Sunday, July 22, 2012
Unique Features of African Clothing Designs
These days, African clothing designs are in outstanding
demand since they are tremendously exclusive. Although Africans had their
individual way of putting on clothes for over than 75000 years, the earth has
just lately respected the true attractiveness of African clothing. The
magnificently crafted and designed clothing will represent your personality and
at the same time stamp your individuality. When you put on normal clothing like everybody
else you won’t be highlighted; but while you will put on African clothing
designs, then people will be attracted as well as take notice. Moreover, there
is a precise amount of charisma to these African clothing designs.
These African dresses are indeed beautiful and
unique since all African clothes designs are generated from the best fabrics
from Africa. In fact, they are made by 100 percent cotton fabrics as well as
they let your skin to take breaths. You are quite capable to put on African
clothes throughout all weathers. The
important aspect of African clothes designs is its print as well as design. No
one can refute its exclusivity and all African clothing designs will show the
society and local traditions pertaining to that region. The prints of African
clothes designs are extremely big and they imply the tradition of the precise
people that makes these cloths. Every tribe takes lots of time as well as
energy to craft these clothes.
The usual African clothing designs with emblematic
prints are indeed special as well as wonderful. Most of the traditions utilize
the cobalt plant to dye the fabrics. Moreover, they utilize the mud of the pool
to color the mud fabric. Since the Africans utilize just organic colors on
their fabrics they will last evermore. Lots of women put on kaftans since they
are very relaxed and thus simple to wear as well as take away. They utilize
earthy tones to make that unique patterning. Generally these tones will be diverse
hues of orange as well as red.
You will be surprised by how many erratic
designs they are able to make on a particular fabric. And this is one of the
most familiar African clothing designs which you are quite capable to purchase
in the market. However, the largest advantages of African clothing designs are
that you do not need to wash down them after every wear. Just for instance, you
are quite capable to purchase stylish African clothing designs that made from
Aso oke as well as these have to be washed down just after 3 or 4 uses. So you
don’t need to spend your time washing down the dresses.
Labels:
African Clothing,
African Dresses,
African textile
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The Trendy and Stylish African Clothing for Women
When you are planning to find some trendy and
fashionable African attire for women, then you need to consider lots of things
like your skin tone, eyes, hair color, stature, and figure. In fact, these are
all very significant issues. Having African clothes to put on for any event is
a outstanding plan. Moreover, they are not extremely costly, as well. You are
quite capable to purchase African attire for women by lots of online stores.
You will be amazed by the amount of opportunities offered there since you will
get lots of African clothes there. Do
you like to wear the dresses that adorned with beautiful and gorgeous lace? If
so, then there is good news for you. There is some gorgeous African attire for
the women adorned with gorgeous lace.
You may know that the African people are
extremely particular regarding the lace that they utilize and you will get the
voile lace in all the stylish African clothing for women. You should know that they
exploit the thinnest cotton to craft this lace as well as it contributes to its
eye-catching loveliness. The base that they utilize for African attire for
women is 100 percent cotton, as well. It will not get smaller or lose its
quality even if you do machine wash. Furthermore, they take a wonderful deal of
concern to craft the lace as well as maintain its beautiful color as well as texture.
These lovely laces on the African clothing for women will stay evermore and
devoid of any alterations in their size or shape. You will find these laces in
all the African clothing for women.
Mainly, you will get it in the traditional Iro
and Bubo, but the African people apply it on other costumes, as well. People in
the nobility used to put on these laces long ago. However, now you will find it
in lots of African attire for women. Costumes made from Western Africa include
additional lace than in other costumes made from other portions of Africa.
Moreover, you will be surprised at the variation of the colors in this African
dress. The rich, exciting colors as well as the sophisticated stitching are all
features of African attire. Most of the renowned materials applied for crafting
African attire are kente cloth, Aso oke, Adire, mud cloth and so more. These costumes
are made with different tribes living in Africa.
Labels:
Africa Fashion,
African Clothes,
African Women
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Friday, July 20, 2012
Ethical fashion now in Africa
Some term it
as Eco-fashion, while others call it Ethical fashion, whichever way, the main
point is that they talk about the social and environmental conscious fashion.
In 2000, a
report was released that the world’s consumers spent 1 trillion dollars buying clothing outfits. This shows that fashion
world has some power on the economic, political, social and environmental
sectors. Though eco-fashion industry in Africa is still in its infancy, it will
be great to see more of the African
fashion manufacturers and designers start using sustainable processes and materials.
