Last Thursday, I rushed to Montreal’s Place des Arts and waited during 3-4 painful hours for the show of Angelique Kidjo. As soon as she hit the stage, I noticed she was wearing what I have always called pagne. I later found out the proper way to designate that style is wax print. Whatever the name is, seeing an internationally known diva wearing this kind of clothing left me wondering.
Wax print colors look cheap
I have never worn a pagne in my entire life. I’m not even sure I exactly know what a pagne is. To me this word refers to African clothing made of printed colors. (I later learned that pagne is rather the way you wrap traditional outfits).
I have always said that one day I’m going to style my hair in a rebellious afro and wear a clothe made of wax print but I have never done so. I can’t.
I grew up surrounded by an elite who thought that pagnes and wax print are the reflection of a backward African society that failed to embrace the modernity of the Western world.
I was brainwashed to think that putting on a pagne meant wearing poverty, misery and a lack of education.
An african lady selling pepper in the marketplace. Capture from Mokobe's Safari music video.
In Africa, pagnes are sold like hot cakes. Anyone can buy a piece of printed material and demand to have it sewn by an affordable tailor. It is an inexpensive way to fill your wardrobe.
But pagnes are like sarees, hijabs or kimonos; they can look very cheap or incredibly expensive.
Let me say it once more: Wax print colors don’t look cheap
The person that made me seriously revise my opinion on African fabric is the American singer Solange Knowles. On many blogs, I have recently seen her with a simple but stylish summer dress. While wondering where in the world she could have found such fresh and unusual outfit, I have discovered three promising designers who wed African traditional patterns with modern trends.
1. Maya Lake: The NY Times recommended purchasing items from Boxing Kitten, a line created by Maya Lake. Featured in magazines, her designs have been worn by many celebrities.
I would have liked to see less flesh and more of these patterns but Maya’s dosage of shimmering colors is striking so I’ll keep quiet.
Solange Knowles
DJ Rashida
Beyoncé Knowles
Alicia Keys
Solange Knowles (bis)
Want more?
It gets better when you also discover that it is not only a black thing. Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas is not afraid of contrasts. Here’s her Boxing Kitten moment.
Not convinced yet? Here are two other designers.
2. JuneShop: Check out these pictures from JuneShop a line by designers Julie and Nellie. They promote diversity by using non-Black models too. I like that…
JuneShop
JuneShop
JuneShop
Is it more than you bargained for?
3.MYSISTERMADEIT Below is a white model wearing MYSISTERMADEIT, a brand created by Frances, a U.K. designer.
Mysistermadeit
Eye-candy is addictive. More celebrities wearing wax print.
Victoria Rowell (2nd picture, first row) went even further by having a picture of Obama printed on her dress. It is very common in Central Africa to have the picture of a politician printed on your clothing.
Verdict: I don’t think I will wear a pagne or any other type of clothing made of wax print soon. The initial reason was that I was afraid to look cheap. The current reason is that I’m cheap. Shame on me… (Yes, I forgot to mention that celebrity clothing are not always affordable.)
OK, let’s close with a gallery of the Vlisco brand.
NES
juin 29, 2010
What a timely post! I had two wax print dresses made for me this summer.
I’ve got more on the way…
hibiscusjaune
juin 29, 2010
No you didn’t! I think it’s time for me to get one. Where did you get yours?
webmistress
juin 29, 2010
HUGE fan of bright colors and imagainative shapes, patterns. The photos featured her are wonderful its almost like viewing them in 3-D, the colors pop out at you, Solange, DJ Rashida, Beyonce and Juneshop. You have me wanting a Wax dress and african patterns are wonderful, not boring or plain like many elsewhere. Great post as usual Jaune stayed tuned as i’ll be adding a link to this story in my “swaggtalk100 update post” this week.
hibiscusjaune
juillet 7, 2010
It was more than just a link. Enjoyed the feature on your blog. Now I know I got the swag!
webmistress
juillet 18, 2010
You have Swagg and Intelligence to boot, keep giving us something to think about
love coming here to increase my media awarness as well as open my mind up more, the power of the net.
Jean
juillet 6, 2010
Wow, love those featured photos of contemporary fashion that ‘remixes’, reinterprets the wax prints, etc.
As for your past brainwashing on wearing wax “African” prints, etc., the latest fashion designs should dispell all that.
In terms of “ethnic” fashion designs and the comfort level by the person wearing it: it depends on the style, colour and occasion. I admit that I’m very careful what I choose for “chinoise” or Chinese ethnic influenced fashion. The clothing pieces that showcase elements of “Chinese” traditional influences, are modern interpretations.
Keep in mind Indonesian /batik designed material fashion is another great example. Again I am truly careful to wear it in unexpected, hopefully fun way. I do wear 2 short skirt sarongs that feature wax design…but the sarongs have been modernized.
