By Osman Benk Sankoh
In Liberia, they are known as ‘dorgorfleh;’ Nigerians call them, ‘bend down and select. In Ghana, they are called ‘Faux’ (pronounced foe) and for us in Sierra Leone, we have christened them as ‘junks,’ the local name for used clothing. This is an enterprising market not only in Sierra Leone but also, in many other countries particularly in West Africa. The high and the mighty in society have all at one point or the other, descended on Rawdon Street, Sani Abacha Street, Swissey and other parts of town to search for their ‘junks’ clothes which comes in different forms, shades and sizes .
For most, the argument is, they are originals and once you secure them, unlike the other products from China or Asia, you can’t see them anywhere. Unfortunately, while the ‘junks’ sellers thrive on this readily consumable market for all; it has had an adverse effect on the local fashion industry.
Sahid Fofanah, a tailor who has his shop on 27 Abbot Street at Fourah Bay has for the past fifteen years fought doggedly to encourage Sierra Leoneans to wear ‘Made in Sierra Leone’ clothing and to promote this industry. Now, his dream is to own a clothing line of his own.
His latest ‘Africana’ designs, he describe as taking fashion back to the 60s. He uses ‘gara’ clothing that are interspersed with embroidery for his long flowing gowns for his mostly male dominated clientele. He is not gender insensitive though as he also plans to reach out to female consumers once his business begins to boom.
Sahid was in school when he got the motivation to do fashion and designs and thus, he followed the foot-path of his sister’s husband who was a tailor as he encouraged him to also follow him to the tailor shop after school hours.
A suit styled in ‘rappel’ costs four hundred thousand Leones and this is when Sahid provides the materials. However, other costumers come to him with their clothing and they pay lesser than the others.
Though he says the market is not too bad, Sahid says he is looking forward to getting other designers to join him in making this industry a very lucrative one and for him, “we want other people the world over to know that we can proudly exhibit our own in terms of fashion and design in Sierra Leone.”
