In May 1940, a Portuguese trader named Nogueira arrived in Helmond in the Netherlands to order a custom-made Wax Block. He conceived an idea for a design with six spark plugs (bougies), indicating that its wearer had a six-cylinder car, a sign of wealth.
During the Second World War, Vlisco was unable to carry out production operations, but numerous trial productions with ‘Six Bougies’ were conducted. After the war, this supply of fabric constituted the first shipment to the fully dried-up Congolese market, and it appears to have been an immediate success.

But the design also took on a different popular meaning: the woman in the middle is strong enough to take on six men.

• second world war
• spark plugs
• six men
• six bougies
• congo

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• Niels Verhart
• Tijs Teulings
• Remi Schouten
• Betty van Breemaat
• Tjarda Wessels
• Matey Philip
• Alexander Sarlay
• Anne Marr
• Christof Zürn
• Roy Uijtenhaak
• Sarah Rohde
• Benedicta
• Hannah Monette Oum Kalsoum
• EricaStevens
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il ya de cela quelque annee dans mon pays pour avoir un pagne vlisco il fallait etre d'un rang social elevè alors les femme avait trouve une stategie pour ce procure ces pagnes donc lorsque la nouvelle collection est arrive le dessin de 6bougies avait plus de succe alor on le nomma papa bonheur pour dire aux hommes ou leurs mari que l'homme qui ne pouvait pas offrire cet pagne a sa femme ete nul voila comment nos grand mère en 1960 on pu se procure cet pagne de valeur

• congo

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• Monika Neuland Kimrey
• نادية
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