Children from across Cardiff have taken part in a first-of-its-kind project which puts a modern twist on the traditional Welsh national dress.
Pictures of children from Ely, Grangetown, Butetown and Riverside wearing costumes they designed to celebrate “a modern day Wales” are popping up on billboards across the city ahead of St. David’s Day.
The photographs – shot in Butetown, home of one of the UK’s oldest Black communities – are the product of a three-year project run by Jukebox Collective, a local arts organisation, and Bleak Fabulous, a creative agency which runs workshops with young people.
“I’ve never seen images of people wearing Welsh costumes that feel modern and actually reflect the people that live in Wales today,” said Lauren Patterson, Strategic Lead at Jukebox Collective.
“I hope people can look at the pictures, see themselves reflected as Welsh, and celebrate what the traditions of Wales look like today”.
Welsh national costume typically consists of tall black hats, woollen shawls and petticoats. It is based on clothing worn by women living in the Welsh countryside in the 19th century.
On St David’s Day – 1 March – it’s traditional for children to dress up in the outfit at school.
The Jukebox Collective students took part in workshops on costume design, styling, photography, illustration, and art direction in which they were encouraged to explore Welsh pride and identity.
Thirteen-year old Shellema moved to Cardiff from Jamaica when she was seven. She designed a hat for the project, and her poster appears opposite Cardiff Castle at the top of Queen Street.
She said that “it was amazing” to see the billboard in public.
Credit: Iona Macwhirter-Harley
“I was so happy to see it and I feel I have the perfect place beside the castle and museum. I’ve never before been involved in fashion but it turned out to be really fun.”
“I feel more Jamaican than Welsh but from my perspective, being Welsh is about connecting with Welsh heritage.”
“What I like to do is go to St Fagans where I feel like I can learn a lot of things about Wales with the old buildings and history they have there.”
Perez, who’s seventeen, said the project helped him to bring together his Black and Welsh identities.
“Since my grandma came here when she was young, it’s like Wales gave my grandma a home – it gave her a new life. And now we are my grandma’s descendants here, so it’s our culture,” he said.
“I normally stuck to my Caribbean, Black, identity and didn’t think I could be a mix of both. But then I realised that I don’t really need to segregate myself to just one part of my culture, because I have Welsh culture as well.”
“I don’t have to pick one over the other.”
His younger brother Rio told CJS News about the outfit he designed for the project.
“It was very vibrant, it had loads of patterns. I mixed Jamaican colours and the flag. It felt very cool knowing I made it with my friends, and that I contributed to it. I felt proud.”
The pictures have been displayed across Cardiff in locations such as Churchill Way and Womanby Street.
And on St David’s Day, Jukebox Collective will be selling a limited edition magazine of the pictures at St Fagans National Museum.
All sale proceeds will be reinvested into their classes for young people.
Listen to the radio feature on this story here.