Detail study about african fashion mostly their accesories

1. Brief About Theme
African clothing is the traditional clothing worn by the
people of Africa. In some instances these traditional
garments have been replaced by western clothing
introduced by European colonialists.
In North-eastern Africa, particularly in Egypt, styles of
traditional women's clothing have been influenced
by Middle Eastern culture; this can be exemplified by the
simply embroidered Jelabiya which are similarly worn in
the Gulf States. The Northwest Africans are less influenced
by foreign elements and have remained more in antiquity.
The Djellaba (worn in Northwest Africa) shares similar
properties with the Grand boubou, the Dashiki, and
the Senegalese kaftan. In Nigeria, women were head ties.
In Sahelian Africa, the dashiki, Senegalese kaftan, and
the grand boubou are worn more prominently, though not
exclusively. The dashiki is highly stylized and is rendered
with an ornate V-shaped collar. In contrast the grand
boubou is simpler, even more so than the djellaba, though
the colour designs reach impressive proportions, especially
among the Tuareg, who are known for their beautifully
dyed indigo robes.
In East Africa, the kanzu is the traditional dress worn
by Swahili speaking men. Women wear the kanga and
the gomesi.
In Southern Africa distinctive shirts are worn, like the long
dresses they wear. For instance, South Africa is known for
the Madiba shirt, whereas, Zimbabwe is known for
the safari shirt.
In the Horn of Africa, the attire varies by country.
In Ethiopia, men wear the Ethiopian suit and women wear
the habesha kemis. In Somalia, men wear the khamis with
a small cap called a koofiyad.

2. Statement:-
“A brief study about the traditional African fashion and
presenting in our own way.”

3. Inspiration Board
African Accessories
African Bead Work

6. When it comes to jewellery perhaps Africa is best known
for its handmade beautiful beadwork. The beads produced
in Africa are often called trade beads due to the fact that
for many centuries they were used in exchange for goods
(used as currency). The earliest known beaded jewellery
ever discovered is from approximately 10,000 B.C. and
comes from Libya. Ancient Egypt also produced beautiful
bead work dating back to 2,200 B.C.
Many tribes in Africa create stunning beadwork. Zulu bead
jewellery is created based on long standing traditions, and
their designs convey important information about the
wearer. For example a particular necklace may indicate
where the wearer is from or what family they belong to.
Maasai beaded jewellery is created based on strict tribal
rules pertaining to the colours and design. Maasai women
wear very beautiful beaded jewellery on special occasions
such as weddings. Women of the Pokot tribe who live in
Kenya and Uganda are known for wearing beautiful broad
beaded collars and necklaces. The women of the Turkana
tribe, who live in the Turkana district in Kenya's Rift Valley
Province, wear beadwork that indicates their social status.
Yoruba kings of Nigeria were known for their incredible
beaded crowns.

7. African Head Gear

8. The African headwrap has become a symbol of exoticity
and a cultural fashion statement for decades here in the
U.S. Beautiful and versatile, each headwrap gives someone
a chance to express their heritage and their love of African
fashion. However, there is much more to the headwrap
than the beautiful colours and fascinating style; there is a
rich cultural history.
The headwrap originated in sub-Saharan Africa, and was
often used to convey modesty, spirituality and prosperity.
Even men in Africa wear head wraps to symbolize wealth
and social status. Head wrapping is literally a way that
African’s for centuries have been able to non-verbally
communicate their place in life. The headwrap of a woman
walking down the street will tell you if she’s a widow, a
grandmother, or if she’s a married young woman. It’s an
element in the daily living of an African woman. Headwraps
also serve a practical function in protecting the head from
the rays of the sun. In West Africa, head wraps are
referred to as ‘gele’ in Yoruba or ‘ichafu’ in Ibo.

9. African Clothing

11. History of African Clothing:-
African clothing has a vibrant and interesting history to
match its bright and bold textiles. This history is thought to
stretch back 75,000 years! Although tracking the evolution
of African styles can be difficult, ancient art give us hints
about the textiles used. Egyptian art suggests that flax
weaving began in 5000BC and there are hieroglyphics as
old as 3000BC that show drawings of looms.
Made out of animal skin, fur, feathers and bark cloth, very
early African clothing was perhaps not well matched to the
usually hot conditions. It is believed that these materials
were mainly used in the form of aprons that would have
been tied around the waist and robes that were draped
across the body. Later, cooler materials like cotton were
used for cloth-making.
Brave and Bold Designers:-
In West Africa, woven fibres from the 800s have been
discovered in Nigeria. In Mali, cotton fragments were found
that have been traced back to the 1000s. Reports of
Kankan Moussa’s pilgrimage to Mecca in the 1300s
mention that he and his group were dressed in cotton
woven with gold threads. Ibn Battuta, an explorer,
documented weavers in Timbuktu and Mali also in the
1300s, and by the 1400s Nigeria’s dyeing pits were
celebrated by those living as far north as the
Mediterranean coast.
Pioneering Fabrics:-
When the intricate weaving techniques were developed
they were handed down generation by generation,
resulting in beautiful fabrics and styles that are associated
with varying African areas. Regional differences are partly
due to the contrasting agricultural landscapes and natural

12. resources. Flax and jute are distinctive textiles of West
Africa along with raffia palm, which can also be found in
more central African countries. Camel and sheep wool are
weaved into fabrics that are typical of Northern Africa and
silk is most commonly used in Eastern Africa.
Today, bright and bold African textiles are often worn
fashionably with modern pieces. Pair our traditional items
like the aso-oke head tie, the vibrant wax prints, the geles
and the bags and shoes with blue jeans or a blazer. Empire
Textiles Will let you add some African history to your
modern wardrobe.