Tech student prepares to launch Southern style on fashion industry

By Sola Biu
Associate Entertainment Editor

A black male with rose gold earrings, wearing his old Virginia Tech football warm-ups, walks into Deet’s Place carrying two Wal-Mart bags. His magazine subscription list would probably catch you off guard, since it includes magazines such as “Women’s Wear,” and so would the fact that a guy who looks that tough can wield a sewing machine better than your mom ever could. After being questioned about the contents of the bags he is holding, he ceremoniously opens them, revealing costumes that he is adjusting for an upcoming step show. Kofi Boateng is a senior apparel design major at Tech. A brief profile on him appeared in a recent issue of the “Down Times.” Here is an in-depth look at this up-and-coming fashion designer. In a society where the words ‘fashion designer’ are carelessly tossed around like a spring salad, Boateng offers an altered perspective on this terminology. “When people ask me what it takes to be a designer I say: If you dress yourself, you’re a designer,” he said. This may be true, but some people do it better than others, and Boateng is one of these people. Boateng says the ultimate goal of his clothing line, “Kofi Boateng” is simplicity. He aims to create clothing that people can easily put together. His style of clothing ranges from casual urban pieces to his lesser-known formal line comprised of suits and evening gowns. Last week, his Society of Black Designers Fashion Show showcased models of various sizes from petite to thick. By employing different-sized models, Boateng is attempting to mirror the body types of real women. “When I first started my women’s line, ‘Kofi B,’ people kept telling me I couldn’t just make clothing for girls with stick figures. As a result, I created clothing for the kind of women I am attracted to: women with curves.” Boateng is from Knoxville, Tenn., and if you miss the obvious Southern pride he exudes, you will see it in his clothing line. His Southern roots and deep love for the South inspire each of his pieces. A sampling can be found displayed on his website: www.KofiB.com. When asked how he gained such widespread popularity throughout the student body at Tech, Boateng said, “It’s because I’m not shy. Being on the football team my freshman year helped me meet people … I approach people as well. If I see someone frowning I’ll just walk up to them [and] tell them to smile.” On a more serious note, Boateng’s graduation has stealthily snuck up on him. He graduates in May and his reaction to graduating is bittersweet. “The department doesn’t want me to leave … I have made so many friends here. I want to graduate because I’m tired of the schoolwork. I’m also nervous about the future; it’s been a great four years,” he said. Whether he is anxious or not, Boateng’s future sparkles as brightly as his jewelry. He had a career opportunity when he unintentionally ran into successful business entrepreneur Sean Carter, more commonly known in the musical world as Jay-Z. His quick thinking resulted in a meeting with representatives of “Roca Wear” (Jay Z’s clothing line) and later on, members of P. Diddy’s successful clothing line, “Sean John.” Both design teams have expressed an interest in working with him in New York following his graduation. Boateng’s current dilemma is whether to move to New York and jump into the waters of the fashion world as suggested, or to move to Atlanta and hopefully with backing of “Roca Wear,” establish himself as a Southern designer like he always dreamed. Boateng explains his hesitancy to work in New York.“When P.Diddy won men’s fashion designer of the year (the CFDA award), there was a lot of discontent in the industry because he doesn’t design his own clothes, his design team does. If I joined their team I wouldn’t be known; I want to be known as the designer that designs my own stuff.” Although Boateng has a bright future ahead of him, he also has an acidic taste in his mouth of how cut-throat the fashion industry is. He recalls, “I went to Atlanta to show people some of my new designs, nothing really came of it at the time. A while later, I was watching the OutKast “So fresh and so clean” music video and I saw an outfit that had been based on a new design I showed around!” Boateng has learned from this; he admits that it has taught him the importance of caution. When the interview was over, Boateng headed back to the design lab, armed with creativity, optimism and the kind of work ethic that will most assuredly lead him to a successful future.

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