When it comes to African fashion, Christie Brown is a household name.
Since its launch, Christie Brown has received the acclaim of international fashion magazines from Harpers Bazaar to Vogue Italia and continues to make waves on the West African fashion scene with its inspired offering of sophisticated and wearable designs.
In 2008, Christie Brown catapulted herself into Ghana’s fashion industry at the brand’s very first runway show in Accra, Ghana.
Founder Aisha Ayensu, then a final year student in Psychology with a passion for fashion, decided to take a leap of faith and launch her brand. Her fearless designs immediately hit a nerve with customers.
That same year, Christie Brown won the Best Emerging Designer award at Arise Fashion week. Talk about finding product-market-fit!
Read also: Read about Chad Brown's legal journey
That first loan was repaid within a year. And through all this, Aisha remained committed to manufacturing her complex designs locally.
Two-time African Designer of the Year award winner Aisha Ayensu founded the Ghana-based Christie Brown label in 2008.
Ayensu’s designs have been worn by Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé and appeared on the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Italia.
Ayensu was also listed as one of Forbes' Most Promising Entrepreneurs in 2016.
The label and its designer have garnered significant international attention: besides Ayensu being named one of Forbes’ 30 Most Promising African Entrepreneurs in 2016, she is also a two time winner in the African Designer of the Year category at Ghana’s Glitz Style Awards (in 2018 and 2019).
Read also: Champion trainer Chad C. Brown
One of Ghana’s finest fashion designers Aisha Ayensu who is the Creative Director of luxury womenswear brand Christie Brown has unveiled a new stunning collection with a difference.
There’s legacy in every stitch, as a matter of fact, the outfits are made to be cherished by us in this present moment and the generations to follow.
Speaking about the collection, Aisha Ayensu who is the Creative Director said remarkably, “this edit is very dear to my heart, when I’m designing, I’m always thinking about what you need to have in your closet and this particular edit is what we call the Heritage Edit.”
She continued to expound on how beautiful, “These are pieces that you are going to have for years, and you are going to pass them to your daughters and nieces; so they have to be special but not trendy.
In a nutshell, the clarity collection is not too much on the trend side of things but very classic and modern.
Read also: Chad Q. Brown: His life and career
Aisha played with a lot of fabrics to accentuate the essential details.
She obviously preferred to name the outfits in a very special way.
One can make a fashion statement in an Ava top and Ruby skirt with Christie Brown’s signature style.
The other can pair a Gia jacket with an Imaa skirt, or even a Kiera pant designed with a classic navy pinstripe.
In September, this year Aisha Ayensu of Christie Brown had a rare collaboration with iconic American retailer, Sherri McMullen of Mcmullen boutique.
The new size inclusive collaboration which was launched on 17th September 2024 was authentically reimagined and factored into the Clarity collection, bringing sexy back with smart elegance.
Which literally means that you can find all your favourite pieces in the Christie Brown Mcmullen Capsule collection in the Fall-Winter 2024 Clarity collection.
This new collection is savvy and celebrates style beyond trends and seasons.
Christie Brown offers an uncompromising vision of the modern West African woman: she’s relentlessly strong, feminine and creates her own rules.
Traditional prints feature heavily within the label’s apparel-which ranges from bespoke gowns to statement-making ready-to-wear pieces and innovative accessories, all inspired by West African culture and art.
Forbes 30/50 AFI Fashion Showcase
Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe is a medical doctor by trade, but an interest in fashion-and desire to help African fashion brands get global attention-inspired her to found the African Fashion Institute in 2007.
Through AFI, Motsepe is working to bring investment and consumer attention to African designers of all types; to date, the AFI platform includes 100 emerging and established designers.
On March 7, during the inaugural Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi, AFI partnered with Forbes on a fashion showcase featuring seven of AFI’s best designers, who traveled to the UAE from Ghana, South Africa, Egypt and beyond.
The evening culminated with 56-year-old supermodel Paulina Porizkova making a triumphant return to the catwalk, closing the show in a vibrant Sara Tamimi dress and overcoat.
Here's a table summarizing Aisha Ayensu's achievements:
| Achievement | Year |
|---|---|
| Launched Christie Brown | 2008 |
| Won Best Emerging Designer at Arise Fashion Week | 2008 |
| Named one of Forbes’ 30 Most Promising African Entrepreneurs | 2016 |
| African Designer of the Year at Ghana’s Glitz Style Awards | 2018, 2019 |
| Collaboration with Sherri McMullen of Mcmullen boutique | 2024 |
Christie Brown - Collection and her Favourite Things
Popular articles:
tags: #Ghana
