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What is Agbada?
Recently, Agbada men fashion style has been in vogue and we have decided to take a short journey into the Agbada fashion space so as to discover more about this never dying fashion trend.
The Agbada, Baban Riga or Grand bubu as they call it in many parts of Africa especially in Nigeria, is a classic African garment worn by men to show affluence and display social status. It is related to the Dashiki. Historically, the Agbada derives its roots from middle east who are mostly moslems.
A typical Agbada consists of the trousers, the long sleeved shelve, and open stitch sleeveless gown.
Agbada is one of the names for a flowing wide-sleeved robe worn by men in much of West Africa, and to a lesser extent in North Africa, related to the dashiki suit.
The garments is known by a much simpler looking undervest and another wider and overwhelming and magnificent germent worn upon with the broadest sleeves you can imagine.
Where can I find Agbada?
Agbada is a common name it is called in West Africa. Although this special raiment is popular among Northern & Western Africa and in the Middle East.
In Western Africa Agbada is not just a prestigious garments, it one which takes a lot of time and materials to make because the beautiful embroidery which is knitted at the fore-front of this garment in most cases
Making an Agbada?
It not all fashion designers that could make good Agbada because of how rigorous it processes of making a good one could be. Although with a little practice and guidance many designers should be able to pull it off.
In time past the Yoruba tribe in Western Africa make their Agbada with Aso-oke material which is hand woven, thick and patterned material which you could easily seein any of their traditional occasion.
The Yorubas call the trousers sokoto and the inner vest awotele while the outer germent they call awosoke.
The Hausas on the other hand do not joke when it comes to Agbada their whitish Agbada is always a sight to behold which they wear mostly with the Danna cap.
There is no defined pattern to how the Agbada should look, it varies from person to person and from ethnicity to Nations.
Accessories for Agbada
Agbadas are mostly worn with caps this may also differ across ethnic groups. For the yorubas you will see them wear the fila gobi, abeti-aja & kufi and for the Hausa/fulanis in most cases it worn with the bama & Tangaran.
For some ethnic groups who wear beads like this yorubas the men could be seen wearing beads on their necks and wrist. Wrist watches also are not bad ideas as long as it blends well with the cloth material.
For men cover shoes and half shoes are best weather it be loafers or cooperate shoes, palms and sandals huge turnoffs as long as footwear are considered.
Occasion for Agbada wear
In the continent Africa Agbada are are most worn to very high profiled events both official and unofficial. You will spot them at chieftaincy meetings, mosques, churches, weddings, birthdays and event political gatherings.
As long as there is a comfortable place to sit and meet and one could bare the weight of an overflowing garments Agbada is likely to be in attendance.
Due to the nature of the Agbada you won’t see them in very busy settings like the gym, sport events, factories etc. This could be hazardous and might put the wearer in harms way.
What to expect from Agbada Designers
Over the the year we have thought that Agbada is for men only, only to discovered a few years ago that women have found a way to craft out Agbada for themselves and not only women even kids are not left out in the Agbada couture.
As time goes by and with the level of innovation and creativity that is being inputed in the African fashion industry, we are set to see more sophisticated and creative agbada designs never seen before.
It is also estimated that in few years time considering the level of migration and cultural integration Agbada will gain more acceptance across Africa and beyond.
