The idea for this dress started after I visited MOSI –
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, where you can find out about the manufacture of African Wax Prints. I also managed to find some wax fabric in
Manchester itself in Abakhan Fabrics, located in the Northern Quarter.
The colours of wax fabric are vivid and bold and I used just
a small quantity of it as an accent to my dress - I wanted it to be something I
could wear in a British summer. I also
wanted a dress that had some kind of African design element to it and so I
chose this pattern with a neckline that reminded me of African beaded
collars. The fabric carries through to
the tab details on the waistline.
For the main body of the dress, I managed to find fabric in
a similar colourway in the haberdashery department of John Lewis. It also has printed motifs on a smaller scale
to those in the wax fabric and the two together are harmonious.
The dress went together quite easily and I achieved a flat
collar with some stiff interfacing. I
love the shape of the dress on me and is a lot more flattering in real life
than in the photo.
I have lots of the wax fabric left and I think I’ll make a
bag to match the outfit …
