You might not be surprised to learn that many aspects of fashion have been inspired and influenced by many of our world’s most diverse cultures. One such culture of course is the Jamaican culture which has influenced the modern-day culture as we know it from music to cinema and fashion. While it might be easy to see music’s influence, you might wonder how Jamaican culture left its indelible mark on the fashion industry. So let’s look at some of the major aspects of Jamaican culture that left a mark on fashion and changed it forever.

Traditional Dyes and Textile

When we talk about textiles that originate in the Caribbean one of the most talked about is of course madras textile. This textile is often styled in a very colourful way since the origin of this fabric was to be made into colourful clothes for celebrations. It is easily recognizable as a colourful and hand-woven fabric made out of cotton often dyed with vegetable dyes in a checkered style similar to plaid. While the origin of this fabric can also be linked back to India the reality is that the Caribbean madras is not only a result of Jamaican culture from the slave plantation errors but also a crossover between the African traditions and the traditions of Indian indentured servants that worked on the British plantations in the Caribbean in the 17th century.

The Rastafari Colours

Whether you know anything about Rastafari culture or not you have definitely either seen those colours worn by someone or even worn them yourself. The red, green and yellow colours have become so iconic when paired together that they are essentially synonymous with Jamaica and its most prominent figure Bob Marley. While many people might consider that a Rastafari hat might be someone tacky especially when it comes to Stoner culture the reality of course is that the Rastafarian flag colours have been used in not only ready-to-wear fashion but also high fashion by many designers. Most prominently it was used by one of the main designers of Christian Dior for one of his collections. This was of course for the rasta collection in the early 2000s by John Galliano. Even nowadays in day-to-day life, you will see these colours represented on tie-dye shirts or anywhere in the world whether it be a store or car accessories.

Islander Casual Wear

While this may come as a surprise to many people who have been into fashion for a while the reality is that a lot of the current trends in fashion when it comes to casual wear, especially for younger people are very much inspired by a lot of the cultural footprint of the Caribbean. Some of the best examples of this are of course the popularity of bold colours as well as the integration of woven accessories in day-to-day wear. One accessory in particular that comes to mind when talking about the casual Islander street where is of course the bucket hat. While you might be thinking that bucket hats were also very much the fashion back in the 80s the reality of course is that even bagged there was a very strong Caribbean influence that was coming towards The United States With the rise in popularity of music like reggae and R&B. This is why even to this day you will notice that designers as well as celebrities still take influence from these Caribbean roots for their resort wear but also their casual wear.

Dance Hall

If you keep up with the trends especially when it comes to rap culture, you have heard of the term dance hall before especially in the circles that talk about Drake. While for women dancehall means that there are a lot of show-me outfits that reveal a lot of skin for men there is a very big focus on accessories as well as flashy jewellery. One good example of this of course is the brand Supreme which took a lot of inspiration from dancehall culture to create some of its apparel as well as accessories. The reality of course is that many people follow trends that are followed by celebrities as they are trying to live life in the same way. This is why if they see Drake’s Music inspired by dance hall, talk about his Jamaican inspirations or even eat this amazing vegan Jamaican dish they will want to not only learn more about Jamaican culture but partake in it. There is no denying that Jamaican culture as had a big impact on fashion as well as modern-day culture.