R6087/5 Textile strip; Aso-oke

Aso-oke fabric strip. Beige with central vertical stripe of yellow with black and white on either side.

Aso-oke strip (Museum Accession Number R6087/5)

This strip of aso-oke fabric was collected by dress historian and Fashioning Africa collecting panel member Lou Taylor in the 1970s. Aso-oke translates as ‘top cloth’ or ‘high status cloth’. It is a formal cloth that is traditionally handwoven by the men of southwestern Nigeria using a narrow strip loom. It is primarily made from silk and cotton and comes in thin strips that are then sewn together. Aso-oke remains poplular with people in Nigeria and in diaspora. Collected as part of the Fashioning Africa project.

Creator: unknown

Place: Oyo State, Nigeria, West Africa, Africa

Date: 1972