Dress
1970s
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The dress was purchased by Professor Lalage Bown from Shade's boutique in Accra, Ghana in the 1970s. Its founder, Folashade ‘Shade’ Thomas-Fahm had studied fashion at St Martin’s School of Art in London, before returning to Lagos in 1960 to open her boutique. Championing Nigerian fabrics and silhouettes, Thomas-Fahm designed for the cosmopolitan, working woman.
The cut of the dress is a typical Thomas-Fahm aesthetic and it is from her ready to wear collection. The dress is made from woven silver lurex with yellow and orange chain stitch embroidery at the cuffs, neckline and down the front. The dress opens with a zipper, which is a common feature used by Thomas-Fahm to make getting dressed quicker for working women. The dress is more tailored than the tie-dyed dress in a style Thomas-Fahm called a kaftan, which is traditionally the woman’s variation of the agbada robe worn by men in West Africa.
The cut of the dress is a typical Thomas-Fahm aesthetic and it is from her ready to wear collection. The dress is made from woven silver lurex with yellow and orange chain stitch embroidery at the cuffs, neckline and down the front. The dress opens with a zipper, which is a common feature used by Thomas-Fahm to make getting dressed quicker for working women. The dress is more tailored than the tie-dyed dress in a style Thomas-Fahm called a kaftan, which is traditionally the woman’s variation of the agbada robe worn by men in West Africa.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Woven Lurex, Embroidery |
| Brief description | Dress, silver lurex thread with embroidery, designed by Shade Thomas-Fahm, Lagos, Nigeria, 1970s |
| Physical description | This dress is made from woven silver lurex with yellow and orange chain stitch embroidery at the cuffs, neckline and down the front. The dress opens with a zipper. The dress is a tailored version of the Thomas-Fahm "kaftan" style dresses. |
| Credit line | Given by Professor Lalage Bown |
| Object history | Professor Lalage Bown purchased this dress from Shade's Boutique in the 1970s whilst working at Ibandan University in Accra, Ghana. |
| Summary | The dress was purchased by Professor Lalage Bown from Shade's boutique in Accra, Ghana in the 1970s. Its founder, Folashade ‘Shade’ Thomas-Fahm had studied fashion at St Martin’s School of Art in London, before returning to Lagos in 1960 to open her boutique. Championing Nigerian fabrics and silhouettes, Thomas-Fahm designed for the cosmopolitan, working woman. The cut of the dress is a typical Thomas-Fahm aesthetic and it is from her ready to wear collection. The dress is made from woven silver lurex with yellow and orange chain stitch embroidery at the cuffs, neckline and down the front. The dress opens with a zipper, which is a common feature used by Thomas-Fahm to make getting dressed quicker for working women. The dress is more tailored than the tie-dyed dress in a style Thomas-Fahm called a kaftan, which is traditionally the woman’s variation of the agbada robe worn by men in West Africa. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.2419-2021 |
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| Record created | July 16, 2021 |
| Record URL |
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