Documenting changing fashion in Africa post-1960
This men’s narrow strip woven kente cloth was made by Ewe weaver John Kwasi Dometi in 1980. This type of cloth is called ‘Worgbale’, or python skin. The cloth was owned by Jonathan ‘Old Man Young Boy’ Akakpo, and was created for him by the weaver who was father to Esther Dometi, Jonathan’s late wife. Read More …
This batakari shirt was purchased by Sylvanus Akakpo in 2002, in Tamale in the northern region of Ghana, whilst he was attending a West Africa Network For Peace training event in the town. A batakari or Ghanaian Smock is a plaid shirt, made from hand woven strips that are sewn together and tailored into a Read More …
This batakari was made from narrow strip woven cloth that were woven, sewn together and tailored by the owner, Sylvanus Akakpo, in 1999. The machine embroidery around the neck was done by a local tailor. Akakpo made it to wear to the local Agotime Kente Festival, which he did from 1999-2015. A batakari or Ghanaian Read More …
This narrow strip woven kente cloth was created by Ewe weaver Bokorkpo Yawo in 1957. It is usually difficult to find well provenanced older cloths, but fortunately the owner, Dometi Delali, supplied the museum with a detailed history. The age is also of significance as it was created the year Ghana gained independence from British Read More …
This narrow strip woven kente cloth was created by Ewe weaver Exodus Hallo. It was especially commissioned for Nene Akoto Sah VII to wear at the Agotime Kpetoe Kente Festival, an important annual event for Ewe people. Nene Akoto, whose given name is Emmanuel Tetteh, is a respected war chief and prominent member of society. Read More …
A kaba and slit is a two or three piece outfit worn by Ghanaian women, consisting of a fitted blouse with wide sleeves, a wrapper skirt, and sometimes a matching headwrap. This kaba and slit is made from GTP (Ghana Textiles Printing Company) brand fabric, featuring a brown, purple, and blue wax print design. The Read More …
A kaba and slit is a two or three piece outfit worn by Ghanaian women, consisting of a fitted blouse with wide sleeves, a wrapper skirt, sometimes with a matching headwrap. This kaba and slit is made from GTP (Ghana Textiles Printing Company) brand fabric, featuring a brown and blue chinoiserie design. The fabric was Read More …
This narrow strip woven kente cloth was created by Ewe weaver Gator Gbogbo. This asidanuvor or design cloth characteristically features motifs, people and animals woven into the strips. It features a map of Ghana, depicting regions and main cities. This type of design is believed to have developed in Togo, where Gbogbo was working in Read More …
This pair of narrow strip woven woman’s kente cloths were created by Ewe weaver Emmanuel Manayo. It features a common contrasting colour block ‘Takpekpele anloga’ design. The name references the town of Anloga, capital of the Anlo area, where the design originates from. There are examples of this design dating back to 1906. Purchased directly Read More …
This narrow strip woven kente cloth was created by Ewe weaver David Agbenyau. It is an example of the popular ‘Asidanuvor’ or design cloth, that feature symbols, motifs and animals. This example shows how the technique has been adapted to speed up the production, which means that quality and detail have been lost in the Read More …