The Romanian Ia, between roots and showcase

In a world where everything seems to be reinvented and monetized at a dizzying speed, few cultural symbols manage to retain their authenticity. The Romanian Ia is one of these symbols - a piece of clothing that, although it has been worn, reinterpreted and, sometimes, even hijacked, remains deeply anchored in the Romanian consciousness and soul.

The Ia is not just a beautiful blouse, but a story sewn with a needle, thread by thread, by the hands of women who put their dreams, beliefs and belonging into it. The traditional motifs, drawn with patience and care, were not chosen at random: they convey messages about place, marital status, spiritual protection or social status. The Ia was and is a symbolic identity card, worn with pride and respect.

In recent decades, the ia has become a "cool” clothing item, adopted by designers, international stars and influencers. It has been present on fashion catwalks in Paris, London or New York, reinterpreted in many ways - sometimes with respect, sometimes with a superficiality that betrays ignorance of the deeper meanings. Seeing it worn on a mannequin, mass-produced in a tailoring workshop in China, is a painful image for anyone who understands what this piece of heritage actually means.

More disturbing is the use of the ia in political discourse. We see it in campaign photos, on electoral posters or at public events where tradition is selectively invoked, just to score points in the "national identity” chapter. In such contexts, the ia is not worn with meaning, but as a costume - a temporary uniform that promises a connection with the people, but which is thrown away immediately after the polls close.

Despite these slippages, the ia is not disappearing. It may no longer be worn daily, but it lives on in grandparents' homes, in dowry boxes, at festivals, on Sânziene evenings, or in the hearts of those who recover it and wear it with meaning. Young people who are learning to sew today, craftsmen who are remaking old models, groups that document the ia from different parts of the country - all of these are signs that the ia is not just a piece of clothing, but a living thread in the fabric of an identity.

Like any living symbol, the ia must be open to reinterpretation, but without losing its roots. Authenticity does not mean stagnation, but neither does it mean forgetting. We have a duty to preserve it with care, to know it before displaying it, to understand it before transforming it into a passing fad. The ia is, after all, more than a blouse. It is a form of memory, and memory is not worn just like that.