We are, perhaps, witnessing the twilight of the handmade embroidery, with its rich symbols and stories woven into every stitch—unless we choose to act. Each blouse in this collection is a piece of art. There are no large volumes, and availability is limited—because true craftsmanship takes time.
Anda Ene - The Romanian Blouse
We are, perhaps, witnessing the twilight of the handmade embroidery, with its rich symbols and stories woven into every stitch—unless we choose to act. Each blouse in this collection is a piece of art. There are no large volumes, and availability is limited—because true craftsmanship takes time.
Anda Ene - The Romanian Blouse
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Anda Ene is a designer and curator dedicated to preserving and promoting Romanian craftsmanship. Under her brand, The Romanian Blouse she works with artisans who create traditional blouses, jewelry, and fur pieces, Every item is handmade with respect for tradition and authenticity. She also carefully restores vintage garments under the label Romanian Heritage Textile.
Anda’s journey began with a personal passion for collecting vintage Romanian blouses and other traditional garments. Many of these pieces required restoration, which led her to seek out skilled seamstresses and artisans capable of reviving these cultural treasures.
In 2015, she launched the “Romanian Blouse Revival” collection in collaboration with women artisans from various ethnographic regions across the country. Together, they continue a long-standing tradition of textile making and embroidery, producing blouses entirely by hand, as has always been done. Each new collection blends respect for heritage with creativity, reinterpreting shapes and embroidery patterns to bring a fresh perspective to timeless designs.
In an era when most clothing is mass-produced, handmade and custom-made garments have become a rare luxury. The artisans—often elderly women, some over 80 years old—are the last guardians of a centuries-old craft, standing against mass production, depersonalization, and consumerism.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Anda Ene is a designer and curator dedicated to preserving and promoting Romanian craftsmanship. Under her brand, The Romanian Blouse she works with artisans who create traditional blouses, jewelry, and fur pieces, Every item is handmade with respect for tradition and authenticity. She also carefully restores vintage garments under the label Romanian Heritage Textile.
Anda’s journey began with a personal passion for collecting vintage Romanian blouses and other traditional garments. Many of these pieces required restoration, which led her to seek out skilled seamstresses and artisans capable of reviving these cultural treasures.
In 2015, she launched the “Romanian Blouse Revival” collection in collaboration with women artisans from various ethnographic regions across the country. Together, they continue a long-standing tradition of textile making and embroidery, producing blouses entirely by hand, as has always been done. Each new collection blends respect for heritage with creativity, reinterpreting shapes and embroidery patterns to bring a fresh perspective to timeless designs.
In an era when most clothing is mass-produced, handmade and custom-made garments have become a rare luxury. The artisans—often elderly women, some over 80 years old—are the last guardians of a centuries-old craft, standing against mass production, depersonalization, and consumerism.
The global fascination with the traditional Romanian blouse originated, not on a runway, but on canvas. Henri Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, was captivated by the elegance, symbolism, and craftsmanship of the traditional Romanian blouse.
His iconic 1940 painting, La Blouse Roumaine, stands as a tribute to this timeless garment, capturing its fluidity and ornamental richness with bold simplicity.
Matisse didn’t stop there—he revisited the blouses in several other works, drawn to its expressive power and folkloric charm. In doing so, he became the first major artist to elevate the ie into the realm of modern art, paving the way for its later adoption by the world’s most renowned fashion houses.
