Yopoo
Papa Oppong's MFA Fashion Design final collection titled: Yopoo is a body of work that creatively illustrates the Ghanaian woman’s life cycle. Through extensive visual research and personal accounts of some of the women in his family, Papa is on a journey of rediscovery and imagination. He is not trying to reinvent the wheel, his process is simple: he is molding preexisting silhouettes and shapes to suit the narrative of modern day freedom and liberation. These pieces, following a systematic order of birth through to death, symbolize a new age of the Ghanaian woman and her resilience to the shackles of society.
Papa loves the idea of women owning their bodies and deciding what and how to dress with no fear or shame. As an artist, he finds it also relevant that he use his platform to touch on some broader issues and factors that affect his overarching theme of Ghanaian womanhood. Using satire, Papa has curated a unique set of prints that tackle politics in Ghana and scarification. Additionally, he uses elements such as sequin embellishment and raffia to address the witchcamps of Gambaga. All these elements come to life in a beautiful form of storytelling with the help of several artists. Papa strongly believes in the power of collaboration, and this vision is one that exists because of the power of multiple heads coming together to create, share, and dismantle preexisting views and notions about the Ghanaian woman.
Papa Oppong Yopoo
Yopoo Collection
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Download presskitCredits
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Designer
- Papa Oppong Bediako
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Model
- Kalah
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Photographer
- Simi Vijay
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Video
- Shane P. Liao
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Hair / Makeup
- Remi Odunsi
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Shoot Assistants
- Chelsea Boatey
- Corey Frederick
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Music
- George Ofori
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Special Thanks
- Sequins USA
- Derek Haffar
- Shika Odamtten
- Hanson Akatti
- Rachel Oswald
- Jun Hong
- Henry Wallace
- Connie
By The Fireside
The New African Fashion Story
Papa Oppong is a strong advocate for the growth of the African fashion industry. As a Ghanaian designer, Papa uses the medium of fashion as an educational tool to highlight the many unique tales on the continent; primarily his home country Ghana. From personal family experiences to the stories his late grandmother, Margaret Amoafo, would tell him growing up, Papa is constantly seeking new and interesting ways to spark up conversations surrounding design, politics, femininity, sustainability, and fair trade.
Motion Picture
360 Views of Every look in the Collection.
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