ALTHOUGH the Ghanaian fashion industry has grown in leaps over the years, Creative Director of dotMarique, Derick Acheampong, laments the journey to recognition and success remains an uphill task for many young and emerging designers.

Derick Acheampong, known in the fashion space as Marique, opens up about the struggles of budding designers in Ghana, painting a picture of a lonely road due to a lack of adequate support and opportunities.   

In a chat with Graphic Showbiz on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, Marique mentioned that although the fashion sector fell under the larger creative industry umbrella, it lacked the necessary structure to accommodate and nurture young designers.

That, he noted, had left many with little hope to forge ahead with their dreams. “I think the system generally in this country, and especially in the capital, isn’t enabling enough for young people, regardless of their background or field.

“The cost of equipment and materials you need to set up a fashion business now is ridiculous on top of the cost of rent and other stuff. I think if we are able to deal with this, every creative will enjoy their journey,” he said.  

He added, “It is hard to break into the industry. People have come and left. People may say we have social media now so it should be easier, but that’s also what even makes it challenging because there are thousands more of you competing for attention from almost the same population.

Away from that, Marique also emphasised the need for collaboration among fashion creatives, stating that working in isolation could sometimes stifle creative growth.  

“Prior to dotMarique, I used to make every decision about each piece by myself. As a designer, sometimes you need someone from the outside to slow down the heat in your creative process, and I think that is what working with a team has afforded me.

“Even as a duo, we still need more heads to consult with for subsequent creations. I do believe it is important to create your feeling, but it’s also very vital that you get input from other people to fine-tune it," he said.  

Offering words of encouragement to aspiring fashion designers, Marique urged them to be deliberate on their career choices and work hard towards building their brands.  

“I will say to everyone thinking of making a career in creative art to be very intentional about it and learn every skill that you need in the specific creative path you are exploring. Don’t treat it as a second option. But most importantly, find out what others are doing, their challenges, and take a cue from it to avoid making the same mistakes,” he said.

Looking into the future, Marique shared his long-term vision for dotMarique, expressing hope for greater visibility on the African continent and beyond. 

“Our long-term vision is definitely to break into the scene in Africa and beyond for sure, but in the next five to 10 years, we hope to have been on fashion shows across Africa and featured in relevant fashion spaces. But generally, our vision is to make unique quality garments,” he disclosed.