CIC BTB21 - Power, Dress & Spirituality with Lorene Rhoomes

Creative Lancashire is collaborating with Amber Butchart to curate and present a series of Conversations in Creativity talks to further explore the themes responded to by artists & makers contributing to the British Textile Biennial programme.

In this talk, Lorene Rhoomes, the designer behind Akhu Designs, shares her passion for West African textiles, looking at its vital role in the region covering adornment, rites of passage, textiles design and dress.

A number of fabrics will be covered from the sacred Kente, dubbed the Akan Royal Cloth; Adire, resist-dyed indigo cloths that historically symbolised wealth and nobility among community chiefs, and Ankara, also known as Dutch Wax, which has a long and intricate history ranging from Indonesia to Holland, Manchester and West Africa, whose stories of colonialism and identity are often used in the artwork of Yinka Shonibare.

Lorene Rhoomes is the hands and heart behind Afrocentric brand Akhu Designs. Inspired by her Nigerian and Jamaican heritage, the label specialises in turbans and head wraps that have cultural resonance as well as serious style credentials. She is a regular at the popular ‘Africa at Spitalfields’ market and has toured with Natural Hair Week teaching women the origins and historical journey of the head wrap from Africa to the diaspora. 

Conversations in Creativity is Creative Lancashire’s series of talks and insightful interviews, where creatives from across the disciplines explore how inspiration, often from around the world, informs process.

Booking Info:

Free to attend, but registration is essential as places are limited.

BOOK HERE via Eventbrite

On the same day, Lorene also presents opportunities to participate in head wrap workshops (11.30 & 1.30pm - see BTB21 website for details).

Akhu Designs on Etsy

@akhudesigns