the writing’s on the wall: african kanga

One thing that is hard to define is African fashion given the fact that there are 54 nations with diverse cultures, unique senses of styles, traditions and fabrics. Africa is a continent, and the countries that lie within are all different with different people and cultures. Known as a whole entity for all of the beautiful fabrics that are produced there, like the countries within the continent, the use and traditions of fabrics are just as varied and unique as the African people.

There are a multitude of fabrics that one can find in Africa and the styles and use are all a bit different. For example Malians use Bazin and Mud Cloth (Bogolan), Ghanaians and people from the Ivory Coast use Kente, Nigerians use Aso Oke and Adire, and Kenyans and Tanzanians use the Kitenge and Kanga to name a few. The most popular fabric that is used in all countries in Africa is the Ankara or what is commonly known as wax fabric or African print. You’ve seen these prints used in L.A.M.B. and Boxing Kitten’s collections.

With regards to production, all of the above fabrics mentioned above are actually made in their respective country beside the Ankara and the Bazin. When i was living in Mali as a teen, wearing my own traditional fabric was out of the question. Like everyone else my age I needed to be “in style” so I had to wear something made in the USA to be able to fit in the crowd. I believe that this is still a reality among the younger African generation and they are still drawn the the western influence of U.S. fashion. Unlike when I was younger, now when I look at traditional African clothes made from my traditional fabrics, I’m able to realize the cultural importance that lies in the cloth.

The Kanga is one of my favorite African fabric prints. It is a fabric mainly used in east Africa especially in Kenya and Tanzania. Traditionally, Kanga is sold as a large, over-sized rectangle, about the width of outstretched arms and is made of 100% cotton. It is printed in very bold and bright designs and finished off with a bold border on the edge of the cloth. Most people wear Kanga as a pair or as “doti.” One thing that makes the Kanga very unique, differentiating from other African textiles is the writing woven into the cloth. Within the last century, Swahili sayings were added to Kangas. There are many variations of the origins of the Kanga cloth, however, when they were first introduced, the aphorisms were in Arabic script and then Roman letters and now you can find them in English and other languages. The writings address everything from love, hate, passion, lies and more in Swahili metaphors. The next time you see someone wearing Kanga keep in mind that it is not just a piece of fabric but instead a unique, cultural tradition artifact of the Swahili culture. If you want to incorporate Kanga into your wardrobe, here are two designers that use Kanga fabrics as part of their designs and are also dear to my heart.

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Tanzanian Christine Mhando is the London-based designer of Chichia London. True to her roots, her collections are produced in Tanzania, are affordable, feminine and charming. Christine took the Kanga and gave it a very modern twist. Chichia London is definitely making a mark the fashion business by putting traditional African culture on a level to be reckoned with.

Currently stocked in boutiques throughout the UK and online, Chichia’s extensive press attention in distinguished magazines and independent newspapers have warranted the label a place on the London Fashion Week circuit showcasing in fashion events such as Untold and Fashion Diversity. Exhibiting at Swahili Fashion week in 2009 and 2010 consecutively, Chichia has been recognized as an international African designer who modernizes and transforms traditional illustrative East African textiles into stylish and considered fashionable attire.

Another designer that I love much is SUNO. Max osterweis and Erin Beatty are the designers behind SUNO. When the brand was launched in 2009 they used the Kanga which had been collected by Max during his trips to Kenya and part of the production was also based in Kenya. Celebrities such as Esperanza Spalding, Heidi Klum, Rihanna, and Michelle Obama have all dazzled the fab designs from SUNO. As much as I love SUNO I surely cannot afford their clothes therefore I am going to stick to my Chichia London because they make fabulous clothes at affordable prices.

If you love the Kanga then you’ll love what’s in store. In coming weeks, I will introduce you to what makes African fashion so bold and one-of-a-kind.

So, what do you guys think? Do you own any piece made of Kanga cloth? Which is your designer of choice, SUNO or Chichia London? Or maybe both?!

• “my apologies, i thought you may be african”
• l’afrique chic: prints, woven straws, and leather clutches

Tagged as: africa, fabrics, kanga