Ellanore; Young designer behind Gyakie's stunning outfit for Global Citizen Festival speaks

With powerhouses like Usher, SZA, and Stormzy, headlining the stage, Ghana’s very own Gyakie also performed for thousands of fans. It was a big night for Gyakie, Ghana, and the whole continent, as countries and organizations announced $440 million to end extreme poverty in Africa.

With United Nations, European, and North American countries pledging millions of dollars to fight poverty and disease in Africa, the Global Citizen Festival was a big celebration. And Gyakie chose just the right outfit to perform in.

Gyakie Pulse Ghana

She was representing her home country with international names, so she turned to a local designer to create her outfit. Her outfit was by Ellanore, the brand from a young designer Emmanuella Amankwah.

Based in Accra, Amankwah is a couturier at heart, designing Avante-Garde outfits with classic feminine elements and sparkling embellishments. Her designs emphasize curves and bring out that hidden feminine sensuality. Corsetry is a signature element at Ellanore, which she incorporated in Gyakie’s outfit for the big night.

Fashion Designer Emmanuella Amankwah of Ellanore Fashion Designer Emmanuella Amankwah of Ellanore Pulse Ghana

It was a two-piece ensemble with a strapless corset top, heavily embellished with stone detailing, and paired with matching wide-leg pants with similar embroidery accents on the hem. The outfit was almost all maroon, with bright orange draping on the top barely visible behind the sparkle of the embellishment.

When asked what was the inspiration behind the outfit, Amankwah said, “Powerful women have always inspired me and when I think of powerful women, I always picture dark colours, because it takes a lot of confidence to pull off such strong shades.”

She also explained her direction of going with a top and pants route instead of a dress, which are generally Ellanore staples, “I thought of doing pants for Gyakie because I wanted something bold yet functional, as she was going to be performing on the stage. I wanted her to look great but also feel comfortable moving around on the stage and owning it, which is exactly what she did with that amazing performance.”

Designing an outfit for one of Ghana’s emerging stars and that too for an event as big as Global Citizen Festival is a tall order. Amankwah put a lot of work and time into making the exclusive outfit. It took her over 48 hours to construct the outfit, which makes sense, given the intricate embroidery that graced the front top.