Jeffrey Ampratwum

Ampratwum was born in South Bronx, New York City, to West African parents from Ghana. At a young age, he spent several years living in Ghana.[5] He was raised by his mother following the early passing of his father.[6]

Ampratwum attended Walton High School in New York. He pursued a major in Biology and a minor in pre-dental studies at York College, City University of New York, with the intention of becoming a dentist.[7] However, during his undergraduate years, he discovered his passion for fashion.[6] [8] He switched his career and later pursued his education by obtaining degrees from the New York School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology,[9] focusing on fashion design and fashion styling.[4][2]

Jeffrey started his career in 2012 by working in both menswear and womenswear, where he was inspired by Victorian and Parisian fashion. His design blends into luxury,[10] androgyny, and urban street fashion.[2][11] He also works in footwear craftsmanship and designing of footwear.[12][13][5]

In 2015, he established his own fashion-art line, House of Merlot where he presented art shows in Paris, London, and New York City.[14][15]

In 2018, Ampratwum launched his personal styling business known as Che Dior.[16] He began instructing fashion styling courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology.[5] In 2022, he developed a course on fashion studies for middle school children's in New York City.[5][17][18] He authored a book titled "Menswear Style Guide" that provides fashion insights and guidance.[13][19][20] He has worked with brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Dolce & Gabbana[16][4][21]