Contribution short abstract:

My paper explores how Romani designers in Central Europe explore folk art as a tool of empowerment, transforming it from a nationalized phenomenon into a vibrant and creative practice that dismantles the notion of folk as inherently archaic and static in favor of a transnational folk heritage.

Contribution long abstract:

In Central Europe, the concepts of folk art have historically been closely linked to aspects of national culture, a connection that remains particularly evident today in sartorial fashions, such as folk costumes worn during specific celebrations. In this context, folk art not only incorporates traditional patterns and motifs into contemporary fashion and design but also maintains a strong connection to national identity in the region, increasingly utilized by nationalist parties. This paper aims to rethink these established paradigms in contemporary culture by exploring how present-day folk culture can be viewed through a different lens. It does this by shifting the focus to projects originating from the region’s largest minority: the Roma. By examining initiatives like Romani Design, the paper analyzes how contemporary folk fashion redefines Roma identities in Central Europe by engaging with elements of Hungarian, Slovak, and Roma folk cultures. This engagement challenges stereotypes of the Roma as “outsiders” in modern society and reconceptualizes folk fashion as closely associated with national and rural cultures. The paper thus argues that Romani women designers, in particular, not only rewrite deeply rooted stereotypes in the region, utilizing them as tools of empowerment, but also transform the perception of folk culture from a static, archaic view into an active and contemporary practice that showcases Roma culture as vibrant and creative, while dismantling notions of folk culture as inherently national, aligning instead with a distinctly transnational heritage.