Gnawa Lila Cowrie Noir
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THE DETAILS
Gnawa Lila Cowrie Noir
Darkness, sound, and sacred adornment, captured in motion.
Lila Cowrie Noir is a tribute to the full-body freedom of the Lila ceremony, a night of music, cowrie shells, embroidered symbols, and trance. The black backdrop becomes a stage for green, blush, mustard, and blue to dance. Inspired by the floral and symbolic motifs on musicians’ garments, this scarf is a powerful abstraction of memory and magic.
53" x 55"
80% cotton, 20% silk
Hand-finished edges
Made in Italy
Dry clean
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THE STORY
That’s right. It’s not just about the music.
There’s also fashion and style to consider. Bright tunics representing the seven colors of the culture. Embroidery stitched onto the tunics forming intricate patterns. Caps perched on the head of each musician, some with tassels that sway in unison with the movements of the body. And a detail you can’t miss are all the cowrie shells adorning the caps and the belts, rat-a-tatting against each other. It’s an ode to Gnawa’s sub-Saharan heritage. Add this visual symphony with the melodic cadences of Gnawa song and it’s a delight for the senses. -
THE PROCESS
The cotton and silk prints add texture to the digital art renderings of the Lila Cowrie design.
