating new standards.
“In the next five years, we as a brand look forward to becoming a household name. We seek to create more employment for young designers and fashion enthusiasts”, Raymond added to their intention of starting a fashion school as well.
By divine inspiration from God, looking up to the likes of Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault, and Pierre Balmain, Raymond is already on the path of great success, and has definitely been ticked by many followers as one of the original African brands to watch out for in the next coming years. With a debut collection to be released soon, he advised young entrepreneurs to stay consistent, stay focused, and to develop a positive attitude towards work.
The BOA DI brand which majorly represents bespoke outfits for men, serves clients all over the world through their delivery partner, DHL. Making an appointment with the Lead Designer is as simple as calling +233277205454 or sending an email to boadicustomtailoring@gmail.com.
Click here to check out their Instagram page @boadicustomtailoring
Story by Derrick Seyram Vormawor ( Top Afric Radio)
