Doris Adom – Asomaning, brand Ambassador for 2015 Fashion Icon Awards on Wednesday June 10, 2015 rejected the title “Brand Ambassador” prior to the big awards night scheduled this Sunday.

Fashion Icon Events currently has no reigning Brand Ambassador for its big Awards night scheduled to happen tomorrow June 14, 2015 at Lifestyle Gallery, Spintex Road, Accra.

A press release from the C.E.O of Ebony and Ivory Productions Limited has stated several reasons for her rejection of the title.

Read the full statement below:

I, Doris Adom-Asomaning being a professional Fashion Model/Entrepreneur for eleven (11) years in Ghana have rejected the title “BRAND AMBASSADOR” for Fashion Icon Awards 2015.

I was contacted and awarded with the title of the Brand Ambassadorship for Fashion Icon Awards 2015 last year December [2014].

A mantle I wholly accepted with joy, pride and believe that this will help me to continue to support fashion in Ghana and also help boost my modelling and fashion business by enjoying solely publicity through both above and below the line advertising to be provided by Global Dreams Management, the organisers of Fashion Icons Awards.

When I took on the mantle, I knew I have to work hard to contribute my quota to the success of this event. Therefore, when the C.E.O of Global Dreams Management, Bashiru Olu Wasiu-Ayinde presented the idea of helping to seek sponsorship towards the event, I agreed totally and immediately was able to secure a full sponsorship from Lifestyle Gallery (the venue for the event) as well got two (2) key companies who were ready to sponsor with finance and products towards the event.

I have also supported Fashion Icons Awards [2015] with conception ideas, know-how of Fashion Industry and Community in Ghana as well as services by my company; Ebony & Ivory Productions Ltd. Please note that these services were at no cost to the organisers, in the hope of fully supporting the success of Fashion Icon Awards 2015.

In the process of our preparation towards the awards event, I realised from the organiser of the event Bashiru Olu Wasiu-Ayinde almost close to the event D-Day that I would not enjoy some publicity which was suppose to come with the ambassadorship title such as Billboard advertising.

Bashiru Olu Wasiu-Ayinde further went on to add that if only I can come with CASH SPONSORSHIP, then I could have that benefit of Billboard Advertising, and even with that, it depended on how much CASH I, Doris can provide through sponsorship.

This news did not settle well with me, but I decided to accept it since it was public that I was the official Brand Ambassador. Also the fact that I had already secured financial and product sponsorship as well as some goodwill favours within some friends and colleagues in the industry [fashion] towards this Fashion Icons Award event for this year.

Then the issue of doing a professional photo shoot for this project became an unresolved disagreement between ME and the organisers of the event. Global Dreams Management didn’t deem it appropriate to have a professional photo shoot done towards the project/campaign.

I was asked to do my own photo shoot and submit the photos, or the organisers were willing to use images of photos I did for clients over five (5) years ago! Global Dreams Management said that they are not responsible for providing current and professional images of me to be used in their 2015 Awards campaign.

Even when I managed to put together a group of professionals (a stylist and one of Ghana’s top fashion photographer), for a photo shoot, the organisers couldn’t and wouldn’t pay for a professional MAKE UP ARTIST at the lowest cost of GHc 150.

Instead Global Dreams Management actually asked me to pay for that cost. Since I refused to pay for a photo shoot which they should have organised towards the Fashion Icons Awards campaign, the photo shoot was cancelled and the organisers went ahead with their 2015 campaign without me.

I find the actions and the work ethics of Global Dreams Management so UNPROFESSIONAL, DISRESPECTFUL and an EXPLOITATION of models.

Above all I will NOT PAY directly or indirectly for an award. I have worked hard in the fashion industry in Ghana for 11 years and if I should be recognised as an influence in anyway, it should be for my WORK and CONTRIBUTION to Fashion and not be recognised because I paid for it.