There is a fine line when one’s ancestry is from the original country (of the ethnic fashion) and wearing the fashion as streetwear, especially as business wear, the last thing I want is to be perceived as recent ‘immigrant’.
This sounds like calculated approach for a fashion-wearer, but in some social situations, there is a visual statement of contemporary confidence that is made and needs to left behind in the viewer(s).
hibiscusjaune
juillet 7, 2010
I don’t think it’s a calculated approach Jean. It sounds more like a pain killer. Who likes to be labelled something? Who wouldn’t like to just be accepted as they are and not as they are supposed to be? Being born and/or raised in a country is sometimes not enough to be considered a citizen of that country. The way one dresses can seriously threatens its almost inexistent chances to go unnoticed. I mean if your ancestors were Indian, the fact that you’re not wearing a saree won’t change much to your appearance.You will stand out.
It gets ugly when you don’t want to dress a certain way even in the country of your forefathers because you have been that brainwashed.
I don’t think everybody is ill-intentioned but people can really be silly when they want to, if they think you are a recently landed immigrant. It can be as dumb as wondering how come you speak your mother tongue so well (French in my case) or if your objection to an opinion is due to a misunderstanding when it’s simply due to a disagreement.
Mondialsm in fashion has the advantage at least that it is available to anyone. I’ve hardly seen Chinese people wearing traditional clothing so I guess I’m not the only that has issues!
pienbiscuits
juillet 7, 2010
You have put up a great selection of images to reinforce your point. The last set showing the clothing by Vlisco are stunning, quite frankly.
Generally, I find highly patterned materials a turn off as I think they can be messy. However, having seen what you’ve presented here, there’s a chance I could change my mind…
hibiscusjaune
juillet 7, 2010
I’m glad to know I’ve been playing on your amazing brain dear pie. I had a hard time picking only a few pictures for the Vlisco collection because I found so many that were artistic! This is true art.
I think fashion as we know it and accept it has to change. And if it could be through the incorporation of styles that once were considered primitive, I’m down for it. A little bit of irony and class doesn’t hurt.
webmistress
juillet 8, 2010
Fashion is art and art is fashion, it all appeals to the eye and mind, i’m so in love with the one Solange is wearing thats something which is rare and just as unique as she is. Would totally love to go to a fashion that is featuring all of these lovely garments.
savannahmazda
juillet 17, 2010
Dropped in to say thank you for your high rating of my blog on the forums, and stumbled across this.
How fascinating! I had always thought of traditional African dress as exotic and beautiful, and it never occurred to me that there might be some sort of ‘brainwashing’ in terms of what it represents. In fact, far from denoting a detachment and rejection of the Western world, it seems to me that this type of dress incorporates many of the same principals: by manipulating and dressing the fabric into any type of garment you please, you are accepting and projecting your own individual and independent thoughts. The West claims to be all about individual dependence.
Thanks you for your fascinating piece on a beautiful type of garment.
hibiscusjaune
juillet 17, 2010
Glad you love the pictures @savannahmazda (you’ll have to explain that name)
Creations from Boxing Kitten, JuneShop and the other designer here are modern African prints. The lady at the top selling on the market place is wearing a very traditional African dress.
I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable with anything that looks too “ethnic” (hate that word) as they call it. On the other hand, I’m willing to try something “exotic” and boycott the fashion industry. These designers are doing a great job at capturing the best of both worlds.
savannahmazda
juillet 19, 2010
Explain my name? It’s my name, haha. My name is Savannah Mazda. Not very typically European, I know.
I agree, I love the mesh of the Western and the exotic.
Tess
août 25, 2010
The Vlisco gallery is gorgeous, though being high fashion they are more art than clothing. I can see the fabric designs being used beautifully for things one could wear on the street (and “with less flesh and more of these patterns”). You know: less costume and more like practical life? But with sophistication!
It isn’t just “ethnic” clothing that identifies someone as “a recently landed immigrant.” Studying Japanese cooking, I often go to Chinese, Korean, Japanese, pan-Asian grocery stores and I can tell if there is a holiday: the children dressed in their finest—in Western finest: like my mom would buy us for Easter, carts piled high with holiday foods… But what’s so bad about being a new immigrant? (don’t answer that: I’ve seen lots of negative behavior toward s ‘outsiders’ People from other countries, racism, agism both against young and old, snobbery in general…)
Carmen
octobre 2, 2010
Interesting. Wax prints are my life, I always buy tons of them when I’m in Africa. I hope that it’s going to be more than a fashion, especially for African American women…
Liliane McFarlane
décembre 1, 2010
Nice blog. Like some western styles, a look might appear cheap dependent on how it’s cut and how it’s worn, but in general African wax print tends to add some color, uniqueness and beauty to the wearer. If you are looking for more unique wax print dresses check out Wafrique at http://www.wafriquecrafts.com.
hibiscusjaune
décembre 4, 2010
Thank you for sharing the link!
yiannis hc
mai 8, 2011
Great post !!! Great Analysis