In 2022 the art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder joined the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in a joint nomination by Romania and Moldova.
Marked since 2013 on the initiative of the La Blouse Roumaine community, on the day of the Sânziene festival. The community's name comes from a 1940 Matisse painting.
The 18th edition of Feeric Fashion Week took place in Sibiu on 21–26 July 2026, with more than 200 designers, according to Zile și Nopți.
According to the president of the FEPAIUS employers' federation, about 800,000 people worked in textiles and clothing in 1990, and about 120,000 jobs remained in September 2025.
Fashion in Romania: the short answer
Romanian fashion has one symbol the whole world knows, even without knowing its name: the ia, the embroidered white blouse. In 2022 it was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in a joint nomination by Romania and Moldova. Henri Matisse painted it in 1940, and a major French fashion house came across it in 2017 and caused an uproar.
Alongside tradition there is a contemporary scene: Romanian designers who have shown at European fashion weeks, an independent fashion week in Sibiu every summer, and in Bucharest one luxury street and several large malls. Behind the scenes there is a long-established garment industry, which sewed for Western brands for years and is now shrinking.
In plain words: you come to Romania for the ia, stay for the young designers and buy international brands in Bucharest. The most "Romanian" thing you can take home is a hand-embroidered blouse.
The ia: the blouse that made the UNESCO list
The full name of the UNESCO element is long: "The art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder (altiță), an element of cultural identity in Romania and the Republic of Moldova". The decision was taken in 2022, at the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee.
What UNESCO describes:
- The material: the blouses are white, made of natural fibres: linen, cotton, hemp or silk.
- The embroidery: a combination of horizontal, vertical and diagonal stitches that creates pattern and texture. Motifs range from geometric to floral, in colours from muted to vivid.
- The variety: the style changes by region, by the age of the wearer and by the skill of the embroiderer.
- Who makes it: according to UNESCO, the craft is done entirely by hand, by women only, and is usually passed down within the family. Both men and women wear the blouse as part of folk dress.
24 June: Universal Day of the Ia
The "Universal Day of the Ia" was first marked in 2013, on the initiative of an online community called La Blouse Roumaine. The date, 24 June, was chosen because it falls on Sânziene, a folk summer festival. According to tradition, the Sânziene, figures from folklore, wore ias. It is the best time of year to see embroidered blouses out on the street, not only in a museum.
Matisse, Dior and Bihor: when the world copies
Henri Matisse's painting "The Romanian Blouse" (La Blouse roumaine) was painted in Nice between December 1939 and April 1940. It is held by the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the La Blouse Roumaine community took its name from it. According to the museum, the blouse's embroidery is the real subject of the painting.
The modern story is less romantic. Dior's 2017 pre-fall collection featured an embroidered coat that sold, according to Euronews, for about €30,000. People from Bihor, a county in north-western Romania, recognised it as their traditional vest. In response, the Romanian fashion magazine Beau Monde and the advertising agency McCann launched Bihor Couture: a website selling handmade pieces by artisans from Bihor. According to FashionUnited, the Romanian version sells for about €500, and the site received about 1,000 orders.
Romanian designers with international recognition
Two examples that can be verified:
- Ioana Ciolacu: won the Designer for Tomorrow award in 2013, under the patronage of Stella McCartney, while studying at the London College of Fashion. The prize included a year of mentoring. In 2014 she showed at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin.
- Maria Lucia Hohan: an evening-gown designer. The fashion retailer Moda Operandi, which sells her collections, writes that her creations appear on many red carpets and that her clients include Beyoncé.
Beyond these names, the easiest place to discover young designers is Sibiu's fashion week.
The most Romanian thing you can take home is a hand-embroidered blouse.
Feeric Fashion Week: a fashion week in Sibiu
Feeric Fashion Week is an independent fashion week held in Sibiu, in Transylvania. The 18th edition took place from 21 to 26 July 2026. According to Zile și Nopți, more than 200 designers took part, from a list covering 23 countries.
The shows are not held only on a conventional runway. According to Fashion Week Online, the 2026 events also took place in warehouses, industrial halls and an old mill. The traditional gala was held in Huet Square, in the heart of the old town. If you love fashion and travel to Sibiu in summer, you can combine it with the city itself, and in June also with its great theatre festival.
