Backs in Fashion: Mangbetu Women’s Egbe
On show at the Dallas Museum of Art until 3 August 2025, Backs in Fashion: Mangbetu Women’s Ebge curated by Dr. Roslyn Walker, brings together a collection of objects that lie in the space between fashion, sculpture, textiles, and adornment. Worn as back aprons, these functional pieces of fashion called egbe are thoughtfully crafted, aesthetically driven works of art.
Image: Back Apron (Negbe), 1930s. Mangbetu peoples. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Banana leaves, plant fiber, and natural dye. Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund, 2021.10.1.3. Image above: Back Apron (Negbe), 1930s. Mangbetu peoples. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Banana leaves, plant fiber, and natural dye. Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund, 2021.10.1.1.
The northeastern region of the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to the Mangbetu people. Known for rich craft traditions spanning ceramics, musical instruments, and metalwork, they also practised the art of head elongation, or ‘“ipombo,” and the elaborate hairstyles accompanying this tradition. After Belgium’s colonisation in 1908, this area soon became a stop along the tourist route of wealthy Belgians in the early 20th century. Developed by the Office National du Tourisme de Belgique, propaganda-style posters depicting the Mangbetu as “attractions” to see along the tourist route increased attention and visitors. According to Walker, as more Europeans came to see and interact with the group, the Mangbetu evolved their dress to provide more coverage against their prying eyes.
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The northeastern region of the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to the Mangbetu people. Known for rich craft traditions spanning ceramics, musical instruments, and metalwork, they also practised the art of head elongation, or ‘“ipombo,” and the elaborate hairstyles accompanying this tradition. After Belgium’s colonisation in 1908, this area soon became a stop along the tourist route of wealthy Belgians in the early 20th century. Developed by the Office National du Tourisme de Belgique, propaganda-style posters depicting the Mangbetu as “attractions” to see along the tourist route increased attention and visitors. According to Walker, as more Europeans came to see and interact with the group, the Mangbetu evolved their dress to provide more coverage against their prying eyes.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
