Chicago Museum Puts Stunning African Fashion On Blast

CHICAGO – Move over dinosaurs – there’s a new exhibition in town, and it’s dripping in glamour!
Visitors at Chicago’s Field Museum are in for a right treat as “Africa Fashion” bursts onto the scene, trading fossils for fierce frocks and jaw-dropping designs. Open now and running until June 29, the show is packed with more than 180 fabulous pieces from across the African continent – and it’s turning heads for all the right reasons.

Forget what you know about museums being dusty old halls. Here, mannequins dazzle in everything from cowrie shell outfits to a regal ice-blue gown once worn by former First Lady Michelle Obama herself. And no, you’re not at the Art Institute – you’re smack dab among the dino bones at the Field!

“People keep asking, ‘Why fashion at the Field?’” laughs Angelica London, the museum’s project manager. “We’re known for dinosaurs, but trust me, this fits perfectly.”
>Organised by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, “Africa Fashion” brings together works from over 20 African nations, weaving personal stories, political histories, and cultural celebrations into one big, glorious display of creativity.

A Walk Through Time and Style

The exhibition kicks off with a look back to Africa’s independence era, a time when fashion, music and art erupted with messages of pride and protest. You’ll meet legends like Lagos’s Shade Thomas-Fahm, Ghana’s Kofi Ansah, and Mali’s Alphadi and Chris Seydou – pioneers who found fame in Europe before returning home to lift up their communities.

But it’s not just a history lesson. The show blasts forward with modern marvels too, showcasing stars like South Africa’s Thebe Magugu and Marrakesh’s Artsi Ifrach – the latter dazzling the crowd with an oversized transparent burka embroidered with the ancient Hamsa symbol.
And yes, there’s THAT famous ice-blue gown Michelle Obama wore to the 2009 Nobel Prize banquet. Stunning!

Pushing Boundaries

Not shy about sparking conversation, the exhibition also highlights the work of bold new voices. South African designer Neo Serati Mofammere’s metallic pink and blue lurex suit, complete with flared trousers and a matching bucket hat, champions gender-fluid fashion.
Meanwhile, Lagos photographer Stephen Tayo’s collage of masked drag artists shines a spotlight on the struggles – and bravery – of LGBTQ+ communities in Africa.
“Creating art like this can be dangerous,” Checinska admits. “It’s a courageous act.”

Local Exposure

Right across the hall, the Field Museum keeps the vibe going with “Connecting Threads,” a companion exhibition showing off Chicago’s own African fashion scene. Curated by local stars Melody Boykin of Black Fashion Week USA and Ghanaian designer Jennifer Akese-Burney, it’s a vibrant tribute to the city’s rich cultural roots.
London says it’s all part of a bigger mission to welcome new and diverse faces through the museum doors. “We want everyone to see themselves here,” she says.
And if you leave without a spark of inspiration? Impossible!