Safo-Ankama, K. (2019). Adaptation of Indigenous Structural Textile Designs for Textile Prints: The Case of Selected Fugu Fabric Designs

This article concerns itself with the adaptation of some selected indigenous structural fugu fabric designs for textile prints. The objective of the study is to adapt the structural design concepts of Daboya fugu fabrics into fabric prints and fabricate fashion items from the adapted prints produced. The practice adopted the studio practice-based research design where an artefact is to be created with descriptions to give an understanding of the creation. Data was collected through interview and observation. The sampling techniques used for the study were purposive and convenience and a sample size of seventy (70) respondents were engaged. Findings revealed that the surface effects of structural designs from fugu fabrics can be adapted and produced with printing techniques and still maintain their unique characteristics. It was also noted that the applied designs were still recognisable by majority of users as true resemblance of the structural fugu fabric designs. The study recommended that Textile artists should draw inspiration from other cultural structural designs like kente, adinkra and others and develop design concepts for contemporary usage and applications. It was also recommended that educators in textile study should encourage more adapted designs from indigenous textiles and make them beneficial to the country in terms of economy gains through exports.