AFUA SAM
Afua Sam, is the founder and designer of Studio D’Maxsi and The A Concept. This year, DC Fashion Week recognized her trailblazing designs as a participant and supported DCFW through the years. Sam was one of the designers honored with the Hall of Fame Fashion Award.
In May, Sam was a “Lit in DC” honoree, which recognized her work in fashion in the District of Columbia.
“I have so much love for D.C. because that is my home where everything started in terms of fashion in America,” says Sam, who is originally from Ghana. “I knew fashion was attached to my destiny because that gave me the opportunity to come to America,” she said.
For all of Sam’s creativity, it’s important to her to give back. She has a program that provides a prom dress to a high school student. In addition, she has been a regular participant in fashion shows and events that support various causes.
After working with many different breast cancer organizations, she decided to create a dress “to honor all breast cancer survivors all over the world for their courage.” The “bra dress,” as it is known, is made almost exclusively of black bras donated by the Bali bra company.
Sam’s brands feature bold and vibrant colors. Her newest collection, The A Concept, celebrated its first anniversary earlier this year.