Bold, vibrant and vivacious… These three words encapsulate the life and spirit of Africa and its people. And, their zest for life shows in everything associated with their culture be it food, art and music. So is the Ankara print! It is less of a fabric and more of a gorgeous artwork. It showcases the African continent to the world. This traditional and ethnic design fabric is making its presence felt on the global fashion scene. It is everywhere and promoting it further are the countless celebrities who have made it their personal fashion choice.
Many
of you might ask what Ankara is. Well, it is a type of fabric inspired by
African fashion. It is brightly colored. It has large prints mostly tribal-like
motifs. Typically, it is a 100% cotton fabric; but a few are a cotton-poly mix.
Although it looks heavy, it is cool and durable. The texture has been
specifically made keeping in mind the hot and humid climate of the African
continent. The patterns are imprinted using the dyeing technique called Batik.
The wax resist dyed fabric keep the colors from spreading to the entire cloth
creating distinct designs. The fabric is used to make all sorts of clothing
including dresses gowns, shirts, shots, tops and gowns. Additionally, it is also
used to craft shoes, bags and accessories.
Dutch Wax Print is another name of Ankara designs as it was originally designed by the Dutch to be sold in the Indonesian textile markets. However, the designs found more favor in Western Africa. Capitalizing on the market, the patterns and colors were tweaked to reflect the African culture and lifestyle. Since then the fabric was produced in Africa as the traditional garb. Ankara was used to make garments for everyday wear while Aso Oke was the fabric for special occasions. Ankara designs came to the forefront in the 1980s and since then have only evolved for the better.
Dutch Wax Print is another name of Ankara designs as it was originally designed by the Dutch to be sold in the Indonesian textile markets. However, the designs found more favor in Western Africa. Capitalizing on the market, the patterns and colors were tweaked to reflect the African culture and lifestyle. Since then the fabric was produced in Africa as the traditional garb. Ankara was used to make garments for everyday wear while Aso Oke was the fabric for special occasions. Ankara designs came to the forefront in the 1980s and since then have only evolved for the better.
At
a first glance, the Ankara fabric tends to look overwhelming because of its
combination of colors and prints, but when draped and cut, what you get is some
of the most fashionable outfits. Ankara shows you how big and colorful patterns
can look beautiful. Modern, emerging designers are adding a personal touch to
traditional designs to come up with their own versions. Many upcoming designers
weave African stories and folk tales in their designs. They also offer
specialized designed services for Ankara fashion outfits that are
one-of-a-kind.
If
you believe that Ankara designs are too bold and loud for your tastes, here are
a few fashion tricks to carry it in style. Probably the best way to balance out
the loudness of this ethnic designed fabric is to pair it with professional
neutrals. It could be anything – a black pant, skirt or even a blazer. White,
grey and navy also look great when teamed with Ankara designs. You can mix and
match with denims too. If you want to go bit-by-bit, you can first play with
Ankara accessories. You can also get style cues from street fashions.
One
of the major problems that have arisen due to the growing popularity of Ankara
is that the market is saturated with cheap knock off pieces. Therefore, it is
important to look for authentic Ankara designs. A label, a print on both sides
and a dye with slight imperfections are some of the markers of authenticity. Afriq Expressions
is a global ethnic boutique that does total justice to Ankara designs. You’ll
find make 3 of the same design variation.
So, the chances of someone else turning up with the same outfit as you
are less. Not only this, when you shop here, you can be sure you’ll get the
best value for your money.
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Written by:
Contact:
Find out more:
w: www.Afriqexpressions.com t: www.twitter.com/@Afriqex y: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt89bnJke-sBlKdj8otZW7Q_
f: www.facebook.com/afriqexpressions b: www.afriqexpressions.blogspot.com i: http://instagram.com/afriqexpressions
p: http://www.pinterest.com/afriqexpression/pins / l: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ola-alabi/68/a91/347?trk=shareTw ph: 702-467-6762
