The Abaya Dake Collection

Abaya Dake, Kiko Collection

Q. What makes your design “African”, and how do you think African fashion has changed over the years?

A. “I’m African so everything that I create will always be African. It's a right my creations will inherit whether or not they look “African.” African fashion is growing into a global phenomenon. African fabrics are being appreciated worldwide and African designers are breaking boundaries into markets where they previously did not have a share.”

Q. When did you begin designing?

A. “I started designing in 2006, right after high school. In high school, I was designing, but it was more prints on t-shirts than actually making garments from fabric. Fashion was and still remains my greatest passion. The art of turning flat pieces of fabric into three-dimensional pieces is still magical.”

Q. Where are you from, and how do you do what you do?

A. “I am originally from Ghana. I moved to the United States 5 years ago for my education. I graduated with my BFA in Fashion Design from Lindenwood University in 2013, and I am currently pursuing my MBA at Roosevelt University. I am an up and coming designer with high ambitions. I have been a part of Glitz Africa Fashion Week (2012), Saint Louis Fashion Week (2013), and Missouri Style Week (2015).”

Q. What is the most important lesson you've learned since you've started designing clothes?

A. “As a designer, I make clothes for people so I listen attentively to what they say.”