The Abundance of the Stiffened Silk Cap Tradition Surprises in exhibition

The Stiffened Silk Caps in National Costumes exhibition was born from the passion of Tiina Kroodo-Kauhanen for national costumes and historical dress. It provides a peek into the headgear of western Finnish national costumes, especially the silk cap parts. The exhibition will run from 10 October 2025 to 1 March 2026.

Tiina Kroodo-Kauhanen was born in Estonia but has lived in Upper Savonia since 2004. She is a farmer whose passion is folk costumes. Her immigrant perspective gives the exhibition special depth: for her, Finnish traditional costume has been a window into understanding culture and part of her own story of integration.

  - Exploring national costumes is nearly in my blood. In the 1990s, my mother was knitting wool national costume fabrics in Estonia during its independence movement under the people’s cooperative Dekora. My hobby is like a beautiful extension from one generation to the next  ─ across national borders, Kroodo-Kauhanen says.

The Stiffened Silk Caps in National Costumes exhibition invites reflection on how tradition lives on in new interpreters, and shows how an old cultural heritage can shine anew in the hands of an enthusiastic hobbyist.

  - I saw my first stiffened silk cap already in 2004, but only years later was I able to make one myself. Since then the caps have captivated me ─ their abundance and diversity are endlessly fascinating,” Kroodo-Kauhanen says.

In the exhibition you can see both revised and un-revised, embroidered and non-embroidered, and shining festive caps. Each piece tells its own story and opens a window into a time when a headpiece covered in silk might have been a woman’s most luxurious garment.

The stiffened silk cap evolved from the headwear of upper-class women into a cap used by common folk. It was in use from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. The cap belongs to western Finnish national costumes and consists of a separate starched lace part (called tykki) and a cap body stiffened and covered with silk, as well as a ribbon in the back.

Kroodo-Kauhanen’s extensive survey has gathered information and also brought to light nearly forgotten models. The exhibition features part of the cap collection she has made, the result of years of enthusiasm, investigation, and craftsmanship.