Category: FASHION

The history of the Ghanaian fashion is still traceable to the period before colonisation. It is worthy of note that the West African country boosts of some of the best fashion in the entire region. In fact, it is in the Ashanti region in Ghana in a village known as Bonwire that the prestigious Ghanaian fabric was discovered. Kente was the most and probably still is one of the most famous of all the African textile cloths. Kente means woven cloth. It was used for beauty adornment and was the perfect choice for kings and chieftains. In modern times, the kente wear is still being used for festivals and other traditional occasions.

The Ghanaian fashion has not always been the way it is today. Kente was the original traditional wear of the Ghanaian people. It was worn on special traditional functions which is why the different colors of the Kente have different meanings even today. In fact, it is believed that the entire Subsaharan fashion owes its progress and development to Ghana. The first aspects of cloth making, though traditional was done in an Ashanti village known as Bonwire. The residents of the village were introduced to the idea of producing the Kente wear which rose to become one of the most notable African cloths. The kente cloth got its name from the term Kenten which means basket. The indigenous Ashanti people referred to the Kente cloth as Nwentoma which means a cloth that is woven. The special cloth was reserved for chiefs and kings. Today, it is still used for special occasions.

Ghanaians take a special interest in their dressing and overall grooming. This is probably why their is a lot of creativity in the fashion industry because there is always high demand for something new and fresh. Ghanaians need something cool for the wedding they plan to attend or a great outfit to impress friends on their weekend retreat. Regardless of what the motivation is, finding the right attire is an absolute must. While this may be easy today, it wasn’t as easy as it is now. Taking a look at the history and evolution of fashion in Ghana unveils these facts.

The beginning of the 20th century influenced a lot change in the fashion industry. These changes led to the expansion in production which in turn led to the spread of the Kente to many parts of the country.With increasing demand, designers sought easier ways to produce unique Kente cloth that would be affordable as opposed to the woven cloth that was reserved for the affluent because it was expensive. The current fashion industry began to form in early 2000 when imported fabric from Holland was used to make unique wear. As more people demanded for these unique products, there was increased production which made the designers even more popular that hey became celebrities.

The government embraced the growth in the industry and introduced National Friday wear as means of promoting the African wear. This increased the market base and encouraged more designers to join the industry. Over the years the industry has grown to what it is today. The action of the government is quite commendable and worthy of emulation. The government is responsible for making polices that will promote the culture and tradition of the state. The government policy will also highlight and present the people’s culture to foreigners in a formal way. Therefore giving the policy a good sense of formality and reverence.

The Ghanaian smock in one of the African traditional wears well appreciated in Ghana. The Ghanaian smock is made from the gonja cloth. The attire have been in existence for as long as the Ghanaian fashion has existed. Smocks are thick and striped cotton made fabrics. This fabric has its origin in Northern Ghana. The cotton is picked, then dyed and carefully dried. The pattern for this cloth is black/blue strips with white interchanging strips. This traditional Ghanaian African wear resembles a shirt and is often worn by men. Modernity has however seen women adopting the smock for functions as well. The Ghanaian smock is also often referred to as dansika, fugu, batakari or gonja cloth. The creativity of the African fashion is really a great pride; varying from the beautiful colour combination and quality of the material to the end product of the style intended by the designer. The African beauty is indeed beautiful!

Amidst some cultures in southwestern and Northern part of Nigeria, Agbada is a profound male attire. The name ‘agbada is adopted by the Yorubas located in southwest Nigeria while other regions have their unique names. It is a four-piece attire also worn among the Republic of Benin, West Africa. It consists of a large, free-flowing outer robe. It is worn on top of inner top attire with a pair of long trousers (sokoto) which is always accompanied by a cap (fìla).

Agbada is a big, loose-fitting, ankle-length garment which has a rectangular centerpiece, flanked by wide sleeves. The centerpiece which is usually covered front and back with elaborate embroidery has a neck hole (orun) and big pocket (apo) on the side. Depending on the individual’s financial capacity and preference, the density and extent of the embroidery vary considerably. The length of the agbada also vary : some prefer a full length attire while the contemporary styles are mostly dominated by ankle length attires.

There are two major types of agbada among the Yoruba, namely the casual (agbada iwole) and ceremonial (agbada amurode). Commonly called Sulia or Sapara, the casual agbada is smaller, less voluminous, and often made of light, plain cotton. The Sapara came into being in the 1920s and is named after a Yoruba medical practitioner, Dr. Oguntola Sapara, who felt uncomfortable in the traditional agbada. He therefore asked his tailor not only to reduce the volume and length of his agbada, but also to make it from imported, lightweight cotton. The ceremonial agbada, on the other hand, is bigger, more ornate, and frequently fashioned from expensive and heavier materials.

