Designing Ga traditional dress-fashion-inspired contemporary occasional feminine wear Temamei Ashin Yei in focus

Abstract

This thesis was motivated by the appreciation and application of ancestral knowledge, competencies and values of dress. It engendered inclusivity by the use of findings from an understudied ethnic women‘s dress cultural practices of the Ga speaking people of Tema Manhean in the Greater Accra region of Ghana as an inspiration to influence a collection of contemporary feminine occasional wear. The project adopted a qualitative approach, using descriptive and studio-based research designs respectively. The population for the study was made up of human and non-human subjects, which sample size consisted of sixteen (16) Ashin Yoo artefacts, twenty (20) designs in the collection produced, and fifty-four (54) non-indigenes and fifty (23) indigenes interviewees respectively. Thematic, visual content, and trend analysis were used in analysing the data. The studio-work was premised on the synthesis model developed as a result of the project. Haute couture approach was adopted for production using distinct, conventional and non-conventional materials. The twenty (20) softly-tailored dressy, made-to-measure wardrobe made befit elegant yet relaxed semi-formal and formal occasions which call for a blend of exquisite tradition with style for the culturally-inclined fashion innovator as the customer profiled. Expert purposive technique was used in sampling the accessible population due to the nature of the multi-phased study. Observation, and interview were among instruments used for data collection. The major dress cultural practices of Temamei Ashin Yoo remained four consistent with literature. Symbolically, the nobility rite maidens used the themed artefacts to express their feminine identity, communicate the various stages and levels of purification, status and allegiance to their society. In addition, the staples adopted as dress cultural practices were of symbolic spiritual and physical protection. However, there was evidence of value addition to their repertoire of fabrics adoption during Kpojiemↄ and Kpojei (post purification outing stages) respectively. There were indications of the use of Kusum as curriculum which impacted the grooming of the Ashin (nobility rite) maidens from socio-cultural relevance point of view. The twenty suits and separates F↋OOYↃↃ (‗gorgeous-you-are‘) collection created and exhibited was highly rated; seventy-six of the seventy-seven interviewees representing 98.7% acknowledged that the sensational collection created had helped in achieving the main goal of the project. Even in the face of many constants, there was ample empirical evidence of new findings in fabrics adopted by the maidens updating existing literature. The F↋OOYↃↃ (‗gorgeous-you-are‘) collection was catalogued and recommended to be used for teaching and learning of conceptual dress fashion trends in fashion institutions of higher learning.