Everyday Naija
Dotun Abeshinbioke
Ankara prints, also known as African prints, are native fabrics to most of West Africa, mostly worn as everyday clothing and clothes are popular amongst West Africans and the origins of many are unknown. Ankara was originally developed by the Dutch for the Indonesian Textile Market however they gained more interest in the West African Market due to the colors and tribal like patterns and Vlisco is one of the only and longest manufacturers of this fabrics. When it gained interest in West Africa a lot of the patterns designed were pivoted to keep up that interest but adorning the patterns with objects and motifs that would be recognizable amongst Africans. Africa’s most popular textile is made by the Dutch.
Everyday Naija is a series of patterns and prints inspired by the everyday beauty of Nigerian culture from our food to culture to household products. The patterns directly reference and are inspired by the design aesthetic of ordinary products, the goal of this project is not only to highlight the beauty in the ordinary and everyday but also to create a sense of nostalgia and encourage conversation on what African Print can be and storytelling through patterns. This catalogue is organized by theme and the patterns are contextualized through images of the everyday items that inspired them.