MIXED FEELINGS: Altogether!

I  Love African fabrics! I love European fabrics! I love the fusion of the two!

As far as I can remember, I’ve always preferred adding a touch of one to another- for my ‘Ankara’ fabrics, to give it the western  edge we mostly crave in our clothes and for everything from Europe, not to totally kill the ‘black’ in the outfit.  This is not to say that a westernized look cannot be derived with only  ‘Ankara’, afterall dresses were originally bourne from Europe, so whether or not theres a touch of European things, it becomes westernized.

Naturally, having mixed feelings not only stay put as emotions/thoughts within, but transcends to the creation of things... that should be beautiful. For me, its also trying to create something different, so I started thinking about not just ‘marrying’ two ethnics  but each staying ‘home’ and still be in the mix!

See what I mean…

Here, I have three different  fabrics- white cotton, chiffon polka dot and net. There was no ethnic fusion but I have done some mixing. This isn't unsual...so i thought of doing something quite different, still sticking to European fabrics but mixing patterns and textures and paying close attention to colours and contrasts...

The cool grey with black stripes works well with the polka dots and I've only used pink over jade around the neckline to serve as contrast...

Then I started thinking of  mixing polka dot with 'Ankara'...now that would be a very different mix!

My mixed feelings began to grow deeper and more interesting I would say. I saw this tartan fabric made of hard taffeta as against the usual tweed/wool texture and it hard the same colour combinations with an African fabric a client wanted me to make for her. I thought no further! Another mix was coming forth... 

So I made this blouse making pleats with the tartan over the african fabric ( it sure does mix well don't you think?) and the dress, void of any african fabric. By the way, if you didnt wear something tartan as a little girl, especially a wrap tartan skirt, you need to grow up again! Lol!

 

 

I did more mixing, keeping some in their 'home zone' and still mixing and matching as well. I must say that inasmuchas there's a lot of crase going on in fashion with mixing colours and all, there's a very thing line between being really insane like somebody who just got loose from the left side of the famous Yaba and somebody who's set for the red carpet and not to be arrested by the 'fashion police' with no doubt.

So its not just about mixing and matching, its all in the details!