The collar is a garment detail that frames the neck, finishing the piece near the face; it is often the collar that sets the whole character of a garment. The forms are countless: turn-down, stand-up, shawl, spread, Peter Pan, cowl. Historically the collar was a powerful marker of status — from the lavish lace ruffs and starched 'millstones' of the Renaissance to the modest embroidered collar of a folk shirt. In the Ukrainian vyshyvanka the embroidered stand collar is one of the key, most visible zones of decoration. The collar frames the face and draws attention to it, so its shape affects the whole reading of a look. It is a detail in which construction, history and an expressive style accent come together.