We might go a level higher an overlook the issue and say- clothing is clothing
and fashion is fashion, but is there ay difference? Maybe when you realize that
the beautiful bag you bought recently was made after an animal was streamed
alive, you will understand things better. Ethical fashion is one way of the
many we (consumers) can use in reducing poverty while improving the environment
and make world a better and safer place.
Ethical fashion-definition
According to
EFF-ethical fashion forum, ethical fashion describes the design, retail,
production and retailing of items. It covers range of issues such as pay and
working conditions, sustainable production, fair trade, environment and animal
welfare and such. Ethical fashion in Africa is aiming to address various
problems such as environmental damage, animal cruelty, waste, exploitative forced
labor, use of dangerous chemicals. In a bit to make consumers updates of how
such outfits are produced,
manufacturing partners through ethical brands such as ASOS Africa and SOKO
Kenya offers traceability and transparency.
An eye on Africa
From
research, mostly from the international brands that make use of plethora of raw
resources we have in the fashion scene,
you should realize that most African
designers don’t use these raw materials,
and instead prefers buying, cutting and sewing the materials.
More ethical
industrialists and designers have recognized that organic cotton can be used as
a sustainable alternative. Organic cotton helps in cutting cost, eliminating
need for harmful and expensive chemicals and demand for higher price which in
addition helps in reducing poverty. Scualternatives can be tapped to get more
ethical African fashion practices.
Labels:
African Fashions,
Clothing,
Outfits
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
Dakar becomes the Capital of Franco-African fashion
It may not have all the
allure of New York or Paris but Dakar is quickly making its name as a force to
be reckoned with in fashion stakes.
The recent 10th
annual Fashion week in Dakar attracted an international audience to showcase
what they got in terms of African collections. It is a decade since Senegalese
designer Adama Ndiaye unveiled first show. The city has now earned itself a unique
title-Capital of Franco African Fashion.
This is a very important
milestone for this country and everyone who is an associate of high-end African
fashion.
Helen Jennings, fashion
analysts says that 2012 event was attended by the godfathers of the African fashion who cemented the Dakar’s reputation.
Jennings who is also the
editor of Arise, A London-based fashion magazine that campaigns for the African
fashion, pointed the important difference between English and French inspired
fashion in Africa.
“The Anglophone Africa is
more westernized on the whole and hence gets more attention from the
international community, while Francophone designs, though still contemporary,
veer towards more traditional styles, especially the North African kaftans and
Senegalese Boubou.”
If you are an African
fashion enthusiast, you understand well that this must be a refreshing change
to see such influences on the catwalk. It also helps the same collection to
have a placer in international markets.
However, Jennings added that
Dakar was not the capital of African fashion. There are other capitals such as
Nigeria and South Africa which are the host of Arise Fashion magazine and
Africa fashion week runners respectively.
It’s very interesting to see
how growth has taken place in the African fashion industry in the recent
past. In fact it as become a wider economic boom on this continent, as Jennings
says.
While Africa was previously
seen as a source of anthropological inspiration for international brands only,
the homegrown talents are now standing up to be counted too and riding wave of interest
in Africa’s cultural and economic ascension.
Labels:
African fashion,
African Fashions
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
African print in fashion-a word with Akua Berko
MABM (Maa Akua Berko-Mensah)
is a clothing label for all women of any shape and size. MABM was founded in
2011, as Berko tells us. Responding to the inquiry of how heritage influences
or inspires his design, Berko says “as a Ghanaian born and raised, my culture
and upbringing has the largest influence on what I design. Hence I use the
African prints.”
APiF: if your label was a
person, what kind of a person would it be?
Berko: that person would be
an optimistic woman with character and dreams.
ApiF: what is your favorite
closet piece in your collection and why?
Berko: I have a couple of pieces
which I adore. Ine is the Limelight from my new collection. I love it because
of its uniqueness and combination of the African Print and pastel cotton
fabric. Apart from that, it works well with it. It’s a pencil skirt and peplum
top.
People need to get fashion
collections easily and with comfort, at least. How do you market your design
and make them accessible to your audience out there?
Berko: I currently have a
Facebook page and a website which I use to showcase and carry some of my
ready-to-wear pieces.
Berko: my advice is that no
one should bring you down. Have less room for obstacles and rather focus on
your dreams and aspirations. It may not be easy, but as long as you have the
capability to place yourself in a position of making it, no matter what, you
will still make it.
ApiF: plans for this year?
