Floral print

Floral prints, for any occasion

Whether you want to express the power of womanhood, love, fertility, abundance or a new beginning, floral print fabrics have done the job for centuries. Vlisco has a wide range of floral designs, giving you an opportunity to surround yourself with flowers at any occasion that may be.

Floral prints may be fashionable, they have been around for a very long time. Back in the 15th century, travellers where so impressed with the floral pattern fabrics they saw in countries like Japan, China and India, they brought them to Europe, where the ornate, detailed handcrafts soon became a highly valued symbol of status and wealth. With the invention of roller printing, the production of floral fabrics grew exponentially, as did their export to West Africa.

‘African floral print’

Whereas the original Indian chintz often depicted small flowers on light backgrounds, their popularity amongst African and European women has been impacting their fabrics and designs ever since. These days, humble budding blossoms are joined with lush floral motifs and geometrical backgrounds, featuring in abundant collections. Clothes designers at the continent, including Sadia Sanusi, Reedas and Og Okonkwo, have used these to create wardrobes you could not even dream of. (include links)

Classics

Since the market women in West Africa presented these floral prints at their markets, the high demand for ‘African fabrics’ had led to a number of true classics. Perhaps the most famous amongst them is the ‘Hibiscus’, better known as “Topizo” in Togo, or “Tohozin” in Benin - both meaning “rush”. The ‘Mama Benz’, the ladies selling them at the West African markets, named these fabrics referring to their first day on sale, as customers rushed in to secure a piece. In 1970, the fabric was adopted as an uniform for Air Zaire’s flight attendants. These days, the Hibiscus pattern is especially popular in Guinea and Ivory Coast, where a bride’s dowry is supposed to include twelve yards of this classic floral print: ‘no Hibiscus, no wedding.’

Floral pattern bridesmaid dresses, shirts or summer skirts

However, choosing a floral pattern for bridesmaid dresses is just one way of surrounding yourself with the powers of flowers. These days, whether you want a large floral print fabric for a dress, a Golden Embellished Java Fabric or a Silver Embellished Wax Fabric - it is there for you. Having been designing floral print fabrics for centuries, Vlisco has designs featuring roses, poppies, orchids, and even the harvest that they give us, like cherishes and pine-apples. Whether you are looking for something playful or something serious, something classic or something modern, you will find your floral print fabric at Vlisco.com.

Links:

https://www.vlisco.com/creative_mind/sadia-sanusi/

https://www.vlisco.com/creative_mind/reedas/

https://www.vlisco.com/creative_mind/og-okonkwo/