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The art of styling headpieces in African fashion. This happens to one of the statement pieces of elevating African fashion
Headpieces have for many years always been more than just accessories in African fashion, they’re statement makers. Over the past decades, we have had several public figures take the stage wearing what was merely treated as an accessory and take wearing headpieces to another level. I was reading one of the indigenous African books I got from a book vendor I saw on Alibaba titled "Women and Power in Africa: Aspiring, Campaigning, and Governing" and what caught me was the book's cover art that had Female African illustrated women in varying headgears. It had me thinking about a few women in Africa's history.
There is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who was known for her headwraps at official events, she was often pairing traditional African fabrics with modern suits and this balanced her authority alongside her heritage. Former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wore something similar. Simple, colourful, commanding headpieces, you rarely saw her at a conference without being able to spot her. Actress Funke Akindele’s red-carpet appearances have seen her in bright and creative "Gelé". The Herero tribe of Namibia also has their interesting "cow horn" headpiece worn by the women as with several others, just to name a few.
The styling usually involves a careful layering, folding, and securing of the fabrics, so as to achieve the height, shape, and symmetry. A well-styled headpiece isn’t just solely decorative, it also conveys status, level of creativity, and even more importantly, exudes confidence. As African fashion continues to undergo evolution and gets more westernised, these iconic headpieces will continue to reflect how our cultural heritage and personal styles can be merged to create both synonymous and unforgettable memories.
Which African public figure’s headpiece do you think is the most iconic?
#local
Headpieces have for many years always been more than just accessories in African fashion, they’re statement makers. Over the past decades, we have had several public figures take the stage wearing what was merely treated as an accessory and take wearing headpieces to another level. I was reading one of the indigenous African books I got from a book vendor I saw on Alibaba titled "Women and Power in Africa: Aspiring, Campaigning, and Governing" and what caught me was the book's cover art that had Female African illustrated women in varying headgears. It had me thinking about a few women in Africa's history.
There is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who was known for her headwraps at official events, she was often pairing traditional African fabrics with modern suits and this balanced her authority alongside her heritage. Former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wore something similar. Simple, colourful, commanding headpieces, you rarely saw her at a conference without being able to spot her. Actress Funke Akindele’s red-carpet appearances have seen her in bright and creative "Gelé". The Herero tribe of Namibia also has their interesting "cow horn" headpiece worn by the women as with several others, just to name a few.
The styling usually involves a careful layering, folding, and securing of the fabrics, so as to achieve the height, shape, and symmetry. A well-styled headpiece isn’t just solely decorative, it also conveys status, level of creativity, and even more importantly, exudes confidence. As African fashion continues to undergo evolution and gets more westernised, these iconic headpieces will continue to reflect how our cultural heritage and personal styles can be merged to create both synonymous and unforgettable memories.
Which African public figure’s headpiece do you think is the most iconic?
#local
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