Ankara is Everywhere! Why the Enthusiasm? Are We Gaining from Its Proliferation?
Posted on Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 at 12:43 PMBy Ijeoma Ndekwu
There has been a lot of talk about the recent proliferation of the Ankara fabric in the international fashion scene. The Ankara fabric is known to symbolise African fashion, thus, when used by a non-Africa fashion brand, the design is labelled ‘African-inspired’.
A lot about the fabric evokes Africa; the vibrant print is reflective of our bold and sometimes, exuberant culture and lifestyle and the texture which is suitable for a majority of African climates. But the big question is, is there a relationship between its proliferation and the potential for African Fashion to truly penetrate the international fashion scene or are we relying too much on Ankara to give African Fashion the recognition it deserves in global platforms?
While I intend to leave my questions open-ended and hear from you readers, however, I think it is important that we all start to think of African Fashion beyond Ankara, our creativity in design, our talent to evoke the feeling of home and our culture goes beyond the use of a piece of fabric. The reality is, Ankara is losing its African hold, some may argue it never was ours in the first place! Even though we call designs by Boxing Kitten ‘African-inspired’, or we attribute the use of Ankara by Burberry Prorsum in its 2012 Cruise Collection to symbolise its grand arrival in the international fashion scene, are our designers, is African Fashion gaining from this exposure? Are consumers in America or England for example, likely to order the Jewel By Lisa trench coat which she showcased with her A/W 2011 collection or the one by Burberry Prorsum in its 2012 Cruise Collection?- Is Burberry in this case the ‘copycat’ or the ‘creator’ ? I would love to hear what fashion enthusiasts in the international fashion scence have to say about that!
Truth be told, they are using Ankara and winning at it! The reason is not because our designs do not match in quality or style, but because they have more access to consumers and are well established, as a brand and as an industry. We are still caught up in the campaign to compel our consumers to buy Nigerian! I am not saying we dump Ankara, trust me, when the international fashion scene fully embraces a JBL piece, or an Ituen Basi I would be up in the air, but I do think we (myself inclusive) should curb our enthusiasm over foreign brands using our ‘African’ Ankara fabric or am I being a wet-blanket?
You tell me. I would love to read your thoughts on this issue.
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Tags: ankara, Ijeoma Ndekwu
Cool, like the middle one.
FIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRSSSTTTTTT!!!!!!
FAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!
LWKMD!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPS!
Akos, not quiet, ehn?!!,…more like 2nd!
Why the enthusiasm. Its available, affordable, colourful, cool and breathable and is very versatile for most types of designs.
Ij, i agree with you. Its high time or designers who use ankara are celebrated on the international fashion scene rather than celebrate a foreign luxury line that uses ankara for its collection!
i like fashion, i’m a Nigerian, bt i dont own 1 single Nigerian designer piece, Y? most of them are a wee overpriced (this is an average earner talking here, so don’t crucify me), so over time, i just look at d collections and admire them, bt 2 actually pay money for 1, i’m yet 2 do. anyway, u said it urself, their industry is much more organized, from d creation to the distribution, bt i believe that with time, we’ll get there. like evry other resources we have, if we dont appreciate them and make proper use of them, d oyibos will help us appreciate them, dis has always been the case.
Why are they overpriced? Would you call Chanel overpriced? They are trying to get to that level, so why cheapen themselves?
Why should I pay thousands for a designer piece made with Ankara when I can buy the fabric for so much less money and take it to my seamstress to make any design I want? We have been wearing Ankara way before even our Nigerian designers started making it mainstream. I don’t live in Nigeria, but I heard the price for JBL designs is outrageous. I would rather be inspired by their designs and then ask my seamstress to make something similar for me.
lol….in her defense she is trying to make her brand a ‘Luxury’ brand. to be the Chanel or Dolce & Gabbana of the African fashion scene.
Zara you are so like me, i was in Lagos in april, and went window shopping at the palms ( not a nigerian thing to window shop i was told LOL) Tiffany Amber store, the store assistant was somewhat unwelcoming and i was expected to fork out 30k for a piece of unpractical cotton something, which i couldnt make out what it was meant to be (as in dress or bed cloth) . erm thanks but no thanks
My dear, you and Chichi dey tok. What smart, frugal person would pay the kinds of money these folks want for something we’ve been wearing for a long time without their pushing it on us? In New York, you can get six yards of Ankara for about $30, go to little Senegal in Harlem and have it sewn to your specification for another $100-150 depending on how complicated the design you bring to them. I have had great comments on styles I have taken off the internet on celebrities or online magazines or websites like bhf.com. And as for the title, how are we gaining from the proliferation of Ankara when we don’t own any of the companies making them? As far as I know Holland and Switzerland companies make a majority of them unless there is something I don’t know.
i support zara’s statement.
