Documenting changing fashion in Africa post-1960
This skirt and wrap are made from thick blanket fabric dyed with red ochre and decorated with black fabric embellishments, beads and mother of pearl buttons. This outfit was worn typically by married Xhosa women living in the Drakensberg mountain region of Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was bought by a dealer in the 1980s Read More …
This embroidered tie-dye buba (blouse) carrying the label ‘Shade’s Boutique of Lagos’ was bought by one of Brighton Museum’s curators in a Brighton second hand shop. Maison Shade (later Shade’s Boutique) was the label of influential Nigerian fashion designer Folushade ‘Shade’ Thomas-Fahm who created innovative garments which combined traditional Nigerian textiles and styles with a Read More …
This abeti aja (aso-oke hat) is part of a groom’s outfit, made in Ibadan, Nigeria and commissioned by the owner Dotun for his London wedding reception in 1995. It was one of three hats made to go with the outfit, he chose to wear this abeti aja, with triangular flaps at either side, named so Read More …
This aso-oke agbada (robe), and sokoto (trousers) are part of an outfit that was commissioned for the owner, Dotun, to wear at his London wedding reception in 1995. Dotun and his wife Funmi held four wedding events in total, two took place in the UK and two in Nigeria. The Museum collected several of their Read More …
This aso-oke gele is an elaborate Yoruba headwrap, part of an outfit that was commissioned by the owner Funmi for her London wedding reception in 1995. The couple had four events in total, two took place in the UK and two in Nigeria. Aso-oke, which translates as ‘top cloth’ or ‘high status cloth’ is a Read More …
This is one of a pair of Kangas from Kenya, East Africa, made from machine-printed cotton in the 1980s. The design features indigo spots and a green and yellow feather-like motif. Traditional kanga designs are inspired by guineafowl, a speckled bird found across sub-Saharan Africa, – ‘kanga’ is the Kiswahili word for guineafoul. Kangas are Read More …
This two piece outfit was commissioned by the owner, Dotun, for his wedding ceremony in 1995. It is made of a synthetic fabric called African lace (actually industrially produced embroidery originally imported from Austria) that is very popular in Nigeria and West Africa. African lace can be worn as an outfit or teamed with aso-oke Read More …
This gele is an elaborate Yoruba headwrap, part of an outfit that was commissioned by the owner, Funmi, for her engagement ceremony in Lagos in 1995. Funmi and her husband Dotun had four wedding events in total, two took place in the UK and two took place in Nigeria. Aso-oke, which translates as ‘top cloth’ Read More …
This aso-oke outfit that was commissioned by the owner, Funmi, for her engagement ceremony in Lagos in 1995. Funmi and her husband Dotun had four wedding events in total, two in the UK and two in Nigeria. Aso-oke, which translates as ‘top cloth’ or ‘high status cloth’ is a formal textile, traditionally woven by men. Read More …
This aso-oke outfit was worn by the owner, Funmi, at her London wedding reception in 1995. Aso-oke, which translates as ‘top cloth’ or ‘high status cloth’ is a formal textile, traditionally woven by men. It is primarily made from cotton or silk, woven in long narrow strips which are sewn together and then tailored into Read More …