Two giant Ghanaian fashion brands, Elikem Kumordzie the Tailor, and Abrantie The Gentleman, have engaged in a banter on social media over who sets the trends among them.
Earlier, at the 2022 Glitz Style Awards, Elikem Kumordzie modelled on the runway with his son, an act he considered as unprecedented in the Ghanaian fashion industry.
Also recently at the just ended Rythymz on the Runway show, Abrantie The Gentleman brought his daughter on stage to climax the showcasing of his collection.
But shortly after, Elikem took to social media to claim the “modelling with kids” trendsetting title.
“I’m living in the future. Call me the Ayigbe Kanye. Kanyewest . Last night was an example of the trend setter I am. Inspiring designers in Ghana and Nigeria. People playing traditional drums and doing culture at their shows, others bringing their children on stage. Let’s all continue to be the First not the Best and push our Creative abilities through the roof,” he wrote on social media.
But in a rebuttal, Abrantie the Gentleman totally disagreed with Elikem’s statement, adding that he was rather the first to introduce his child on stage at a fashion show in London.
Responding to the part where Elikem also claimed to have been the first to bring a cultural troupe on stage to back his runway show, Abrantie schooled the former.
“We dey bring kiddie for stage since February in London ooo (So can I also say I inspired you? No! Great minds think alike. And for African cultural displays its since 2014 in SA till date. African Fashion culture display was a movement by the LATE KOFI ANSAH(a black and white photo I saw). We just Dey carry on the mantra bro. If you have joined let’s carry it well and stop claiming ownership and inspiring.”
It didn’t end there, as Elikem Kumordzie left and came back to say;
“It doesn’t matter who brought Their child to the stage First, what matters are the memories we’ll leave behind for them. Abrantiethegentleman had a great show last night, and if I didn’t see that he brought his daughter on stage in February how would I know.
“And as for the cultural troop, I brought them on stage, they played live, and we heard that with you too from back stage. I’m still calling for our collaboration, or better yet a fashion Battle. Elikem The Tailor Vs Abrantie The Gentleman. We can display our fashion abilities instead of the back and forth here. Another thing about My show was that my son got the memo and fell to the ground like my models did. So it’s safe to say, my son is the “first toddler model to ever fall on the run way stage. So much for being a “pretty Betty”
#happyToInspire #theTailorsTailor.”
Source: Ghanaweb.com