Explore the vibrant African-print dress styles across West and Central Africa in African-Print Fashion Now! with exhibition co-curator Betsy Quick. Free and open to all.

Parking available in UCLA Lot 4
221 Westwood Plaza off Sunset Blvd
$3/hr or max $12/day

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Stylish dress pervades daily life in many localities and is one of the most widely practiced expressive forms in Africa. As the proverb suggests, dress does not exist in isolation from the wearer or the contexts in which it is worn. Unlike many parts of the world where new styles are mass-produced as ready-to-wear garments, new styles in African communities emerge from creative collaborations between tailors or seamstresses and their individual, fashion-conscious clients. Clients select and purchase cloth from market vendors or shops and commission made-to-order styles from preferred makers. Styles reflect current trends, seamstress/tailor innovations, and the tastes of the wearer. Grandmothers’ styles are treasured as well as sophisticated looks influenced by globally inflected African high fashion.

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