Beneath the agbada is the undervest called buba by the yorubas. Bubas may either be in form of a loose round-neck shirt with elbow-length or long sleeves or dansiki, a loose, round-neck, sleeveless smock. This is accompanied by the Yoruba trousers, all of which have a drawstring for securing them around the waist. The trousers also come in a variety of shapes and lengths. The two most common trousers for the agbada are sooro, a close-fitting, ankle-length, and narrow-bottomed piece; and kembe, a loose, wide-bottomed one that reaches slightly below the knee, but not as far as the ankle. However, the contemporary trousers are more fitted and of latest fashion.

Different types of caps are worn to complement the agbada of which the most popular is gobi. It is cylindrical in shape which is about ten inches long. When worn, it may be compressed and shaped forward, sideways, or backward. Another very popular style cap is ‘abeti aja’ which literally means “the dog-eared one,” It has a crestlike shape and derives its name from its hanging flaps that may be used to cover the ears in cold weather. Otherwise, the two flaps are turned upward in normal wear. The labankada is a bigger version of the abetiaja, and is worn in such a way as to unveil the contrasting color of the cloth used as underlay for the flaps. Some fashionable men may add an accessory to the agbada outfit in the form of a wraparound (ibora).

The largest and most elaborately embroidered is called agbada nla or girike. The most valued fabric for the ceremonial agbada is the traditionally woven cloth popularly called aso ofi (narrow-band weave) or aso oke (northern weave). The term aso oke reflects the fact that the Oyo Yoruba of the grassland to the north introduced this type of fabric to the southern Yoruba. It also hints at the close cultural interaction between the Oyo and their northern neighbors, the Nupe, Hausa, and Fulani from whom the former adopted certain dresses and musical instruments.

Today, Agbada has gained much popularity as a fashionable attire among wide classes of people in West Africa, the African diaspora, and very recently, even among Bantu people in East, Southern and Central Africa. Although It is popularly worn by the Yoruba race in Nigeria, it is not exclusive to the Yoruba, being found in other parts of Africa as well. It is known as mbubb (French, boubou) among the Wolof of Senegambia and as riga among the Hausa and Fulani of the West African savannah from whom the Yoruba adopted it. The general consensus among scholars is that the attire originated in the Middle East and was introduced to Africa by the Berber and Arab merchants from the Maghreb (the Mediterranean coast) and the desert Tuaregs during the trans-Saharan trade that began in the pre-Christian era and lasted until the late nineteenth century.

Zimbabweans prefer to wear colorful dresses. Wraparounds and headdresses are quite popular garments among the women. For men, a breastplate made from animal skin is very popular. The elderly people of the country are known to wear the traditional native dress, which forms the basis of Zimbabwe Clothing. The tribal clothes of the people of the country include a headdress that is meant to cover the head. Headdresses are worn by both men and women. The national dress of the country is a wraparound cloth, head wrap, and earrings and necklaces. The traditional Zimbabwe Clothing is worn on some special occasions like the Independence Day or Hero’s Day.

For the female Zimbabweans, it is believed that the traditional dresses for the women of the country are decked up with beautiful beads. Large sized ornaments form integral part of the traditional clothing of the women. For rituals and ceremonies, Ndebele men wear ornaments(Iporiyana) made for them by their wives.  This is made of animal skin. The animal skin that is used to make Iporiyana differs among tribes. The skin of hyena and civet is commonly used.

However, most of the people of the republic do not wear the traditional Zimbabwe Clothing any more. The modern style clothes have long been adopted by the Zimbabweans. They put on European and western apparels freely. The young generation wears casual T-shirts, jeans, and shorts.

Women take great pride in their dress. Their traditional dress is colourful and bright and is decorated with a lot of beautiful bead work. A woman’s traditional dress shows her age and status in the community. Isn’t that interesting? You’re addressed as you are dressed. A married woman traditionally wears a blanket over her shoulders with a lot of thick beaded hoops of twisted grass, called “isigolwani” around her neck and legs. She also wears copper and brass rings or “Idzilla” around her arms, neck and legs. The blanket or “nguba” is usually one with stripes of green, red, blue, yellow and brown. So colourful!

