Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique
The influx of Chinese-made African ethnic dress has been central to debates about the consequences of the growing Chinese presence in Africa. Exploring the reception of the Chinese-produced capulana in Mozambique and net'ela in Ethiopia, we demonstrate that Mozambican and Ethiopian manufacturer...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021
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| _version_ | 1826308848248422400 |
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| author | von Pezold, J Driessen, M |
| author_facet | von Pezold, J Driessen, M |
| author_sort | von Pezold, J |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The influx of Chinese-made African ethnic dress has been central to debates about the consequences of the growing Chinese presence in Africa. Exploring the reception of the Chinese-produced capulana in Mozambique and net'ela in Ethiopia, we demonstrate that Mozambican and Ethiopian manufacturers and traders, from the grass roots up to cultural elites, engage with Chinese imports with creativity and verve. While welcoming Chinese materials for their affordability, bold and bright colours and suitability for dressmaking, they fashion them in ways that fit their own tastes and the local fashion trends. We distinguish three practices by which people do this: first, by incorporating Chinese materials or design elements into their own products; second, by co-creating new designs and dress with their Chinese counterparts; and third, by altering the imported fabrics. Apart from fashioning imports, some manufacturers use strategies to distinguish their own products from Chinese counterparts. These strategies include naming practices linked to the stories of their origin and alterations to the material. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:25:26Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:2f6662f1-3c0a-461b-83fc-292ad27d470e |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:25:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:2f6662f1-3c0a-461b-83fc-292ad27d470e2022-11-14T06:18:16ZMade in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and MozambiqueJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:2f6662f1-3c0a-461b-83fc-292ad27d470eEnglishSymplectic ElementsCambridge University Press2021von Pezold, JDriessen, MThe influx of Chinese-made African ethnic dress has been central to debates about the consequences of the growing Chinese presence in Africa. Exploring the reception of the Chinese-produced capulana in Mozambique and net'ela in Ethiopia, we demonstrate that Mozambican and Ethiopian manufacturers and traders, from the grass roots up to cultural elites, engage with Chinese imports with creativity and verve. While welcoming Chinese materials for their affordability, bold and bright colours and suitability for dressmaking, they fashion them in ways that fit their own tastes and the local fashion trends. We distinguish three practices by which people do this: first, by incorporating Chinese materials or design elements into their own products; second, by co-creating new designs and dress with their Chinese counterparts; and third, by altering the imported fabrics. Apart from fashioning imports, some manufacturers use strategies to distinguish their own products from Chinese counterparts. These strategies include naming practices linked to the stories of their origin and alterations to the material. |
| spellingShingle | von Pezold, J Driessen, M Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique |
| title | Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique |
| title_full | Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique |
| title_fullStr | Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique |
| title_full_unstemmed | Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique |
| title_short | Made in China, fashioned in Africa: ethnic dress in Ethiopia and Mozambique |
| title_sort | made in china fashioned in africa ethnic dress in ethiopia and mozambique |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vonpezoldj madeinchinafashionedinafricaethnicdressinethiopiaandmozambique AT driessenm madeinchinafashionedinafricaethnicdressinethiopiaandmozambique |