Many years ago, the Ankara fabric used to be known as the most used fabric amongst lower class/income earning Nigerians/Africans. Still considered to be one of the cheapest fabrics in the market today, Ankara which is popularly referred to as African print, is making bold statements/impact in the fashion world. In the past, it was be considered for mostly cultural activities/ceremonies.
In its real state though, the origin of Ankara is not at all African but rather European Ankara, which was formerly known as ‘Dutch wax print’, was originally manufactured by the Dutch for the Indonesian textile market. But by design, these prints garnered more interest in West Africa than in Indonesia which led the Dutch to focus more on West Africa.
Today, the African print has proven to be versatile and is now recognised and used globally, becoming a must-have in the wardrobes of almost every fashion conscious individual, irrespective of their origin or culture.
Fashion enthusiasts have taken a step further to make various designs with the Ankara print, infusing pop culture and European designs. The beautiful designs created by African designers using the Ankara fabric has made it one of the most sought-after fabrics in the world such that Hollywood celebrities like Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Amber Rose, Jidenna etc have rocked the Ankara print to various events.
Many years ago, the best that could be achieved with the Ankara fabric was the traditional Iro and Buba, however, today, the African print is used to make a lot of fashion items which include blazers, gowns, blouses, swim suit, trousers, among others. It is also used to make ear rings, slippers, sandals, bags, phone cases and other accessories. The rise in the demand for this same ‘low income fabric’ is overwhelming.
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