Prestige gown
Richly embroidered indigo-dyed tunics have come to define a fashion embraced by aristocrats of the northwest Grassfields. Forerunners of these "Grassfields gowns" were introduced by the Chamba, who arrived from the northern Benue River region in present-day Nigeria during the early nineteenth century. Such garments are a collaborative effort, requiring the expertise of both a tailor and an embroidery specialist. The body and sleeves of this example feature large, centrally placed crocodiles and protective crosses, surrounded by smaller motifs related to agriculture and the settling of the land. This design scheme was likely adapted from that of Wukari Royal Cloth, a fabric imported by Grassfields rulers from their northern Jukun neighbors.
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