The African continent is known for its creativity and artistic prowess in fashion. An important part of our much coveted fashion expertise are the age-old fabrics that have brought to life our styles. These fabrics have been adorning the bodies of Africans since the time of our forefathers. Much to our chagrin, time and distance hasn’t let most of these fabrics become common outside their local area or has popular as we would have a foreign wear all over the continent
Here are two Artistc African fabrics you should know and look forward to making beautiful styles out.
Mali Mud Clothe (Bogolanfini)
Mali is known for being the home of the once richest man in the world, Mansa Mus, and the University of Timbuktu. Another note worthy Malian accomplishment is the Bogolanfini fabric handwoven and later dyed with dye bath made of leaves from a tree called n’gallama tree , hich turns the once white fabric, yellow. A surprise element is mud. Mud! The mud is used to highlight the intricate motifs painted with a piece of metal or wood on yellow fabric. The Bogolanfini motif is one of Mali’s biggest eexportsand is found on not just clothing but furniture’s, mugs, curtains, towels, sheets, books.
Adinkra
If you love hidden meanings, ancient wisdom and symbols then you will love the Adinkra fabric of the Asante people of Ghana. This beautiful fabric is made of cotton or wool fabrics and embellished with ancient symbols that reference proverbs, animals, events and nature. Another special design on the Adinkra are squares; Adinkra fabrics are divided into squares with each square containing a symbol or group of symbols. The squares are drawn and the symbols are stamped with a black dye made of bark and calabash gourds carved in the shape of the symbols. These symbol can mean peace or love or intellect. How spectacular! Asante forefathers weren’t joking around with their creativity.
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