adinkra
Produced by the Asante peoples in Ghana, adinkra is a flat, cotton textile that is stamped with symbols which create the meaning of the garment.
Category: Africa
dashiki
A loose-fitting pullover tunic traditionally worn in West African cultures that was adopted by African diasporic communities as a symbol of African heritage in the 1960s and then more widely worn as a popular item of “ethnic” fashion.
bogolanfini
Bogolanfini (bogolan- meaning cloth; fini- meaning mud) is a cotton cloth made from strips of woven fabric, which are decorated with symbolic patterns using the mud-resist technique, sewn together at the selvage to create a fabric that is utilized during the main four stages of a West African Bamana woman’s life: puberty, marriage, motherhood, and death.
backstrap loom
The backstrap loom is a lightweight, mobile loom made of wood and a strap that is wrapped around the back. It only needed to be attached to a tree or a post for stability and to provide tension.
eye of Horus
The eye of Horus, or Wedjat eye, is an ancient Egyptian symbol that represents the eye of the falcon-headed god Horus and symbolizes healing and regeneration and was often worn for protection.
faience
Faience is a man-made ceramic material that was often used in ancient Egypt to make jewelry and devotional objects. It is usually a blue color.
raffia cloth
Raffia cloth is a type of textile woven from palm leaves and used for garments, bags and mats.
The Authentication of Chinese Culture in African Fashion
Since the mid-20th century, relations between Africa and China have grown stronger leading to a significant change in the mutual adaptation of fashion between both nations. A 21st century, Sino-African style has been formed by the intercultural meshing of traditional garments, textiles, and motifs.
pelete bite
Pelete bite is a fabric created by the Kalabari Ijo peoples of the Niger Delta region by cutting threads out of imported cloth to create motifs.
kente
Kente is a Ghanaian strip woven textile that has striped patterns and bright colors with corresponding meanings.
Akwete
Akwete is a decorative cloth with complex weave designs, creating intricate geometric patterns, made with many vibrant colors. It is usually made into wrappers for women to wear and it is made by the Igbo women of Nigeria.
labret
A labret is a type of lip-piercing worn by various cultures to indicate wealth, prosperity and beauty.
Recent Essays
15th century – Late Byzantine Silk Damask Dress and Taffeta TunicIn 15th century, Byzantine, garment analysis
The Fez and the Ottoman Path to ModernityIn 19th century, 20th century, thematic essays
1869 – Red Silk DressIn 1860-1869, 19th century, garment analysis
katazome (stencil printing)In 18th century, 19th century, ancient, Asia, K, P, S, term definition
1905 – André Derain, Lucien GilbertIn 1900-1909, 20th century, artwork analysis