In an interview on MX24 TV’s Fashion Wednesday, designer Collins Obeng Marnu revealed the fascinating origin story behind his fashion brand’s distinctive name, House of Paon, to host Diana Edinam Kumbey.
The KNUST textile graduate explained that his brand’s name emerged from a thoughtful desire to create something more symbolic rather than using his own name. “I wanted something which would be more of a symbol and not just my name,” Marnu shared during the interview.
The breakthrough came through a conversation with a close friend during his university days, who noted his recurring use of peacock motifs in his work. “You really like peacocks so what of the peacock thing you always use as inspiration?” his friend suggested, leading them to explore translations of the word in different languages.
After considering the Spanish translation “Pavo real,” which didn’t quite resonate, they discovered the French word “Paon.” The name immediately clicked with Marnu’s vision for his brand. “It was giving grandeur! It was weird and intriguing, and so I decided to go by that,” he explained.
Interestingly, the designer embraces the uncertainty surrounding the pronunciation of his brand’s name, seeing it as an extension of his artistic vision. “I actually like the fact that people aren’t too sure of how to pronounce it. It’s the same with my clothing. You can see some mysteriousness in there,” Marnu remarked.
You can catch the full interview and more fascinating fashion stories on Fashion Wednesday, airing every Wednesday at 6:30 pm on MX24 TV and also on our Youtube channel here.
