Exhibition of Palestinian dress and embroidery to open at V&A Dundee
Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine brings together more than 30 historical dresses, alongside veils, head-dresses, jewellery, accessories and archival photographs.
The exhibition explores the ways tatreez – an ancient practice of elaborate hand-embroidery – has shaped and expressed Palestinian national identity since the late 19th century and evolved into a form of resistance and solidarity.
It also showcases the regional variations in dressmaking and embroidery across Palestine, with the cut, colour, textiles, stitches and motifs on Palestinian women's dress being both a highly skilled craft and a language which reveals who the wearer is and where they are from.
Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, said: 'Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is an exhibition that through research, collections and partnership explores the traditions and material culture of Palestinian dress and the vast range of regional styles that tell important stories about the lives of the women who made, adapted and wore these dresses, jewellery, head-dresses and accessories.
'The exhibition also explores the 45-year-old connection between Dundee and Nablus, a twinning relationship that has brought these two cities together, and it celebrates contemporary Palestinian design and creativity from Dundee, Scotland and across the UK.'
The exhibition includes 'spectacular' historical dresses from villages in Gaza – including one that was damaged in the bombing of the Rafah Museum in 2023.
It also features the dress worn by Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla at the swearing-in ceremony of her husband, former first minister Humza Yousaf.
Ms El-Nakla said she is 'delighted' to welcome the exhibition to V&A Dundee.
'Design and culture are peaceful and powerful forms of resistance and solidarity,' she said.
'Palestinian fashion and dress express ideas about who we have been, who we are and the lives we want to live in peace and with dignity.
'This exhibition is opening at a time of extreme pain and suffering. It's bringing design from Palestine to life and tells the stories of women's lives in Palestine.
'I am proud that my dress, or thobe, that I wore at the Scottish Parliament is there as an expression of my Scottish-Palestinian identity, and as a symbol of solidarity, hope and peace.'
The exhibition was developed in partnership with the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit in the West Bank, drawing on local expertise and objects from Palestine, as well as with Art Jameel and the V&A.
Thread Memory: Embroidery From Palestine is free and on show at V&A Dundee from Thursday until spring 2026.
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