African Fashions

I found this picture online at Optimum Media and I am really amazed at how these ladies rocked the vibrant African prints – a classic print overload that works!  It was a feature on African Fashion designs and how these garments can be availed online. I find it really impressive as it is very difficult to pull off different prints all at the same time. But look at them have fun with all these prints! And have your noticed the shoes and the accessories? Wow! It is an ambitious parade of colors, prints, and patterns.  Being a savvy on arts and prints, this is one image that is utterly a captivating African Fashion – a get-up that is perfect for the breezy months of spring and the balmy weather of summer where you can stand out and rock the prints.  African prints can come in different designs ranging from wax prints, kente prints, gold prints, and the list goes on. The ladies in the picture are using the African wax print fabrics, so I want to delve more on that. 

Historically, African wax printed fabrics can be traced back to the batik wax-resist textiles from Indonesia in the 1800’s and it evolved throughout Africa mainly by the Dutch traders.  With its uniqueness and versatility, it has captured the African interest since it is a fabric that is suitable for the African weather and culture. Through time African prints has emerged to be of refined quality with may customizations and has since then reflected the true African heritage and traditions. These prints represent many events and stories as well as reflecting the beautiful facets of Africa like their landscapes, flora, and fauna.  These fabrics are widely found and created in Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria.

Most African wax printed cloth is made by using a mechanical resist called batik during the cloth dying process.   The prints are created by printing the patterns in wax on the cloth and before dyeing the fabric.  The wax is spread and broken off by the machine.  Varying patterns may require the fabric to be printed many times over until the desired design is attained.

Remember, these prints might look good on the ladies above, but you have to be careful in the mix and match of colors and patterns… So have fun with those prints and show me how you rock them…