Embroidery: a revival

It's a long way from the days in which delicate-looking ladies in crinoline sat by the fire, sadly embroidering handkerchiefs because there was nothing else to do. Unravel demonstrates that the interest in craft, already strong, continues to gain traction. And not just in museums but in workshops, women's circles and, of course, in luxury fashion.

Bel Jacobs bbc

embroidery through the lenses of overstimulation,feminism,fashion and a personal journey

Traditional crafts and slow pace activities have made their comeback for younger generations such as Gen Z and millenials , and done so with a keen eye and a new perspective : Baking, cooking , knitting , embroidery , gardening are few examples .There are many reasons that could have led to this phenomenon and they all fall into the same context of contemporary way of living. We are daily thrown into a pool of images, information and products, we are training AI algorithms to get to know us and show us personalized content, or we are actually the ones creating the content with as many stimuli per second as possible. The reason why we do it falls into a quite simple answer of dopamine , or simply put , because its fun and numbing. But being the complicated animals that we are,we seem to also dive into opposite activities in order to slow down and regulate our nervous system by under-stimulating it : repetitive moves, results that take days or months to complete , slow rhythm and a significant amount of presence and accuracy required .

Embroidery started as a way of embellishing fabrics and clothes so to reflect wealth status and craftsmanship. In 18th-century England and its colonies, with the rise of the merchant class and the wider availability of luxury materials, rich embroideries began to appear in a secular context. Embroidery was a skill marking a girl's path into womanhood as well as conveying rank and social standing. While historically viewed as a pastime, activity, or hobby, intended just for women, embroidery has often been used as a form of biography. Women who were unable to access a formal education or, at times, writing implements, were often taught embroidery and utilized it as a means of documenting their lives by telling stories through their embroidery. In terms of documenting the histories of marginalized groups, especially women of color , embroidery is a means of studying the everyday lives of those whose lives largely went unstudied throughout much of history.

It is no surprise then , that handwork like knitting , embroidering, needle work or sewing is associated with domestic life ,hobbies and women and not viewed as art. Many of us are familiar with the image of mothers or aunts and grandmothers that would embroider and create tangible things to embelish their everyday life and it´s surroundings , in a modest and down to earth way . It is incredible how the prespective has now shifted and the revival of embroidery as an art medium is gaining the recognition it deserves.

In the fashion industry we have seen many pieces that are results of hours of meticulus work from many people, adding texture, depth, and expression to designs. Traditionally used as a form of decorative craftsmanship, embroidery transforms fabrics into detailed, tactile canvases for storytelling : bold motifs, cultural symbols , themes and narratives. Embroidery elevates clothing from mere functionality to wearable art, offering a unique fusion of tradition and innovation .

The pandemic was for many people , including me, a good starting point to dive into embroidery and embrace traditional practices . I cannot know for other people but for me, a switch happened towards to what I see meaningfull and interesting without being pre ocupied if it is or looks ´cool´ . I started with creating some home pieces with a strong japanese influence and quickly started thrifting and designing clothes that I embroidered on. Later on I had committions from friends and people that found me through social media , to upgrade their favorite items. The idea that someone has in their homes one of the items I´ve maid , or wears it over and over and loves it, brings a smile to my face. You can find all of my pieces here. In my interview with TFC Magazine, I had the opportunity to share the vision behind the project and how I’ve been working to redefine embroidery in a modern context. You can read the interview here .

artists featured below:

corrine bongrand

tessa perlow

loji hooskuldsson

britta makaratt labba

cecile davidoci

klara hosnedlova