A Fabric that Carries Memory
There’s something about the sound of fabric rustling in the market — the laughter, the bartering, the boldness of color that speaks louder than words. For many of us, Ankara isn’t just fabric. It’s memory. It’s identity. It’s the unspoken joy of dressing in patterns that carry stories our ancestors once told in song, in art, in rhythm.
At Tribal Marks, we celebrate that nostalgia — and reimagine it for the bold, expressive lifestyle of today.
Our Ankara-inspired athleisure and stretch fabric designs are where tradition meets transformation.
From Java to Lagos: The Surprising Journey of Ankara
While Ankara is now synonymous with African pride and self-expression, its story began far from the shores of Africa — in the batik workshops of Java, Indonesia.
In the 1800s, Dutch traders industrialized the batik process and tried selling their wax-resist fabrics across Southeast Asia. When the locals preferred their handcrafted art, the unsold textiles found a new market — West Africa.
There, something extraordinary happened. Nigerian and Ghanaian women embraced the vibrant colors and geometric patterns, integrating them into cultural ceremonies, markets, and moments of joy.
Each print began to tell a story — sometimes of status, sometimes of solidarity, sometimes of love.
That’s how an imported fabric became deeply, unmistakably ours — adopted, adapted, and reborn through African creativity.
Ankara in Nigeria: Nostalgia, Identity, and Storytelling
In Nigeria, Ankara evolved beyond fashion. It became a language.
Through Aso Ebi — coordinated custom outfits of the same cloth and pattern (Aso Ebi literally means “family cloth” in Yoruba) worn by family and friends at weddings and celebrations — Ankara became a symbol of unity and belonging. Each pattern carried its own meaning, often named after a proverb, an emotion, or a shared experience.
Think of prints like “My husband’s eye,” “Speed bird,” or “Money flies away.” These weren’t random names — they were cultural metaphors.
To wear a print was to wear a message.
Even today, slipping into Ankara stirs something timeless: the nostalgia of the market, Saturday tailoring, the pride of Sunday gatherings, the artistry of your grandmother’s wrapper tied just right.
Photo Credit: Tribal Marks.
A willing vendor and I at a Lagos market several years ago.
The Modern Shift: From Runway to Real Life
In recent decades, Ankara has risen beyond its traditional roots. This Aso Ebi culture now transcends the Yoruba culture through Nigeria, Africa and the diaspora. And from the streets of Lagos to global fashion runways, designers have fused Ankara with Western silhouettes, bold cuts, and minimalist tailoring.
Yet, one thing remains constant: the print always speaks.
The Birth of a Vision — From Words to Wearable Identity
For me, Tribal Marks didn’t begin as a fashion line.
It began with a vision to speak life into our identity and fight for freedom in the mind and against human trafficking. To awaken us to breed a culture of joy and hope - to live remarkably.
As a designer, I was captivated by the idea that words of encouragement and identity could be literally worn — transforming how we carry ourselves, think, and move through life.
That vision grew from years of immersion in creativity and culture.
I’d watched my mom and sister shape beautiful new phases of my sister’s fashion line, experimenting with fusions of West African Adire (tie-and-dye) and modern silhouettes.
I had a front-row seat to color theory, cultural storytelling, and the emotional power of fabric.
While completing my graphic design program — with electives in studio art, stage costuming, photography, and screen printing — I realized the technology to fully merge Ankara aesthetics with motivational messages just wasn’t there yet.
Years later after working in corporate design, I simply began with T-shirts.
“Afro-inspired” designs that carried words like “Ayo, Igboya, Arewa, Igwe, Lafia, and Santu”.
The response was incredible. The designs spoke — not just through pattern or print, but through voice.
Because speaking has always been the heartbeat of this brand — through apparel, through dance, art and wellness, through every creative medium.
After a brief hiatus, the vision reignited. Printing technology had evolved — and suddenly, what was once impossible to me became reality.
The layered patterns, bold colors, and rhythmic flow of Ankara prints could finally coexist with graphic words of encouragement — each design carrying both beauty and message.
And that’s when the dream took its next breath.
From Legacy to Leggings — When Heritage Meets Innovation
As the brand evolved, so did the mission.
We wanted Ankara not just to be worn — but to move.
We saw another gap. Ankara was stunning in gowns, blouses, and suits… but rarely seen in performance wear. We asked:
What if Ankara could move with you? What if culture could stretch? What if the fabric of identity could stretch with life?
That realization collided beautifully with the rise of athleisure — where fashion meets freedom, and comfort meets confidence.
That question birthed our Ankara Stretch Collection.
We fused Ankara’s iconic wax-print aesthetic with modern stretch fabrics — recycled-spandex blends engineered for movement, comfort, and expression.
Our leggings, tops, and athleisure sets carry messages of identity, hope, mind shifts and resilience — merging the heart of the African wax print with the mindset of everyday wellness.
It’s Ankara for hikes, pilates, barre, dance, work, travel and adventures. It’s for creativity and for life.
Each print speaks vibrance and versatility; each word affirms — reminding you that fashion isn’t just about fabric.
It’s about freedom.
Why It Matters: Fashion as a Form of Hope
We believe Ankara is more than aesthetic. It’s ancestral language — a visual vocabulary of hope, honor, and belonging.
By fusing it with athleisure, Tribal Marks transforms culture into a practice of wellness — clothing that carries the energy of our culture and the optimism of our future.
When you move, stretch, or rest in Ankara, you’re not just wearing color.
You’re embodying your vibrance and versatility.
Caring for Your Ankara Stretch Pieces
To preserve the vibrance and quality:
- Wash cold, inside-out
- Use mild detergent (avoid bleach)
- Air dry or tumble dry low
- Iron or steam on low if needed
Because true Ankara — even the modern kind — deserves care worthy of its heritage.
Looking Forward
From legacy to leggings, from ceremony to self-care — Ankara continues to evolve.
At Tribal Marks, we’re here for that evolution — creating bold, expressive, empowering apparel that keeps heritage alive in motion.
Culture isn’t static.
It stretches.
It breathes.
It lives — in color, in confidence, in you.
Shop the Collection
👉 Explore the Ankara Stretch Line
👉 Read more stories on our blog
References:
Fashionevo (2023), Medium Journal, IJHSSM Journal, Wikipedia, British Library Textiles Collection.