Today, fashion has taken a different trend whereby
African wax prints has become the toast of the masses. Gone are the days when
African prints were worn only on and to occasions. These occasions include
funerals, church, festivals not forgetting naming and wedding ceremonies.
Cloths ranging from the all black, black and white, black and red, all red, all
white were thus required specifically for attendance of these functions. This
required colored function cloth is still in existence but with a touch of high
class fashion styles and designs.
Talk of styles and designs and oh boy, you would be
amazed at the outcome. From the well-known “kaba and slit” to the “housewife”,
the “puffs”, just to name a few. I remember talks of it from my grandma (Esther
Margaret Pearl- a home science teacher back in the day) like it was yesterday,
how they used to rock these styles to every function, especially to “discos” as
it was called back then. “If you don’t own some of these styles, then man, you
don’t know what time it is”, says Esther Margaret Pearl enthusiastically.
In keeping to fashion designs today, tailors and
designers have taken to mixing these variety of print with plain materials,
chiffons and laces so to come out with trendy outfit. With no specific names of
style, a designer is sure to design casual, formal, freestyle and businesslike
outfits. These trendy outfits are worn by people from all walks of the world
especially Ghana to variety of functions and most importantly to work.
This working trend began, when former President- J.A
Kuffour officially involved the Ghanaian populace to at least try wearing
African prints to work on Fridays. This involvement has since stayed with us
and thus has helped in many ways. Ways including portraying the rich culture of
Africa and boosting the countries income-economy sector.
I would not be fair to my homeland, if I leave out
the famous “Bonwire Kente” cloth. As goes the name, it’s a silk interwoven
cloth woven by great weavers from the township Bonwire-a suburb of the Ashanti
Region of Ghana. In representation of
the in-depth rich heritage of Ghana, it’s made of symbols which mean a lot in
our tradition. Symbols ranging from “gye nyame”, “ohene aniwa”,
“Akyekyedi3”, “fontonfrom” and the likes depicts
knowledge, greatness, wisdom… that our forefathers instilled on us, as that is
the belief.
As a cloth worn by great chiefs of the Ashanti
kingdom during occasions like festivals, it is worth preserving. Although it’s
specially made for “royals” of the Ashanti kingdom, it’s made available to
people interested in acquiring them, at a very expensive price I must add. Like
the normal wax print, it can be used as a token of appreciation; it is worn
also to weddings and engagements especially. A kente cloth when used is
believed to show the graceful-kind heartedness of a person and also ones
wealthiness.
The love for African print has grown to the extent
of people making it as a hobby as well as making it a source of income due to
its versatile craftiness. This craftiness has developed not only in the dressy
aspect but in the accessories aspect; bag and footwear aspect of fashion.
Talk of designers and there are a whole lot of them
taking African fashion in Ghana to the top. Names like Duaba serwaa, kayda of
kenaaf couture, Pokuaa Poku, Elikem of big brother fame, Sarah Christian, kofi
Ansah, Msimps and the list goes on.
Looking for classy wears to occasions with great
designs that would make you stand out and be the talk of town, look no further
and think of non other than African prints and its versatility of styles.
story by:Gertrude oppong kyeremeh
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