Yeah, this year is great for
us to move higher. We have a major show-Africa Fashion Week New York expected
to take place on 13th July, where we shall be showcasing our new
outfits and collections. In September, we shall also take part in a major show
in Las Vegas Ankara Festival and some of our collections will be available for
sale.
Labels:
Africa Fashion,
African Fashions,
Fashion
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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
African fashion taking over London
Flowing unprecedented
success of last years event, AWFL (Africa Fashion Week London) has now
relocated to London Spitalfields, the recent winners of Best New Open Space
award. 2012 event is scheduled to take place from the August 3rd-4th
and is set to be bigger and better with larger venue, tons of exhibitors and fashion
designers. It will also be featuring catwalks showcasing designs from the
casual wear to elegant evening outfits, garments and accessories too.
AFWL is a teamed up exhibition
which highlights the fashion industry premier, African designers and prints.
It’s the first large event to showcase in UK and non-UK based seasons and
emerging fashion designers from Africa. This event is open to all
fashion designers from all nationalities who are inspired by the Africans
designs. The glowing press reviews and high attendance in last years event have
boosted the AFWL profile top captivate winder audience come this years event.
Last year’s show debuted
with an impressive turn-out of over 4,000 attendees. The two day extravaganza
created unparallel platform for more than 50 international designers to
showcase their fashion collections. With the Olympics this year, its estimate4d
that 7 Million London visitors are setting into the capital, with every one
from every corner of the world focusing on what London has to offer.
AWFL is now at the front of
capturing the surge of African inspired trends in fashion industry and
time has come to highlight Africa as a front runner in international fashion
community. This years event is hoped to each a higher magnitude. Be promoting African outfits globally, AWFL is hoping to integrate
different African countries into the fashion industry and contribute to
reducing the rate of poverty by developing fashion and textile industry, says Ronke
Ademiluyi AWFL CEO.
With a capacity of above
10,000 visitors, Spitalfields is seen as the perfect location for the 2-day
fashion display.
Labels:
African fashion,
Fashion Designers
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Monday, July 16, 2012
African fashion in new shape
The days when settling on a
skirt that was too baggy around the waist because it fits around the hips may
be facing an edge for many African women. Thanks to mother-and-son team who are
cracking a sizing system that is conforming to the black women unique contours.
“The shape of the clothing
in the shop doesn’t solidify, compared with the shape of An African woman”
Fikile Nxedlana says over the phone from Vunula fashion workshop (Her House) in
Durban.
Ask most of the African about
fashion and they will tell you,
from a mother of sixty, that since they were teenagers, if they are lucky to
get an outfit that was fitting, that would either be a fitting top but
unfitting bottom. Either it’s too baggy or stands out at the back such that you
can never find pants. Jamal Nxedlana agrees with this wholeheartedly “the
problem is usually the hip-to-waist ratio”.
Western patterns have no
room for natural hourglass figure. Facing facts, women have more dramatic
curves than what the stores suggests.
It’s through such things
that young fashionista, styled with the likes of Loyiso Bala and Spoke
Mathambo, and his traditional mother have teamed to create new label called the
misshape. The label was instantly aimed at the young professionals, boasting
chic silhouette courtesy of Jamal and new sizing system, a basic reality of the
African measurement, developed by Fikile.
“I
would buy clothes and change them” discloses Fikile. “Soon
I was modifying all my friends’ outfits. I then took a design course and
started to make clothes. That is what inspired me to push Jamal and let people
know that there is a market here. In trying to correct the patterns, I came up
with new ways of working things out.”
Fikile
creates the look while the mother creates the pattern. He chooses the fabric
while she produces the outfits at her factory. It’s the same place that she trains
the unemployed women to help them make a living out of fashion.
Labels:
African fashion,
Fashion,
outfit
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African fashion finds home in Dakar
Dakar fashion week last
month celebrated its 10 years with biggest lineup yet. Organizers of the event
aimed to reach the heights of fashion weeks in New York and Paris while maintaining
African. High fashion is not as new
thing in Africa. According to Adama Ndiaye “the fashion had its own special
quality.”
“We do one by one. We do not
send it to the factory because we lack a big factory. This is a thing we’ve
been doing forever.” Continues Ndiaye. However, like any other industry in the continent,
African fashion is still developing.
To assist in make some
milestones, Ndiaye started the Dakar Fashion Week. Ten years along, the event
has drawn attention of industry notables from different parts of Africa and the
entire world as well.
Originally, Marcial Tapolo
from Cameroon came from Paris to participate for a 2nd time. “Its
like one of those high-class shows she’s trying to do a very sophisticated and
rare fashion show in Africa.” Puts Marcial.
