GELE STYLES FOR THE WEEKEND

A significant number of African ladies love to rock Aso ebi with some completing the look by matching the dress with a beautiful head wrap/gear also called ‘Gele’. It is one way to get noticed at a traditional event in Nigeria.

The art of gele is marked by a sense of dynamic form, in which creases, vertical stretching, horizontal elongation, perpendicular balance, spiral twists, among other design configurations, are used to create a structure out of cloth, a structure that acts as a crown for the head.

The gele has become a symbol of exotic-ity and a cultural fashion statement for decades now. Each gele style gives someone a chance to express their heritage and their love of African fashion. However, there is much more to the gele than the beautiful colors and fascinating style; there is a rich cultural history.

Gone are the days of haphazardly wrapped gelès that take up what is equivalent to the width of a football field. Now we see more moderate and stunning gele styles courtesy of gele artists who are impeccably skilled at wrapping beautiful and neat designs.

As you can see, the gele is much more than a fashion statement. It is a symbol in Africa of one’s life and social status and cultural identity.