Married women also wear some form of head covering as a sign of respect for their husbands. These range from a beaded headband or a knitted cap to fancy beaded headdresses called “amacubi”.
Little girls wear beaded aprons or beaded skirts, while older girls who undergo initiation wear many thick “isigolwani” around their necks, arms, legs and waist. They also wear “isiphephetu”, a beaded apron given to them by their mothers as a symbol of entering into womanhood.

For the men, the main part of the male attires of Zimbabwe is the breastplate, which is also known as “Iporiyana”. It is worn around the neck. Men also wear animal skin head bands and ankle bands. To keep warm, they wear an animal skin ‘“karos” around their shoulders. Animal skin traditionally played an important role in men’s dress because each Ndebele group is associated with a different animal.

The “iporiyana” is a symbol of manhood and is given to a young boy by his father after he has undergone initiation. Ndebele men also wear animal skin head bands and ankle bands. To keep warm, they wear an animal skin ‘“karos” around their shoulders. The appearance of Zimbabweans in their traditional attire is definitely a detailed, colourful and amazing one. The African beauty is indeed unique in itself!

In the hands of Mother Africa lies the origin/inception of humanity. Africa, a unique artwork of ecosystems that make up a diverse cultural landscape. Africa is a complex social and historical entity where the fashion is just as deep and colorful as the continent itself. There are many histories in which traditions of a given locality have become engaged and intertwined with form and fabric introduced from elsewhere. Fashion has always been a global language; a medium by which Africa’s diversity chooses to speak to the world.

Contrary to popular belief, some of the world’s greatest empires originated in Africa. Therefore, it should be no surprise that a colorful world of fashion coincides with such a rich history. The evolution of African clothing is difficult to trace because of the lack of historical evidence. Every textile expresses the individuality of a place uniquely; taking the people on a journey through the fascinating history of the Motherland through the clothing of their ancestors. Here is a few of the textile works.

Adire Cloth: The original Tie & Dye
Adire textile is a resist-dyed cloth originating from the Yoruba people of southwest Nigeria. Scholarly opinions hold that the origin of Adire is unknown, but is believed to have been in production as early as the 12th century. Adire translates as tie and dye in the Yoruba language; the technique was first applied to indigo-dyed cloth decorated with resist-patterns. The symbols represented on the cloth created and standardized aspects of the people’s culture, drawn from history, legends, myths, proverbs, folklores, and deep observation of their environment.

The particular ethical/regional traditions of the Adire cloth were characterized by special weaving techniques. Motifs of Adire are taught by mothers to daughters within dyeing families from generation to generation. During the 20th century, local tastes began to prefer the Kampala technique; a multi-colored wax-resist cloth, which eventually signaled the decline of the Adire’s popularity. However, there has been a recent revival of the Adire art by Nigerian designers such as Maki-Oh and Doru Olowo.

Adinkra and Kente cloth: These are Royal wears from Ghana
The Ashanti Empire was a pre-colonial African state that emerged in the 17th century. The Ashanti are especially known for two types of cloth: printed Adinkra and woven Kente. The visual presentations printed on the fabrics represent various political messages communicated by colors, symbols, and how the fashion is worn. Adinkra means farewell and was originally worn during funeral ceremonies. Black designs were stamped onto black or russet colored fabric with particular colors used for mourning: Brown – Kuntukuni, Red – Kobene, Black – Brisi. The cloth, originally made from Cassava tubers, is now made out of Calabash rinds. The Adinkra fabric served initially as the exclusive property of the King or Asantehene. The cloth now worn by all is still constantly adapting to economic conditions and fashions.

The Kente cloth was worn on ceremonial and festive occasions during the mid-19th century. Kente is composed of narrow strips of hand weaved material sewn together to form a rectangle. The cloth, predominantly woven by men, is double-sided with the design wove into the cloth. Kente cloth was a way to identify a person’s origin and status. The colorful motifs are named and communicate messages to those who are able to read them: Gold – wealth, Yellow – vitality, Green – renewal, Blue – spiritual purity.

In Ancient times the royal family could only utilize gold colored Kente. However, to this day no Ashanti will wear the royal cloth in the Asantehene’s presence. The King is always expected to have the best collection of Kente and Adinkra in the world, from which to choose. The Asante and Ewe traditions create forms of Kente that are impossible to replicate. Awesome!

It is worthy to stress the importance and beauty of the fact that different colours bear different and significant meanings. Some of these colours are identified with the royal family and for specific occasions. This highlights the importance and reverence the African people accord to their royal leaders, giving honour to who honour is due.