The Creative DPiper Twins: Ghanaian Designers Danielle & Chantelle Dwomoh-Piper present “Kastle Designs” & “Treasure Chest”
Posted on Friday, January 21st, 2011 at 10:34 AMBy Ijeoma Ndekwu
Danielle & Chantelle Dwomoh-Piper
Danielle and Chantelle Dwomoh-Piper (popularly referred to as the DPiperTwins) are 23 year old twin fashion models and fashion designers born to a Ghanaian father and Caribbean mother. Although born in New York, they were raised in their fatherland, Ghana for nine years.
The DPiperTwins grew up in a fashion conscious home, with previous generations who knew how to work the sewing machine: ”Our mother would always buy fabric and create our uniforms and customize them and we paid attention to how particular she was about what we wore. From watching her, we developed a love for it.” says the twins in an interview for JONESMAG.com
This love, propelled Danielle and Chantelle to pursue fashion relatively young. They attended the High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI) and continued their education at the Fashion Institute of Technology where they achieved their Bachelors degree.
Highlighted as ones to watch by JONESMAG.com, Danielle has had editorials in Women’s Wear Daily, Fashion Manuscript, and Textile World. She has also worked alongside a number of notable fashion designers including couture designer Maggie Norris and Marchesa’s own Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman. Chantelle has worked in the accessories showrooms of Diane Von Furstenberg, Sevens for All Mankind, and Juicy Couture.
In February 2010, a year after obtaining their Bachelors degree , they debut their Fashion and Jewellery Line - Kastle Designs and Treasure Chest at New York Fashion Week.
“Inspired by many different cultures, shapes , architecture pictures and just our own ideas of what we feel society would love” , The Kastle Design collection consists of eye-catching cocktail and evening dresses, incorporating fabrics such as, chiffon, silk charmeuse, satin and prints. In addition, they embed elements like beading and embroidery. The Treasure Chest jewellery collection consists of handmade unique, fun and fresh, beaded creations, incorporating lavish gemstones, sand stones, cultured pearls, and crystals.
They have appeared on a number of major television shows such as the Rachael Ray Show, NBC’s the Today Show, and an MTV commercial for Snickers. They have also graced the front cover of League Magazine, David & Young Magazine & Caribbean Life Newspaper. America’s Next Top Model Cycle 9 contestant, Bianca Golden was spotted in a dress by these lovely ladies. Kastle Designs has also been seen in the CW Network’s hit show “Gossip Girl” and has been featured in Vogue Japan.
Model/Actress RoseMarie Reyes in Treasure Chest Jewellery:
America’s Next Top Model Cycle 4 winner Naima Mora in Treasure Chest & Kastle Designs:
View Jewellery from Treasure Chest:
Kastle Designs:
The Antoinete dress featured in Gossip Girl Season 4, Episode 9 (left)
Contact DPiperTwins:
dpipertwins@gmail.com
Kastledesignsandtreasurechest.com
facebook.com/dpipertwins
http://dpipertwins.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/dpipertwins
Tags: african designers, Chantelle Dwomoh-Piper, Danielle Dwomoh-Piper, DPiperTwins, Kastle Designs, Treasure Chest
Luvly
23yrs old?
just wow..nice one..great things to come
totally impressed and motivated to keep doing wat i know how to do best
WHAT!!!!!!!!!! africans are going places. WHAT!!!! beautiful!
talented peeps. thumbs up gals. and Naima of ANTM, wooowwwwwwwwwwwww
Ok….is it that we only get to see the “bestest” of Ghana? they are always off the hook!!! Saw a fashion show on studio 53 extra also and it was great. I think the Ghanian designers are just better and they pay attention to detail. #justsaying
I totally agree with you! Nigerians might be innovators but Ghanians always take and run the idea(s) to the next level. #justsaying
your opinion….
and let the comparing begin…hiss…
Nice! And Naima!! She is my favorite top model.Very cool.
wow!africans are too much!these girls are so gifted. me likey everything.
nice!!!! kudos girls u make Africa look good!!!
i was thinking jennifer lopez…
i think what sets ghana apart is the workmanship…production in naija is still WIP and is such a hassle as every tailor wants to be their own Oga…ghanians are more patient and better at tailoring..but nigerians r actually more trendy..but clearly the industry has evolved past the acceptance of mediocre finishing..i just hope both parties can work together and portray AFRICA to the west
Why do we always gotta have a Nigeria/Ghana debate? If the designers had been from Mali, would we be making any comparison? Just saying *-)
Dont let Bitter Meme read ya comment – before she comes all defensive using words like facism and what not – so angry. Let The truth speaks for it self and not utter too many words – so lets not even divert the topic and allow bitterness to spew out. Today is not the day,. Yesterday we had enough on the Sika thread.Say your comment and keep it moving.
My comment: The clothes are nice and i am glad “AFRICA” (see i didnt mention any country) is rising up the ladder in fashion” – AFRICA FOR US BY US.
Gbam – case close.
oooo the designs are lovely and i am also inspired to keep improving
these pieces are lovely. Africa is really a force to be reckoned with.