Nigerian designers need to read this because being a Nigerian designer does not mean all your items must be ankara based. For crying out loud Nigerian designers should look at other materials besides Ankara. what ever happened to cotton, silk, chiffon & the rest?
Even JBL is guilty of this three thirds of her collection are ankara based material some even have too much pattern for my liking.
International designers are the only ones who will truly profit from this so called trend of “tribal wear” whereas the originators will not as usual. Our style has been stolen for years and we all know who and what profits from it.
We used ankara long before them and were doing just fine! but Godforbid that they give us credit! instead they steal our idea and have gone-ankara crazy! african ‘inspired” prints my foot!
If you develop your designs into a fully fledged BRAND with distribution points. Then one can expect customers to pay more than the average. The retail market is a million pound industry.It is way beyond one just participating in fashion shows. That only gets you to a certain level.
Making designs in Ankara is not a negative thing, however the designers need to bare in mind who their target customer is. Consumers will only think highly of your designs if you develop it as a brand rather than trying to put ones face over everything.
The realities are International designers only use Ankara as part of their collections which are seasonally, rather than all year round. Many Nigerian designers have carved their niche. If you really think that Jewel by Lisa designs can be copied then please try. However if you actually come into face to face contact with her designs. Then you will understand what being a designer is about.Though Ankara prints, her fabrics are premium and not bought from a wholesaler. Her prints are designed from scratch. Not withstanding the limited availability of each design.
What Nigerian designers need to stop doing is waiting for the outside world to love their designs. If they focus on understanding the industry properly from trend planning to trade shows. Securing stockist for their products. Then the world will take notice. Africa is a massive, full of wealth.
Fashion is more than design it is about strategy.
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This is one article that really makes sense, pls BN bloggers should stop clamoring for first space rather read the article and comment constructively. Well back to the topic: pls if we can reflect on what margret ekpo and lady ibiam fought for then we should try and emulate them. Ankara fabric is african! It states the true essence of africa and can be a major source of exports in both the fashion industry and home decors, I am so overjoyed each time I see the ambance of a room decorated in ankara, or even dolls clothed with ankara fabric, we should expand our horizon by educating people with good fashion schools and create an environment for mass production of tops, bags, dolls, purses, watches, sofa’s and lots more then set a trend and see if the foreigners wldnt follow suit, I remember sometime last two years seeing a top from river island tagged african inspired, leaving all the job to JBL or ituan bassey is only restricting them to one line of idea, and in turn u get bored. Pls africans should unite and create a market not only for import values but for a cultural change. I may not be able to afford a designer JBL but I can take a fabric to my local tailor and she wld do justice to it. Pls africa unite! Stop killing dreams.
There’s definately potential for African Fashion. There are millions of people on the African continent, enough to build a sustainable industry.
The problem is, as usual, we are too focused on the west for approval and validation and of course inspiration. Why on earth would the first handful of boutiques dealing in African clothing be solely luxury brands. If we want people to buy Nigerian, we have to attract them…first rule of marketing. What better way than price to attract consumers? But noooo, everyone wants to be Dolce, Vera and YSL and Armani…Lets focus on building the industry (with reasonable) prices first and then go from there (of course that if the designers are actually interested the developing our culture and its not just about cuddling our materialistic elitist society)…
These folks (burberry and co) have caught on, it is their game and they will beat us at it if we don’t wise up.
It will be like the lakers in the last championship, they will beat us like we stole food in the market and it will be like “what happened?” Isn’t the print “African Print”….not that it is anyway….most of them use the European”African Print”.
This is actually quite funny! Please I think I’m gonna open my own clothing line, priced similar to forever 21 and use only DAVIVA (I believe that one is made is Ghana?) lmao!
The fact of the matter is these fabrics are not even made in Nigeria! So Nigeria’s financial benefit will be limited! Nigerians Import African fabric from europe and Asia! Pathetic !
Thank you oh! I was going to make a comment. The Ankara as well as Lace materials are made in Europe and Australia so is it really ours? I know we use them the most but let us face fact, they are not even manufactured in Africa.
Kpam! They are the ones benefitting.
I guess as Nigerians, we are now becoming more confident in all things naija.
I think Nigerian fashion should keep looking inwards like they’re already doing. There’s a huge market in naija, they just need to diverify and create affordable lines. Not saying they shouldn’t keep their international lines open though like the FLOTUS wearing Duro, but hoping to overtake Burberry would be stretching it.
Saying that Ankara is ours is like China and India both fighting over who owns silk (which they both produce by the way, although with different qualities ). Fashion is much more than just the fabric it is about the style, the cut, the inspiration. Before you now go into the business side of things.
