Some time ago the TRC published  a blog about a visit to Estonia by Gillian and Willem Vogelsang. They wrote about the local production of camouflage netting for Ukraine. Last week the TRC IT-consultant, Jonathan Visser, who currently carries out volunteer work in Ukraine for several local organisations, sent us the following appeal for support:

Kitty Pechersk (Печерські котики, 'Kittens from Pechersk') is a volunteer community based in Kyiv, Ukraine, which plays a significant role in the provision of vital fabric-based items to the Ukrainian military. This collective has been producing, by hand, camouflage nets, ghillie suits, helmets, and paraffin trench-candles since the start of the Russian invasion in early 2022.

Group of volunteers of Kitty Pechersk.

For the next three years, the Textile Research Centre, Leidden, the Netherlands, is offering a total of seven junior and four senior fellowships for up to six months each. The fellowships are being sponsored by the Gieskes-Strijbis Foundation, Amsterdam. Fellows are invited to carry out research based on the TRC’s extensive textiles and dress collection. The junior fellows will be supervised and assisted by TRC staff; senior fellows will carry out independent research.

The first of the fellowships is a junior position starting in the spring (March/April) of 2026, depending on the fellow’s and TRC’s agenda. Applications for this position should be submitted to the TRC by 16 January 2026 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with the reference: ‘Fellowship programme’. The TRC will advertise for other fellowships in March 2026. Fellows are selected by a special committee of TRC staff and/or Board members after, if appropriate, the advice of external specialists.

(Leiden, 6 Nov. 2025) Kirkus Review is a book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The publisher, Kirkus Media, has its headquarters in New York. Its online version has just published a review of Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood's latest book: The Atlas of World Embroidery. A Global exploration of Heritage and Styles and awarded it with the coveted 'star'. For more information about the book, see an earlier blog.

The review can be read and downloaded here. The Atlas will be published by Princeton University Press on 17 February 2026. A Dutch version will be published at the same time by WBooks. A book launch of both the English and Dutch versions will take place on Friday, 20 February 2026, in the new 'home' of the TRC at the Boerhaavelaan 6, Leiden.

(Leiden, 5 Nov. 2025) The Stichting (Foundation) Monumentenbezit, the owner of Boerhaavelaan 6 where the TRC soon hopes to find a new home, has published an article about the building, its history and its architectural jewels, but also about the new occupants of the building, namely the TRC. You can read or download the article, which contains a number of beautiful photographs, here.

Boerhaavelaan 6 Leiden

Princeton University Press has just announced the upcoming publication (Febr. 2026)  of The Atlas of World Embroidery: A Global Exploration of Heritage and Styles. The book was written by Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, director of the TRC, and uses a large number of textiles housed in the TRC Collection.

The book is described in the announcement as "A richly illustrated history of embroidery and needlework, showcasing the glorious range of styles, motifs, and materials used around the world."

"Embroidery is one of the world’s most widely shared forms of creative expression—and one of its most varied and diverse. It can be found in every region, yet its visual languages, themes, and techniques vary greatly: some are marked by unique styles and others show influences from neighboring cultures. The Atlas of World Embroidery examines many distinctive embroidery styles and traditions found across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia."

"From the quillwork and birch boxes of Indigenous North America to the decorative matyo style of Hungary, the zardozi embroiderers of India, and the satin stitches of Han Dynasty China, Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood provides a comprehensive history of embroidery, describing its materials and tools, its designs and symbols, and its uses and makers. Emphasizing the visual aspects of embroidery across cultures, the atlas features an unprecedented array of color images celebrating the art form."

There are lots of things happening at the moment at the TRC, including preparing for some very, very big changes. As readers of the TRC Blog and Newsletter will know we have been working with various groups to move the TRC to larger premises so we can expand our range of activities, collection and teaching commitments as an international centre (hub!) for textile knowledge and skills in all their diverse forms.

Yes: We hope to move soon. Showcases are being emptied.Leiden: City of Textile Knowledge

Leiden Council is actively helping us on many levels – they really want us to expand as a knowledge centre, serving an international community of textile lovers who want to pass onto the next generation(s) skills and knowledge about this fundamental aspect of human life and culture. With the Council's help, we are talking with various school groups, Leiden University, etc., about increasing the teaching of textiles and dress studies and making the TRC Collection, Library and research facilities more widely known and available, also online (compare the recent blog about 360-photography of TRC items).

There will also be an expanded number of workshops, courses, study days, weekend events and lectures. We are talking, for example, with various potential teachers to offer an increased range of subjects, from ancient Egyptian textiles to a history of jewellery.

In addition, a range of exhibitions that vary in size, from a single showcase to two large rooms are planned. These will be used to show the range, size and diversity of both the world of textiles and dress as well as the TRC’s amazing collection.

A blog that I wrote in October 2024 (to be downloaded here) described my study of  a recent donation to the TRC of 65 metal buttons. The buttons were collected without any context in the Netherlands. In this blog, I would like to elaborate on my findings of last year.

In the previous blog I suggested that, based on the shank type, these buttons could not be older than the 19th century. However, I was wrong. I now know that the oldest buttons are medieval (see TRC 2024.2625) and the group presents, in fact, a fair representation of buttons from every century since then until the 19th.

Metal button with a five-petalled flower and a key shank with a tiny hole. Part of the button has broken off. Medieval. TRC 2024.2625.

Key shank with tiny hole. Metal button TRC 2024.2625.

Clare Waight KellerWe are very happy to announce that international Fashion Designer and Creative Director, Clare Waight Keller, has very kindly agreed to become a member of the TRC Board.

Clare has worked as a designer for various fashion houses, including Calvin Klein (New York), Ralph Lauren, and Gucci. She was also artistic/creative director for Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and Givenchy. More recently she has taken on the role of Global Creative Director of Uniqlo.

Clare has sent the following message about this amazing new development:

"I’m thrilled to join the Board of the TRC and to be part of helping Dr Gillian preserve the future of historic textiles. This knowledge is vital and an incredibly important part of our collective cultural history. What has been achieved so far has already contributed significantly to the prevention of the loss of ancient and unique textiles and clothing for future generations. In my role I hope to bring even more significant value and support to ensuring this expertise is not lost and its value is protected. I’m truly looking forward to contributing to the long term future of the TRC and highlighting its unique importance to our social history and society."

Clare’s knowledge of textiles and fashion will be a great boon for the current and future work and development of the TRC.