The history of Madras
My love story with plaid, gingham, and other plaid fabrics started when I was a child. One of the first outfits that I fell in love with was a blue tee and a matching Scottish skirt. I wore the skirt on special occasions such as Christmas and during a trip to Geneva. I must have been around 7 or 8.
The love increased as I grew, going so far as to fight with my brothers for the ownership of a plaid green and white oversized men's shirt my Dad gave us, which we used to call Madras as teenagers.
Now at 45, I am contemplating having an entire collection made with Madras for my brand. The fact that I saw some beautiful Madras fabric at the market a few months back did not help.
But what is a Madras fabric? Madras fabric is a lightweight cotton fabric with check and stripe patterns. It is named after Madras (or Madraspatnam), which used to be the name of Chennai, a city in the South of India. There, people use it to make a lungi, a garment men and women wear like a wrap skirt. It can also be used to make Sarees.
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The fabric in its original form can be traced back to 3000 BC. It was traditionally handwoven, initially featuring intricate embroidered patterns before evolving into more refined printed designs, often dominated by shades of red, blue, and black. Artisans used rice gruel as a natural adhesive. In the 12th century, it was imported from India to the Middle East and Africa. The particularities of the fabric caught the eye of the colonisers, the British. In the 17th century, the East India Company settled in Madras. They quickly decided to export the locally made fabric to Europe and America. They made sure that the fisherman's village would be under British rule, and proposed tax exemption incentives to artisans from all over the country to come settle there. The company made a fortune selling the fabric.
Madras is such an interesting fabric because its use is embedded in the history of many continents, from Asia to the Americas via Europe and Africa. Madras is used in many Caribbean countries such as Martinique and Saint Lucia. It is part of their traditional wear. During the transatlantic trade, Madras was in high demand. The enslaved women who were forced to hide their hair while working in the plantations started using Madras handkerchiefs to tie their hair. And it slowly became a symbol of resistance and tradition. With emancipation, Madras was used as a garment, mostly mimicking colonizers' dress but with a local taste.
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In Africa, Madras fabric was so popular during the slave trade they were exchanged for slaves. The checked fabric gained significant popularity in southern Nigeria among the Kalabari people, who incorporated it into their clothing, headwraps, and religious ceremonies. The Signares in Senegal, who were Mulatos, fancied this fabric, which they used to make beautiful garments. Madras quickly became a symbol of a higher status and elegance, influencing Senegalese fashion.
In the 20th century, Madras became a staple of mainstream American fashion. By the 1950s and 1960s, brightly coloured Madras plaid shirts and shorts had been embraced by Ivy League and preppy style culture as essential summer wear. Fashion brands promoted the fabric as effortlessly casual yet refined and sporty. Interestingly, one of the defining features of authentic Madras was that its vegetable dyes tended to bleed slightly during washing — a flaw that eventually became part of the fabric’s unique appeal and authenticity.
When it comes to high fashion, Madras has been used by several luxury and mid-range fashion brands such as Dior and Ralph Lauren. Although it is still widely used in India, a few new designers have incorporated it into their creations. While I was living in India, I was obsessed with the brand Pero from Aneeth Arora's collection featuring Madras. I also enjoy this dress from the latest Nor white Nor black collection, made with original Madras from Tamil Nadu, India.
As for Senegal, I have seen a few local brands using the fabric for their Summer collection. However, this remains a trend, and not something we will be incorporating into our lifestyle. I regret not acquiring a few authentic Madras fabrics when I was in India. I will have to make do with the industrial ones available at the market. I can see myself making a few bubus and tunic dresses in a few weeks, either for myself or for my brand.
Have you ever seen Madras? Do you own a garment made or inspired by it?
Sources:
Disclaimer: Unless specified, most pictures used in this article are not my property.
https://plumager.com/blogs/plumager-print-design/history-of-madras
https://www.silversea.com/blog/destinations/central-america/why-is-madras-popular-in-the-caribbean-its-back-story-tells-a-disquieting-tale
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20231103-how-madras-check-became-a-preppy-style-essential
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