Dashiki Lightweight Bomber Jacket  – purple

The ideal lightweight jacket, a bomber will see you through the seasons in style. Give your casual attire a modern refresh with this dashiki  bomber jacket – ideal as an everyday staple that will complement your look.

From being one of the most searched to one of the most popular trends with a rich history. The bomber jacket has developed into a phenomenon that knows no border, language or culture. Versatile, gender-neutral and suitable for all ages, the dashiki print bomber jacket in particular has never been more widely recognised across the world than it is now. This jacket makes its mark on the bomber jacket arena and is the ultimate layering must-have to add a pop of iconic style and colour to your wardrobe. 

Key design features:

• 2 side pockets
• Lightweight but warm feel polyester mix fabric – folds small and compact. Handy to keep in your bag as a backup layer
• Black ribbing trim collar and cuffs
• Bold and colourful dashiki print
• Zip up front
• Fade resistant colours

To reflect its true versatility, the Dashiki  bomber jacket can be worn with practically anything. From denim and chinos, dresses and skirts to shorts and more! The bomber jacket style enables you to dress up or dress down your look depending on where you’re going. Pair with jeans or glam it up with a sleek attire. So stylish this season!

Why is it called a bomber jacket?

The bomber jacket could have possibly been named from its initial use as part of the military uniform. The very first bomber jackets were worn by military pilots during World War I and II.

Fabric Inspiration

The name ‘dashiki’ comes from the name ‘dan ciki’ or ‘danshiki’ which is a Hausa and Yoruba word for ‘shirt’. The two languages are mostly spoken in Nigeria but can be found in other parts of West Africa as well. The term dashiki was coined by Jason Benning in 1967 right before he started the mass production of dashiki shirts alongside Howard Davis, William Smith, and Milton Clarke. The dashiki shirts were released under their clothing line, New Breed Clothing Ltd in Harlem, New York City. Dashiki attire is significant to Africans especially those in West Africa due to its symbolic meaning. To many, dashiki attire has a story of struggle and liberation and means freedom while acting as a cultural representation of Africa’s history. Even after its introduction to the west, dashiki still retains a deep-rooted sense of African heritage. 

Interesting facts

What is loosely called dashiki print, is in the strictest terms – Angelina print. Toon van de Manakker, a Vlisco textile designer, is credited with introducing the Angelina print to the world in the 19th century. Toon van de Manakker based the design of the print on the 19th century Ethiopian noblewoman’s tunic as shown in the image below:

Woman’s dress, Ethiopian (Photo courtesy of V&A)

The Vlisco print, now popularly known as dashiki, gained fame in most West African countries such as Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, and Benin to mention a few. In 1970, The popularity of the print coincided with the release of the hit song “Angelina” by legendary Ghanaian band “The Sweet Talks”. People began referring to the printed fabric as ‘Angelina’. In Congo, this print is called “Ya Mado”. Famous Congolese singer Fabregas released the song “Mascara”, in which “Ya Mado!” was part of the lyrics, referring to an attractive voluptuous woman. As the dancers wore this pattern in the music video, the name Ya Mado gained popularity in Congo. The pattern is often also called ‘Mirriam’ in Congo –  after singer and activist Miriam Makeba, as Miriam almost always dressed in distinctive African prints.