By Kodjo Adams
Accra, Aug. 14, GNA – Fashion education requires academic ability, creativity and strong mathematical skills, Dr Emma Donkor, Head of the Department of Fashion Design and Textiles at Accra Technical University, has said.
She urged young people interested in fashion to pursue the discipline without being discouraged by outdated perceptions of the profession.
Speaking at an exhibition of works by final-year Higher National Diploma fashion students, Dr Donkor said the event showcased their semester projects as they completed their final year.
She said each final-year student normally produced four outfits, but space constraints meant that only one outfit per student was displayed at the exhibition.
The remaining three outfits, she said, would be presented at a fashion show at the National Theatre on August 14.
Dr Donkor said she was impressed by the students’ performance and conduct, noting that although they initially faced challenges adjusting to the demands of their final-year projects, they eventually embraced the task and completed their work successfully.
She challenged the perception that fashion was a field for people who were not academically inclined, saying it had evolved into a serious academic discipline that could be pursued to doctoral level.
“I know there is this perception that fashion is for people who are not academically inclined,” she said, recalling a time when fashion was associated with people who had little or no formal education.
“But today, we are studying fashion even at the PhD level. I am myself an example of someone who has pursued education in fashion to the highest level,” she added.
Dr Donkor encouraged parents to support children who demonstrated an early interest in fashion and design rather than dismissing their talents.
She said students with a genuine passion for fashion tended to excel because the profession demanded more than creativity.
Dr Donkor urged young people interested in cutting, designing and creating clothes to develop their talents, saying the fashion industry offered significant opportunities.
She also called for greater recognition of fashion designers, stressing that clothing remained an essential part of everyday life and social occasions.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Kodjo Adams