Àdìrẹ cloth
1960-1964 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Àdìrẹ is an indigo-dyed cloth traditionally produced by Yoruba women in south-western Nigeria. A range of resist-dye techniques are used to create àdìrẹ patterns, sometimes incorporating more than one technique in a single cloth. The ground-cloth of cotton is folded, stitched, tied or otherwise worked-upon in preparation for dyeing; these areas resist the dye, creating the cloth’s distinctive blue and white patterns. The precise origins of àdìrẹ are unknown, though indigo-dyeing has been in evidence across West Africa for centuries. Àdìrẹ has an enduring presence in the region, becoming a popular, everyday cloth, with many women dyeing àdìrẹ of their own design within the home. Once dyed, àdìrẹ cloth can be wrapped or stitched to create garments, such as a woman’s ìró (wrapped skirt). From the 20th century onwards, factory-woven cloth began to be used; this cloth accepted the dye more easily, creating a finer clarity of design. Whist factories are now able to mass-produce imitation àdìrẹ, the popularity of the traditional hand-worked cloth remains, made by local artisans in historic dyeing centres such as Ibadan.
Àdìrẹ is subcategorised according to the method of resist-dyeing used. In this example, both àdìrẹ alábẹ́rẹ́ and àdìrẹ oniko techniques are in evidence, using stitching and raffia respectively as the resist. Sections of the cloth have been tightly folded and stitched using raffia, producing linear lines when the raffia is removed after dyeing. The cloth's small circles have been formed by a similar technique, this time tying raffia around guinea-corn seeds in the cloth. The cotton cloth of this àdìrẹ was factory-woven, before being hand dyed. Small remnants of raffia remain within the cloth, indicating that this textile was brand new when collected and never used.
Àdìrẹ is usually composed of two panels stitched together along the long edges creating one whole piece. This would be worn by women wrapped around the waist with the seam running horizontally, forming an ìró (wrapped skirt). However, in this example there is only one strip of cloth.
Àdìrẹ is subcategorised according to the method of resist-dyeing used. In this example, both àdìrẹ alábẹ́rẹ́ and àdìrẹ oniko techniques are in evidence, using stitching and raffia respectively as the resist. Sections of the cloth have been tightly folded and stitched using raffia, producing linear lines when the raffia is removed after dyeing. The cloth's small circles have been formed by a similar technique, this time tying raffia around guinea-corn seeds in the cloth. The cotton cloth of this àdìrẹ was factory-woven, before being hand dyed. Small remnants of raffia remain within the cloth, indicating that this textile was brand new when collected and never used.
Àdìrẹ is usually composed of two panels stitched together along the long edges creating one whole piece. This would be worn by women wrapped around the waist with the seam running horizontally, forming an ìró (wrapped skirt). However, in this example there is only one strip of cloth.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Title | Àdìrẹ cloth |
| Materials and techniques | Resist-dyed cotton. |
| Brief description | Àdìrẹ cloth, indigo resist-dyed cotton, Nigeria, probably Ibadan, 1960-1964 |
| Physical description | Àdìrẹ, an indigo resist-dyed cotton cloth. |
| Gallery label | Certain cloths became celebrated symbols of independence. In Nigeria, attention turned to àdìrẹ, an indigo resistdyed cloth historically made by the Yoruba which was part of local fashion in many areas of Nigeria. Tourists also bought examples to take back home, raising àdìrẹ’s profile internationally. Although factories mass-produced imitations, the popularity of the traditional hand-worked cloth remained, made by local artisans in historic dyeing centres like Ibadan. Meanwhile, Nigerian designers incorporated àdìrẹ into their contemporary designs, securing its future as a fashion fabric. (CIRC.307-1964, CIRC.588-1965, CIRC.592-1965, CIRC.593-1965, CIRC.755-1967) V&A, Room 40, Africa Fashion(02/07/2022 - 16/04/2023) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Miss Mary Kirby |
| Object history | This cloth hails from the Miss Mary Kirby bequest, a significant donation of global textiles acquired by the museum in 1964. Of the 70 textiles included in the acquisition, 28 were produced or sold in West Africa. Miss Kirby was a passionate textiles teacher, author, and collector. She taught weaving at the Central School, London, and in the 1950s spent many years in Ghana teaching textiles at the Kumasi College of Technology. Correspondence within the acquisition's Registered File indicate that she collected the textiles as educational aids. We are very grateful to Professor John Picton for his advice in identifying several African textiles held by the V&A. |
| Summary | Àdìrẹ is an indigo-dyed cloth traditionally produced by Yoruba women in south-western Nigeria. A range of resist-dye techniques are used to create àdìrẹ patterns, sometimes incorporating more than one technique in a single cloth. The ground-cloth of cotton is folded, stitched, tied or otherwise worked-upon in preparation for dyeing; these areas resist the dye, creating the cloth’s distinctive blue and white patterns. The precise origins of àdìrẹ are unknown, though indigo-dyeing has been in evidence across West Africa for centuries. Àdìrẹ has an enduring presence in the region, becoming a popular, everyday cloth, with many women dyeing àdìrẹ of their own design within the home. Once dyed, àdìrẹ cloth can be wrapped or stitched to create garments, such as a woman’s ìró (wrapped skirt). From the 20th century onwards, factory-woven cloth began to be used; this cloth accepted the dye more easily, creating a finer clarity of design. Whist factories are now able to mass-produce imitation àdìrẹ, the popularity of the traditional hand-worked cloth remains, made by local artisans in historic dyeing centres such as Ibadan. Àdìrẹ is subcategorised according to the method of resist-dyeing used. In this example, both àdìrẹ alábẹ́rẹ́ and àdìrẹ oniko techniques are in evidence, using stitching and raffia respectively as the resist. Sections of the cloth have been tightly folded and stitched using raffia, producing linear lines when the raffia is removed after dyeing. The cloth's small circles have been formed by a similar technique, this time tying raffia around guinea-corn seeds in the cloth. The cotton cloth of this àdìrẹ was factory-woven, before being hand dyed. Small remnants of raffia remain within the cloth, indicating that this textile was brand new when collected and never used. Àdìrẹ is usually composed of two panels stitched together along the long edges creating one whole piece. This would be worn by women wrapped around the waist with the seam running horizontally, forming an ìró (wrapped skirt). However, in this example there is only one strip of cloth. |
| Bibliographic reference | Stylianou, Nicola Stella (2012) Producing and Collecting for Empire: African Textiles in the V&A 1852-2000. PhD thesis, University of the Arts London and the Victoria and Albert Museum. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.307-1964 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
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