Kojo Baffoe is a man making his mark across many different platforms. The 
former magazine editor, who also works as an MC, speaker and writer, has professional experience in multiple industries, from management consulting to IT, retail, insurance, publishing, television and music. 

Kojo Baffoe
Kojo Baffoe
Image: Annalize Nel

“My work life is very fluid,” Baffoe explains, going on to describe how working in different sectors means he has never defined himself on the basis of what he does. He is also the co-founder of Project Fable, a brand communications, content development and insights company and describes himself as a storyteller, working every day to find new ways of telling stories as well as finding new stories to tell, in different ways.

“My work at Project Fable is not really a ‘day-to-day job’ in the traditional sense. Our approach is based on how we view the world, and that is very fluid.” Growing up in Maseru, Lesotho, of Ghanaian and German heritage, he says his firm grounding in life and desire to pursue entrepreneurship was sparked by his father leaving his position as a university lecturer to go into business.

His earliest fashion memory, one he is not to fond of, is having to wear corduroy bell-bottoms and clogs with Ghanaian shirts as a child. His style has come a long way since those days and has evolved over the years to be more simple – classic with a little edge. “I go for what appeals to me intuitively and so my style tends to be a reflection of me as a person,” he says.


BAFFOE WEARS

Jacket, Carducci; jeans, Guess; shirt, waistcoat, Woolworths W Collection; sneakers, New Balance 1 500, The Gentleman’s Choice; lapel flower, Mr Slimfit.


BAFFOE RECOMMENDS

Favourite books? I get through 30-40 books a year. Hard to choose but Paul Beatty’s White Boy Shuffle, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, John Kehoe’s Quantum Warrior, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s Mo’ Meta Blues, Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me, Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking and Marlon James’s A Brief History of Seven Killings, have all had an impact. 

Favourite scent? Tom Ford’s Private Collection. I love to create my own combos out of the different fragrances. I am partial to anything oud.

Your favourite city and why? I love the spirit and energy of Paris but I would have to say Joburg is my favourite city. One can build a great life here if you consciously go out and craft it. 

Top grooming products? Crème de la Mer, Bonafide Beards Beard Oil and Kiehl’s body moisturiser.

Favourite drink? Cognac or single-malt whisky.

Your style staples? I’ve always liked sneakers, shirts, jeans and blazers.

A style tip? Trust your gut. Deep down inside, you’ll know whether something works for you or not. If you feel good, the simplest thing will look good. And it isn’t about labels but rather about how you put things together.

Your success secret? Success is a shifting goalpost that you define for yourself. My secret is recognising and being grateful for what I have accomplished and not defining it according to how the world around me defines success.


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