Entry for The Red Dress is free and is not ticketed. The exhibition runs from Wednesday 21st October until Friday 30th October.

Our opening hours are 11am - 5pm (Monday to Friday) and 12pm - 4pm (Sunday). If you are arriving by car please read the travel details here

History of The Red Dress

From 2009 to 2023 a total of 380 individuals, mostly women, embroidered on The Red Dress, a project conceived by UK artist Kirstie Macleod. Consisting of 87 pieces of silk dupion fabric, the garment was transported around the globe for 14 years and worked on by people ranging from refugees and asylum seekers to professional studios.

The project has given its contributors, many of whom come from disadvantaged or marginalized groups, the opportunity to express their personal and cultural identities. Importantly they were paid for their work and receive a percentage of exhibition fees. For some the embroidery training they received has also given them a skill that will provide them a regular income.

The finished dress has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide and stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity and the stories that connect us across borders, cultures and generations. We are delighted to bring The Red Dress to Roseberry Road Studios this Autumn.

Valeriia Zhembrovska from Ukraine

Hamida Gabaly from Egypt

Gisèle, Esther and Espérance from Congo