Other than Ankara i haven’t really seen anything that is so captivating about Nigerian fashion we have no fashion era whatsoever, outside of Africa they have so many fashion era’s they have the 20′s, the 70′s, the 80′s all these clothes we wear today are inspired by these timelines the flared jumpsuits inspired by the 70′s, this seasons color blocking probably inspired by the loud 80′s. When you see Nigerian fashion designers all they show are simple skirts and tops, if you opened up our fashion history all it would say is Ankara and that’s not enough anymore. Even the harem pants that came out a couple of seasons ago was inspired by Indian fashion. If we really want to do fashion how about we recreate the iro and buba or the bubu and do something drastic that people will actually take notice as opposed to just using Ankara and getting excited for no reason.
It was the Trapeze dress that created Yves Saint Laurent career and not whether he used Kente or Lace. And in Chanel’s words fashion changes but style endures meaning that if Nigeria had good fashion designers it wouldn’t matter whether they used Ankara or not real styles will shine through.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t use Ankara but fabric is not the only thing real fashion is about
Listen to yourself, @Yemi. I think you have been sleeping in a hole. Your second paragraph supports that.
And Opinionated how is her statement indication of her sleeping in a hole? She made an articulated statement with supporting argument and you can’t even state emphatically what is wrong with her stance. Just dey shoot ur mouth …
Ankara is a lovely fabric especially when its made into a cute style,but all them Tiffany Amber,JBL,Deola Sagoe….people….your prices are over the top and someone like me….a corporate gal with a flair for fashion is most definitely not going to cough out that kinda ,money and pay…no way…as for the Foreign designers using our ankara to sew clothes…i have no issue with them…its nice to know we get recognized outside the shores…
@Yemi you have spoken well; fashion is about a lot more than fabric. Our designers have to create shapes and identities which are uniquely Nigerian and which are worth getting excited about, not just rendering Western designs in “African” fabrics.
As for the people trying to justify JBL’s price point by using the Chanel analogy, I’m sorry but it doesn’t really hold up. However much you spin it, the truth is that Ankara is not a premium fabric. It is easily mass produced and doesn’t require much human input. I appreciate that JBL does do design its own fabrics, but we cannot compare even the most premium of Ankara to high quality lace or silks. You should go to Joel & Sons in London to see how much some of these couture quality fabrics cost: sometimes up to 550 pounds per yard. When you know this then you know why Chanel costs so much. Ankara is not a couture fabric so please let’s keep some perspective.
One more thing, if JBL and other Naija labels want to be regarded as luxury brands, then they have to invest in creating the right image. JBL for example does not as yet have a flagship store or a standalone studio and the operation is still run out of a private residence. This strikes me as designers “trying to eat their cake and have it”. Luxury brands sell a lifestyle, an image, they sell a dream. Kitchen-based operations charging Bond Street prices? Something doesn’t add up.
JBL has a store, a really really nice worldclass store.
The store has been open for almost 2 years (Since December 2009).
This video was shot at the store – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOHl3ztEekQ&feature=player_embedded
You have good points but please research before proclaiming. Photos from the store – http://www.stylehousefiles.com/global-minimalism-the-official-launch/
@babs, no. Not to start any controversy, but JBL doesn’t seem to have a store. As in an actual space in their name, not an outlet that sells their clothes. I was curious about Peperempe’s comment, so I looked it up on JBL’s web page: http://www.jewelbylisa.com.ng/contact/. They sell their stuff on myasho and at temple muse, which I think is where the photos and video you posted were taken. Ribadu Road is listed as a ‘studio’ on One Nigerian Boy. The funniest thing I found is the N7500 JBL candles: http://www.onenigerianboy.com/2011/02/15/nigerian-luxury-brand-jewel-by-lisa-debuts-its-scented-candles/. So you have heard o – if you cannot afford a JBL dress, console yourself with the candle, and hope the smell is gold-plated. Naijas sha, even oyinbos don’t sell candle for N7500. smh.
Jewel by Lisa definitely has a store. MyAsho and Temple Muse are their stockists.
Their flagship store/Studio 11 is on Ribadu Road. It is open to the public and you can buy the clothes off the rack or order something bespoke.
Drop by and check it out.
Well I stand corrected. I know they are stocked at Temple Muse and MyAsho.com and I have been to the Ribadu place, off Awolowo Rd. in Ikoyi (sometime ago). Now there might have been some massive changes in the intervening period, but the last time I was at Ribadu, it didn’t strike me as a “flagship” store per se. You could buy clothes off the rack quite alright, but “flagship” it wasn’t. Then again a lot might have changed since then, apologies if I’m a bit stale.
All is not lost, guys. Aso oke is an indigenous fabric, and people like Deola Sagoe have been doing some serious R&D to develop it an use it consistently in her designs. Kente as well.
