Photos: Bee Arthur showcases 'Hands Off: Eyes Only' collection at Ouaga Fashion Week

Ouaga Fashion Week was the first of its kind in Burkina which is more popular for its  film festival Fespaco and Art Fair SIAO. It was the project of Cheikh Amala Diop who is of Senegalese descent but has adopted Burkina as his second home. Designers were flown in from Kenya , Senegal , Tunisia , France ,Cote d’Ivoire and Benin.  Bee Arthur of B’ExotiQ  was the sole Ghanaian designer at the event.

She said: “I took a few dresses from my collection from Paris in addition to new ones to constitute a new collection for Ouaga.  It was interesting how the styling and a different setting as well as different models gave the clothes a different feel. I dubbed my collection ” Hands Off: Eyes Only” and used a lot if hand and eye motifs. The message was basically that women must be admired and desired but only touched when they give permission.”

“Thanks to the enthusiasm of all the participants and support by sponsors, it went very well and the Prime Minister of Burkina, who threw a post show lunch for all the designers , promised to give the organizers all the support it requires to make it even better next year – so it becomes an institution just a like Fespaco and Siao. He acknowledged our talent, our efforts and the fact that fashion creates jobs and attracts tourists.”

The show was later broadcast on TV5 Monde and was supported by AMINA and BRUNE magazines.  Makeup artists and photographers were flown in from Paris.