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The Red Dress

The Red Dress is a multi-year, award-winning, global, collaborative embroidery project. It was conceived by British textile artist Kirstie Macleod, who began the Red Dress in 2009. Initially exhibiting the dress as an installation, Macleod sat in a clear cube wearing the dress and working on its embroidery. Over the next 14 years pieces of the dress traveled across the globe, and were continuously embroidered on by different hands. It has been worked on by 365 women, 7 men and 2 non-binary artists from 50 countries, as well as audience members in cities where the dress has been exhibited. In the process The Red Dress has become an astonishing medium of expression for women across the world, many who are living in war-torn countries, in vulnerable circumstances of poverty, or as refugees. It is their feelings, stories and dreams that have been embroidered into the material. This short film shares the stunning story of the Red Dress, and what it means to some of its co-creators.

This film is an accompaniment to the Red Dress as it travels across the world to exhibitions, to be screened alongside the Red Dress itself.

Since 2009 artist Kirstie Macleod has been engaging artisans from around the world to contribute their political, cultural and personal stories to The Red Dress.

Now a new journey begins as Kirstie and the Dress travel from the cold lights of the gallery to the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico, meeting two of the women who have contributed to it. Very few of the embroiderers have seen the dress fully assembled and Kirstie has yet to met many of them, until now.

   
Syndicated from reddressembroidery.com.  
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COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

28 PAST RESPONSES

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Charlotte Sep 18, 2023
The world needs something good to do, in relationships and encouragement, to bring us together in harmony.
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Elinor Graham May 30, 2023
Awesome! The resilience of women around the world is so heartening.
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Elinor Kapp May 4, 2023
What a wonderful enterprise! It sounds fascinating and very worthwhile. Thank you for sharing it with me,
Elinor
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Jude Irwin May 4, 2023
I think it’s an interesting and admirable project. Shame the video caption writer was not fully literate. Mistakes such as “it’s” instead of “its” leap to the eye.
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Eleonora Apr 28, 2023
Very important, very beautiful, great strength
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Carlienne Frisch Apr 24, 2023
Thank you, Ruth, for sharing this story. Because I've had very little success with ANY kind of needlework (except, perhaps, reattaching a loose button), I marvel at the talent of women who excel at needlecrafts. My Czech grandmother and my mother both crocheted, and my Babi knitted some elaborate items, including a pullover sweater for me. I did not appreciate their talent at the time but now wish I had inherited even a kernel of it. Thank you for using your many talents to showcase the work of others.
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Larissa Olivier Apr 21, 2023
Absolute amaizing dress.story.idea
Thank you for sharing
We need this type of stories in the world
Also here in sunny South Africa
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Aliya Apr 21, 2023
Such a heartfelt idea! Thank You and I hope it inspires more internationally connecting projects that build Love, Trust and Empathy vs. power and capitalism.
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Catherine Apr 20, 2023
Are there any stories in this project from the Red Dress project of First Nations/American Indian/Native American disappeared women?
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Veera Dastoor Apr 17, 2023
It's an amazing way of dissolving boundaries and sharing beauty and skill.
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Phyllis Kelley Apr 16, 2023
Ohhhh,myyy. Such Beauty and Inspiration. An uplifting documentary demonstrating the depth of global women’s outreach through the ancient art of using a simple needle, a strand of thread on a beautiful textile in global motion. What a Gift to All of Us.
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Bitty Truan Apr 16, 2023
What a beautiful project and video. I am always amazed by the talent, strength and similarities of women all over the world. I would travel anywhere in the USA or Mexico to see this dress.
Reply 1 reply: Nupe
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Ashisha Apr 16, 2023
In this particular time in world history, we NEED to use art or whatever resource to build community and connection ...this way all lives matter.
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Virginia Apr 16, 2023
Hermoso proyecto que une a mujeres de todo el mundo a través de su creatividad y deseo de expresión
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Ann Whittaker Apr 16, 2023
A beautiful story of creativity, of healing, of love and global unity. I hope it comes to Boston. Ma. area. I would love to see it! Truly a women's story. Thank you, Kirstie!
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Sandra Stanley Apr 15, 2023
One of the most heart-warming stories I've come across in ages! Huge Thank you and great appreciation to all those involved. Blessings from Salmon Arm, British Columbia Cda
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JANE DONELON Apr 15, 2023
BOTH THE DRESS AND THE STORIES ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL! SUCH A WELL-THOUGHT- OUT AND INSPIRATIONAL PROJECT! THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
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Mary Apr 15, 2023
Absolutely stunning to see the glory of the Red Dress on Daily Good here. It’s marvellous to see it shared so widely. It is an inspiring and uplifting piece of work. I’ve seen it 7 times when it was up here at Preston Park in the North East. A real treat. ❤️
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Paula Apr 15, 2023
That's magnificent! All this embroidery and design talent all over the world -- and someone with the vision to pull it all together.
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Sylvia Koethe Apr 15, 2023
This beautiful project shows the love and perseverance women from around the world shared their artistic talents to encourage us to make beautiful works for gifts to give freely as they have. Thank you to them and Kristie.
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Lizabeth Gayle Wheeler Apr 15, 2023
This little film broke my heart with its stunning beauty, and then stitched it back together so to be uplifted. So grateful to be part of the collective called women. 🙏
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Lorraine Apr 15, 2023
Wow, I am absolutely blown away with tears by the concept in this project, the women, their stunning work, the beauty, the energy, the symbolism and the global unity of women world wide. Sending deep heartfelt appreciation to everyone!
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Shetal Walters Apr 15, 2023
Inspiring and aspiring video.
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Kate Lucas Apr 15, 2023
What a brilliant concept, so lovingly born and nurtured. It is heartening to see such expressions of beauty emerging from brave souls who have so little. Truly they have given something priceless in the spirit of sisterhood and creativity.
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Treva Apr 15, 2023
Art is the medium through which we create a revolution , therefor creating a shift toward compassion for all beings, especially Mother Earth!
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Kristin Pedemonti Apr 15, 2023
Beautiful meaningful collaboration!
Thank you for inspiring me to move forward with a collaborative Kintsugi piece I've been working on the last 3 years. ❤
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Donna Butler Apr 15, 2023
What an amazing idea and it is absolutely beautiful!
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Roberta tK Apr 15, 2023
What an awesome project. I hope you’ll consider asking the Smithsonian Museum to exhibit the dress after you have shown it all that you want to see it. It is a beautiful creation and a touching story.