A dress that connects the world

The Red Dress Project to be seen in the Netherlands for the first time

In May 2026, Amersfoort will host a unique international art project. British artist Kirstie McLeod's The Red Dress Project will be on display in the Netherlands for the first time during the national Textile Festival. The Red Dress Project is an international artwork that demonstrates how personal stories from around the world are interwoven. From Wednesday, May 20th, to Sunday, May 24th, you can admire this impressive work at Museum Flehite.

Millions of Stitches, One Story

The Red Dress Project is a global embroidery project created between 2009 and 2023. Over fourteen years, 380 people from diverse backgrounds in 51 countries worked on a single dress. Each creator shaped their own story, stitch by stitch. The result is as powerful as it is fragile: a dress of burgundy dupion silk, full of personal expression. In 2026, the project was included in the Guinness World Records.

Embroidery as a universal language

The dress traveled the world. From small villages to large cities, across six continents. Among its makers were refugees, students, artisans, and war survivors. Many didn't speak each other's language. Yet, connections were forged. Embroidery proved to be a universal language, connecting cultures and lives. The Red Dress thus tells an interwoven story of identity, resilience, and solidarity.

Mcleod Embroidery Workshops in Amersfoort

Kirstie Mcleod will also be in Amersfoort during the Textile Festival. She will be giving English-language embroidery workshops at De Katoendrukkerij in the Volmolen: Simple Stitches and Lambani Embroidery from India on May 22nd and 23rd, 2026. These workshops will share her inspiration and techniques with a new audience. The workshops can be booked through De Katoendrukkerij. On the afternoon of May 21st, there will be a Meet the Artist at De Katoendrukkerij, where she will sign her book. 

Textile Festival: Textiles and the Future

The 2026 Textile Festival will take place from May 20th to 23rd in Amersfoort and will focus on "Inventing the Future – Textiles as Inspiration." The Red Dress Project aligns seamlessly with this theme. The work demonstrates how textiles can contribute to a positive, connected society. Not as theory, but as tangible experience.

Made Possible Together

The presentation of The Red Dress Project was made possible at Museum Flehite, an initiative of De Katoendrukkerij, thanks to contributions from the Friends of the Volmolen Foundation, the Municipality of Amersfoort, and Amersfoort City Center Entrepreneurs (OBA).

Admission Fee

- Regular price €16

- Free for those under 18, Museum Card and Friends Lottery VIP Card

- Admission with textile festival wristband €9

- See here: Other admission fees