13/09/2026
The Red Dress.
A collection of stitches that removes borders and boundaries.
Today, I visited the Museum of Brisbane to see the exhibition of the Red Dress. Even though it is just one dress, over 380 embroiderers across 51 countries were able to contribute to it.
The idea for this was conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod. A 14-year globally collaborative work, this beautiful masterpiece features between 1 to 1.5 billion stitches (crazy to imagine, right?). The combination of techniques, colours, materials, and imagery was absolutely incredible to see.
The artisans were all from a variety of backgrounds, and through their work in embroidery, were able to share their life experiences. This 6.8kg burgundy silk artwork tells the story of each of these artists, of which the majority were women. Some of them were refugees, or were escaping difficult situations in their life. The panel produced by Australian artists includes the contribution of 27 members of Brisbane’s Allthreads Embroidery community, beautifully capturing our landscape, flora, and fauna.
This dress was incredible to see, and it is an extraordinary celebration of art, textile history, and human resilience. I am incredibly happy that I was able to have seen it while it was in Brisbane.
