Ankara Fabrics New Fashion Craze?
ChiChi Ms.Media Lifestyle Diva, here with something that caught my attention recently!
Seems every day African fabric and fashions are used with todays latest Hollywood styles.
Seemed before it was crazy to go and buy a bundle of fabric and make your dress from scratch like we African ladies are so used to doing. Our beautiful, very coloful and vibrant Ankara fabrics has been seen on some of our biggest leading ladies Beyonce and Solange Knowles and even Alicia Keys have been spotted rocking our Ankara.
Should we be jealous or happy that they are sporting our wears? What do you think?
Singer MIA in Ankara at 2009's Grammys
Alicia Keys rocking a beautiful Purple and Yellow Ankara Dress
Solange and Fergie rock Ankara on Red Carpets everywhere
Solange Must really like Ankara
Here BEYONCE rocking Ankara fabric on set of her new video shoot with A.Keys
Ankara at its best!
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They won't let us africans have anything. They use to make fun of our clothing and say it looks weird now they wanna steal our fashion after stealing our riches and labeling us terrorist and scammers. they can wear our clothes but they can't even embrace the african heritage inside of them(AFrican Americans) they want 2 make fun of our names and our cultural differences yet they want to now rock our clothes. Ankara designs are unique and hard work goes into designing and sewing a dress (from the tailors presepective) now they are going to begin mass producing this shit in a warehouse resulting in it losing its value, uniqueness, and its connection to africa!!! instead of saying oh this is an african fabric…people are gonna say o i brought this from H&M fucking shit!!! assholes can't we have anything????????????? and no i am not jealous i am phucking angry!!!
lols u dnt av to……..
I was thinking the same thing,stupid idiots.
I agree with you 2,0000+ percent! We have been laugh at,
Talk bout, and made to be ashame of our culture and now
They want to wear our fabrics but don’t give any money to help
Us, you are sooooo right! We can not have anything!
You have some good points but it could be a good thing and money generating business from Africa. If we can control it make sure it is only imported from Africa we can benefit from it. At the same time, it is good that celebrities are proud to wear Ankara, it might open more doors for us as Africans
Lovely dresses
[...] Nigerian designers have taken Ankara Fabrics to new heights with proper designs remarkable enough to garner the attention of fans world wide. Celebs have taken these fabrics and created a trend thanks to designers like Boxing Kitten. Turning Ankara vintage is a brilliant display of art and imagination. While many of us think it original and daring to don Ankara designs, there are some native Nigerians who dislike the idea of American’s wearing or producing fashion inspired and created by African’s. They won’t let us africans have anything. They use to make fun of our clothing and say it looks weird now they wanna steal our fashion after stealing our riches and labeling us terrorist and scammers. they can wear our clothes but they can’t even embrace the African heritage inside of them (African Americans) they want 2 make fun of our names and our cultural differences yet they want to now rock our clothes. Ankara designs are unique and hard work goes into designing and sewing a dress (from the tailors presepective) now they are going to begin mass producing this sh** in a warehouse resulting in it losing its value, uniqueness, and its connection to Africa!!! instead of saying oh this is an African fabric…people are gonna say o i brought this from H&M f***ing sh**!!! a**holes can’t we have anything????????????? and no i am not jealous i am f***ing angry!!! (Underdarock.com) [...]
@ Angry African, you should be ashamed of yourself, broadcasting your bigotry on the web. You speak like they are not africans, or is it because they are familiar with our ways. People like you are the problem, we should give them a nod for proudly rocking their african gear and not castigate them for trying to rip off the African Man. Dont you wear their clothes and still poke fun at their choice of names? Aren't most of the ankara sewn styles fashioned after some "american" outfit? Or is this some sorta double standard?
This is great publicity for the ankara industry, and it is up to industry leaders to piggy back off of this and not expect a hand out. Life is not fair, if we want to get ahead we must take advantage of oppurtunities like this and not let the giants like H&M capitalize on our talent
Lazy mother suckers like you need to get off your lazy ass, quit complaining and do something.
And if you dont know what to do then shut the fuck up and remember " there is wisdom silence"…..
very well said my brother!
I agree with angry Africa. I am from the West Indies and have lived in Africa, Nigeria specifically. To wear Ankara is to know your African heritage and accept being African… Anything short of thats is pure commercialism and vanity. … It will all just be a passing fad for money.
Wow ! I'm Loving the new ankara craze/trend. So Stylish !!!
Before we start crying about celebrities taking ankara from us, look closely at a piece of ankara..It's actually Dutch so it's not even ours in the first place! It's imported from Holland. Do your research before ranting and raving.
~ When in Doubt, Google!
Made in Holland but do the dutch wear them??
and disappointed African Abeg o no vex you don't have to call me out of my name just voicing my opinion which is still my opinion.
dissapointedafrican i don't think there's any reason to go ballistic ova angryafrican's comment. we all have a write to voice our opinions. we should respect that fact even in differing. i personally feel that not only will they
wear the ankara but they'll definitely take it from us cos i'm sure they're going 2 get madly expensive with the US famous designers demanding for them 2 make clothes for their celebrity-client in high quantities. you know what they say 'the higher the demand,…' you can fill in the gap.
abeg did i just say a 'write'!? hey! i don't shoot arrow 4 international media! anyways i meant 'right'.
