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.

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