Osei-Duro’s designs might look supremely modern, but each stitch is rooted in Ghana’s sartorial history—the line, masterminded by Molly Keogh and Maryanne Mathias, is produced in the country from start to finish. “Ghana is in a really interesting transition,” notes Molly. “There are a lot of traditional weaving and dyeing, but, at the same time, the market is being flooded by Chinese knockoffs of the prints that have traditionally been made there.” Here are some of the talented peeps behind Osei-Duro who, according to Maryanne, help them keep things real. —jessie pascoe Get the ahhh-mazing tote that Molly and Maryanne designed…and that Bawah made. Bawah! “Bawah is our trusty tailor—and the man who single-handedly sewed the tote bags for Of a Kind. He managed it while doing Ramadan, which meant he couldn’t eat or drink during daylight hours.” Eric! “The shoemakers live in an old dilapidated house in Accra in the fisherman’s neighborhood on the coast. It’s the oldest part of the city and home to the Ga people, the earliest settlers in Accra. The shoemakers learned their craft from Eric’s father, a master-shoemaker. He has trained many a young apprentice. He still works, but he’s always at the front of the gate with a large, toothy smile, asking us how we are doing, and where the other one is.” Stephan! “One of the main reasons we feel making shoes in Ghana is so important is because the art of it is dying out there. More people are choosing to buy ready-made shoes from China, as the prices of labor and leather continue to rise in Ghana. We don’t want to see these trades die—getting a custom pair of shoes is such a special treat.” Aisha! “Aisha is our shining star. Originally from Niger, now living in Nima, she has not finished high school, but she is so motivated to learn and grow as a businessperson. When we had an order for 1,500 crochet dresses and tops, she enlisted all the neighborhood women to learn crochet and wind balls of string—sounds easy, but it’s not. She had to use her math skills and travel all over Accra coordinating people and colors—all on a super tight deadline.” First three photos courtesy of Jonathan Alderson; last photo courtesy of Aisha herself.

One of the things that motivated Molly Keogh and Maryanne Mathias to start their vibrant, chill line Osei-Duro in Ghana is how much they were drawn to the work already being produced in the country. “Accra’s creative scene is exploding along with the economy,” exclaims Molly. “It’s pretty amazing to witness.” From artists to musicians to fellow fashion designers, these are the Ghanian makers that get the Osei-Duro girls going, according to Molly. —jessie pascoe “When we first went to Ghana, Kwadwo Ani was our gracious host and intrepid guide and answered our every question. His knowledge of proverbs, obscure Ghanaian beliefs, and many unfamiliar social structures made him an invaluable friend. It is also what makes him such an insightful artist. His paintings usually depict moments from everyday life worth reflecting on. While this may sound dogmatic, it doesn’t feel that way at all. His paintings are done in the most lighthearted of ways, with rich colors and layers and forms. We have a number of them hanging in our studio.” “We met Tei Huagie through Kwadwo—the fine art scene in Ghana is pretty small. His work has a great social component to it. He does a lot of community projects and has been involved in the Chale Wote Festival, the new public art festival in Accra. His garments are highly detailed, playful, and totally original. People wait months for his custom pieces.” “The massive hit out of Ghana six months ago was Azonto, a dance craze sweeping most of the world recently—though seemingly not Los Angeles. Azonto comes from our neighborhood in Accra—it was invented by the teenagers there. Sarkodie [Ed: Pictured above!] and D’Banj have a couple of Azonto numbers, but the original Azonto song is by Fuse ODG with Tiffany.” “Akwele Suma Glory is a multimedia artist who totally cuts across the high-art/low-art divide in an exciting way. Woman artists are rare in Ghana, and Akwele has cut a brave path.” “And I am of course a huge fan of my husband, SK Kakraba, who plays traditional xylophone. He comes from a xylophone family, in a xylophone village, in a xylophone region. He was born with the clenched fists that indicate a future xylophone master, and was trained by his late father—Kakraba Lobi. We met through a mutual friend and had a small courthouse wedding in Accra in February 2011. We had a tiny party with about eight guests and lots of dancing!” Score Molly and Maryanne’s edition now! This mudcloth tote would be a hit in Accra, Amsterdam, or Atlanta.