The Rise and Rise of Ankara

It’s spring summer – that time of the year when the runway and stores are awash with prints of different types floral, geometric, ikat, and the new one – Aztec print. Prints are a yearly ritual for the international fashion industry and in particular, this is the time when the industry’s flirtation with influences from the global fashion industry especially Africa is everywhere. African influences have reigned supreme on the international runway back to back for the last three years – Mathew Williamson’s spring summer 2008 collection, Junya Watanabe, Diane Von Furstenberg, Oscar De La Renta and Hermes Spring Summer 2009 collection, Spring Summer 2010 - Dries Van Noten, Alexander McQueen, Duro Olowu, Tory Burch, Etro, Anna Sui, Givenchy are all referencing Africa as inspiration for their collection which is evident in their choice of print for their luxurious pieces.

This medium of expression is the ubiquitous Ankara Textile a cotton fabric with different motifs and patterns printed on it using various dying processes with the highest grade of the textile being The Real Dutch Wax manufactured by Vlisco Hollandis the Dutch textile veterans. Nigerian designers are not left out in this love affair and they have for the last 7 or 8 years rediscovered the allure of the Ankara textile (once considered to be the textile of choice for the less privilege) since the Obasanjo ban on the importation of textiles. Fast forward 2009, 2010, the influx of magazines like True Love that dedicatedly give Nigerian designers a voice to be heard and seen month after month with various collections from designers and international fashion shows like The Arise African platform at fashion weeks world over, have no doubt given Nigerian designers a chance to display their own interpretation or should we say original interpretation of the Ankara textile.

The question then is since it is so close to home, should it not naturally follow that Nigerian/ African designers produce the most authentic collection from Ankara textile and should be worthy of being given a chance to benefit commercially on an international platform from the use of the textiles or any reference to the Ankara textile? We must applaud the work done by our home grown designers like Jewel by Lisa, Odio Mimonet, Christie Brown, Tiffany Amber, Ituen Basi, Ere Hart, Tae to name a few who have improved on the fabric and represented it creatively to the world, thus making the Ankara textile competitive in the international fashion industry. However, it does feel like right now though, every other person apart from our own designers are benefiting immensely from the use of Ankara as a medium of expression. From Asos.com to the high street and high end luxury brands, significant money is being made while we wait on the gods of fashion that be to pick at least just one brand from the Nigerian Fashion Industry to represent us and be a partaker of this fashion wealth creation.

SHF looks forward to seeing that – in our time.

shf credits – www.style.com, www.bellanaija.com, www.ifashion.co.za for images

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