crafts of costume and doll making. Mrs. Nistor hung her hat as an engineer and began to hand sew and craft traditional clothing and dolls here in Brasov, for sale and to showcase in local rural communities, events and exhibitions. Mrs. Nistor now works in partnership with other craftsmen in Romania and NGOs from abroad, to promote, maintain and instill these traditional practices before they are lost. Doina proudly creates costumes of meticulous high quality, for traditional dancers, and groups of youth. A well renowned and respected craftsman, Doina has even produced costumes for representation in New York, and held workshops for the likes of multinational companies. Detail and respect lay at the forefront of Mrs. Doina’s craft. She posses a collection of books for learning and following the very specific customs and traditions of clothing making specific to each of Romania’s unique regions. For every region has differentiating use and sentimenal symbolic meaning for certain textiles, symbols, and décor that they have forever used to comprise costumes that represent their nationality and community. More over, during the past century western and urban influences have crept into Romania’s rural areas, influencing changes that have in some cases, completely altered what the locals use as today’s ‘traditional’ costume in comparison to the past. The Sacele community in Brasov, where Nistor predominantly works out of, is a prime example. The traditional costumes that represent Sacele today, are much more basic than in the past, dawning less symbols and embroidery. This is a direct result of the commercial growth and
THE VILLAGE - issue no. 5, april - june 2010
changes in the area. The faster pace of life today, and the demand for things to be done in a specific time frame, might be part of the reason a lot of the detail has been lost. It was “simple and such different times then,” tells Mrs. Nistor “Everything was different for a child then. Everything was different, and fun. As a child I used to spend afternoons playing in the grass with the goats… I wish it were still that way today… (That lifestyle) is healthier for everybody. Each thing was made and done in its own time, with patience. Today everyone is in a hurry. When making a clothing or doll order, the very first question customers always ask me is, ‘ok, how much time?’” Aside from Sacele, Mrs. Doina Nistor currently makes costumes for about seven different Romanian regions close to Transylvania, primarily in the Dragus and Fagaras areas. In context, Mrs. Nistor not only possesses the natural talent to hand create beautiful garments, but also the patience, hard work and perseverance that has established herself as a successful, independent entrepreneur, and a thriving repertoire as a respected clothing and doll maker. For those who may be interested in traditional clothing or dolls, they are welcome to visit Mrs. Nistor’s workshop in Sacele. She can be contacted at:
Doina Nistor Creator of traditional dolls and costumes E-mail: doina_brasov@yahoo.com Phone: +4 0728-821217
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