The key word on the mouth of everyone is ‘the economy’. My thing with Naija is that we need some serious business folks to talk Vlisco into providing skill/training and employment this way, not just finished product. According to this article (http://www.metropolismag.com/html/content_1200/ent.htm) most of Vlisco’s Dutch wax textile ends up in W Africa. It’s like always buying the fish from a vegan fisherman and never learning how to fish yourself. Ankara here and there, there’s a monopoly in its production, do something about it economically or just live with it!
Interesting. This was an article I wrote for Elan 2 years ago on this same topic. http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5207939-146/Ankara,_Damask,_Lace_and_George_-.csp
Ok, thank you for clarifying that.
I think a lot of things have been borrowed from Africa in the fashion community, but Africa as borrowed a lot of things as well. It’s more about having an established name and presence than what type of fabric you use. Designers come from all over the world, Italy, France, England, America, and those who know how to market themselves and establish their brands names can get away with anything. It’s more about the business of fashion sometimes and less about the fashion itself.
I agree with Zara,Cheaster, Yemi, Cleo , ToyinO for enlighting us about all the fabrics we use it’s origin and lastly Chin who has summerised it all for us, lets do more of action and less of blabbing. Were are our designers? Let us show case our talents and let the europeans know WE CAN DO IT TO!!!!!!! Long live AFRICA Long live WEST AFRICA.
I’ve been asking the same question myself! The likes of Boxing Kitten annoy me but oh well, I’m glad we are drumming up awareness about this, so the world will know we wore it first!
Also, agree with Bisou PR’s comment about JBL clothing. I wasn’t a believer until I got one of her wrap dresses. The intricate beading cannot be captured in photographs and the finishing is on point. If you’re frugal like I am, I suggest looking out for sample sales at her store or stalk myasho.com for their sales.
i don’t see how we can really gain from it’s proliferation, because like others have mentioned, we aren’t the producers of the ankara fabric. the producers are the ones who stand to gain from all this exposure. i also feel some nigerian designers are overpriced. maybe it’s that their target customers are the really wealthy people and not the average nigerians. a friend bought t-shirts from naija for about $70 each. the shirts were beautiful with ankara bows and stuff. but i could have easily gotten t-shirts of that quality at $15 and had a tailor make me a corsage out of ankara scraps for another $15 (or less). of course, it wouldn’t have been a designer t-shirt… maybe i dont appreciate nigerian designers enough, or maybe i’m just too frugal.
I agree with myne that they should look to market inward. They are a lot of people in nigeria and africa that are not wearing the local prints. They would rather sweat to buy western brands. african designers should make the clothing versatile and market to their own people at an afordable price. If they can do that, the outside world will start noticing.
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Until we start to produce our textiles and have a 100% Naija brand, we are nowhere close to profiting from it…
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I WAS WONDERING THE SAME DAMN THING!
Every time I see a US line using ankara in their supposed “safari inspired” piece, I’m tempted to dump my entire mug of coffee on the magazines showcasing these clothes! We are letting the West (as usual) do away with the rest of our culture and return we get nothing…..our designers go uncredited and we still have to turn to the West to clothe our backs. I suggest African designers find inspiration elsewhere. Use ankara, but brace yourselves for the demise of the fabric. We’ve worn ankara for years but now the West is on that bandwagon two, ankara will be a stale piece in a bout a year. I hate the West for stealing everything we have…..first our terra cota heads from long ago, and now our unique fabrics. Ugh…so mad. I need a cup of coffee
I think yemi made d most sense here. Its not about d fabric used but d design. Let’s be honest, most of d naija designers use western designs for inspiration, u go to fashion shows even in lagos n d models r half dressed with their boobs hangin out, when did african fashion turn to plungin necklines or bum shorts??? True its wat d consumers want but then don’t turn around n say d west is tryna rip us oFf. Until we begin to embrace our true designs like iro n buba, boubou, etc, the chanels of this world will continue to take ur fabric and turn out even better designs than u can ever imagine. When I see white pple in african print(like average pple not celebs), its in kaftans, even iro n buba. I’ve seen a couple of em make a futile attempt @ gele sef but at least they tried.
Secondly, most major brands r goin retail now. Thr’s a recession pple! Vera wang, michael kors, etc r doin stuff with target now so d average earners can pick something up and say they’re in a designer dress. U shudn’t hvve to break bank to be fashionable, the naija designers can still have their luxury lines, while doin more mass produced lines so they can reach a wider market. Zara, mango, topshop r not luxury brands but celebs r wearing them, even future queen of england wears zara. Mind u a lot of these stars don’t even buy these dresses, most r borrowed or given to them free as a form of advertisement.I guess we need to recognise the power in our numbers and capitalise on it. If u’re only reachin a small percentage of d public u’re not doin very well!
good talk from all side. i sure have learnt alot from you all.
if we do not buy them we do not encourage them> we are most likely to purchase Gucci rather than our own people