The Interactive Lecture titled “The Importance of Clothing in Shaping the National Consciousness of the Modern Greek State” was successfully held at IMMA as part of the Exhibition “Garment of the Soul.”

As part of the “Garment of the Soul” exhibition by the artistic duo Vangelis Kyri – Anatoli Georgiev, the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) and the Papageorgiou Foundation organized a highly successful and well-attended interactive lecture on Friday, January 3, 2025, at 18:30, titled “The Importance of Clothing in the Formation of National Consciousness in the New Greek State.”

The lecture was held in the exhibition spaces of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle by Mrs. Stavroula Mavrogeni, Professor in the Department of Balkan, Slavic & Eastern Studies at PAMAK, and Director of the Center for Research on Macedonian History and Documentation at IMMA. In her interactive lecture, Mrs. Mavrogeni focused on the importance of clothing over time and place as a form of communication in the new Greek state. With references and theatrical readings of texts and testimonies, combined with the exhibits of the Museum and a special dramatization by live models, the audience followed with keen interest this cultural event, where the role of clothing was vividly presented as a means of differentiation and as a characteristic element of identity, which separates the members of a group and even the groups themselves.

The following items from the permanent collection of IMMA were used:

• Coat of the Macedonian fighter, teacher Marigouda Petrou Frangou from Edessa, early 20th century (Donation of Grigoris Nouskas)
• Hat of teacher Angeliki Tsiomou-Metallinou, early 20th century (Donation of Spyros Vasiliadis)
• Purple velvet costume (possibly a wedding dress) with gold embroidery, early 20th century

• Traditional costumes were worn and actively participated in the live presentation by the students of the Department of Balkan, Slavic & Eastern Studies at PAMAK, Anastasia Zaproudi and Aikaterini-Marina Bethava, providing a firsthand view of the role of common structural and decorative elements of a costume both as a symbol of gender identity and as a symbol of national dress.

The “Garment of the Soul” exhibition concluded a few days ago, leaving behind thousands of moved visitors. The exhibition was realized thanks to the initiative of the Papageorgiou Foundation in collaboration with MIET, receiving rave reviews. This initiative, beyond the initial presentation of costumes from the collections of the National Historical Museum, the Historical Museum of Crete, and the Lyceum of Greek Women of Heraklion, was framed by a substantial collaboration of organizations from Thessaloniki and Northern Greece.

IMMA participated with great pleasure in the exhibition, which captivated the Thessaloniki audience. From its permanent collection, traditional Macedonian costumes and official uniforms were presented, including:

• The doulama of the Macedonian fighter Dimitrios TsiTsimis
• The official consular uniform of Lampros Enialis
• The uniform of Admiral Ioannis Demestichas
• Velvet costume (probably a wedding dress) with gold embroidery
• Costume from Alexandria of Imathia
• Coat of the Macedonian fighter teacher Marigouda Petrou Frangou
• The “festive” uniform of Macedonian fighter Georgios Roubesis or Captain Tzavara, from the Collection of the Folklore and Ethnological Museum of Macedonia-Thrace, exhibited at IMMA.