ABOUT
The quadrille dress, called karabela in Haiti, is known for its sturdy fabrics that are often embellished with ruffles or lace edged with color. It is often worn off the shoulders. The dress has red and blue incorporated into the design that refers to the bicolor flag of Haiti. The quadrille dress is worn for large festivals such as the Carnival (Kanaval in Haitian creole) or parades on May 18th, Haitian Flag Day, the holiday that celebrates Haiti’s independence. The Afro-Haitian folkloric dance associated with the Quadrille dress is derived from the French, as they colonized Saint Domingue, today called Haiti, on the island of Hispaniola. The quadrille dress is commonly seen when people perform the Quadrille dance in Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean such as Jamaica and Saint-Lucia. Even in modern times, people still perform this folk dance in dance competitions, where young competitors elegantly execute the Quadrille in front of large crowds. The Quadrille involves four couples, each of which is a complete dance in itself. The dress can also be seen during weddings and dances, however it is primarily considered to be a folkloric costume.  

— Jason Wright and Flora White