Nice pieces
Gossip Girl?!?! No way! Really?? O_O
remind me again is this website not called bella ‘naija’? anyways thats by the way d designs are ok but where re our nigerian designers naw? hmmn bella i think its hi time u feature more nigerian talents ooo besides im not discriminating or anything im trying to support my country people…so anybody that has a problem with this comment should drown his/herself in river jordan
Better yet feature nothing else but Naijas on this website – and satify your naija audience cos clearly many naijas dont want foreigners on this board. Everytime a ghanaian with great talent is featured -the bitter ness spew out. Dont feature Ghanaians Southafricans etc etc. Yesterday Meme asked bella to not allow ghanaians on this board, now its this one called missy. HOnestly Bella just please your majority audience and take any non nigerian talent off this board. Now we know why there is no peace in that nation.
na wa o, na so e pain u reach…no vex abeg, we like ghanians
I understand where u are coming from but ur last statement about no peace in the nation was totally unnecessary and only made u sound bitter and ignorant. Missy expressed her opinion, granted it may not be right but u bringing the problems of the nation as a way to insult all nigerians is uncalled for. Next time just state ur opinion, the same way I just did.
nawa oo see vexation…i dont intend to bring up a ghanaian or nigerian war here because this is a nigerian website as the name depicts….by the way she featured a ghanaian designer yesterday and i just wanted her to feature more nigerian designers so i dunno wat ur problem is and i dont even know what prompted u to type d last sentence in ur reply but oh well watever….
Sweedie, dont waste ur energy, we luv bella n we’ll continue 2 cum here. im luving all d attention on Gh. hehehe…haters sneeezeeee
Haba, really? I agreed with you until that last statement…there is peace in our nation. Unless you decide that intermittent bouts of violence means no peace; in that case, the U.S. has no peace either considering the recent Arizona shootings.
I’m Nigerian, we love Ghanaians and indigenes of any country on that continent that improves our reputation in the fashion industry and increases our cumulative sub-Saharan GDP.
#myfiftykobo#
They definitely source their fabric in NYC! I gather these clothes aint cheap! even better.. less people wearing em. store? website? or did i not read?
Nice!!!
Lovely designs. Nigerian designers, Ghanian etc etc. Its still Africa. Or mayb it should be called BellaAfrique,lol.
interesting…
This is the best fashion feature I have seen on bellanaija! These girls are great! Is there a website one can buy their designs? Or a store?
Nevermind, I just saw the listed websites underneath the article
They have a website: it is http://www.kastledesignsandtreasurechest.com
loves the sequin dresses.Simple styles but workmanship is really really good.
oh really?is there suppose to be a naija vs Ghana debate?Na wa for una.Who care?We all rock!Geez people!
Talented twins.Love every piece!!
nice.
These gals are giving our naija designers a hot run for their talents…..lol. They are absolutely creative and i love all their designs.
Lovely how can i get a piece?
BN please how can i get intouch with you?got sometigs to propose
Not bad. Congrats to the girls! Keep it up!!!
Hot collections from dis ghanian twins bravo!!!!!!!!!
they are so TALENTED !!! i MUST make a purchase lovely post!! =)
Really Impressed!!!!
Gorgeous pieces…..a complete breath of fresh air!!!
The twins re talented….I luv Naima
My dear, God bless you. Anything to increase the sub-saharan GDP!
ps. I LOVE my Ghanaian peeps! I don’t know which kind of useless nationalism is scratching all these Nigerian people. Let’s celebrate each other and drop all the bad belle
http://www.sisiekomi.blogspot.com
Lovely pieces!
NOT IMPRESSED! for the simple fact that there aren’t enough black models.
as black people, i feel we should be supporting our own 100%
these babes could easily get work elsewhere, while many black models are struggling.
and YES i know naima is like 10% black. LOL
the designs are alright, IMO…
WOW!! They have already shown at NYFW @ 23! At 23, I was stuck @ uni studying for my extra semester when my classmates had gone for youth service
Fist time I’m hearing about the High School of Fashion Industries… Googled it and I’m not surprised these girls are doing so well….They studied complex garment construction in 10th grade (age 15 or so), Pattern making and three dimensional draping techniques in the 11th year!!
For these gorgeous and talented girls, fashion is not an afterthought or a “PLAN B”. I pray for the kind of foresight their parents had, so I can help my children to pursue their dreams and not mine.
I’m inspired to not give up on my dream of winning project runway and showing @ Bryant Park. I’ll give it my best shot and it will come to pass with God’s help.
http://www.gbemisoke.blogspot.com
Great creative work. http://lifethroughomaseyes.blogspot.com
There’s nothing extra-ordinary that stands out for me in this one; it’s all very nice… but i admire their innovation. Keep up the good work girls! I’m sure there will be better things to come with more experience
CHARLIE,I DEY FEEL YOU THIS GIRLS COURAGE.THEY ARE MY ROLE MODELS IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY.KEEP IT P DANIELLE AND CHANTELLE.
african designers are realy rocking it