Tenerife Showcases Traditional Dress Evolution
The Tenerife Cabildo, in collaboration with the Adeje Town Hall and the Tenerife Traditional Clothing Sector Council, is currently hosting the exhibition “Dressing in Tenerife in the 20th Century”. Running as part of the Adeje Summer University programme, the exhibition explores how economic changes and industrialisation altered the traditional clothing of the island from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century.
This free-entry exhibition will be open until Friday, 10 July, from 9:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 20:00.
Efraín Medina, the island’s councillor for Employment, Education, and Youth, visited the exhibition and said, “This exhibit is a unique opportunity to understand our history through the clothing our ancestors wore for work and daily life. Preserving and sharing this ethnographic heritage is crucial for keeping our identity alive and passing it on to future generations.”
Adolfo Sebastián Alonso Ferrera, the councillor for Culture, Sports, and Education at Adeje, added that the exhibition enriches the Summer University programme, themed “Building the future with roots from the past”. He emphasised the value of displaying ancestral clothing at the Espacio El Barranco and reinforced the commitment to collaborate with the Cabildo on future initiatives.
The exhibition visually illustrates how innovations like the sewing machine, the industrial revolution, and the rise of fashion magazines transformed local attire, particularly for women, who transitioned to shorter skirts and adopted straight lines from the 1920s onwards. Items like cotton babis and cable-knit stockings became popular by the 1950s.
The iconic maga hat, a distinctive piece made from braided palm fibre and velvet-lined, features prominently. The exhibition educates visitors on its various styles and practical applications, showcasing how women used it to balance loads on their heads.
Through this exhibition, the Tenerife Cabildo continues its efforts to protect and promote the island’s ethnographic heritage, ensuring that the historical legacy and daily customs that define Tenerifean identity are preserved.
