Senegalese elegance is often summed up by the grand boubou, a flowing, wide-sleeved robe with deep roots in West African history.
The grand boubou
The Senegalese boubou, known in French as the grand boubou or Senegalese kaftan, is the most formal type: typically brightly dyed and heavily embroidered. It is usually made from bazin, a cotton damask, or other cotton cloth. Traditionally it is worn over loose trousers and a caftan, and women can wear it too. Heavily embroidered versions are reserved for religious or ceremonial occasions.
History
The word comes from the Wolof mboubou. The robe developed among trans-Saharan trading peoples, including the Wolof, as protection against desert sun by day and cold by night. Nobles in medieval Mali and the Hausa and Songhai states adopted it as a status symbol, and it spread among West African Muslims through trade and preaching.
Textiles in the economy
Senegal’s culture page lists textiles among its main industries, fabrics among its exports and cotton as an important cash crop.
Sources: Wikipedia: Boubou, Wikipedia: Culture of Senegal.
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