Institutions of fashion can be an important resource for forging the cultural consciousness of a national identity, particular if that identity is an otherwise fragile one. This is particularly true in the context of a nation such as modern Albania, where the historical peculiarities of its social composition make its position within the European community and the Islamic world ambiguous. I will not attempt to resolve the complicated and contentious ethnological and ideological disputes revolving around the heritage of the Arvanites in Greece and the Balkans. Instead, I will try to illuminate the complicated status of modern Albanian culture by investigating one of Albania's most iconic garments: the fustanella. My work explores connections between Albanian law, customs, culture, history and traditional fine art media including painting, embroidery and dryer sheets.