Eliza Squibb

Yellow uterine motifs encircle red and orange virus molecules on this colorful outfit, which belonged to a Muslim council member in the Sikoro neighborhood of Bamako, Mali. A collaboration between a community clinic, a public-health foundation, and RISD-educated designer Eliza Squibb, this textile design was produced to raise awareness about reproductive health. Village leader Mamadou Niaré shared the Bamana proverb Banakunb?n ka fisa ni banafurak? ye” (Meeting the illness is better than treating the illness). This phrase is also included in the design, aligning this boubou with West African traditions of storytelling and literally imbuing it with proverbial meaning.