The Social Fabric

In a recent conversation with a Ghanaian designer I was told Africans have two choices in what to wear – “either they go Western or they go African”. While West Africa has a long textiles tradition (including naturally dyed, woven, and hand-stamped textiles), ‘going African’ increasingly involves factory-produced African print.  Known as wax print, Dutch wax, imi wax, Java, or fancy, African print refers to cotton-based fabrics designed with bright colors, geometric patterns, indigenous symbols, or a variety of seemingly random motifs (like pineapples, chalk boards, trees, and laptops).

The print above includes a modified version of the Adinkra symbol 'Dwenini Mmen' - 'Ram's Horns'; a symbol of strength and humility. The print below is known as 'ABC and rims' -- a laptop rendition of the popular 'ABC' print, accompanied by spinning car rims. The message, presumably, is that studying has financial rewards.

 

In West Africa, print cloth is purchased by the yard and used to tailor everyday as well as special-occasion clothing – supporting a growing industry of manufacturers, traders, fashion designers, tailors and consumers. Interestingly, new print designs often come from Dutch or Ghanaian companies and, as soon as they hit the market, cheap imitations are ordered from factories in China. Cloth is a multimillion dollar global industry with companies and market women alike vying for consumer attention. 

Image from Dutch company, Vlisco, 2010 lookbook (illustrating print as fashion). 

Print worn and wrapped for everyday use.

Replete with meaning, African print cloth communicates all manner of social messages. A person wearing print can indicate wealth and status, as well as aesthetic preference and personal style. On a more functional level, African print is used in office and school uniforms to enhance decorum; selected for family functions to show solidarity; and deployed by politicians to win electoral allegiance.  Despite differences in style, cost and quality, the connecting thread between ‘African’ attire at most weddings, funerals, political rallies, and high fashion events is, increasingly, the use of African print.

As a vehicle for expressing style, enhancing feelings of belonging, and marking difference and distinction, African print has evolved, quite literally, into the social fabric.

Over the next couple of months I will be examining African print in Accra, Ghana. This blog is dedicated to documenting my journey and discoveries. I will focus on economic and cultural meanings of print – everything from the demands of fastidious fashionistas to the market-changing power of Chinese imports. Welcome on board, hope you enjoy the ride!