Brandeis students stitch history: 'Indigo Road' illuminates the connection between slavery and denim
By Dan Holmes
June 5, 2024
![A dress made from recycled denim.](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/013-011124-indigo-540a6954-hero.jpg)
“Indigo Road” is a fiber art sculpture project that helps tell the story of enslaved people who worked on U.S. indigo plantations, and its connection to the cultural history of American blue jeans.
Each fabric sculpture is made from recycled blue jeans and includes an embroidered patch of cotton with a QR code that links to the story of an enslaved indigo worker and the history of indigo production.
Conceived by Brooke Stanton, costume designer in the Department of Theater Arts, the project was constructed by 29 Brandeis students from a variety of majors.
![Image](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo10.jpg)
![Image](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo16.jpg)
![Image](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo22.jpg)
![Image](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo24.jpg)
![A students sews.](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo15.jpg)
![A dress detail](/_files/img/Alumi-Hero.jpg)
![Image](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo19.jpg)
![Image](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/indigo25.jpg)
![A dress made from denim on display in a sewing shop](/_files/img/Alumi-Hero.jpg)
![A students works i the costume shop.](/_files/img/Alumi-Hero.jpg)
![two people make adjustments to a denim dress.](https://www.brandeis.edu/stories/2024/june/images/indigo/001-042224.jpg)