African waxprints are an unknown treasure - unknow to European eyes. Some designers use them, as Stella Jean for Haute Couture or Wax'n Deco for decoration. It turns fashionable, and very expensive, but let's face it: people know nothing about it.
Hurry then, on Tuesday, to the marché des Arceaux!
A young woman proposes a wonderful collection of fabric, clothes, bags, purses, etc. She knows what she sells: who did it, how, and what it means. She promotes for instance the work of some african women associations; she explains the difference between common and superior waxprint fabric; she can talk about the indigo making...
This all for an affordable price, with a great smile and a singing accent.
The young lady also diffuses african children books...
Search for "La maison Rafacia" on Enfantilingue and on Little market.
"African waxprints are omnipresent and common materials for clothing in Africa, especially West Africa. They are industrially produced, colorful cotton cloths with batik printing. One feature of these materials is the lack of difference in the color intensity of front and back side. The wax fabric can be sorted into categories of quality due to the processes of manufacturing.
Normally, the fabrics are sold in 12 yards as "full piece" or 6 yards as "half piece". The colors comply with the local preferences of the costumers. Mainly clothing for celebrations is made out of these.
The wax prints are part of a nonverbal way of communication among African women, and hereby they carry their message out into the world. Some wax prints can be named after personalities, cities, building, sayings or occasions. The producer, name of the product and registration number of the design is printed on the selvage, protecting the design and allowing reading the quality of the fabric. The wax fabrics constitute capital goods for the African women. Therefore they are collected depending on the financial possibilities.
The design of the wax print fabrics already has an influence on the international world of fashion and lifestyle. They are an inspirational source for designers and companies".
(Source: Wikipedia)
At the Arceaux market, the prints are rather abstract and non-figurative.
Adapted to pale carnations and to the european way of communicating through one's clothes: I am original, well-travelled, strong-tempered, boycotting asian children's masters and synthetic fabrics, and I don't look cheaply sexy.
African women can say much more... Very interesting! Read books, communications or paper on the meanings of waxprints. A nursery school's friend of mine turnt into a french specialist: Anne Grosfilley.
