Known as African wax block prints, or Dutch wax prints, they were introduced to West Africa by Dutch merchants in the mid-1800s, after the Dutch tried to imitate traditional batik fabrics through ...

Over time, patterns morphed to meet West African tastes. They became brighter, more geometric and more symbolically loaded, and they were associated with Africa to an ever increasing extent.

The European monopoly on wax print textiles in Central and West African markets is being undermined by Chinese companies. But now designers in Ivory Coast are embracing traditional patterns in a ...

Susan Nwankpa Gillespie, an architect in Southern California, wanted to create a larger home for her family. Bruce Damonte Nwankpa Gillespie designed brick patterns inspired by a West African ...