In Malawi, the chitenje is part of everyday life. This brightly printed cotton cloth is both a wardrobe staple and a fashion statement.
History of the cloth
Researchers at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study describe a cloth of about two metres by 1.5 metres, worn mainly as a wraparound skirt. Its origins lie with a Dutch company that copied Javanese batik and, when the cheaper version sold poorly in Indonesia, turned to West African markets. After independence in 1964 it was promoted as respectable dress for women. A 2014 paper by Sarah Worden calls it affordable and socially binding across economic groups, and notes that political parties, religious bodies and NGOs commission cloths to inform or commemorate.
From wrap to tailoring
The Nation reports that chitenje is traditionally used in many ways, including as a simple waist wrap, and is now tailored into modern clothing. The UK High Commissioner, Fiona Ritchie, wore a chitenje jacket on a Friday, the day the government’s Buy Malawi Strategy sets aside for locally made outfits. Designers such as Roy View Banda, whose collections include Kamuzu and Manyasa, praise it as comfortable and suited to different seasons.
A new generation
Nataal’s 2019 report on Malawian fashion innovators shows young creatives using chitenje to tell their own stories through clothing, and another Nation feature lists blazers, summer dresses and evening gowns mixed with lace among today’s designs.
Sources: STIAS: Chitenje dress in Malawian popular culture, Textile Society of America: Chitenje in Malawi, The Nation: Vibing with Chitenje, The Nation: The rise of the chitenje, Nataal: Fashion Futures, Malawi.
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