As an African-American I am totally offended by the comments on this site. I feel like Africans should be happy to see there distant relatives embrace that part of Them for once. I never hear this many complaint when you see the Caucasian women parading around in this fabric. Most of us have no idea what that part of our history is about or have been made to feel ashamed about that part.
It is true that we do not know must about being African, but neither does people born and live outside of Africa who happens to have have African parents. Those of you who complain I feel should try to educate people about your culture if you really want people to know what it means to be African and embrace the culture.
I agree with Angry Africa. Regardless of where this fabric is made from,this is what we wear and take pride in so to let just anyone share it with us who is not African is unacceptable. first u take our ancestors, our music nw our sense of belonging. Wot will be left for us to transfer to the d next generation?
I am just so happy that Ankara is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
If the African Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, Green people from Mars, Yellow, Blue and Red people want to wear it…let them!!!lol. Who are we to say one person is allowed to wear this and one person is not.
Silk came from China. So should the Chinese get upset too that almost everybody in the world has worn silk or used silk at some point in their life? In other words, what is the point of getting upset. Rather celebrate the fact that Ankara is now finally in "mainstream" fashion and I love it!!!
This is the "noughties" and while we are all entitled to our own opinions, I am still shocked at some of the comments here.
I just wanna shout….ANKARA FOR ALL!!!
To HappyNigerian,
Why must we wait to get recognition from the "other"?
To angryafrican: I understand your anger, however, I am proud and I have always been proud of wearing my Ankara. How many Africans, in America actually wear Anakara if it's not a fashion trend? How often was I teased by people, Africans alike when I wore my clothes? Perhaps we should question why we in the Americas have not put Ankara on the top of the totem pole yet we get enraged when others do?
Just wear your ankara and be proud! Wear you kente and be proud! I wear my name, skin, accent and clothing proudly. Shit…invest in Kente or Ankara and support the weavers of Kenter before others invest.
Only reason Solange is trynna rock ankara is because of Wale. She wasn't ever on any kind of fashion radar before she met him. They're not even dating anymore, so she can give up the act now!
For the most part, it makes me happy to see others wearing our clothes, as long as they give credit where credit is due!
But Solange, chei. That one needs to stop. Maybe I'm hating because I want Wale for myself, but really. Beyonce is the one doing shows in Naija. Let her represent for the Knowles family.
No it is from west africa nigeria then ghana..holland did imitation copies not originals and unlike it..can't stand people putting out wrong info or bringing in groups to give wrong credits, please. Our material will always be lovely and would always represent us as long as we keep it alive, whilst understanding its meanings. peace.
@AngryAfrican you are merely continuing the hate among African and African Americans by generalizing all African American, I have never made fun of African names, culture, etc; and when my husband and I have a child I will be naming her Amaka, but whats funny, have been a victim of Nigerians/Ghanaians who have assumed they knew what Black women were like and I have nor will ever judge an entire continent based on the rude behavior of four misguided women. I found this blog because I love Ankara fabric and wanted to make sure I was buying authentic and was hoping I could find a African/Black designer that was not over priced like Boxing Kitten. I think you should spend your time helping not furthering ignorance.
Don't forget we were stolen by whites or sold by Africans (our brothers/sisters/countrymen) into our current positions, so don't judge us for reaching a hand to capture a small piece of our culture. It amazing how we talk about white racism, when Black on Black is ten times worst and hurts even more.
I am an African-American girl and I think that wearing Ankara should not be judged by the motive of wearing the materials.If I pick a dress and a fabric, it is because it represents me and fits my personality.I can't believe that Black people are sometime more racist then white people….it's just disappointing.
Must we Africans continue giving up what make us unique? the truth is, we don't see Indians clothes been wear by just anybody or being commonly use. why must Africans continue selling ourselves out for money? once it become common then it value will be decreased, take it or leave it. lastly, if Ankara is make Ankara available to all, the question is, will credit be given to those (AFRICAN) it due to, will it??? AT LEAST FOR ONCE, AFRICANS BE PROACTIVE BEFORE SAYING OR AGREEING THAT ANKARA SHOULD BE FOR ALL.
Some of these comments are simply rediculous. No one ever goes around giving credit to Caucasians for the jeans they are wearing, or the evening dresses or suits they are sporting. We know they are Western wear, and that is good enough. Everyone one knows that Ankara is African and that should be good enough. Let us fight for water and electricity in the deepest parts of our African villages and stop pettying over things that do no one any good. That is one major difference between Caucasians and us. Let us try to be productive; otherwise, there will be absolutely nothing to be proud of in Africa to begin with.
Reasonable Person you just hit the nail on the head, you the only person that has made sense so far. There so much more to Africa than ankara, that's just one aspect. Ladies and Gentlemen don't loose focus.