Documenting changing fashion in Africa post-1960
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 …
These trousers belonged to Saundra Lang, an African American fashion enthusiast who spent time in West Africa from the 1970s onwards. Saundra bought these trousers during her first trip to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in 1971, from a local tailor. The pattern represents cowrie shells as well as abstract geometric designs. The design was created by Read More …