Look at this Klimt inspired image.  These textiles are crazy awesome and inspiring.

These are not all traditional wax prints, but for the most part a wax print has more than one layer of printing anyways.

How it is done: The core element in Wax Print is of course the wax. Using two deep engraved copper rollers, with the mirror image of the design, the two sides of the cotton fabric are printed with a pattern of melted wax, hence the name Wax Print. The fact that the cloth is printed on both sides enables you to wear the fabric on either side. This is the true sign of a quality wax print. Following this, the cloth is immersed in a bath of dye, often Indigo, that penetrates into the areas that are not covered with wax. After the wax as been washed off in varying stages, a negative image of the printed pattern remains on the cloth.

The next step is called a The Wax Cover.  It is a Wax Print which is enriched with one or more coloured patterns. These ‘cover’ patterns can be of very varying designs such as circles, stripes, birds, leaves, in fact any graphic form.

Even the photography blows me away and I can’t get enough of these prints.  They are beyond incredible.  They are so bold it would scare any North American Fashionista into a rabbit hole to hide and cower with her wardrobe of shlumpy grey and black minimalist modern outfits.  If the goddesses from the heavens could come down to earth and shop, I am sure that these are the fabrics they would buy for their ceremonial gowns and cloud sitting leisure wear.

All of these prints are from a company called Vlisco.  They are a Dutch wax printing company that have been making high end fashion fabrics destined for the African market for over a century.

Here are the photos from the most recent collection at Vlisco.  Just stunning!

http://www.vlisco.com

and my favourite ones have been saved for last: