The development of fancy dress costume designs in Ghana from 1950 to 2022

Abstract

Fancy Dress is a Ghanaian dress fashion art, performed by young men, women, and children, incorporating music, dance, costuming, and masking elements. Despite its existence in Ghana's early colonial and post-colonial eras, little attention has been given to the design history and trends of fancy dress costumes. Also, the design history and trends of fancy dress costumes have been overlooked over the years, making it complex to understand their evolution. The study explores the development of Fancy Dress costume design in Ghana from 1950 to 2022, analyzing trends, materials, techniques, and the impact on the Ghanaian fashion industry. The study utilized qualitative research methods, including descriptive, historical, and narrative, with 15 respondents selected through expert purposive sampling, supported by material culture and symbolic interactionism theories. The study reveals that Indigenous Asafo performances predate colonial Ghana, with a hybrid of European and Ghanaian styles that revive the Ghanaian fancy dress seen today. Fancy dress art in Ghana, originating in the mid-1900s, evolved into a local carnival after World War II, influenced by European dress politics and Hollywood movie characters. The study revealed that Fancy dressers in the early 19th century restricted their selection of textile materials to the availability of goods at coastal trading shores. Also, Fancy dress art showcases national identity and cultural heritage through designs, textiles, and costumes worn during performances. The study found that 21st-century Ghanaian Fancy Dress costumes address socio-political issues while maintaining the primary responsibilities of Asafo practices before the European Fancy Dress fusion. The study recommends that stakeholders in Ghana's fashion and creative industries, including Fancy Dress designers, makers, and performers, actively recognize and support the Fancy Dress tradition as a key contributor to economic growth, cultural preservation, and social cohesion.