African Fashions

Embellishing Reality

Even the simplest of fabric can transform into a ravishing wonder with some accents. Sublime designs and intricate embroideries of African fashion have attracted a number of fashion savvies worldwide to create their own versions of embellishing realities.  Every designer wants to snatch the limelight and put people's focus on his creations.  It is of no surprise that they would always work for glamour without overbearance, and elegance without nimiety.   

 Dyeing

Most widely used technique of embellishing woven cloth is through the African art of dyeing using indigo or other dye colors made of local vegetable and mineral sources.  Nowadays, industrially produced dies are used for mass production.  One technique of creating patterns is resist dyeing.  This can be done by tying, stitching, or painting with starch to create the patterns.  Popular forms known today are batik and tie-dye.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the art of forming designs and decorating woven cloth using the hands or machine needle work.  Embroidery is famous in the savanna stretch of West Africa and the Congo region.  Historically, men of the Hausa and Nupe areas create embroidery patterns to the wide sleeved gowns.  The Kuba women create embroidery to the raffia cloth woven in geometric patterns and sometimes dyed.  Nowadays, sewing machines or embroidery machines are used to create the patterns and designs on the textile. Embroidery innovations have also integrated the use of various materials like pearls, crystals, beads, sequins, quills, and metal strips.

Applique

Applique is the art of decorating cloth by sewing one material over the other, usually of contrasting colors.  It has a unique effect of highlighting colors and emphasizing borders.   This technique was widely used in the south of the Sahara and the Nile mostly for flags, banners and tent hangings.  This technique us widely used by the people of the Cameroon grasslands, Yoruba, and Kuba.

 Without a doubt, African fashion is an embodiment of embellishing reality.  Inspired by the artistry of Africa comes the various conceptions of well decorated and adorned apparels.  Effective use of the embellishing techniques can always bring fashion to a new level of exuberance.  To know the latest in African fashion you can refer to http://www.afrawear.com or http://www.facebook.com/african.clothes.