Faculty of Design

Material Art & Design

Aichoucha Haidara

"ABUNDANCE" Bodice

This bodice is inspired by the duality of Mama Wata and it is one side of a reversible bodice. The surface application of this garment is an affirmation of abundance as cowrie shells were once used a form of currency in West Africa.

“The Abundance Bodice is an adjustable bishop sleeve top with cowrie shell embroidery. The surface application is inspired by Ghanain Adinkra symbol for abundance. These symbols are used as pictorial images that represent popular proverbs, maxims and affirmations. Using natural materials like the cowrie shell, I created a visual representation of the symbol. I also used the shell because it is often said that Mama wata gave Cowrie shells as tokens of recognition. This garment includes a panel to allow for more diverse size ranges.”