Despite the presence of
international designers, most of the talent is local, in deliberate
effort to showcase models and designers from Senegal. Arame Sarr is another person
who has been attending both the Paris and New York fashion weeks, but in her view,
“I prefer this one because I myself am a Senegalese. So for me, its one of the
best because we can show to everyone in this world that fashion is great in
Africa and it began here.”
Everybody should understand
that fashion is not for people who can afford it. Fashion is like music, it’s like
painting. Fashion makes you feel good and it’s the same here in Dakar” Diaye
says.
In the marketing of 10th
year and confront the exclusivity frequently found in the fashion industry, the
first show of the week was open to the public thousands of people came to the
middle of Dakar to view different African fashion
collections.
Since it’s entirely
self-sustaining, the fashion week is a net boost to the economy of Senegal and
fashion scene as well.
Labels:
African fashion
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Sunday, July 8, 2012
Wearing African Clothes
Wearing African clothes is very prestigious to the black
people of Africa and America. Most of the clothes that African and African American
people wear are vibrantly colored and nicely designed. However, it is to admit
in some countries where black people reside, there has been a replacement of
these traditional clothes by European dresses. This is a big question if the
other parts of the world where black people reside are going to adopt these
western dresses casting away the thousand year old African clothes. However, in
the northern part of Africa (Egypt for one) the conventional pinkish thongs
worn by women there are basically influenced by the Middle Eastern culture and
it will be obvious to you when you see the embroidered Jellabiya dresses. But the
northwestern part of Africa is actually less influenced by the western culture
and is still contented with antiquity. The very common and popular African clothe
Djellaba has the same properties as the Dashiki, the Grand Boubou and the
Kaftans.
Within Sahelian African continent, the actual Dashiki,
Senegalese kaftan, and also the Grand boubou tend to be worn much more
prominently, although not solely. The Dashiki is actually highly stylized and
it is rendered by having an ornate V-shaped collar. In comparison with that, the
Great Boubou is very simple, even much more than the actual Djellaba, although
the color styles reach amazing proportions, especially one of the Tuareg, who
are recognized for their superbly dyed indigo robes. The great majority of
fabric produced within the African continent in the centuries had been simple
designs made by combining the actual natural whitened (as well as sometimes
beige) of the cotton fibers with stripes of numerous shades of indigo azure.
Depending upon the relative density of the warp as well as weft posts, the
ensuing cloths might have stripes down to the strip- warp faced-or over the
strip –weft faced. They mainly wore the skin of the pet and a few times wove
the actual fur right into a piece of clothing. You should remember a few things
when you are planning on wearing African clothes. For example, putting on
African clothes having socks in your feet has a tendency to expose a person and
make you a beginner in your dressing design. You can all kinds of fashionable African
clothes at www.afrawear.com
Labels:
African Clothes,
African dress styles,
African fashion
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Saturday, July 7, 2012
The Art of African Fashion
There are so many women who have already figured out how to
master the art of African fashion. However, I have seen a lot of women who are
still trying to figure this out and they keep worrying about how to look
beautiful in African dresses. There are actually no exceptions to looking beautiful
everyday in whatever dresses you wear. All women do want to look beautiful wearing
the perfect African dresses for them. As children, many women were dressed up
by their parents. As teens, you probably just followed the style. But when you
are adult, the alternatives are ceaseless for the reason that options are
generally so substantial, how could you possibly go to your individual method?
In fact, pretty much like the same way as you often find your one real love
after dating a dozens of people, you can fall in love with a dozens of pairs of
shoes at a single shop by yourself. And you will also be astonished by the play
of colors throughout these African dresses and accessories for females. The
prosperous, vibrant colors plus the elaborate embroidery are common hallmarks
involving African clothes for females. Some of the extremely famous fabrics
used by making African attire for females are Aso oke, kente towel, mud towel,
Adire and the like. These clothes are produced by distinct tribes residing in
Africa and perhaps they are all side woven with a great deal of love along with
care.
Now, the excellent conclusion for many would always be to appoint a private shopper and leave your decision-making to expert hands. Unluckily, few people have enough money for that option. So the subsequent best strategy should be to gain a greater understanding of tips on how to develop your own style. These alternatives of editorials gives you all the details you'll want to begin that will process. And you can find all the latest and fashionable African dresses and accessories at www.afrawear.com
It is kind of hard to find the best fashionable dresses that
are in vogue right now since each fashion season brings out new dresses and accessories.
