Community-embroidered Calico Dress Cymru back on display in 2026

The Calico Dress Cymru is back on display at Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum until 9 March.

The dress is the “first girl”, a daughter dress of the internationally-renowned Red Dress, a 14-year collaborative embroidery project between 380 artists from 51 countries.

The Calico Dress project, commissioned by Amgueddfa Cymru, celebrates Welsh identity, heritage and creativity through embroidery.

In April 2025, the dress started a new phase of her journey at the Museum with an indigo dip dye and woollen ‘betgwn’ jacket, an ode to Welsh folk costume and tradition, complete with a Het Gymreig. 

After the dress’s makeover, it was transformed in over 30 workshops with the artist behind the project, Menna Buss.

Contributors have embroidered various designs onto the white and blue fabric, including castles, dragons and daffodils.

More than 279 people from all over Wales, including Women’s Asylum Seeker Support Group, Chinese in Wales Association, Valleys Kids, and Swansea PRIDE have already contributed to the Calico dress, sharing stories of Wales past, present and future.

During the Calico Dress’s time at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in October 2025, the ‘Stitching Botanica’ group contributed a daffodil, and textile A Level pupils from Ysgol Maes Y Gwendraeth and community groups also contributed.

The dress also appeared at Craft Festival Cardigan and Gower College Swansea, with more plans for touring in 2026.

Each motif tells a story, turning the dress into a vibrant communal work of art. Menna, textiles artist and lead for the project, said: “Considering the collaboration with Amgueddfa Cymru, I wanted to create a newly imagined folk costume for Welsh communities to leave their embroidery mark.

“It’s a kind of wearable time capsule that grows, decorated with people’s stories and ideas!”

Menna will also make an appearance on St David’s Day at the Waterfront Museum to explain how the Calico’s community canvas is developing.

Telling some of the stories told by participants through the language of stitch, Menna will share how the dress has gathered diverse responses to the question ‘what does Wales mean to you?’

More information on the Calico Dress Project and the free presentation from Menna is available on the Waterfront’s website here.

Kirstie Macloed’s record-breaking international project The Red Dress was exhibited at the Museum in 2022.  There are now many other ‘daughter’ dresses like Calico being developed around the world, with plans to unite them in future exhibitions.