Celebrating Embroidery Day: Traditions and Modernity
It's easy to remember when Ukraine celebrates Embroidery Day: every year on the third Thursday of May. A simple way to recall is: May, after Mother's Day – the third week of the month, the fourth day of the week, the fifth month of the year.
In 2025, this day falls on May 15.
This celebration was first held in 2006. Five students from the history department of Chernivtsi University initiated Embroidery Day. The history of this holiday is quite interesting. At that time, it was a unique challenge as embroidered shirts were not popular and were not considered a usual wardrobe item.
Now, it’s hard to believe – most of us own at least one embroidered shirt or dress, and embroidered elements have made a comeback in fashion and appear in mass markets and on global runways.
"It all started when one day I saw my friend Igor Zhytyr’s embroidered shirt during a break at university. He sometimes wore it, and someone suggested that we choose one day to gather together and wear embroidered shirts. A few dozen students supported this initiative, and that’s how the holiday was born," – recounts one of the founders, writer Lesya Voronyuk.
The holiday that started in Chernivtsi has spread worldwide – now World Embroidery Day is celebrated in over 100 countries. Although it has not yet become a state holiday, each year more and more people join in. Embroidered outfits are worn not only by members of the diaspora but also by politicians, actors, diplomats, thought leaders, and activists.
An embroidered shirt is suitable for both everyday life and festive occasions, with designs on Ukrainian clothing showcasing a variety from ancient motifs to contemporary themes.
The holiday is celebrated mid-week to emphasize that the embroidered shirt is part of everyday Ukrainian life, making it a great opportunity to "show off" your embroidered shirt at the office or during a walk.
In 2025, Embroidery Day will be dedicated to the occupied heritage. In videos shot for the holiday, traditional outfits from currently occupied territories are featured.
In Chernivtsi, where Embroidery Day originated, newborns born on this day in maternity hospitals are gifted their first embroidered shirts each year.
Additionally, various exhibitions of embroidered clothing and presentations of thematic books are often held. This year, such events will take place in Kyiv and Chernivtsi.
