The petals embroidered onto the dress unfold beneath it, onto the wall, on the floor, they climb the pedestal that holds the match box recalling Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Matches Girl”, published in 1848. One match out of three is burnt, referring to the World Health Organization’s statement with the violence against women data. According to WHO, 1 out of 3 women in the world (35% of the global female population) is victim of violence during her lifetime, either physical, verbal or social. “The Little Matches Girl” tells about the romantic death of a young girl during a cold Danish New Year’s Eve. The child was compelled to sell matches on the streets by her abusive father, though on a cold night she started to lit the matches to warm herself up, but for each match that she would lit she would had sweet visions: a warm stove, a holiday feast, a happy family and so on. Finally the one last match with a last vision was left, her grandmother descending from the sky to bring her away. The little girl had died of frostbite.

Within the context of A Different Story “The Little Matches” reference represents a warning towards women to escape from dangerous and toxic situations, and to stop misleading themselves with visions of an imaginary wellness. The petals path that connects the dress to the matches box symbolizes the possibility of a different story for women, not to consider themselves exclusively as victims, but also as powerful creatures, authors of their own freedom.

The white dress embroidered with violet and rose petals represents Madama Dorè’s kidnapped daughter. The song tells the story of the encounter between a King’s squire and a humble mother, Madama Dorè. The King demands one of her daughters, and the squire asks to the mother herself advice on which one to take. Madama Dorè suggests to take the most beautiful one, that the King will dress with violet and rose petals.