The Red Dress

The Red Dress project, conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod, provides an artistic platform for women around the world, many of whom are marginalized and live in poverty, to tell their personal stories through embroidery.

From 2009 to 2022, pieces of the Red Dress travelled the globe being continuously embroidered onto. Constructed out of 84 pieces of burgundy silk dupion, the garment has been worked on by 346 women and 7 men, from 47 countries, with all 136 commissioned artisans paid for their work (as well as receiving a portion of all ongoing exhibition fees). The rest of the embroidery was added by willing audience at various exhibitions & events.

Embroiderers include female refugees from Palestine, Syria and Ukraine, women seeking asylum in the UK from Iraq, China, Nigeria and Namibia, victims of war in Kosovo, Rwanda, and DR Congo; impoverished women in South Africa, Mexico, and Egypt; individuals in Kenya, Japan, Turkey, Sweden, Peru, Czech Republic, Dubai, Afghanistan, Australia, Argentina, Switzerland, Canada, Tobago, Vietnam, Estonia, USA, Russia, Pakistan, Wales, Colombia and England, students from Montenegro, Brazil, Malta, Singapore, Eritrea, Norway, Poland, Finland, Ireland, Romania and Hong Kong as well as upmarket embroidery studios in India and Saudi Arabia.

Kirstie Macleod and the Red Dress, UK, 2021

Hilaria Kopez Patishtan, supported by Kitzen, Chiapas, Mexico, 2020

Selema Gabaly, founder of FanSina, Sinai, Egypt 2015

Initially the project sought to generate a dialogue of identity through embroidery, merging diverse cultures, with no borders. However, over the 13 years the dress has also become a platform for self-expression and an opportunity for voices to be amplified and heard.

Embroidery by Ruriko Wyborn, Japan, 2018 and Nina Gronw-Lewis, Somerset, UK, 2020

Many of the artisans are established embroiderers, but there are also pieces created by first time embroiderers. The artisans were encouraged to create a work that expressed their own identities whilst adding their own cultural and traditional experience. Some used specific styles of embroidery practiced for hundreds of years within their family, village, or town whilst others chose simple stitches to convey powerful events from their past. Some of the women are re-building their lives with the help of embroidery, by using their skill or being trained in embroidery to earn a decent and consistent living.

The Red Dress has been exhibited in various galleries and museums worldwide, including Gallery Maeght in Paris, Art Dubai, Museo Des Arte Popular in Mexico City, the National Library of Kosovo, National Waterfront Museum in Wales, Fashion and Textile Museum, London, an event at the Royal Academy in London, and the Premio Valcellina Textiles award in Maniago, Italy where it won first prize in 2015.

Diana Milstein, Artisan from Somerset, UK, 2021

The Red Dress’s 13-year creation journey around the world is now completed with the dress assembled in its final configuration. Covered in millions of stitches, the 6.2 kg. silk Red Dress is weighted as much by the individual stories and collective voices waiting to be heard as by the threads and beads that adorn it.

Moving forward, as well as continuing to develop a strong online platform the Red Dress will be travelling to many different galleries, museums, and event spaces around the world - with a continued aim to be accessible to all. Kirstie hopes to bring the garment to visit the countries of the artisans who helped create her, and exhibit the Red Dress alongside their own work in their chosen venue.

The Red Dress at the Heroinat Memorial, Pristina, Kosovo, 2021

Practical and logistical support with commissions for the project was provided by the following charities, self-help development projects, social enterprises and various initiatives providing support to women in poverty: Manchester Aid for Kosovo supporting Sister Stitch in Kosovo; Kisany in Rwanda and DR Congo; Missibaba in South Africa; Kitzen in Mexico; Al Badia in Palestine; FanSina in Egypt and The Swansea Women’s Asylum & Refugee Support `group, Wales. Seed investment for the project was provided by the British Council Dubai in 2009 and subsequent funding has been received by the Arts Council Lottery Fund & the British Embassy Pristina, Kosovo.

OUR SUPPORTERS

A huge thank you to all who have given their time, energy, enthusiasm, advice, experience and financial support to the Red Dress project over the years. In addition to the institutions below, funding has been gratefully received from a number of private donations and 441 individuals around the world via 2 Crowdfunding campaigns in 2020 and 2022.

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