Exploring the Influence of Fashion Events on the Development of the Textile and Fashion Markets in Ghana: an in-Depth Study of Kumasi Metropolis

Purpose: The core aim of this study is to explore and analyze the influence fashion shows have on the growth of textiles and fashion markets within the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. It aims to appreciate how these events stimulate creativity, encourage textile production, promote local fashion designers, and facilitate market expansion, all of which can boost economic development.

Methodology: The study used a quantitative explanatory design and a survey approach. A sample of 274 fashion designers was selected through a simple random method. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including correlational and multivariate OLS regression, were used to analyze the data.

Results: The findings of the study revealed that frequent participation in fashion shows positively influenced the fashion design innovation practices of fashion design firms and that the attendance of fashion designers at fashion shows stimulated various fashion design innovation practices, which in turn significantly influenced the sales of textiles and fashion products in the market. Implying that customers were more likely to patronize fashion products from designers who frequently attended fashion shows.

Conclusion: The exposure of fashion designers to fashion shows is reported to improve their comprehension of the concepts and, therefore, their innovative practices, which eventually enhance the sales performances of their products in the market.

Originality/Value: This study highlights the limited interest of academicians in investigating the link between fashion shows and the growth of Ghana’s textile and fashion industry. It further presents a unique analysis of the interplay between fashion shows and the growth of textiles and fashion markets in a region that has not been intensely studied before - Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. It uncovers how fashion shows, by promoting traditional and contemporary Ghanaian designs and fabrics, have a crucial role in the commercial growth and international recognition of the Ghanaian textile and fashion sectors, underscores the significance of cultural preservation and promotion in driving economic development and highlights the potential for this model to be replicated in other sectors and regions across Africa.