Lesotho’s national dress centres on the Basotho blanket, a garment with a rich vocabulary of patterns and meanings.
The Basotho blanket
Blankets began as pure wool and replaced animal-skin karosses that were hard to obtain by the 1860s and 1870s; most are now acrylic. In 1876 King Moshoeshoe I secured production of sturdier special blankets after meeting merchant Donald Fraser. Patterns mark life stages: the Moholobela is worn by young men preparing for manhood, and the Lingoetsi is now the bride’s blanket. Louis Vuitton’s 2017 designs drew criticism, and Black Panther in 2018 boosted sales.
Seshoeshoe
Seshoeshoe is a printed, dyed cotton used for traditional Basotho clothing, originally indigo and now in many colours and geometric designs. Its name comes from King Moshoeshoe I, who was given the fabric by French missionaries in the 1840s. Married Sotho women traditionally wear it as dresses, skirts and wraps.
Garment manufacturing
Clothing manufacturing is also one of Lesotho’s main employers, mostly women, with brands such as Levi Strauss sourcing from the country.
Sources: Wikipedia: Basotho blanket, Wikipedia: Shweshwe, Wikipedia: Culture of Lesotho.
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