The 2022 coveted Vlisco Fashion Fund has announced Rukaya Halidu, Austin Nortey and Deladem Midekor as finalists of the contest which has over the years supported emerging designers and tailors to launch their fashion careers in Ghana. They were selected out of the 15 shortlisted candidates from the original 400 applications received between 1 st to 31 st May 2022. The Vlisco Fashion Fund started in 2013 and has so far invested more than 40,000.00 Euros towards Ghanaian designer brands including ShebyBena; Turquoise_hautecouture; Jerey_Mensah and many others.
Speaking of the success of the Vlisco Fashion Fund, Deborah Sowah, the Brand Activations Manager stated, the Vlisco brand is passionate about style, fashion, authenticity and elegance. Through the Vlisco Fashion Fund, the brand is continually unearthing the passion, creativity, talent and ambition of emerging fashion designers as part of our ESG commitments. Due to the three-day Entrepreneurship Seminar held before the call for entries in April, this year’s submissions were competitive and well defined. The brand further informed the media that the crowning of the Fashion Fund winner who will receive 5000 euros investment for their business and a one week Master Couture Training in the Netherlands, will take place in August
In the coming weeks, the three finalists will proceed to produce a collection each from chosen Vlisco fabrics in the bid to emerge as the overall winner. The second and third winners will receive 3,000 Euros and 2,000 Euros respectively. This year’s Vlisco Fashion Fund jury includes Eugenia Tachie-Menson, 2014 Vlisco Brand Ambassador, and founder of Young Educators Foundation, organizers of the Scripps Spelling Bee. Sumaiya Dzietror ; Co owner and Creative Director of renowned Ghanaian Fashion House, Pistis Ghana. And Faith Ocloo, A Public Relations Expert, Founder of Women In PR and E’ April; a PR agency focused on supporting SMEs in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industry.