The Red Dress

Quickthorn is excited to support Kirstie Macleod in creating a legacy for her project The Red Dress. This project offers a platform for people, mostly women, who are vulnerable and live in poverty to share their stories through embroidery. The completed Red Dress traveled for 14.5 years and was embroidered by 367 women/girls, 7 men/boys, and 2 non-binary artists from 51 countries. All 141 commissioned artisans were paid for their work and received annual donations from exhibition fees and merchandise profit. Additional small embroideries were added by participants and audiences at various events.

Stitch as a dialogue

Initially The Red Dress project sought to generate a dialogue of identity through embroidery, merging diverse cultures across borders. Over the years however, the dress has also become a platform for self-expression and an opportunity for voices to be amplified and heard.
The Red Dress aims to reach and connect with a wide-ranging audience, although it speaks particularly to women and values a process that can be seen as domestic labour or craft and which is often undervalued. The dress has made a positive impact on the lives of many (both its embroiderers and audiences) and has the potential to change the lives of women for many years to come.

How you can help

In order to make The Red Dress books a reality we need your help. There are so many people involved and they all want a copy of the book. We are also commissioning contributions from around the world and creating a collector’s hardback edition and other goodies.

If you feel able to preorder a book and even go beyond, follow the link behind the button below. The crowdfunder starts on 18 October 2024.

Support us here

Why is The Red Dress important?
• Empowers and amplifies women’s voices
• Accesses diverse communities
• Vehicle for connection with individuals around the globe
• Promotes cross-cultural collaboration
• A community (global and local) artwork
• Emblem of unity and equality, without borders and boundaries
• Uplifts people and brings hope, joy and purpose