Dressing Swedish will explore the complex relationship between Swedish fashion and traditional Swedish folk costumes. Garments, fabric, and designs are used to create complex family trees, erase time periods, and articulate multiple places of belonging. Through displays featuring costumes both traditional and re-created by contemporary designers, along with new urban dress from Sami and Swedish designers, the exhibition will tackle the notion of what it means to “dress Swedish” and how this has developed over time.

Pieces from the Nordic Heritage Museum permanent collection, such as Swedish folk costumes, Ballard bunads, and textile artifacts, will also accompany the exhibition. In addition, local members of the Swedish community will showcase outfits that reflect individual and contemporary ways of dressing Swedish and Svenska Skolan (Seattle’s Swedish School for children) will show off Pippi Longstocking costumes.

The exhibit was produced for House of Sweden, Washington D.C. for the Migration and Globalization theme, and co-curated by Dr. Charlotte Hyltén-Cavallius, Multicultural Society in Tumba, Sweden, and Dr. Lizette Gradén, Nordic Heritage Museum.