Grace Asibi, an award-winning Fashion Designer shares her life experiences and fashion journey

Grace Asibi, an award-winning 

Fashion Designer shares her life experiences and

fashion journey

Grace Asibi, a Ghanaian fashion designer gave an account of the hassle and tussle she has been through over the years and how she maneuvered her way through difficulties in order to gain recognition in the fashion space through her craft and beautifully made fashion pieces.

 

Growing up, Grace was not very fortunate to have been born into an affluent family. Her parents were also not in the picture at some point in her life. At the age of 7, she relocated from Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region to Afram Plains to stay with a close relative who always maltreated her by assigning her very herculean tasks and other forms of ill-treatments.

 Clothing was also a headache so she had to resort to using palm leaves as clothes since she wasn’t privy to receiving help from anyone. At some point in her life, she got a job as a shop attendant at a Timber market but was constantly harassed by customers. In an attempt to stand up for herself, her employer sacked her with reasons that she is driving her customers away.

 

Upon realizing she wasn’t regarded by her cousin, she went back to Bolgatanga and that was where she found a suitor and got married to him at the age of 16. Few years after her marriage, her mother passed on and life became a burden. She decided to come to Accra in search for greener pastures. Her first job in Accra was street hawking. She sold oranges for a while till she befriended a random guy in Kasoa who briefed her on how she could travel to work in Italy.

 

She was not too certain if she could utilize that opportunity because she was an illiterate and expressing herself in English was quite problematic. Upon several consideration, she took advantage of the opportunity. The said Italian businessman showed interest in her and she accepted his proposal because he was very kind and gave her all she needed.

Meeting the Italian businessman was the turning point in her life. He helped her nurture her talent till she was fortunate to have represented ‘AFRODITA’, a lingerie brand from Columbia which was partnered at an event that took place at the International Conference Centre in Accra.

Grace Asibi has many international awards to her credit. She is the first Ghanaian fashion designer to have been awarded in Asia. At the Emirates Finest Business Awards, Grace Asibi was awarded the ‘TOP CEO WOMAN IN SUSTAINABLE FASHION & LIFESTYLE OF THE YEAR’. This among others are some awards she has to her credit.

Grace’s story is one which is inspiring and she entreats all to push for success in life.

Credit: Bridget  Anteh