Black History Month: Sankofa Kreation changing world of fashion

WASHINGTON - There's a fashion movement underway and a local designer is leading the charge.

Sankofa Kreation's line of African print clothing is helping to bring more awareness and understanding of a culture some say is often misunderstood.

It's a culture that pulls power and pride off the pages of history books and puts it center stage on the fashion runway, lighting up the fashion scene with colorful, bright and powerful pieces.

Fabrics imprinted with designs, each print tells a unique story that's rooted in African history and culture.
Sankofa means "go back and pick it up." It's a message 29-year old Isaac Appiah wants to resonate with black Americans.

Appiah is Sankofa Kreation's designer and he started the line of fun, exuberant clothing after noticing that African culture wasn't embraced and was often misunderstood.

"One of our vision is bringing more awareness to the culture," Appiah said.

Appiah was born and raised in Ghana along with his business partner, 24-year-old Jehu Graham.

"When I first moved to the states my friends use to ask me questions about Africa," Graham explained.

Graham said Sankofa Kreation helped answer those questions in a fashionable way.

"It just became a fun thing to tell people, 'Hey this is where I come from. In my hometown, when you wear this Kente cloth it's for kings and queens and for special occasions,'" Graham continued.

Sankofa Kreation's clothing tells stories of heroism, love, war and much more. Appiah hopes anyone wearing Sankofa Kreation feels uplifted and empowered.

"I don't know about other designs. I know about Flyshikis and when you wear it, it kind of gives you the courage, you wear it, your shoulders are up. My shoulders are up and it's just the feeling it gives you," Appiah described.

Appiah and Graham have built their message filled Sankofa Kreations into a full-fledged international business.

Appiah designs the clothing: Flyshikis, dresses and accessories.

Then they're produced in Ghana under the watchful eye of Appiah's mother who is a tailor who clearly passed on her eye for detail and design.

Sankofa Kreation will participate in D.C. Fashion week beginning on Monday.