Where to shop in Bucharest
| Place | Where | What you find | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calea Victoriei | City centre | Luxury brand boutiques | The city's historic, upmarket street |
| Băneasa Shopping City | North Bucharest | More than 300 shops, according to Playtech | The big mall closest to the north of the city |
| Promenada | Floreasca district | International brands | Open daily 10:00–22:00 |
| AFI Cotroceni | West of the city | International brands | Presents itself as the largest mall in Romania |
| National Museum of the Romanian Peasant | 3 Kiseleff | Folk costume collection (Port) | See real ias before you buy |
We mapped Bucharest's luxury scene, which brands opened stores on Calea Victoriei and which closed, in our article on abundance: malls, consumption and brands. We wrote about the northern mall and the neighbourhood around it in our Băneasa guide.
How to buy a genuine ia
Three things to check, based on UNESCO's description:
- The fabric: a traditional ia is white, made of linen, cotton, hemp or silk. Synthetic fabric is a sign it is not the real thing.
- The embroidery: a traditional ia is embroidered entirely by hand. UNESCO describes machine shortcuts as a departure from tradition. Turn the blouse inside out and look at the reverse of the embroidery.
- The origin: the style varies from region to region. Ask where the pattern comes from and who embroidered it. A serious seller will know the answer.
If the price is very low, there are probably no hours of handwork behind it. Before buying, it is worth seeing original ias in a museum, so you know what the real work looks like.
The industry behind the label
Long before fashion weeks, Romania was a place where clothes were sewn. According to Mihai Păsculescu, president of the employers' federation for the textile, clothing and leather industry (FEPAIUS), about 800,000 people worked in the industry in 1990. In September 2025 he said about 120,000 jobs remained, down from 160,000 a year earlier. He linked the decline in part to new EU traceability rules.
This estimate comes from the employers' organisation, as reported in the media, and is not an official figure from the statistics institute. According to the same report, a factory in Tulcea that has since closed sewed shirts for Pierre Cardin and Guy Laroche at its peak. It is the less glamorous side of Romanian fashion, and it is part of the story.
Sample route: a fashion day in Bucharest
- Morning: the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant, at 3 Kiseleff. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, last entry at 17:00.
- Midday: a walk along Calea Victoriei, between the shop windows and the historic buildings.
- Afternoon: a mall in your direction: Promenada or Băneasa Shopping City in the north.
- If you are here at the end of June: go out on 24 June and look for the embroidered blouses.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Romanian ia on the UNESCO list?
Yes. In 2022 "the art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder" was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in a joint nomination by Romania and Moldova.
When is Universal Day of the Ia?
On 24 June, the day of the Sânziene festival. It was first marked in 2013, on the initiative of the La Blouse Roumaine community.
When is Sibiu's fashion week?
Feeric Fashion Week takes place in summer. In 2026 it ran from 21 to 26 July. Check the event's website for the 2027 dates.
Where can you see original ias in Bucharest?
The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant, at 3 Kiseleff, has a collection of folk costume. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00.
The bottom line
Fashion in Romania combines a living tradition, a young scene and convenient shopping. The hand-embroidered ia is the most authentic piece you can buy here. And if you live in north Bucharest, the city's big mall is right on your way home.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: UNESCO, the art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder (01861) · Infocons, Universal Day of the Ia (in Romanian) · Centre Pompidou, La Blouse roumaine · Euronews, Romanian designers accuse Dior, July 2018 · FashionUnited, Bihor Couture, August 2018 · Wikipedia, Ioana Ciolacu · Moda Operandi, Maria Lucia Hohan · Zile și Nopți, Feeric Fashion Week 2026 (in Romanian) · Fashion Week Online, Feeric Fashion Week 2026 · Playtech, Băneasa Shopping City, April 2026 (in Romanian) · Promenada, official website · AFI Cotroceni, official website · National Museum of the Romanian Peasant · BZI, the textile industry, September 2025 (in Romanian)
This article is for general information only. Shops, brands, opening hours and event dates change, so check them on the official website before you go. Designers and places are mentioned for information, not as recommendations. Details are correct as of 23 October 2026.
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