Choolips distinct batik

This July, CHOOLIPS’ fairtrade summer dresses will be sold exclusively at Topshop’s Oxford Circus flagship store.

The label, which was founded in 2003, offers garments made entirely in Ghana by local batikers, tailors and seamstresses, all of whom earn eleven times the average national wage for their work.

The dresses’ playful, pretty silhouettes feature colourful Ghanaian batik print designs to create CHOOLIPS’ signature style – cutting edge high street fashion with African soul. For Summer 09 Topshop will stock three dress designs made from 100% Ghanaian cotton in four colours, following the sell-out success of its 2007 range. Subtle Japanese pleating and origami folds add detail to the pretty repeat prints.

To create the prints, CHOOLIPS looked at the limitations of Ghanaian batik stamps, which are designed and carved by hand using foam mattresses. CHOOLIPS introduced CAD/CAM & Laser Technology to enable trend-led print design to sustain this ancient technique. Introducing new materials and technology to Ghanaian workers has pioneered local design processes and working methods. This, in turn, has furthered local businesses both in the UK and at grass roots level in Ghana.

Since CHOOLIPS started working with Batiker Juliana Mustapha (based on Ghana’s Golden Coast), Juliana has tripled both her workforce and the size of her workshop, and laid a water pipe owing to the success of her work.

CHOOLIPS was founded by ethical fashion entrepreneur Annegret Affolderbach in 2003 with a small organic and fair-trade collection exhibited during London Fashion Week. Following extensive research trips to the African continent, Annegret entered a collection in the ‘Design4LifeGhana’ competition,where Topshop’s buying team were on the jury. They were so impressed by her designs that they bought the collection, and have been champions of the brand ever since.

Read our exclusive interview with Annegret.