Foreign Fashion Influence on the Ghanaian Youth and its Impact on the Local Fashion Industry

Looking good generally is an area of great interest to many, especially the youth. Over the years the youth have tried to be fashionable and have exhibited clothing which is influenced to a large extent by foreign fashion in the wake of globalization. The extent of thisinfluence affects the youth and the local fashion industry positively and negatively. This paper examines the history of fashion in Ghana, the level of foreign influence and how it affects the local fashion industry. A descriptive survey approach was employedbased on qualitative and quantitative research methodologies in accessing data from a number of sources including secondary literature, archival materials, questionnaireand in-depth interviews with key fashion designers in examining the impact of foreign influence on the youth and the local fashion industry. Findings revealed that there were some forms of fashion in terms of clothing, present among Ghanaians before Europeans arrived on the coast. Ghanaian fashion and the youth are being influenced by foreign factors with a mixture of both traditional and foreign design concepts to meet international standards. This paper brings to the fore the effect of foreign fashion and the responsiveness of local fashion designers to turn the rather seeming challenge into an opportunity to develop and project the fashion industry in Ghana. The paper however recommends that local fashion designers should attempt to carve a distinctive look that is Ghanaian to project their presence on the international fashion map.