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“A Romanian blouse does not belong to any period. All the peasant clothes are passed down from century to century without going out of fashion” Yves Saint Laurent
You can’t escape it, it really is everywhere this season. From our favourite high-street stores to the luxury haunts we frequent when we want to treat ourselves, embroidery is a favourite trend for the summer months ahead.
Intricate and detailed, in beautiful bold hues or pretty floral designs, I’ve seen embroidered jeans, tees, basket bags and smock dresses. This trend has provided something for everyone and has well and truly made its mark on the fashion industry.
Taking inspiration from travels abroad, a mix of cultures and times gone by, the embroidered blouse we are seeing today with the billowing sleeves and colourful tassels are wonderfully reminiscent of the Romanian peasant blouses. Despite a trend steeped in thousands of years of history, these traditional blouses are still being made today and remain an important mark of the female costume in Romania.
Historically viewed as an emblem of femininity, the intricate stitched detailing tells a story while the bright or muted colours are seen as a beautiful representation of a female generation – traditionally the eldest members of the family would wear the more subtle colours whilst the youngest would be adorned in more vibrant hues.
It is thought that the very first type of Romanian blouse was made in Cucuteni Culture, from as early as the sixth century BC. Fast forward to the present day and this traditional piece of clothing has been inspiring catwalks and world-renowned fashion designers for decades.
In 1981, Yves Saint Laurent drew inspiration from this traditional and historic culture, introducing the Romanian blouse into his very own collection; and it wasn’t long before other big names in the fashion industry followed. Namely Oscar de la Renta in the early 2000s, Jean Paul Gaultier followed in 2006, soon after by Tom Ford in 2012 and more recently by Isabel Marant 2013.
Don’t worry if you don’t think you’ll be able to snap up an authentic Romanian blouse any time soon, I’ve listed a few of my favourite inspired pieces below:
Isabel Marant, Étoile Delphine Embroidered Linen Shirt | £325 | MyTheresa
Chambray Embroidered Blouse | £79 | Mint Velvet
Embroidered Mini Dress | £59.99 | Zara
Embroidered Long Sleeve Top | £40 | Next
Indian Sindhi Tasseled Embroidered Blouse | now £288 | Talitha
