Two brothers who have launched into the local fashion and entertainment scene have imagined an experience where art walks among art for their next project.
Nana Amfo, 23, and King Amfo, 25, both University of Kansas students, have grown their urban culture and lifestyle brand, Alpha Gang Media, for seven years. Their upcoming September fashion show will spotlight urban streetwear, classy business looks and other couture amid the Spencer Museum of Art’s collections.
“We’re doing it at the Spencer Museum, so it’s kind of like the Met Gala,” King said. “We’re trying to create that niche here in Lawrence.”
Nana added, “This is the one show you shouldn’t miss if you love fashion.”
What began as a record label in their hometown of Accra, Ghana, the Amfo brothers have molded into a central hub for fashion, music, podcasts, parties and other curated events. Because both of their parents were architects, and their mother also ran smaller shops, they learned at a young age the importance of building generational wealth.
King said one of his mother’s rules was to “never go to bed without counting at least one Cedi,” which equates to a little more than one-fifteenth of a U.S. dollar. He and Nana are intent on carrying that entrepreneurial spirit around the world.
“We’re ‘aggressive’ in the sense that when we get to a new place, we go hard,” King said. “We’ve always traveled a lot growing up, so we’ve always been open to new experiences and different places. So after moving around a whole bunch, I always knew I wanted to move to the States. It was just a matter of when and the timing and making sure the money was right. KU was like a perfect opportunity to do that.”
The Amfo brothers and their best friend, Michael Oware, launched Alpha Records in 2016, when they were in high school, after a song Nana created and recorded blew up. The one-hit wonder generated buzz — and a demand for T-shirts and merchandise. The pair saw opportunities to expand by tapping into fashion.
“We started learning more about the fashion industry, but the music kept calling us back,” King said.
King moved to the U.S. in 2019 and is currently a graduate architecture student at KU, and Nana followed in 2021 and is heading into his senior year in visual communications at KU this fall. While studying toward their degrees, they’re also working to support smaller artists within genres from rap to Afrobeat, helping DJs secure residencies, hosting guests on their podcasts, designing original clothing and planning events.
Alpha Couture, their clothing brand, features what they call “affordable luxury.” It’s streetwear style that can be simultaneously unique and trendy, and high quality materials are sourced from Ghana. The slogan, “Not for the masses,” encourages individuality through fashion.
“People should feel a part of what they’re wearing,” King said.
25 models, 25 outfits
The Amfo brothers grew up wearing uniforms to school — the norm across the Ghanaian school system — so showing style was “all in the details,” Nana said. An expensive watch, trendy shoes or a quality belt were admirable subtleties.
But being able to experiment with style more has translated to creating full seasonal clothing lines. From the vision to the product, the Amfo brothers and their production team build off each other’s talents.
“As a team that has been working closely together, we know what to do and when to do what, which makes our bond even more unique and seamless,” Nana said of he and his older brother’s partnership.
Although lesser known than other local art sectors, the fashion scene in Lawrence is active. The Amfo brothers attended a fashion show Haskell Indian Nations University students hosted on their campus in April and have made connections with organizers. They’ve also expanded their influence from Lawrence into Kansas City and even have an “Alpha Gang UK” partner, among other global outreach.
Alpha Gang Media’s fall fashion show is a collaboration with Kansas City designer Sheraz Pompey, who specializes in ball gowns and extravagant looks, in addition to West African designer Noir Model and his urban streetwear pieces. Between the four of them, 25 models will be showcasing 25 original outfits.
The show is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 at Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Mississippi St. on KU’s campus. Mingling and networking will begin at around 4:30 p.m., and there will be an open mocktail bar.
Tickets are free, but only 10 to 15 will be available for the public. The Spencer set the capacity at 50 people, and other seats have been reserved for students, staff, faculty and various guests.
The online link to reserve tickets will go live the week of the show, first-come, first-served, at this link.
Stay connected with Alpha Gang Media on the central Instagram page, @alphagang__. Follow King on Instagram at @king.amfo, and Nana at @nanaamfo_. Anyone interested in supporting their projects can contact the Amfo brothers via email at alpharecordsafrica@gmail.com.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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