#dentaa #adedehye #akintunde
From Oakland to Yale University, AKINTUNDE AHMAD, “beat the odds' by earning a 5.0 GPA and scoring a 2100 on his SATs. He was accepted into many Ivy League schools and proves that, with hard work and support from family, anything is possible. From Oakland, California he graduated from Yale University. His academic success made national headlines and his story was even picked up by Ellen DeGeneres who featured him on her show.
As an African American person who was born and raised in Oakland, CA, AKINTUNDE AHMAD always wanted to return to the land of his ancestors and spend time in West Africa. He got his opportunity in 2016 when he chose to spend half of the year taking time away from US to study at the University of Ghana.
He was immediately captivated by the fashion culture in Accra. What made him love the scene was that each person dressed so uniquely. With an abundance of tailors and access to any kind of fabric you could desire, from woven kente to wax print to bogolanfini (mudcloth), people could quickly get anything they imagined turned into a reality. He immediately started sketching designs, visiting fabric markets, and getting his own pieces made, and the idea for Ade Dehye was born. Ade, his middle name, means royal in Yoruba, and Dehye means royal in Twi.
He started off making items for himself and his family, but whenever he posted pictures on social media or wore these outfits back in the states, friends and strangers would ask where he got his clothes from and how could they get their hands on something similar. After thinking about the idea for years, in 2020, He actually made the decision to start the brand and fuse West African textiles with urban streetwear and luxury design, and he hasn't looked back since.
Ade Dehye is a fashion brand that draws inspiration from across the African Diaspora. They are ethically and sustainably made in Ghana, and all of their textiles are sourced on the continent of Africa. So far, all of the fabrics they've used are either hand-dyed or handwoven on the continent. It’s one thing to be Black-owned, but it’s another to be 100% Black-owned and operated, all the way down to the weaving and dyeing of the fabric and the tailoring of the finished product. While some companies only look to the continent to be a recipient of charity or share a portion of their proceeds, they chose to invest directly into the continent and set up shop in Ghana, contributing to the country's growing economy as we build. AKINTUNDE AHMAD sat with Dentaa and shared his educational journey and his transition to the continent...
IG: @adedehye
W: www.adedehye.com
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An establishment that brings together Africans & African descendants in the diaspora, who have an unquenchable thirst to connect with the continent of Africa.
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