Fashion Review: Akoto, the real centre of attraction

In the heart of Africa’s thriving fashion scene, somewhere in Kumasi, Ghana, one fashion brand is making waves like never before across the continent. With its bold use of soft cotton and ethereal chiffon materials, Akoto Fashion Brand is renowned for dazzling its customers and fashion enthusiasts alike. This well-known trendsetter and passionate fashion brand, owned by Daniel Osei Akoto Agyemang, has released its latest collection of banging attires that the whole of West Africa is ‘awwing’ at.

Let’s dive right into the collection pieces properly.

The first masterpiece from the Akoto fashion brand is the perfectly curated two-pieced attire. It is a free blend of palazzo and carrot high-waist trousers paired with a structured jacket-like chiffon top.

The top features an open chest and a square neckline that forms a heart shape right at the chest area of the wearer. Instead of the normal use of buttons or a zipper to hold a shirt or jacket together, the front view of this creatively curated top incorporates a knot in between the breasts of the wearer, which takes the form of a bow tie. The lower part of the top is also separated and appears as an upside-down V shape that further reveals the wearer’s skin – a feature that flaunts their femininity and highlights the curves of the wearer.

The top also incorporates short, puffed sleeves that are pleated to create neat gathers at the shoulder areas. Both sleeves are further hemmed with elastics at the forearms, gripping the wearer’s arms and ensuring that the puff is visible. This choice perfectly suits the design and evokes a sense of style on the top. The front view of the top is striking, but the back view is equally spectacular. It perfectly highlights the square neckline and includes a full silver zipper for ease of wearing.

A second look at this free trouser brings one’s mind to the popular Indian trousers – salwar trousers. Perhaps that was the muse behind the Akoto team’s crafting of this impressive design. The brand’s ability to perfectly blend creativity with culture reflects its professionalism and mastery of the art of weaving.

Furthermore, the trousers are curated with a breathable army green cotton fabric. It is sewn with tiny pleats that ensure that the full-length trouser drapes from the waist of the wearer to their ankle. The draped lower half of the trousers is joined with the high-waist band in a way that carves a V-shape. Another interesting part of this design is the knot at both ankle areas that give the ‘carrot effect’. This outstanding feature is what makes the trouser a palazzo-carrot trouser in the first place. Akoto is not only good at crafting attire with cultural integration; it is also a master at merging different innovations into one perfect piece.

This intelligently crafted outfit redefines power dressing. It gives a casual feel and a sophisticated beauty to the attire. Meaning that it can be enjoyed all through the seasons,whether hot or cold. The trouser is uniquely designed with a mix of carrot design and palazzo, which makes the legs of the wearer appear longer while offering them the comfort of unrestricted movement. This not only makes the two-pieceideal for all sorts of outings but also ensures that every wearer does not have to worry about their comfort while throwing on the elegant piece.

The top, inspired by a jacket and well-blended to suit the trousers, also exudes the confidence and authority that women long to project with their looks. This perfect blend ensures that there is a balance of structure with ease. And the fact that it was crafted from a very breathable and durable cotton fabric, the ensemble on the Salwar trousers makescertain that comfort is achieved all day long without compromising on style.

The Akoto brand is truly a brand that is not only focused on designing beautiful styles; it represents creativity, functionality, and ethical craftsmanship that is redefining the African fashion space with every one of its stitches. As we can see so far, this collection reveals how, with a vision to merge modern sophistication with traditional vibrance, they bring forth designs that speak of grace, confidence, and versatility.

This design is an absolute ‘banger’ and a must-have in every fashion-forward woman’s wardrobe.

Another piece that stands out from the 2022 True Centreof Attraction collection of the admirable Akoto brand is this mini and simple-looking gown.

The dress seamlessly blends the purity of plain white chiffonfabric with an explosion of rainbow-like colours at the sleevesand lower layers. Beyond a fashion statement, this design is a celebration of individuality and freedom. The main body of the dress is made with a fortifying white chiffon fabric, whichrepresents purity, elegance and simplicity. The vibrant rainbow colour palette that is woven into the fabric creates an alluring difference, one that clearly emits elegance, joy and self-confidence.

Akoto Fashion Brand

This elegant mini dress also features a high round neck, a simply beautiful yet underestimated neck cut that perfectly matches the bell style of the sleeves. Those sleeves are heldwith elastics on both wrists, creating a slight puff that drapes down from the wrists in the form of short flays. The extension of the sleeves elongates beyond the elastic to form a funnel-looking shape that further evokes a sense of style.

The lower part of the dress is layered with three steps of colourful chiffon fabrics. It is beautifully stitched with gathers that form bouncing curves and creates an illusion of widerhips in the wearer. With fascinating details such as these, there is no doubt that this dress was designed with the modern woman in mind.

Apart from the shiny silver zipper, the back view of the dress has a similar look to the front view, maintaining the round neckline. The flattering contour created by the gathers offers an attribute that moves effortlessly with the body, making it perfect for both formal gatherings and artistic showcases.

Whether worn at a glamorous gala night, a cultural event, or an intimate evening affair, this splendid piece commands attention without sacrificing comfort.

The entire designs released in the 2022 collection show how detailed Akoto is as a brand. And with Daniel Osei at the helm of things, the brand has been delivering a captivating set of outfits that have been shipped across Africa in high demand.

Akoto Fashion Brand

The brand is said to only collaborate with sewists who are meticulous in their craft, giving little or no chance for errors. It is no wonder their pieces are always almost sewn to perfection. The whippings are neatly done; however, their hemming and fringing can be better.

Beyond the principles of making its customers beautiful, this African-born brand takes pride in its ethical practices. Each of the pieces is curated by its highly skilled team of designers,with strict attention to the choice of materials, including fabrics and finishing gears.

The brand has openly claimed that it employs onlysustainable production methods by responsibly sourcinghigh-quality materials. And from its collections, especially this 2022 collection, one can tell that they do stand true to this value. The printing partners of their textiles are said to hold an OEKO-Tex Standard 100% certification, and this assures their customers of purchasing clothing that is free from harmful chemicals. That is a value that is often underestimated in the African fashion world. Akoto’s commitment to this shows that, beyond economic value, the brand has the best interest of its customers and environment at heart.

With this alone, Akoto is reducing carbon waste in communities and championing environmentally friendly processes, which scores them a point in the hearts of customers and the watching masses. The brand’s support of local craftsmanship and its ability to prioritize ethical production means that they are killing two birds with one stone – uplifting the fashion industry while also empowering communities.

Moreover, the tons of highly innovative designs that Akoto is known to roll out, the vibrantly coloured fabrics it uses in its designs, and its unwavering commitment to sustainability make this brand certainly a beacon of modern African fashion. It has been proven with innumerable designs that style can be both bold and functional, expressive and sophisticated, and at the same time, put cultural heritage and ethical values at the forefront.

Hopefully, more fashion enthusiasts as well as designers will imbibe this wonderful and revolutionary trait. Whatever the case, African fashion is undeniably taking centre stage, and Akoto is firmly imprinting its footprint in its fashion history. We have enough designs to conclude that the brand is here to stay. Fashion enthusiasts and customers cannot wait to have more creative and liberating designs from Daniel and his team.