The King’s New Clothes: Couldn’t King T’Challa’s robes be a little more regal?
As I said elsewhere, last week my husband and I went to see Black Panther at the Jabi Shopping Mall in Abuja, Nigeria. And what a turn out. It was totally packed and even when the film came to an end and we left, the waiting area also was jammed packed overflowing to the car park area. It was interesting that the majority of the crowd were dressed in casual European clothing yet later at home watching the news, I was really surprised how the UK/US crowds turned out in Nigerian/African clothing.
But whilst watching the film, I have to say that as I am constantly surrounded on a daily basis by people wearing traditional attire, I was disappointed in how the protagonist, King T’Challa was dressed. I couldn’t help but think that what he was wearing was no different to what my boss’s driver would wear. No disrespect to my boss’s driver but the point is, the clothing of the King was simple, with the exception of his superhero suit.
If you take the outfit he is wearing in the above photo, yes, it fits his fit frame, but it seemed as if a simple cotton was used to make it. I was even tempted to write to whoever was in charge of wardrobe to send ideas of what senior Chiefs (such as my own husband) wear so that they can see how absolutely gorgeous and beautiful the fabrics and designs are. The inventiveness and creativity that has manifested plus the level of tailoring has greatly improved in the twenty odd years that I have lived here. I am always amazed when hubby brings home yet another outfit his tailor has made.
I did enjoy the film; I loved Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Kaluuya (as I totally loved him in Get Out) and the rest of the cast but I would have liked the King’s clothing to be a little more luxuriant, liberal and more padding which would have certainly given him the appropriate amount of pomp. Remember when Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall’s characters landed at the US airport, and the killer coats they were wearing in Coming to America? Now that’s what I’m talking about.
