Museum of Namibian Fashion

Museums are the custodians of our cultural heritage. For the Museum of Namibian Fashion, MAN believes that it is important to preserve the artefacts in this museum because their meaning and design can and will inspire young Namibians working in the creative industries.

It is for this reason that MAN held a stakeholder’s workshop to discuss the concept of establishing a Museum of Namibian Fashion. The idea is that the museum will provide an opportunity for visitors to view historical items of clothing and accessories, as well as contemporary designs inspired by Namibia’s rich history and cultural diversity. The workshop produced some lively discussions about the definition of Namibian Fashion, which will be important to determine the scope of the museum. Participants also urged collaboration with archaeologists and rock art specialists so that the pre-photography history of Namibian clothing can be included in the museum.

A competition was also launched to design a logo for the Museum of Namibian Fashion. The successful designer won a stay at a Lodge sponsored by the Gondwana Collection and a Safari Sweater and Card Holder sponsored Couture by Kim.

Another workshop held by MAN in the process of the development of the Museum of Namibian Fashion was the Mudwaro workshop which invited Namibian fashion designers, seamstresses and tailors making clothes and accessories to participate. The workshop gave individuals working in the industry the opportunity to interact with historical artefacts. The workshop aimed to inspire young Namibian creatives to draw on our cultural roots to develop products that can be worn and will have a uniquely Namibian identity. After the workshop, participants were invited to submit ideas for making an item or accessory. Several participants were commissioned to produce products for show and sale in the Museum of Namibian Fashion. 

The Museum of Namibian Fashion showcases past, present and future fashion artefacts from Namibia. The Museum has and intends to continue creating more workshops, residencies and other activities that will benefit fashion designers and seamstresses in terms of training and income-generating opportunities.

The Virtual Museum of Namibian Fashion

The Museums Association of Namibia (MAN) believes that museums should be living organisms that should be updated regularly and able to easily adapt to change. MAN has realised that the COVID-19 pandemic requires museums to adapt and to do things differently. As a result, the idea of a Virtual Museum of Fashion was born and with funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the development, launch and establishment of the virtual museum was successful.

The website enables visitors to view items, but also to interact with them by adding comments as well as submitting photographs for possible display in the virtual museum. Ndapewoshali Ndahafa Ilunga from MAN said “We believe that in these times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to do things differently. A virtual museum of fashion could create an interactive educational space where we can also showcase Namibian culture to both local and international audiences”.

2024 Update and Fashion Show

The Museum of Namibian Fashion recently collaborated with the Directorate of Education, Arts, and Culture in the Otjozondjupa region, to review the Museum of Namibian Fashion’s exhibition. Heads of departments, teachers, and community leaders were invited to review the exhibition and evaluate the translations from English to various community languages. This process took place between April and November 2023. Participants were encouraged to assess the exhibition collection and suggest additions.  Godfried ǂKhariseb from the Hai //Om community reviewed the exhibition and proposed several changes. He recommended correcting the names of various galleries, including Reception, Craftshop, Beads and Shell, Metal Work, Hair and Headdress, Tattoo and Body Scarification, People’s Gallery, and Deep Roots/New Fashion Gallery. 

Additionally, he suggested adding tortoise shells, highlighting their significance as accessories and storage in various Namibian communities. Cilsa Rukuro, a teacher from Karundu Junior Secondary School in Otjiwarongo, also participated in the Mudwaro Workshop, which focused on translating the Otjiherero sections of the exhibition. She recommended renaming the Beads and Shells, Hair and Headdress, and Leather and Skin galleries. Additionally, she suggested translating the dress from the Ovaherero communities into Otjiherero. 

From the Damara community, Welfriedtine Naobes and Jullenou Garises Kampanga proposed changing the names of the Beads and Shells, Plants, Bones and Rocks, and Textiles sections. They also suggested adding the Otjiwarongo Damara dress and Damara cosmetics to the exhibition. Moreover, Beau-Ann Ferris, representing the Baster community, contributed insights about Baster attire and the symbolism behind the clothing’s red, white, and black colours. In addition to these community contributions, the Museum of Namibian Fashion’s Advisory Board held two Zoom meetings on January 30, 2024, and July 9, 2024, to review the exhibition updates and provide further input to ensure that the exhibitions are updated adequately. 

On Tuesday the 22nd of October 2024 at around 15h00, the Deputy Mayor of Otjiwarongo, Honourable Julienda Kampungu, warmly welcomed 122 attendees to the Opening of New Exhibitions at the Museum of Namibian Fashion in Otjiwarongo. The launch was followed by the 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the same venue. Click here to download and read the full report. 

Although the exhibitions have been updated in 2024 we believe that a Namibian Museum should be organic and regularly updated. Therefore, we encourage all visitors to provide us with feedback, corrections and recommendations once they have viewed the exhibitions. This is your museum. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Information

Opening Hours:
Monday: 08h00-13H00, 14H00-17h00
Tuesday: 08h00-13H00, 14H00-17h00
Wednesday: 08h00-13H00, 14H00-17h00
Thursday: 08h00-13H00, 14H00-21h00
Friday: 08h00-13H00, 14H00-17h00

Contact

Hertha Bukassa: +264 81 352 1212
Sophia Nuuyuni: +264 81 345 2756
Email: museumofnamibianfashion@gmail.com 
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077681842285
Instagram: @museumofnamibian 
Website: https://www.namibianfashion.com/

Publications

Museum of Namibian Fashion Exhibition Guide

Gallery

 

Location

Street Address: Erf 235 Park Road, Otjiwarongo, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia