ANDYGRAM

DEBATE

• Africa IS NOT wax print and wax print is NOT Africa
• fabric kitenge versus shweshwe Dresses

Textiles are more than just the fabric that makes up African clothes, their colours, patterns and material often tell stories about African cultures and history. One way African defined themselves through textiles, using a form of expression and a medium of communication in addition to personal adornment. Here are the most African fabrics that have been trending recently in African fashion weeks.

kitenge is an East African, West African and Central African fabric similar to sarong, often worn by women and wrapped around the chest or waist, over the head as a headscarf, or as a baby. The printing on the cloth is done by a traditional batik technique. These are known as wax prints and the design is equally as bright and detailed on the obverse side of the fabric. These days Wax prints are commercially made and are almost completely roller printed. Fancy prints are roller printed with the designs being less colourful or detailed on the obverse side. Many of the designs have a meaning. A large variety of religious and political designs are found as well as traditional tribal patterns. The cloth is used as a material for dresses, blouses, and pants as well.

While fashion trends come and go, the Kitenge continues to evolve with times. It is against this background that a Kitenge dress code dinner was organised to recognise the fabric. The kitenge fabric is designed to represent certain cultures in West Africa. It brings the beauty of African fashion through the colourful well-designed fabric

No South African textile tells a better story than the shweshwe. The fabric has evolved from its context as a trade item and missionary-inspired Western dress. It has been used as a political statement by white women against apartheid and has emerged on the international fashion circuit. Increasingly today it is worn as an everyday dress by black South African women irrespective of class, and more and more by men.

This textile aspires to encourage discussion and debate around issues of dress and identity, showing how people wearing isishweshwe have adopted the fabric in ever-changing movements of creativity and new versions of African and South African identities.

This shweshwe and kitenge fabric have made beautiful dresses that are worn in fashion weeks meaning they are trending, some people may prefer to wear kitenge dress some may wear isishweshwe but at the end, they both represent African fashion.

New fashion trends

Onething for sure is the off the shoulder look is trending but also embracing much more of the cold shoulder looks, and most essentially monochrome print its making a mark this year.

The current off the shoulder trend is one of the hottest looks this season and there’s a reason why everyone should not join in. the off the shoulder design can be found in tops, dresses and jumpsuits making it endlessly versatile and extremely popular. There are many ways to incorporate this trend into your wardrobe. As it turns off the shoulder jumpsuits are actually versatile depending on accessories, they can be dressed up or be made to look super casual. They expose a little skin without being too much sexy, and they work for everyone no matter what your individual style is.

Cold shoulder look

Its official shoulders are officially in and showing them off has become cool. From straight up strapless number to one shouldered dresses and cut out pieces, there are plenty of ways to rock this trend. Cold shoulder look can make you look young again. While you can 100% wear whatever you feel comfortable in no matter if you are 25 or 65 years old, there are certain items that may feel better and suited for people of specific ages

Monochrome print

The beauty of restricting yourself to black and white has similar benefits to the style of minimalism. When colour is stripped out, other design elements such as form and texture come to the forefront. Avoiding colour is also a great way to quickly improve as a designer, because you’ll no longer be able to lean on your colour pallet for visual interest.

If there is one colour combination that never goes out of style, it has to be black and white aka monochrome. The simplicity of monochrome makes it a timeless classic no matter what season it just work. Whether it is prints, stripes or colour blocking, working the monochrome look is so easy. There is no stress of wearing colours that do not complement each other.