A story to wear

Semne Cusute Association can be translated as "Sewn Signs Association".

The AIDOMA Project was born with the help of our dedicated volunteers and endless support from our beautiful community

For the Romanian woman, the traditional blouse is more then a simple piece of clothing. It is a statement and a journey.

To see the real beauty of the Romanian Traditional Blouse is to know how to read it, as each and every one of them tells a story.

Each blouse in the AIDOMA Collection is a representation of the woman that created it, and a way to ensure the continuity of craftsmanship.

The Romanian Traditional Blouse is made for a specific person. It is like a second skin, intended to protect in any way, from natural elements and the unseen.

Every little detail is important, each stitch is made with a clear purpose in mind, thread color, fabric density, all of them have to be in balance.

Small imperfections are cherished, as no one can obtain perfection in this life time.
But you can make the world a little bit more colorful, one blouse at a time.

Glass beads, metallic and cotton thread are combined to give texture and volume.

When asked why they do it, the women that made the blouses from AIDOMA Collection said this was a way to feel close to their loved ones.

The wealthy population had access to better materials, such as natural silk and fine cloth.

In the past, the metallic thread could be gold or silver.

Due to the fact that a blouse calls for hundreds of thousands of stitches, the woman must maintain an even pull force during the whole embroidery.

Throughout their lives, Romanian women would wear different types of blouses, depending on their social status as well as to mark the important events of everyday life.

Bridal blouse from the far north region

The symbols and the red shade mark the sacrifice and the start of a new cycle.

In the past, the seam of the blouse was usually red, in an effort to protect the person from evil and to make the blouse a whole, where the stitch was visible.

The neck is a very vulnerable area of the human body, and so extra protection is needed. The red line is a wolf fang pattern that secures the crinkles.

To mark the major joints in the body, red thread was sometimes woven.
This pattern was inspired by folk dances.

The concept of Spring is one of the dearest to Romanian women. In a variety of shapes, colors and embroidery techniques, we love to wear it as a reminder that just around the corner is a new beginning.

Bees, the never ending path of the river, the perfect sleeve finish for a Spring Blouse.

The Cypress tree representation depicts strength, and placed on the shoulder will act as a protector.

Due to the agrarian influence, black is the perfect choice when phytomorphic elements are shown, like spring soil.

This piece is a very important structural component. Placed at armpit level, it allows the sleeve to have a superior amplitude.

Joining three pieces of fabric, as follows: chest, shoulder and sleeve. Again, the aesthetic is integrated in the functional design.

The sleeve ending also helps keep the air cushion.

The Romanian embroidery technique is based on the fabric grid.

Every stitch will be made by counting the fabric threads, and so there is no need for a preexisting outline.

As you go closer, you can see that the woman used the thread direction to mimic the plant texture.

And so, one stitch at a time, a new story is born, a hidden universe is created and the Romanian blouse lives on, one generation at a time.

Projects like AIDOMA are the manner in which Semne Cusute Association chooses to tell the traditional Romanian Blouse story.