Donatella Barbieri's 'Costume in Performance' Breaks Critical Silence on Stage Costume

Donatella Barbieri, Senior Research Fellow at London College of Fashion (LCF), has authored 'Costume in Performance: Materiality, Culture, and the Body', published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2017. The book addresses the scarcity of critical literature on stage costume, offering a comprehensive analysis through six thematic chapters: ritual, chorus, sublime, grotesque, empathy, and authenticity. It features approximately 200 images from major museum collections, many from the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), where Barbieri held a research fellowship. The volume connects historical and contemporary costume, emphasizing materiality and the designer's perspective. Barbieri, also a costume designer, founded the MA in Costume Design for Performance at LCF ten years ago. The book builds on her previous projects: 'Encounters in the Archive', a video exploring archival costumes' performative efficacy, and 'Designs for the Performer' (2002-2005), a touring exhibition that gave voice to designers. Barbieri distinguishes stage costume from fashion, noting that costume remains artifice in service of fiction. She is lead editor of the journal 'Studies in Costume in Performance' and supervises PhD students at LCF. One of her installations was selected for World Stage Design 2017 at Kuandu Museum of Fine Art in Taipei.