At the turn of the century, due to British colonization, slavery had been abolished in the coastal town along the East African coast. Women from Zanzibar onwards were now free, and what do women do when they get freedom? Shop, of course. Women were now empowered, and were able to live the life they really wanted. To express themselves in ways they never had before, and the easiest way to do so was through fashion and appearance. Originally, the leso was just a white plain cloth worn by slave men and women to distinguish themselves from the Arabs who owned them, but upon coming across the new found freedom, they redeemed the clothes worn, began printing elaborate and beautiful designs on them, cutting and sewing them into dresses, turbans, pants, and making a visually striking statement that says ‘I am a free woman.’ And the statement was made. Lesos were a fashion icon worn now not just by slaves, but every fashion conscious woman in the coast. It showed luxury, style, and class. It wasn’t until much later on that the Swahili proverbs were put on the leso. The proverbs were at first written in Arabic letters as that was the way Swahili was written pre-colonization. The proverbs were then changed to Latin letters and every leso had a beautiful proverb to express the feelings of the giver, to the receiver.