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Boyedoe S/S 27 “Oath (Ntam)”: First Look at the Collection

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Two looks are out, and the message is clear: Boyedoe is making a promise.

“Ntam” is the Twi word for oath. In Asante tradition, a solemn pledge is not casual speech. It binds the speaker before God, the Asantehene and the Kingdom. Boyedoe takes that gravity as the spine of S/S 27, calling it a bond between heritage and the future, maker and wearer, house and client. The collection poses three questions: what do we inherit and pass on, what do we preserve and discard, what do we dismantle and rebuild? The closing proverb, “Tete wo bi ka, tete wo bi kyere” (“the ancients have something to say, the ancients have something to teach”), reads like Sankofa in another register.

That matters because Sankofa is the brand’s origin story. Founded in 2020 by David Kusi Boye-Doe, Boyedoe is rooted in deconstruction, reconstruction and sustainability, inspired by the mythical Ghanaian Sankofa bird. Ntam asks the same question as a vow. 

The two looks

“The tailored set” – A sharply constructed denim jacket with strong, sculpted shoulders and a nipped waist sits over a column skirt, its front seam finished with a long zip. Acid-green topstitching traces every seam, and small triangular cuff hardware adds a quiet signature. It is the “Sophistication” pillar in practice: assured, not loud.
“The patchwork dress” – Strips of reclaimed-looking denim in many washes are stacked horizontally into a floor-length column with raw, frayed edges. A fully laced side opening runs from ribcage to hem, with a slit at the bottom. It is the most literal answer to “what do we dismantle and rebuild?”

Why denim, why now

Denim has been a signature of the brand since its founding, valued for its versatility, durability and timelessness. Ntam pushes it in two directions: precision tailoring on one side, craft-led deconstruction on the other. The brand’s stated pillars are Sophistication, Silhouette, Sun-Sum (the spirit of the artisan, the hand felt in every stitch) and Standard (never letting haste or convenience compromise excellence). The two looks demonstrate all four. 

The weight of the moment

Expectations are high. Boye-Doe became the first Ghanaian designer on the LVMH Prize semi-finalist list in 2025, one of only four African designers selected. The brand’s footprint has also grown quickly: a European debut at Portugal Fashion Week in 2023, a Lagos Fashion Week runway show in October 2024, and an Asian debut at Tokyo Fashion Week planned for September 2025. In that context, an “oath” collection reads as a house setting its own terms for the next chapter.

The collection was directed and photographed by Nana K. Duah, styled by Boyedoe himself, with production assistance from Benjamin Kyei-Barima and talent @___awenlie.

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