Thanks to a series of recent acquisitions, the Textile Collections have been enriched with a large collection of dresses from the Balkan countries (Albania, Montenegro, Greece) and a number of mostly women’s garments from the Middle East and Central Asia. Closely linked to styles of antique origin, in terms of materials and technique as well as shapes and tailoring, these garments are a fascinating tool for intercultural exchange, fostering a knowledge of artistic cultures and lifestyles foreign to the European tradition: from the Afghan dress, an expression of the mosaic of cultures that characterise this country, a crossroads of diverse peoples, to the colourful embroidery of the Palestinian Thobe, and from the Turkmen chirpy and the austere Yemeni robe to the lavish dresses of the Ottoman Empire.