A 1960s' African Safari

Our Black is Beautiful!

Shopping never gets tiring for souls like mine. The range of choices in each category of garments makes me wanna try on all of them, but most of the time I am too lazy to try on also I hate the trial rooms for some reason (which I will tell you in my blog which is yet to come) and end up buying over-sized or clothes that hardly fits me. On this particular Sunday, I was looking for some formals for my Jury wear and ended up in Louis Philippe. The entire store was lit and they had this mannequin-torso wearing a cool shirt with amazing prints and motifs on it as their centrepiece on their million dollar table. Later on  I got to know from the salesman that their current theme for visual merchandising is 'African Safari'. He also told me that those motif designs are inspired by Dashiki. I nodded like I knew Dashiki from school (With "Ohhh Dashiki !!! My 8th Grade classmate" walla expression on my face) . On my way back home I surfed on the internet on who or what dashiki is  and it opened my eyes on how a world event could influence fashion, set trends and add emotions cum values to one's clothing!

World Event

 that Influenced the

 Fashion World

  The 1960s witnessed the result of years of suppressed anger, tears and discrimination of African Americans in America - ‘The Civil Rights Movement’. This was a non-violent protest for their equal rights and to express their pride as African Americans and to put a full stop to the years of discrimination against them.

The Africans who were bought to America as slaves during colonization were ill-treated, racially discriminated, their hairstyle and traditional clothing style were mocked at and were not given equal rights that the  Americans had. The Africans expressed their protest not just in by making political statements and forming parties but by their dressing style too.The Black Panther Party formed for self-defense and possible abuse against blacks wore all black cloths. Black leather jacket,black shoes,pants , beret intimated the police and they stood out as a black army for themselves. Their attire gave them the confidence and respect that they wanted.Many other commoners took in pride by wearing their traditional kente and dashiki clothing (Yes ,yes..My friend from 8th grade turns out to be a v- necked bright motif flooded kurta like dress.) connecting them with their heritage.The kente born in Ghana has different vibrant colours each one depicting a meaning and Dakshiki from Nigeria has different tribal prints and designs telling the artistic talents as well as the cultural extravagance of Africa. These styles soon trickled-up to reach the big screen cinemas where heroes are seen wearing this unique clothes!The hairstyle of their's which was being mocked became the trend of that time all of a sudden. Advertisements and magazines showed African men and women in beehive bushy hair or braided long hair . The promotion of Afro hairstyle along with the ‘Black is Beautiful’movement made more African Americans find pride in their natural features and embrace their uniqueness.

The heat of the hour was accelerating, many empowering and many braking themselves free, giving themselves the right that they should have had. Flori Roberts, an African American woman started a cosmetic company exclusively for black skin tone . Fashion journal for professional black women, ‘Essence' magazine began covering 'fierce, fun and fabulous’ topics creating a spark in every reader and thus giving in the strength for every black girl’s dream come alive!

Through media and other means of publicity, the civil right movement paved way for African culture and their style to travel the world and influence on people’s dressing style, hair, makeup and thoughts!

Today the world loves and admires the African prints on their clothes, they find braided hairstyle look trendy and the African -Americans have won their protest. People look upon them to love oneself and to appreciate all their God-given features just the way they are!  And here I am going to give my jury on how "History repeats itself in the Fashion World too" wearing LP's Dashiki inspired motif printed shirt.