What does clothing tell us about people from different cultures? On a search for answers, costume designer Elisabeth Meier (*1956 in Bülach, Switzerland) traveled to Blantyre, the commercial capital of Malawi, to take portraits of the inhabitants there. Her images aid us in understanding the language of clothing in an African culture that hovers between tradition and modernity: atmospheric photos illustrate the interplay of fabrics and colors, forms and structures, in an everyday environment. With immediacy and subjectivity, Meier provides insight into the complexity and beauty of clothing in southeastern Africa. The photos are supplemented by contributions written by well-known photo historians as well as interviews conducted with the people depicted in the portraits.