The house of Anita Erskine’s parents in Accra is the setting for the photo-shoot. Its opulent details and vintage feel match perfectly with the new fabric collection, while the chimerical paintings from Ghanaian artists Jasper Arts, Heavy J., Fakira, and Stoger, create a surreal atmosphere. Four different African designers created the outfits for our muses, from the figure-flaunting gowns of Yartel, to the modern cuts of Jewel by Lisa, and the fantasy additions of Lumiere and Sadia Sanusi.
Anita Erskine dressed by Yartel, artwork by Farkira.
“Determined to make a mark on every woman’s heart with creativity”
as he puts it, fashion designer Ezekiel Yartel is a red carpet favourite among a number of top African celebrities. His high-end gowns for extravagant occasions helped him build a reputation that quickly turned his label into a household name in Ghana. With luxury and femininity as his flagships, he crafts seductive dresses with intricate cuts and fresh styles, as proven in the looks he designed for our Bold Romantics campaign.
Ebenezer Mensah is the artist behind the pseudonym Farkira. Originally a sign writer, he is also well known in Ghana for his portrait paintings of celebrities. His detailed compositions and fun approach to reality made him a perfect match for our Bold Romantics campaign, where one of his paintings reinterprets a dining room scene through a whimsical filter.
Anita Erskine dressed by Yartel, artwork by Stoger.
The young painter from Oyibi, whose real name is Moses Agoe, is known for his beautifully hand painted movie posters, which he sells in Ghana as well as to international galleries and collectors. The expressivity of his drawing led us to recruit him for the surreal artworks that adorn our Bold Romantics campaign.
Ayokunmi Abdul dressed by Jewel by Lisa, artwork by Daniel Anum Jasper.
One of Ghana’s most internationally acclaimed artists, D.A. Jasper started his career as a sign designer in the late ‘80s. Before long, he would become an eminent local figure in movie poster painting. With a pop style often inspired by sci-fi and the golden age of comic books, he imbues everything he touches with a sense of the obscure. This is why we chose him to create the fantastical settings for our Bold Romantics fashion stories, which he did through his own paintings and through coordinating other artists’ work.
Fafa Gilbert dressed by Lumière and Sadia Sanusi, artwork by Heavy Jearus.
Only one year after it was founded, Lumière won the Emerging Designer of the Year Glitz Style Award. Based in Ghana, this luxury ready-to-wear plus made-to-measure brand was created in 2014 and is directed by Bertha Logan-Owusu. Its fusion between traditional fabrics and lavish materials – such as sheer fabrics and beading – continues to tour various fashion weeks across the continent, receiving critical and public acclaim. Lumiére is also part of the line-up behind the looks for our Bold Romantics campaign.
Being the fourth generation of fashion designers in her family, Sadia learnt the profession from her mother at a studio in the suburbs of Accra. She started her own bespoken tailoring house in 2012, at the tender age of 19. With a degree in Communication Design, she has managed to establish a solid base of Ghanaian clients, who are loyal to her signature blend of sensuality and tradition. Influential chef, Fafa Gilbert is one of those clients, whom she dressed for our Bold Romantics campaign.
Jeaurs Oka Afutu – artistically known as Heavy Jearus or Heavy J – started painting movie posters at the age of 14. He continued to do so throughout the ‘90s, before turning his attention to the Western collectors’ market as the Ghanaian cinema industry changed. His vibrant and imaginative style led us to commission a large painting by him to elevate our Bold Romantics campaign.