Photos courtesy of Alhaji
As an African in the Western world, wearing your traditional up and down to formal meetings and events is something that was never really celebrated and to a certain extent is still not welcomed by many here in the west.
There are a few folks that are changing that narrative and look great while doing so. Over the years we have seen many African designers making waves in Europe and America dressing A list celebrities like Steve Harvey, Jamie Foxx and Lupita Nyongo. Last year Palesa Mokunung a South African designer became the first African to collaborate with Swedish fashion giant H&M joining high profile fashion designers Moschino, Alexander Wang and Karl Largerfeld.
Photos courtesy of Alhaji
In the latest episode of the BAL Podcast, Ghanaian American Alhaji Mohammed talked a little about his style, and how he was introduced to his countrymen Chocolate by Kwaku Bediako, a fashion designer who designed for some of the A list celebrities I mentioned earlier.
Alhaji made a trip to Africa to get away from the United States for a stint and found himself in Ghana helping out with a basketball camp hosted by Capital City Go-Go General Manager Pops Mensah-Bonsu. “I’m a real simple dresser, I changed the way I dressed because of Del and Pops, they be so fly.” said Alhaji, who has started incorporating a touch of Ghana into his style.
I have seen so many men dressed in their up and down and when they walk into a room, they own the space and silently announce their arrival. From the walk to the attitude and confidence it is truly a joy to see.