CHAPTER 8: ADAPTATION OF PUNCH NEEDLE EMBROIDERY AS AN ADDED SURFACE DESIGN ON AFRICAN WAX PRINTS FOR NIGERIAN FASHION

Abstract

INTRODUCTION  
Surface decoration is the outward decoration given to the fabric. According to Naik and Wilson (2009), surface designing refers to the external embellishment given to a fabric. They further defined it as a structural and applied design on any substrate. And mentions that there are countless varieties of decorations that are used to enhance the surfaces of fabrics but their techniques differ. The clothes and type of embellishment depend on the specific end-use. The most prevalent techniques used to enhance some textile materials to aid their consumer acceptance are dyeing, printing, painting, embroidery, weaving and industrial surface finishes. Each technique has its own characteristics for instance, dyeing is carried out to add colours to the fabric using dyes, printing is used to impress an image onto a surface using paint or ink (Sleigh-Johnson 2009), weaving is used to create structural and decorative designs (Naik and Wilson (2009), by combining basic and fancy weave structures. Varieties of woven designs can be achieved by blending different fibres, and sources. The other surface finishes without adding any colour produce some peculiar pattern effects which transform the physical appearance of the fabric. Another technique of embellishing the surface of the fabrics through threadwork is called embroidery. A lot of Nigerian fashion designers have used embroidery and other techniques in enhancing African wax fabrics to make them more appealing to wearers and buyers and also to reduce monotony. 
In past and present times African wax fabrics have been utilized extensively in fashion. Elsworth (2009) in Bada (2013) says that in the fashion industry today, and all over the world, the Nigerian culture is being borrowed and incorporated into styles, signatures and works of partakers of the industry. He also said that the simple wearability of such materials as African wax prints has made the fabric not only a runway creation but everyday and even red carpets and movie premier wear of choice for the Hollywood big names.  
Djirackor (2013) proclaimed that just as Africa is not one big country, African print comes in many distinct types of styles applied to diverse fabrics, with their printing techniques and purposes. Super Wax, Dutch, Java, super print, Ghana wax, Cote d'Ivoire wax, Togo wax, Nigerian wax, veritable wax,  Bogolan, Batik, Bazin, Kente print and mud wax prints are some of the various prints used for both traditional and contemporary African styles, which non-Africans most commonly and indistinctly refer to as African print. He further stated that bold colours, stark combinations, and a wide range of patterns from geometric, animal and floral to even political messages and portraits of public figures—all are used to create garments for both men and women.
Therefore, this study was theoretically guided by the creative ideas of some Nigerian fashion designers such as Deola Sagoe, Amaka Osakwe, Lisa Folawiyo and Ituen Basi who have been experimenting and reinventing indigenous Nigerian fabrics to turn them into contemporary fashionable wear (Jennings 2011) so that they will not go into extinction. They have been experimenting with indigenous fabrics to come up with appropriate cloth to suit the current trends in Nigeria. For instance, Lisa Folawiyo (Jewel by Lisa is her cloth line) in Arise fashion shows at New York fashion week for spring /summer 2010 and Paris fashion week for Autumn/winter 2010/11 showcased the results from an exploration carried out on the embellishment of the African print cloth with sequins, beads and crystals to give it a new look to suit the ontemporary fashion globally. She further introduced her own custom–made African wax print-inspired prints on cotton, georgette and royal or shantung silk fabrics which she introduced into contemporary fashion.  She also showcased some apparel she produced with batik and mud cloth-inspired prints on velvet, linen, silk, satin and chiffon to typify African style. It has been observed by this study that most African contemporary designers working towards international fashion seasons have always combined culture in their designed apparel. 
This study also agrees with Ituen Basi who changed the African wax fabrics to adorable apparel through her patchwork on the fabrics, plaiting with the pieces of fabrics to form part of the clothes and colour-blocking techniques to suit the recent trends in fashion. She further redesigned adire and aso-oke by combining them to form styles which are being worn in contemporary fashion in Nigeria. All these concepts that centred on re-invention and transformation helped this study to practically explore the possibility of using punch needle embroidery to enhance African wax fabrics to add something new to the variety of embroidered African wax fabrics, add value to them and aid their sustainability.