Folk costumes from Romania and Moldova featured in Washington DC exhibition

Starting on May 6, two folk costumes from the collection of Bogdan Banu will represent Romania and the Republic of Moldova as part of the inaugural Fashioning Power, Fashioning Peace Exhibition hosted in the historic home of President Woodrow Wilson in Washington, DC.

Following an opening gala, for five days only, the exhibition will be open to the public showcasing authentic clothing from more than 30 different countries, each symbolizing power, diplomacy, and tangible cultural heritage. They include diverse attire, from folk costumes and military uniforms to culturally significant outfits and high-end haute couture, designed by some of the world’s leading fashion icons.

Romania is represented in the exhibition by a costume from the region of Oltenia, in southwestern Romania. This costume, which consists of two pieces: a traditional blouse and a skirt, both lavishly embroidered, is a reflection of centuries-old folk traditions from that region. It is meticulously hand-embroidered with beautiful patterns and adorned with delicate lace. The fabric is handwoven linen.

Particularly noteworthy is the design around the neck, specific to the region, which brings together the ample material used for the blouse for a delicate closing around the neck. The fascinating embroidery on the aprons, called “catrințe” is made with multicolored silk, and the colors that appear are discreet, pastel, and perfectly combined.

The two aprons have delicate hand-crocheted lace on the edges and fringes at the base. Completing the costume is a belt in matching colors that closes in the front with clasps called ”paftale,” one of the few metal ornaments found in traditional Romanian folk costumes. These are specific to folk costumes throughout the Balkans, but in Romania, they are only found in this particular region. No costume would be complete without a pair of opinci, the homemade leather shoes found throughout Romania and the wider region.

The Republic of Moldova is represented by a costume from the northern part of the region. A nearly identical vest is currently on display at the National Ethnographic Museum in Chișinău.

Both costumes are part of the folk collection of Bogdan Banu, who has been collecting folk costumes and folk items from Romania and the Republic of Moldova for decades. Bogdan has also been the organizer of the Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse in Washington, DC since 2013, one of the most emblematic events in the Romanian community, and through his efforts, June 24 was declared the Day of the Romanian Folk Costume in the US capital in 2015 by mayor Muriel Bowser.

(Photo source: romaniansofdc.org)