{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1644182"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1644182/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022ND3592/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022ND3592/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022ND3592","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022ND3593","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2022ND3569","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1644182/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1644182","accessionNumber":"T.2422:1to4-2021","objectType":"Ensemble","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Made in Dakar, Lalage Bown commissioned this ensemble from a local tailor to wear to the opening of the second International Congress of Africanists, hosted by Senegalese President Léopold Senghor, in Dakar, December 1967.  \n\r\nThe boubou is a classic Senegalese garment worn by men and women. Traditionally custom-made, the boubou is created by folding a rectangular piece of fabric in half, creating a neck opening, and then partially sewing the sides. A woman’s boubou has a large, rounded neck-opening. The grand boubou came into fashion after World War II, and required a larger amount of fabric, hence the name. Women usually wear a boubou with a pagne, wrapped skirt, and a head-tie. Bown’s grand boubou is made of light green organza machine-embroidered with silver flowers and has a head-tie the same fabric. It is accompanied by a dark green pagne, and sleeveless peplum top in a seersucker-style synthetic material. Boubou’s are historically made from cotton, but speaking of the synthetic organza used on her ensemble Bown, ‘the under “up and down” and the organza over-dress was the complete outfit worn in the streets by almost all the women of Senegal at the time. The colours varied, but they all wore that style. I simply asked the tailor to make me an outfit in the then-current style.’ \r\n","physicalDescription":"Organza grand boubou, created by folding a rectangular piece of fabric in half, creating a neck-opening and sewing part of the sides. The organza is embroidered with silver flowers, possibly by machine. It has a headtie in matching fabric.\r\n\r\nThe boubou was worn with a dark green synthetic pagne (wrapper), with string tie. It has a matching greeen top with strap sleeves and a small peplum. The top has a zipper.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Polyester","id":"AAT14546"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Polyester, cotton, metal zip, foam","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2022ND3592","2022ND3593","2022ND3569"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES308060"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES308060"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES308060"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"012","id":"THES306245"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Grand Boubou","id":"THES338203"}],[{"text":"Top","id":"AAT121968"}],[{"text":"Pagne","id":""}],[{"text":"Headtie","id":"AAT258469"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Dakar","id":"x38286"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1966","earliest":"1966-01-01","latest":"1966-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Professor Lalage Bown","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"110","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Headwrap","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"88","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Headwrap","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"141","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Buba - measured flat","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"170","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Buba - measured flat","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"49","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Top - measured flat, excluding straps","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"50","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Top - measured flat","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"145.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Skirt - measured along top edge","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"108","unit":"cm","qualifier":"Maximum","date":{"text":"17/08/2021","earliest":"2021-08-17","latest":"2021-08-17"},"part":"Skirt","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured by conservation","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Lalage Bown commissioned this ensemble in Dakar, from a local tailor, to wear to the opening of the second International Congress of Africanists, hosted by Senegalese President Léopold Senghor, in Dakar, December 1967.  ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Grand Boubou, light green organza with embroidered flowers,matching headtie, dark green top and pagne (wrapper), Dakar, Senegal, 1966","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Tailors, seamstresses and dressmakers were, and still are, an integral part of the fashion scene. While their names may have been lost to time, their work and legacy as key instigators of fashion innovation endures. Made by a local tailor in Dakar in the popular style of the moment, this ensemble was worn to the opening of the second International Congress of Africanists in 1967. V&amp;A, Room 40, <i>Africa Fashion </i>","date":{"text":"02/07/2022 - 16/04/2023","earliest":"2022-07-02","latest":"2023-04-16"}}],"partNumbers":["T.2422:1-2021","T.2422:2-2021","T.2422:3-2021","T.2422:4-2021"],"accessionNumberNum":"2422","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2021,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-24","recordCreationDate":"2021-07-16","availableToBook":false}}