Exploring Cultural Perceptions and Fashion’s Role in Women Body Diversity and Presentation in Ghana

Ophelia Ohenewa Mefful; Vivian Biney-Aidoo; Laura Esinam Kattah

doi:10.35738/ftr.v7.2025.53

Authors

Ophelia Ohenewa Mefful Takoradi Technical University Author
Vivian Biney-Aidoo Accra Technical University Author
Laura Esinam Kattah Takoradi Technical University Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35738/ftr.v7.2025.53

Keywords:

Culture, female body diversity, cultural perceptions, body image, identity, self-expression

Abstract

Purpose: This paper examines cultural perceptions of women’s body diversity in Ghana and explores fashion’s role in shaping the presentation and representation of women’s bodies within different socio-cultural contexts. Ghanaian body ideals are informed by ethnic traditions, communal values, and aesthetic norms that increasingly intersect with globalised beauty standards. The study investigates how Ghanaian women perceive their bodies in relation to cultural expectations and how fashion is employed to align with, negotiate, or resist these ideals.

Methodology/Design: Using a qualitative approach, the research draws on in-depth interviews with women across different Ghanaian cultural groups, alongside insights from fashion designers and stylists. This is complemented by a content analysis of fashion media, cultural festivals, and events that highlight the interaction between body diversity and fashion in Ghana.

Findings: Traditional Ghanaian aesthetics tend to value fuller, well-proportioned figures as markers of health, fertility, wealth, and social prestige. However, younger generations are increasingly influenced by slimness and Westernised beauty ideals, largely transmitted through digital and global media. Fashion functions as a strategic tool, used to celebrate culturally valued attributes, conceal features deemed less desirable, and showcase individuality. It also provides a platform for resistance, enabling women to challenge body stereotypes while maintaining cultural pride and identity.

Practical and Social Implications: The findings underscore the importance of body-inclusive fashion design, culturally grounded media representation, and community-based initiatives that promote body positivity. Strengthening awareness of body diversity through fashion can improve self-esteem, cultural belonging, and social cohesion among Ghanaian women.

Originality: This study moves beyond generalised notions of African body image by situating women’s body perceptions within Ghana’s diverse cultural landscape. By integrating cultural anthropology, fashion studies, and body image theory, it highlights how Ghanaian women navigate tensions between traditional and global beauty standards, offering fresh insights for scholarship and inclusive fashion practice across African societies.

Author Biographies

Ophelia Ohenewa Mefful, Takoradi Technical University

Ophelia Ohenewa Mefful holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Fashion from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Ghana, where her doctoral research explored contemporary developments in fashion education and the intersection of technology and indigenous design practices. Her research interests span the areas of fashion education and pedagogy, cultural aesthetics and body image representation, indigenous Ghanaian fashion and textile innovation, sustainable fashion practices, and technology integration in fashion design and production. Dr. Mefful’s work contributes to advancing discourse on African fashion identity, women’s body representation, and the modernization of vocational and technical education in Ghana.
Vivian Biney-Aidoo, Accra Technical University

Vivian Biney-Aidoo holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Fashion and Textiles from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Ghana. She also earned both her Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degrees in Home Economics (Clothing and Textiles) from the same institution. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Fashion Design and Textiles at Accra Technical University, Ghana. Her research interests include fashion design education, sustainable fashion development, African dress culture and identity, textile innovation, and gender representation in fashion. Dr. Biney-Aidoo’s scholarship focuses on advancing creative and pedagogical practices in technical and vocational fashion education, with a particular emphasis on Ghanaian and African contexts.
Laura Esinam Kattah, Takoradi Technical University

Laura Esinam Kattah is a Lecturer in the Department of Fashion Design and Technology at Takoradi Technical University, Ghana. She is PhD student and holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Art Education from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Fashion Design from Takoradi Technical University. Her research interests focus on fashion illustration and design pedagogy, creative textile application, sustainable fashion and upcycling, and cultural aesthetics in Ghanaian fashion. Her work explores how traditional and contemporary design practices can intersect to promote innovation, sustainability, and cultural relevance within Ghana’s fashion and textile education landscape.

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