In 2009, British artist Kirstie Macleod started an ambitious global embroidery project called ‘The Red Dress Project’. Funded by the British Council, the dress took a decade to complete and travelled across 28 countries.

The dress, which has been worked upon by around 202 artisans, has been exhibited at multiple various galleries and museums in Dubai, London, Mexico, and Paris.

At the heart of the project is a desire to connect with women from all backgrounds and stages of life, and to create a platform in which they can express, feel empowered, and be heard. The commissioned artisans were encouraged to create embroidery that illustrated an element of their own identity, a story they would like to share. All artisans were paid for their work, and a comprehensive page detailing their embroidery and unique stories will be coming soon.

The embroiderers who worked on this project include refugees in Palestine, victims of civil war in Kosovo, Rwanda and DR Congo, individuals in South Africa, Kenya, Japan, Paris, Sweden, and Peru, upmarket studios in Mumbai and Saudi Arabia, artists in Wales and Colombia, reports the Times of India.

(Image credits: The Red Dress Project)