CFW 2009: Nana Boateng

On the second night of Caribbean Fashion Week 2009, Ghanian-born designer, Nana Boateng rocked the runway with his very stylish, very tailored menswear collection.
With plenty of bow-ties, the collection was comprised of jacket suits, taking its many cues from the house of Armani, an inspiration for the designer.
Dapper male models, clad in coloured jackets and pants, came down the runway, all barefooted, in obvious parallel to the very formal suits on their backs. I personally loved his use of colour, and as a black male designer, it spoke volumes. Too often, the Caribbean male shies away from colour, and certainly, when one thinks of a jacket suit, it's usually thought of in very sombre shades.
It's very obvious why Boateng has become Hollywood faves for the likes of Djimon Honsou. Named one of the "America's Most Powerful Players Under 40" for 2007 by Black Enterprise Magazine, Boateng spent his early years in Ghana but grew up all around the world- Rome, London, New York. The line reflected these world influences, with an enthusiasm for being in America, and pursuing his career in fashion there.

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