One of the most fascinating things about humans is their creativity, particularly as it relates to dress. Take one look at the catwalks in Paris and Milan or the stands at the Kentucky Derby and you’ll immediately recognize creativity in action… and very possibly at the expense of practicality. Silk, linen, jewels and feathers, the materials used in design are endless and range from the mundane to exquisite to the… exotic.
We have some wonderful examples of dress items that are made from exotic materials which we offer as beautiful accessories. The first includes bark… yes, tree bark. Often called tapa cloth, bark was used for centuries as a material for clothing and headgear in New Guinea and Oceania. The bark was softened through a series of soakings and beatings that would eventually create a relatively soft material… although it was not exactly silky smooth. Once softened the bark was often decorated with colorful paints or dyes made from vegetables and other plants.
Below is a pair of bark and fiber hats from New Guinea.
Another exotic headdress material used in New Guinea is the cassowary feather from the ostrich like cassowary, a bird native to New Guinea, northern Australia and nearby islands. The beautiful flightless birds are quite shy and are rarely seen by men.
Below are two very different headdresses, both however are made with cassowary feathers.
The cassowary feathers are also used in fly whisks such as the one below:
The below hats are particularly unique and exotic. Traditionally reserved for married women of the Zulu tribe, today these hats are often worn by women, married and not, during Zulu ceremonial events. What makes them unique however is the fact that one of the materials used in making them is… human hair! The hair is combined with cotton and grass fiber, and colored with red ochre, creating exotic, attention grabbing hats.
Next we have Kuba Cloth Pillows from the Republic of Congo. Kuba cloth, made from palm leaf fibers, frequently feature geometric designs as well as various artistic shapes. The cloths are often made into clothing, headdresses, blankets and of course pillows like those below.
We have quite a selection of Kuba cloth swaths as well, of various colors and designs. Below are a few.
In addition we have a wide variety tapa cloth swaths with their unique designs. Below are pictured a number of them.
We also have a large selection of swaths that are a bit more difficult to find. Below in black are mud cloths from Mali, and on the right is an example of a Kuba cloth that is large and pale, which are among the more difficult Kuba cloths to find.
The last of our fabrics are a thick, durable material from Morocco which are perfect for covering seats or perhaps even an ottoman. Please contact us for information on any of our swaths.
Finally we have a tribal backpack / quiver from southeast Asia, made from reeds and bamboo.
We have some wonderful examples of dress items that are made from exotic materials which we offer as beautiful accessories. The first includes bark… yes, tree bark. Often called tapa cloth, bark was used for centuries as a material for clothing and headgear in New Guinea and Oceania. The bark was softened through a series of soakings and beatings that would eventually create a relatively soft material… although it was not exactly silky smooth. Once softened the bark was often decorated with colorful paints or dyes made from vegetables and other plants.
Below is a pair of bark and fiber hats from New Guinea.
Another exotic headdress material used in New Guinea is the cassowary feather from the ostrich like cassowary, a bird native to New Guinea, northern Australia and nearby islands. The beautiful flightless birds are quite shy and are rarely seen by men.
Below are two very different headdresses, both however are made with cassowary feathers.
The cassowary feathers are also used in fly whisks such as the one below:
The below hats are particularly unique and exotic. Traditionally reserved for married women of the Zulu tribe, today these hats are often worn by women, married and not, during Zulu ceremonial events. What makes them unique however is the fact that one of the materials used in making them is… human hair! The hair is combined with cotton and grass fiber, and colored with red ochre, creating exotic, attention grabbing hats.
Next we have Kuba Cloth Pillows from the Republic of Congo. Kuba cloth, made from palm leaf fibers, frequently feature geometric designs as well as various artistic shapes. The cloths are often made into clothing, headdresses, blankets and of course pillows like those below.
We have quite a selection of Kuba cloth swaths as well, of various colors and designs. Below are a few.
In addition we have a wide variety tapa cloth swaths with their unique designs. Below are pictured a number of them.
We also have a large selection of swaths that are a bit more difficult to find. Below in black are mud cloths from Mali, and on the right is an example of a Kuba cloth that is large and pale, which are among the more difficult Kuba cloths to find.
The last of our fabrics are a thick, durable material from Morocco which are perfect for covering seats or perhaps even an ottoman. Please contact us for information on any of our swaths.
Finally we have a tribal backpack / quiver from southeast Asia, made from reeds and bamboo.
For our full selection of accessories, visit our website www.swedishantiques.biz.
No comments:
Post a Comment