She slowly takes the fabric out of the closet. A thick, white cotton, edged with gold thread. The gesture is precise, almost ritualistic. Her mother wore this garment. And her daughter will wear it. That's all habesha clothing tells. An unbroken line, woven between generations.
Here, far from Asmara or Addis Ababa, these clothes still find their place. We see them at Orthodox festivals, weddings, baptisms. But also in ordinary neighborhoods. A Sunday market. A passport photo. A gentle but firm defense of what we refuse to forget.
Habesha dresses are often sewn in silence. They aren't always bought. They circulate. From an aunt to a niece. From a friend returning from the country. From a seamstress based in Biel who agrees to take orders, between two clients. These are network clothes. Trusted.
Their cut is simple. Their symbolism is profound. The colored border—called telse —doesn't just serve as embellishment. It indicates the origin, sometimes the region, often the hand that placed it. Nothing is left to chance. Even when the fabrics are imported, the memory remains local.
Ethiopian Dress - Germawit
✨ A hand-sewn culture, between transmission and reinvention
These dresses, these tunics, these fabrics folded over the shoulder are still visible here, far from Addis Ababa or Asmara .
We find them at weddings, baptisms, religious festivals.
But also in ID photos.
At the market. On the street.
These are discreet acts of resistance , of memory, of pride.
Often, we don't buy them. We receive them. We lend them.
An aunt entrusts them to a niece. A seamstress in Bienne makes them between two clients.
They circulate like stories that we don't want to lose .
🎨 The telse, this detail that says it all
The colored border – called telse – is never placed at random.
It tells of an origin, a region, sometimes the hand that sewed it.
Even when the fabric is imported, the memory remains local .
The cuts are simple. The messages are profound.
👥 An elegance that transforms, without betraying itself
Today, young people are not replaying the past.
They extend it.
Habesha outfits slip into hybrid daily lives, between family memories and urban presence.
Embroidered belt on an everyday dress.
Traditional fabric worn casually over one shoulder, beyond the religious framework.
The gesture remains. It adapts.
For some, the outfit becomes a silent presence.
In others, it becomes language.
Not to explain ourselves. But to fully inhabit who we are.
📦 Not online yet, but already in the air
At ZEKREKA , we have not yet put these clothes on sale.
But we observe them. We respect them. We prepare them.
Because what they tell is at the heart of our mission:
Objects that don't scream ,
but whisper to those who know .
Sewn promises. Carried lineages. A clothed memory.
FAQ
Where can I find habesha clothing in Switzerland?
Currently: at community events, or through seamstresses from the diaspora. ZEKREKA will be offering them soon.
Are they still hand sewn?
Yes, mostly. Pieces decorated with telse are often hand-embroidered, although some finishing touches are sometimes done by machine.
What is the difference between Ethiopian and Eritrean clothing?
Styles vary depending on cut, embroidery, and custom. But across the diaspora, they intersect and intertwine.
Can we wear them outside of ceremonies?
Absolutely. Many women adapt them to their daily lives, somewhere between reinvention and anchoring.
Are there modern sizes?
Not yet standardized. Many are still one-size-fits-all or tailored upon request. At ZEKREKA, we work to offer inclusive and contemporary cuts.
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