Shopping mall customers left in shock after a Africa Tribe woman dressed in traditional wears storm the mall

The elegant woman, believed to be in her 20s, is a member of the Himba tribe in Namibia. These striking images show the very pervasive nature of globalisation, as an elegant tribeswoman in traditional dress and mud for sunscreen checks out deals on washing powder. Photos after the cut

The woman, from the Himba tribe in Opuwo, Namibia, popped into her local grocery store to pick up a few of life's essentials.

Himba tribespeople lead a very traditional lifestyle, but are often seen using services in their local villages and cities.

The woman, thought to be in her early 20s, was pictured by Swedish wildlife and documentary photographer Bjorn Persson.

The 44-year-old said: 'The lady took me completely by surprise, as I was just doing my grocery shopping in a local supermarket while filming a documentary about the Himba tribe.

'She did not notice me at first, but after a while she realised what I was doing.

'The Himba women always dress like that, no matter if they are at home in their village or visiting the big, modern cities.

'It's for their own beauty and tradition. They don't just dress up for tourists as some other tribes do.

'The hair and whole body is covered with a certain kind of mud to protect them from the sun, and the clothes are mostly made of goat skin.'

Despite the striking contrast the images give, local shoppers did not pay any special attention to the Himba woman.

For the other villagers, the tribeswomen's appearance at the store is not unusual.

Bjorn said: 'They are used to it in that village, and so people did not stare.

 'She was just buying flour, sugar and washing powder.

'But I felt fascinated, confused, happy and sad all at the same time.

'The photos are a stark representation of the old world and traditions clashing with the new.

'For me, they are provocative and raise many questions.'

Himba men and women wear traditional clothing to suit the semi-arid environment they live in.

Women and girls within the tribe tend to perform more labor-intensive work than men and boys do, such as carrying water to the village, while men are responsible for looking after livestock.

Shopping mall customers left in shock after a Africa Tribe woman dressed in traditional wears storm the mall