Documenting changing fashion in Africa post-1960
This T shirt was created to promote political change in Kenya and demand a return to a democracy. Inspired by the events in South Africa at the time, the T shirt depicts Nelson and Winnie Mandela, and celebrates Mandela’s release from prison and the African National Congress Party (ANC). Underground activitists such as Zarina Patel Read More …
This T shirt was produced to mark the 10th anniversary of the campaign to save Jeevanjee Gardens, a public park in Nairobi. The Gardens were founded and donated to the people of Nairobi by Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee, an Indian born entrepreneur. When the park’s future was threatened with sale to developers in 1991, Jeevanjee’s descendents, Read More …
This men’s gbariye short tunic is made from aso-oke cloth. Aso-oke is narrow strip cloth woven by Yoruba men, and this type of cloth and tunic has a long and enduring history. It is similar in style and shape to garments like the batakari tunic worn in Ghana. The aso-oke is a classic design that Read More …
This two piece outfit belonged to American collector and fashion enthusiast Saundra Lang. She explains: “In the mid 80’s I spent about 6 months in West Africa primarily in Abidjan on a cultural adventure after taking a leave from my job. One of my friends recommended her tailor, M. Bah. He made many wonderful items Read More …
This outfit, which also includes a matching belt and headwrap, belonged to Saundra Lang, an African American woman who has regularly visited West Africa since the 1970s. The blouse features hand-stitched smocking around the neckline which gives it a sculptural, three dimensional shape. Saundra recalls: “I love this outfit. I was walking in the Plateau(downtown Read More …
This two piece outfit is made from white cotton with a hand-dyed indigo tie-dyed design. It was made by designer Ainé Pathé Ouédraogo for his label Pathé’O. Born in Burkina Faso, Ouédraogo went on to set up his popular label in Abidjan in the 1970s. He subsequently became prominent in the 1990s when he began Read More …
This suit belonged to African American fashion enthusiast Saundra Lang, who purchased it from an Ivorian friend living in Los Angeles. This demonstrates the enduring popularity of wax print fabric (also called Dutch wax or ankara) across the African diaspora. As Saundra explains: ‘[My friend] commissioned a tailor in Abidjan to make several items of Read More …
This wax print dress is actually a matching top and skirt. The outfit was made for African American collector Saundra Lang by a tailor based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Saundra spent several months in and around Abidjan in the 1980s, and remembers: ‘One of my friends recommended her tailor, M. Bah. He made many wonderful Read More …
This woman’s boubou style top and skirt outfit belonged to Saundra Lang, an African American collector and fashion enthusiast. Saundra collected fashion during her many trips to West Africa, and bought this outfit in Dakar, Senegal, a city that has become a global fashion capital. She recalls: ‘At the time, shorter boubous were in fashion Read More …
This woman’s boubou gown was made by Jean Kablan, a popular designer based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in the 1970s. It forms part of a capsule collection of outfits and accessories that African American collector and fashion enthusiast Saundra Lang aquired on various trips to West Africa, which the museum collected as part of the Read More …