Creative director and cultural strategist Kelvin Vincent says Ghana’s challenge is not a lack of fashion talent but a failure to appreciate the power of red carpet representation and the creative sector as a whole.
In a recent statement, Vincent argued that glamour is often dismissed as vanity, even though it functions as a strategic tool.
“We think that glamour is vanity, but it can also be used as a strategy. Then we get upset when international audiences overlook us,” he said.
He pointed to Nigeria’s dominance on global red carpets, citing their strong showing at the recent Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).
“Nigerians have mastered cultural exports with their red carpet, their presentation, and their visibility. Look at how most of them nailed it at the recent AMVCA — not because they are more talented than we Ghanaians, but because they understand that perception and image is part of power,” Vincent noted.
According to him, red carpets in Ghana often fall flat because the industry treats them as side attractions rather than serious business opportunities.
“It can be exhausting preparing for the red carpet, but it’s all part of the industry, it’s part of our culture,” he said.
Vincent stressed that red carpets now drive entire creative ecosystems.
“If you remove red carpets from award shows, some award shows will collapse because it’s no longer just fashion anymore — it’s marketing, it’s branding, it’s global visibility, it’s a multi‑million‑dollar ecosystem. Designers get booked, stylists get visibility, photographers, makeup — it’s a whole creative economy.”
He added that global brands monitor these moments before deciding which celebrities or labels to invest in.
Vincent also argued that audiences remember visuals more than award categories.
“Let’s be honest, half of the people saying we should focus on the awards can’t even name Vocalist of the Year or Album of the Year from two or three years ago, but they can tell you what people wore. That tells us something about culture. Human beings, we are visual creatures.”
He pushed back against claims that red carpets require expensive clothing, insisting the real issue is mindset.
“If our industry fully understood the economic power sitting on these red carpets, we’d stop treating them like side attractions and start treating them like global businesses and opportunities.”
By Prince Fiifi Yorke
— Daily Guide