If you feel confused and do not know which dress to choose, you are not alone
in this. Factually thousands of African clothes designers all over the world
are creatively turning out mountains of threads. So pick the best African dress
for you.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Different Types and Features of African Clothes
One can find thousands of types of African dresses and there
will be more to find. Because of the vastness of the African tradition, African
dresses come in different types and with numerous features. There can be
countless categories of African fashionable clothes, but various styles that
differentiate yourself for ones’ own popularity and their symbolic significance
comprise of dashikis, brightly reproduced tunics which will become popular in
north America during the Black Power movement. Another very popular type of African
cloth is stitched yoruba aso oke, worn
for clelbreation; and princess or queen kaftans, which normally are reproduced
in precisely designed patterns. Designed for men, a standout Africa ensemble
has a four-piece matched babariga
outfit having a hat, long-sleeved t shirt, agbada bubu (a little like an
important flowing cape) and even pants. All thses types of African clothes are
available at www.afrawear.com
You can find excessive vivid shades in African attire, but
select them only when you have a mild caramel appearance. Brilliant colors are
not going to look that best for African colors. Caramel complexioned women
should go for African American attire with light white, soft yellows, lilacs
and also ivory. In case you are of African descent, you then are blessed,
because you will have warm gleam about you it doesn't matter what season it
really is. You can easily choose African attire that may enhance this kind of
glow inside you. Try several velvety shades to get a change, it's going to make
an individual absolutely beautiful. Among different features of African clothes,
rich colors and prints are the most important and emphasized. Creative designers
can create different patterns out of tie dye and batik (a method to apply wax
to textile before dying). Some other features that are applied to African clothes
are brocade, embroidery and beading. Surprisingly enough, there are still out
there who still prefer hand weaving for any kind of special occasion and expensive
clothing. Weaving has got many religious and mythic meaning associated with it.
An individual is that within the Dogons who assume each place of spinning and
weaving thread may be a symbolic analogy to our reproduction together with
resurrection. Utilizing this type, they assume the systems of spinning and
weaving may be well only if finished in daylight hours. To weave at night means
to weave the quiet and darkness within the cloth.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
African Wedding Dresses: A Few Facts
On a wedding day, African brides and grooms wear different traditional
dresses that look dashing on them. We will look at some of the facts regarding the
clothes the African brides should wear. The conventional African bride-to-be
wears a marriage ensemble that includes a long wrap-around dress, loose-fitting
shirt, shawl as well as headpiece emblematic of modesty within African custom. Most
of the fabric that is used for creating the marriage ensemble is actually graceful,
ornate and constructed from textiles found most suitable for unique occasions
for example weddings. Generally worn by the brides in West African tradition,
the wrap-around skirt and the matching blouse would be the iro ati bubba--a two-piece garment constructed from brocade fabric
onto that symbols of fertility as well as longevity tend to be embroidered. The
headpiece consists of coordinating or even matching material, and is a
fundamental element of African conventional attire, for unique occasions as
well as everyday wearing too.
On any special occasions like wedding, you should dress in a
stylish way because there will be guests looking at you. In accordance with the
African tradition, marriage is seen by others as the uniting of two families, observed
by friends and even entire tribes. This is an occasion where guests show off
their deluxe clothes, plus certain pieces of clothing specially reserved for
weddings. It is mainly because marriages are one of the most formal events that
everyone invited attends and this is when everyone from the bride to the
youngest guest puts on dresses befitting the tradition.
On formal wedding ceremonies, suits along with other items
could be hired or even purchased whereby should you hire them, you may save a
great deal of money especially regarding suits. In neck scarves, it might be
more difficult since the shop might have a limited quantity of ties or even
cravats. Typically the most popular wedding neck of the ties is available in
plain polyester silk or man-made fiber fabric that you could hire for any fair
value. If you aren't sure where you can shop for bridal purses, you will find a
number of styles at www.afrawear.com moreover, other wedding accessories for example tiaras, diamond
ring cushions, jewelry, and much more are available there. Use these pointers
to locate a lovely wedding handbag for the special day time!
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2012
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July
(12)
- Unique Features of African Clothing Designs
- The Trendy and Stylish African Clothing for Women
- Ethical fashion now in Africa
- Dakar becomes the Capital of Franco-African fashion
- African print in fashion-a word with Akua Berko
- African fashion taking over London
- African fashion in new shape
- African fashion finds home in Dakar
- Wearing African Clothes
- The Art of African Fashion
- Different Types and Features of African Clothes
- African Wedding Dresses: A Few Facts
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