The cloth
Bogolanfini begins as hand-woven cotton strip cloth, joined selvedge to selvedge before it ever meets the dye. It is dyed with a n'gallama leaf bath, then river-mud fermentation over three passes — the pattern is not printed on, it is drawn in mud and then the ground around it is lifted away. On this piece the mudcloth meets obsidian wool-silk suiting, canvassed front, ivory-and-black bogolan mudcloth lapel facing, waistband and pocket welts, cupro lining, gold-tone z buttons.
