EMBROIDERED EXCELLENCE
Nostra, meaning "Our" and Libre, meaning "Freedom".
Our Freedom to create exquisite embroidery output to premium quality garments, with an ethical approach to the environment. We are a British clothing brand founded in July 2025 by award winning creative art photographer and designer.
Influences come from world history, our natural environment, artwork and wildlife of all species. Our brand logo, the pixelated infinity symbol which also incorporates the number 8 as an infinite loop to resemble the number eight in the Bible which symbolises new beginnings, resurrection and spiritual regeneration. Giving us, Our Freedom.
NOSTRA LEE BRAY
HISTORIC CRAFTS
Embroidery dates back to the Cro-Magnon era around 30,000 BCE, with the earliest prehistoric evidence in the form of fossilized clothing that were hand stitched and decorated, found by archaeologists.
Evidence from Siberia show shells were stitched onto animal hides and early refined embroidery includes Chinese Silk from the 4th Century BCE along with ornate embroidered tunic garments found in Egyptian tombs around 3000 BCE. Cultural developments around 500 years later were known to be of Chinese thread embroidery using silk, precious stones and pearls, began to appear on clothing. Examples of surviving chain stitch embroidery from the Warring States period have also been found.
GLOBAL EXPANSION
During Medieval times, embroidery became a sign of high social status and was practised widely in major cities such as Damascus, Cairo and Istanbul. The Bronze Age confirmed embroidery patterns in the Western world emerging in regions of Scandinavia and Ancient Greece.
Embroidery became an important art in the world and flourished in Europe, adorning religious garments and was the attire of nobles. The origins of embroidery in the UK can be traced to the Anglo Saxon period, with earliest known examples dating from around the 7th century, thought to have been a monastic craft by nuns and monks creating elaborate vestments for the church.
NOSTRA LEE BRAY
NOBLE STATUS
There's evidence that the Vikings also practiced embroidery and had various designs on their clothing back in the 9th and 10th centuries, embroidery was born out of a desire to create intricate patches to decorate clothing and cover holes in textiles. Ancient people patched and repaired their clothes when discovering sewing and embroidery as an art form.
Embroidery began in earnest and its rise developed as a status symbol taking a prominent place in the life of nobility across the globe. Embroidered clothing existed in all walks of life, across all corners of the world but in Medieval times embroidery was much more than just a decoration, it was a sign of wealth.
EST.MMXXV
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
The Industrial Revolution changed the history of embroidery as it changed European history, in the mid 1800's, the first embroidery machine was made in France. The technological advances of today have allowed embroidery to be digitised. The advent of computers have helped to speed up the process from designs, through software and uploaded files into machines for a perfect reproduction output to fabric.
Despite these incredible advances in this technology, digitised machine embroidery has much in common with its hand crafted ancestor, forming the basis of the art today. From Ancient Royalty to noble people of status to everyone, for both men and women, master crafted embroidery that's now accessible for all at this pivotal time.
EXCELLENCE