The Kabaslot: Celebrating Indigenous Fashion of Sierra Leone
Discover colorful, versatile and timeless traditional fashion in Sierra Leone
A transformed print dress made with lace fabric by Frederica WilliamsSierra Leone National Museum
A Versatile Dress for Special Occasions.
Kabaslot is made from vibrant hand-woven cloth adorned with intricate patterns and designs. The dress is typically worn for special occasions such as weddings, festivals, and religious ceremonies. It's versatile and can be worn in different styles and patterns.
A Blend of African and European Style
A hybrid of both African and European fashion, the Kabaslot wormed its way to become a national treasure in Sierra Leone (1787-1885) as a result of heritage preservation efforts of wives of enslaved people who transformed their master's dress using plant fibers and pigments.
Origin of Kabaslot
The print originated from Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was created by formerly enslaved Africans collectively known as Krios, who had settled there, including freed Africans such as Black Poors, Maroons, Nova Scotians, and Recaptives.
Beloved Traditional Gift Dresses
The original gift dresses have been refined with shorter sleeves to preserve ancestral traditions. The embroidered chest, pockets, and back neckline were maintained, adding a ruffle at the bottom of the slant to give a modern look
A Cross Cultural Style
Ghanaian clothing style is woven into the Kabaslot and Kotoku dress today--in fact, Kotoku in the Akan language means to dress and sock. Also, the neat craftsmanship of the Maroon descendants in the Sierra Leone colony contributed to the invention of this style
A Fusion of Victorian Elegance and Ghanaian Roots
The Kotoku embroidery style, known for its intricate hand-stitching and use of high-quality cotton, was influenced by the elegant ball gowns and corsets popular among women in Victorian England. The name "Kotoku", has its roots in the Ghanaian community of early settlers.
Pride of the Krios
The vibrant print dress represents the rich cultural heritage of Krios. Their distinctive fashion, Kabaslot and Kotoku, reflects their unique history and sets them apart from other groups. The Krios are the primary inhabitants of Freetown and their language is the lingua franca.
A Multipurpose Dress
A peculiar portion of the Krio's history is that there exist some native Krios as practising muslims. Typically known as the Akus, they also wear the print dress for many purposes--traditional, religious, academic and official.
A Touch on Prestige and History
A product of the monumental trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Print has been a favorite dress for women due to its multipurpose use and exquisite sight.
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