I have written about Chinese fabric markets. They are wonderful places and I am overwhelmed by the choice and want to buy so much I cannot decide what to buy.
In Africa it’s pretty much the opposite. I go to Tanzanian fabric shops and all they sell is kitenge which is wild colours and patterns. There is not one plain fabric in sight an that’s what I am looking for. I walk down the street and get shouted at by sellers trying to get my attention. But they are all selling the same crazy coloured stuff.
The kitenge is quite thick fabric and it’s waxed so it feels like a tablecloth. I cannot imagine how on earth you could make anything wearable from it. I walked around Kariakoo looking for the Indian shop which had been recommended to me by a tailor.
I found it after a 20 minute walk but it was closed so then I had to walk back to the centre of Kariakoo back past the kitenge sellers who treated me to another barrage of hopeful shouts.
Before I got back on the dala dala to go home I walked around to see if I could find an Indian owned shop which I hoped would have more ‘normal’ fabric. And my efforts paid off as I found a Yemeni shop with fabric which I would actually wear.
I went a bit mad, got 2 metres of white cotton, two metres of navy trouser fabric, half a meter of thin cotton and some printed cotton for a skirt. It was very cheap at £20 for the lot.
Then I had a weak moment and paid 8,000/= each for an African dress in black and white. I actually bought two so that the tailor can cut them up and use the cloth for something like a wrap-around skirt. The pattern I bought was the plainest I could find although it is still crazy black and white!
I cannot imagine a day when I would be happy to walk around in an African dress like other foreigners. I don’t like cultural appropriation.