Ozwald Boateng ``I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT WHERE AFRICA

New African
May 2013
A FUTURE
MADE IN
AFRICA –
THE NEXT
50 YEARS,
Guest edited
by Ozwald
Boateng
Material Deadline
12th April, 2013
Circulation
40,218
Readership
500,000
Cover Story Interview Special
Ozwald Boateng
‘‘I AM PASSIONATE
ABOUT WHERE
AFRICA GOES,
AND SHOULD GO”
I
mpeccably dressed in a sharply tailored, deep
olive-green suit – which I presume is one of his own, it’s
easy to concur with the widely-held public assumption: the
menswear designer Ozwald Boateng is a walking advertisement for his brand.
As I am ushered into his office with my photographer
(who is politely asked to leave by his PA because the interview appointment said “journalist only”) I am drawn to
the massive oil painting (also in green) of Boateng himself which
hangs imposingly just behind his gleaming, clutter-free desk. I
am tempted to ask about the painting, but Boateng is, on this
day, a man in demand for press interviews and there is no time
for such pleasantries.
I have 30 minutes to find out why the man – famous for designing suits for the rich, famous and for Hollywood royalty, as
well as being the youngest and only black man with African roots
on London’s famous and exclusive Savile Row – is suddenly making headlines in the name of Africa. One British newspaper even
described him as an activist for Africa. What is all that about?
“Really? Activist? Like George Clooney is an activist?” he
reacts, somewhat perplexed, when I put that to him.
“I understand the word activism, but that is not the right word
for me. I don’t see myself as an activist. I see myself as someone
16
New African is distributed
across Africa and in over
100 countries around the
world. Widely considered
Africa’s most influential
publication, it remains
the bestselling English
language African-interest
magazine. For more than
45 years, New African
has been a key reference
source for government
officials, business
leaders, decision makers,
academics and all with an
interest in the continent.
Featuring:
He is known for his flamboyant fashion sense and his perfectly tailored suits loved by the rich and
famous worldwide including Hollywood royalty Will Smith and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Virgin
boss, Richard Branson. But as he reveals to our deputy editor reGina Jane Jere in this exclusive
interview, Ozwald Boateng is taking on a new mantle – and it’s far from glamorous.
David Adjaye Jeffrey Sachs
President Ali Bongo Ondimba
(Gabon) President John Dramani
Mahama, Chimamanda Ngozie
Adichie Tony Elumelu Arnold
Ekpe Patrice Motsepe Isabel dos
Santos Chris Ofili Aliko Dangote
Dr Nkosizana Dhlamini Zuma
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Dr Jean Ping Zeinab Badawi
Hadeel Ibrahim
who is just very passionate about where Africa goes, and should
go. But I am not alone on that. There are so many thousands,
even millions of Africans who feel the same way,” he says rather
collectedly, but with a tinge of excitement.
At only 27 years of age back in 1994, Boateng made his name
when he became both the first black tailor to open a store on Savile
Row. Born in London to Ghanaian parents in 1968, the awardwinning designer was obsessed with sewing and fashion from a
very young age. Indisputably, today he is one of the designers of
choice for everyone from Hollywood stars to the British political
elite. His cheapest suit comes at no less than £1,000 and can cost
as much as a mind-boggling £20,000 a piece.
But I am in his opulent office – which is buried in the basement
of his exquisite store (No 30, Savile Row) – not to talk about the
glam and glitz of fashion, or his label.
As he sits down opposite me, next to his PA, who gives him a
small nod that says, you are ready, his gaze as he looks directly at
me commands immediate attention and I go straight to the crux
of our interview – his interest in facilitating what many are calling
Africa’s “Marshall Plan”, spearheaded by infrastructure development plans on an unprecedented scale. Infrastructure building is
Boateng’s other great passion outside his fashion business.
At the moment, the African “Marshall Plan” buzz is in over-
November 2012 New African Magazine
New African Magazine November 2012
This May, the African Union (AU)
will commemorate 50 years of the
founding of its predecessor the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
It will indeed be an occasion of
reflection and stock-taking. Many
debates will abound and discuss
Africa’s progress, achievements and
challenges in the past 5 decades.
As the leading Pan-African magazine
in English-speaking Africa, the May
edition of New African will not only
be part of this discourse but will
lead and induce invigorating and
illuminating debates by producing
a Special Edition on the OAU/AU
which will however go beyond looking back at the past 50 years.
The May Edition will bring together
the best crop of Africa’s new visionaries to write, analyse, debate the
Africa they want to see in the next
50 years and proffer solutions for
this Future Africa.
The Guest Editor
The Edition will be Guest Edited
by one such new visionary, Ozwald
Boetang – the self-made successful
Ghanaian/British businessman who
in the past few years has been using
his international superstardom to
transcend from being the world’s
most admired and successful fashion
designer and role model for many
young Africans, to becoming a voice
of influence that has got the international community and African
leaders listening, talking and assessing his vision of building a new
and prosperous Africa differently –
through his vision of infra-structure
development
Thanks to his international success
as a businessman and his growing
influence among his peers, Boateng
has brought together some of the
leading minds in African politics,
business, arts, sports and culture to
17
contribute to this special edition of
New African.
For this bumper issue, New African
will double its circulation and
will be distributed at the leading
international events focusing on
Africa. The issue will be marketed
massively on the continent and
internationally. It will be the only
publication to be distributed at the
AU including at the State Banquet
in Addis that will mark the OAU’s
50th anniversary.
If you are to advertise just once this
year in a pan-African magazine, this
is the issue to be in.
Some of the unmissable editorial
content will include:
• 20 Top Innovations and Ideas
that could transform Africa
• African philanthropy
• Lessons from the history of masterplanning
• Discussions on Africa’s growth
corridors, infrastructure solutions,
energy solving, creating wealth
and worth and much much more.
As well as some surprises we can’t
reveal quite yet
Why advertise?
• New African, already the best
selling pan African magazine,
will benefit from doubling of its
global circulation for this issue
• Distribution at the Africa Global
Forum in Dubai, the World
Economic Forum in Cape Town,
the AU’s 50th in Addis, the African Development Bank Annual
meetings in Marrakech and the
NY Forum Africa in Libreville
amongst others
• Special marketing campaign to
accompany the issue on CNN
and other media
IC Publications
advertising@icpublications.com
7 Coldbath Square,
London EC1R 4LQ.
United Kingdom
Tel. +44 20 7841 3210
Fax +44 20 7841 3211
www.icpublications.com