Macedonian ethnic dress is full of meaning and significance. It is visually stunning and embodies the skills, expectations, hopes and fears, creative use of materials, and aesthetic sense of the individuals who made and wore it. Saturated with cultural meaning, these many-layered ensembles rank among the best examples of textile art anywhere.

This landmark catalog brings together scholarship by Macedonian experts with a museum collection in the United States and outstanding photography to present treasures of Macedonian dress from 1880 to 1950. Essays on embroidery, materials of dress, techniques of production, and hair dressing illuminate the complexities that existed in this small country at the crossroads of civilizations. The legacy of Macedonian women's hands and minds will live on in this volume for future generations to admire.