Indigo dyeing workshop with Abiola Onabulé

In this workshop, fashion designer Abiola Onabulé will explore the complex history of indigo, before demonstrating a variety of techniques for creating adire, a Yoruba-designed indigo-dyed cloth originating in south-western Nigeria. You will then experiment with these techniques to create your own piece to take home.

Indigo, a plant that has been used to cultivate a deeply-hued and labour-intensive dye for centuries, was at one point one of the most sought-after commodities in the world, fostering an extractive colonial trade that further drove the trade in enslaved peoples in western Africa and beyond.

All materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring along an item that has sentimental value to you, or simply just needs a new lease of life, to dye instead.