Costumes of the World - Ghana

This print, taken from my hand drawn collection Costumes of the World, depicts the traditional Kente style dress for men and women.

Kente cloth, originating in Southern Ghana around 400 years ago, is a handwoven piece of fabric in colourful and symbolic patterns. This outfit is mostly worn for special occasions, ceremonies, and celebrations. Kente is a unisex outfit, but is used by men and women in different ways. Men drape the fabric in the style of an ancient Greek toga and women wear a two-piece Kente set - a wrap-around skirt and a shawl - plus a plain-coloured blouse.

The most important feature of a kente cloth is its pattern. There are more than 300 pattern varieties, and each and every one of them has its own name and a unique deeply symbolic meaning.

You can read more about traditional Ghanaian dress here at nationalclothing.org


Sizes available:
A5 / 210 x 148mm
A4 / 297 x 210mm


All open editions, signed in pencil. 

Ready to be mounted and framed, each print is posted with a protective grey board backing in a bio-degradable sleeve, and in a hard-backed envelope.