‘Africa Fashion’ brings diverse designs to Field Museum

Beauty and ingenuity can be found around every corner of a new fashion exhibition in Chicago.

One mannequin wears a stunning, contemporary piece fashioned primarily from cowrie shells. Another models a regal, ice-blue evening gown worn by former first lady Michelle Obama. A third shows off a colorful robe fashioned in the 1970s from hand-woven, Nigerian okene cloth.

These ensembles by African designers — LaFalaise Dion, Azzedine Alaïa and Shade Thomas-Fahm, respectively — are not found at the Art institute of Chicago or Museum of Contemporary Art, but at the Field Museum.

“One of the questions I get all the time is ‘why fashion at the Field?’, because we’re known for dinosaurs,” museum project manager Angelica London said, laughing.

But the “Africa Fashion” ticketed exhibition also has strong historical and cultural elements, which make it a great fit for the venue, London explained.

Opening Friday and running through June 29, the traveling show was organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It features more than 180 works from artists spanning more than 20 countries in Africa. And the pieces are presented in the context of the continent’s political and cultural history. A companion exhibition, “Connecting Threads,” runs through March 1, 2026, and features African fashions created by Chicago designers.

“Africa Fashion” shares personal stories of designers, highlights their innovation, and demonstrates their global impact.

“The show is about agency,” said lead curator Christine Checinska, who also serves as the senior curator of African and diaspora textiles and fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum. “It’s about abundance. It’s about unbounded creativity. And I want people to really catch a glimpse of the magnificence of African creativity when they come to the show.”

In addition to observing the haute couture and ready-to-wear apparel, visitors can also view textiles, accessories, photographs and videos. The exhibition also features mannequins with a rich variety of brown skin tones and hairstyles; music by African artists; and touchable items for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

The first part of the exhibition showcases fashions from the the African independence era of the mid-20th century, when many countries were gaining sovereignty. The period also marked a cultural renaissance for the continent, which was reflected not only through clothing, but music and visual art expressing both messages of celebration and protest.

The exhibition also includes information about the vanguards of the 20th century fashion scene. Visitors will read stories about designers including Shade Thomas-Fahn, of Lagos, Kofi Ansah, of Ghana, and Alphadi and Chris Seydou, both of Mali. Though these prominent figures achieved success in Europe, they returned to the continent to contribute to their communities.

The show also dedicates plenty of space to contemporary pieces from artists including Thebe Magugu, of South Africa, and Artsi Ifrach, of Marrakesh. The latter artist contributed an eye-catching, over-sized, transparent burka and mask embroidered with the Hamsa symbol, also known as the hand of Fatima.

Many of the works push boundaries and inspire conversation about culture and gender expression. For example, designer Neo Serati Mofammere, of South Africa, celebrates gender-fluidity with a standout metallic, pink and blue Lurex suit with flared trousers and a matching bucket hat.

Photographer Stephen Tayo, of Lagos, created a collage of drag artists in Lagos with obscured faces. Checinska said the artist’s choice illustrates the limitations on LGBTQ+ expression in some African countries.

For many, constructing this type of art can be a risky endeavor, she added. “It’s a really courageous act,” she said.

More contemporary conversations can be generated by the complementary “Connecting Threads” exhibition across the hall. The Field Museum collaborated on the multi-sensory show with two local creatives: Black Fashion Week USA founder Melody Boykin and Ghana-born designer Jennifer Akese-Burney. Impressive ensembles, jewelry and textiles from local artists are on display.

Angelica London said the exhibition is part of the museum’s efforts to attract new and diverse audiences.

“We wanted to have them come into the space, see themselves as Chicagoans, and also of African descent, in our museum, which is a thing that we have we failed to do in the past,” she said. “We are looking forward to making some adjustments for future shows.”

London said she hopes “Africa Fashion” communicates that the continent is “alive and thriving.”

And she is confident that the works will stimulate creativity.

“You’re going to leave with some inspiration,” she said.