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 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 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 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 …
This indigo buba, iro and gele was bought by the owner, Rounke, in Nigeria in the late 1970s. She remembers wearing it to a party when she was a university student in the early 1980s. It is made from woven blue striped cotton fabric. A buba is a tailored blouse, customarily worn by Yoruba women Read More …
This is a Wodaabe woman’s wrapper. The intricate embroidered designs are crafted by women in abstract patterns.This example was collected in Burkina Faso. Collected as part of the ‘Fashioning Africa’ project. Creator: unknown Place: West Africa, Africa Date: unknown
This tunic is a young boy’s version of those worn by Wodaabe men during festivals. The intricate embroidered designs are crafted by women in abstract patterns.This example was collected in Burkina Faso. Collected as part of the Fashioning Africa project. Creator: unknown Place: West Africa, Africa Date: unknown
This tunic and goatskin wrapper would be worn by a Wodaabe man during the annual Gerewol festival, where men compete to be recognised for their beauty. The intricate embroidered designs are crafted by women in abstract patterns. This example was collected in Burkina Faso. Collected as part of the ‘Fashioning Africa’ project. Creator: unknown Place: Read More …
This Hausa indigo robe has been dyed with a concentrated indigo dye to give it a deep, dark blue colour and a glazed sheen. It was originally collected as a new, unworn piece in the 1970s from Northern Nigeria. The dye is so concentrated that it can still rub off on contact with other material. Read More …