Here’s why world acclaimed menswear designer Ozwald Boateng started a women’s line

Ozwald Boateng is a British Ghanaian widely known for being the youngest tailor to set up shop on the famous Savile Row street in the UK.

He is a world-acclaimed men’s fashion designer and he beautifully fuses British traditions with contemporary designs.

Did you know that his daughter is the inspiration behind his women’s clothing line?

In a recent Instagram post, he shared that Emilia Boateng is one of the main reasons he started creating pieces for women.

Though it was something he had thought of doing at a point in his career, his daughter is the force that pushed him to start. He launched his women’s wear May this year at the Apollo Theater which was filled to capacity.

The show was dubbed AI, which meant “authentic identity,” “artistic intelligence” and “ancestral identity.” Speaking to Associated Press, he admitted wanting to be inclusive in his work.

“We’re in an interesting place now in the world and I feel that I want to express more of my African roots in my work. It’s important to be true to who you are, to be authentic.”

Like his menswear infusing British traditions, his women’s wear launch was “an explosion of color and African-inspired prints and textures, some done in modern twists on traditional British tailoring.”

Here are some of the beautiful pieces from his women’s collection.