Share FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinWhatsappTelegramEmail 244 When 20-year-old Pathe Ouedraogo left his Burkina Faso village in 1969 in search of a better life in neighbouring Ivory Coast, his dream was to return with a bicycle and a transistor radio to prove he had made it. He was too thin to work on a cocoa farm, so took the chance to learn how to make clothes instead – a decision that propelled him to fashion stardom. “The most accessible job at the time was to be an apprentice tailor,” said Ouedraogo. The man mostly known as Pathe’O is now celebrating a 50-year career during which his signature casual shirts and dresses in vibrant African prints and fabrics have graced the shoulders of celebrities and political luminaries including Nelson Mandela. More Articles You Would Love VIDEO: From Blonde To Pink To Green, Joey B’s Surprises Us With His Latest Hair Dye Colour, See It Inside VIDEO: Watch The Sad Moment Stevie Wonder Declared To Oprah He’s Moving To Ghana Permanently For His Kid’s Safety His big break came in 1994 when South African singer Miriam Makeba bought four shirts from him as a gift for the former South African president. Mandela wore one and mentioned Pathe’O’s name when asked about its origins during a trip to Paris. The publicity sparked a rush of orders and sales that emptied his shop and propelled him to the forefront of the fashion scene. He met Mandela in 1998. “It was a meeting that changed my life,” Pathe’O told Reuters. “In the village we would hear about Mandela and Apartheid and all the rest, I never thought I’d be a tailor, even less dress him.” He marked his five decades with a glitzy show and the launch of a new boutique in an upmarket Abidjan neighbourhood, whose walls are adorned with pictures of him with famous people including Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and Morocco’s King Mohamed VI, and presidents including such as Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Alpha Conde of Guinea wearing his shirts. Pathe’O now sees his mission as doing more to promote African fashion. “Africans themselves are still adverse to wearing what is made in Africa. That’s the real problem … This is the real fight today,” he said. Source: Reuters Read More Like This On Cote d’Ivoire Industry Creatives & Events UPCOMING PRIORITY EVENTS! VIEW ALL EVENTS AFRICAS BIGGEST FASHION WEEK IS HERE!Click Here To Submit stories Email: [email protected] or HashTag #FashionGHANA patheo Share FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinWhatsappTelegramEmail Nana Tamakloe Founder of FashionGHANA.com and Accra Fashion Week. I'm grateful you visited, I hope you share, subscribe and share your comments or opinions below. More For You PICS: “A Bald Woman Knows Her Kingdom” Gorgeous Top African Model Ayen Monica... #OOTD: Rutie B Hits Us With A Perfectly Stylish ‘Break-Out-The-Norm’ Top & Down... Nigerian Designer Uduak & Asiko Artist Recreate Yoruba Mythology & Gods in Stunning... Trashy Rap Star ‘Megan The Stallion’ Is Being Sued By Her Camera For... #OOTD: Nigeria’s Prudential Atelier Shakes Up The Internet With This Astonishing Wedding Guest... VIDEOS: King Promise & Sarkodie Show Men How To Drip In Kente &... FCCPC Shuts Down Chinese Supermarket In Nigeria That Banned Nigerians From Entering VIDEO: Watch Exclusive Designs You Missed At The Just Ended SA Fashion Week... #OOTD: Shams Berry Merges Elegance & Sultriness in Magbrien’s Striking Bustier Ensemble VIDEO: Watch The Moment Two Young Chinese Boys Were Over Excited To See... Leave a Comment Cancel ReplyYou must be logged in to post a comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.