Print Top with wide flair sleeves

This outfit is a modern take on the traditional print outfit of the Krios of Sierra Leone. The Krios are an ethnic group living in Sierra Leone and are descendants of different groups of formerly enslaved people who were resettled by the British in what was called the “Province of Freedom”. They came from Britain, northern American states through Nova Scotia, Jamaica, and different African countries. They settled in Freetown between 1787 and 1885. The Krio culture is therefore a mixture of different people from different parts of the world.

The Krio’s signature costume was the Kabaslot and Kotoku; a hybrid of Ghanaian and Victorian era clothing styles. Kabaslot and Kotoku in Akan means dress and sock. The dress is also influenced by AfroAmerican, Afro Carribean, and British Styles. The Kabaslot; a unique hand-cut embroidery fashion, was greatly influenced by the rich embroidered dresses of the wives of the slave owners. Slaves were given these dresses by the wives as an acknowledgement of their hard work. But the enslaved were resilient and tenacious to maintain their cultural identity. They transformed these gift dresses to reflect their culture.

This style of dressing by the Krios experienced a steep decline due to shortage of the traditional fabric used in making them. However, in the 1990s a new source of fabric saw a revival of this design and in the 2000s it underwent a transformation with new patterns emerging. Younger and more adventurous designers added their signature touch to the traditional style of dressing and a new trend emerged.

This is an example of the modern twist to the traditional print kabaslot with the signature stiches but a total departure from the original frock with two big pleats and ruffles on the sleeves. Here the stiches are used creatively to pattern the top and wide flair sleeves are used.