Nubian costumes meticulously recreated of School of Form designers will soon be showcased at Berlin's Bode-Museum.
Weaving archaeology into costume design
Archaeologists from the University of Warsaw collaborated with designers from the School of Form to recreate five outfits once worn by kings, royal mothers, and a bishop of medieval Nubia—a historical region that encompasses parts of southern Egypt and northern Sudan. Their work was based on wall paintings from the Faras Cathedral, which are now part of the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw and the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum.
Restoring the original colors of the medieval robes was a key aspect of the reconstruction process. The designers used traditional dyeing techniques and natural pigments, drawing on the archaeological research of Dr. Magdalena Woźniak from the University of Warsaw and the expertise of Dr. Katarzyna Schmidt-Przewoźna from the School of Form. The dyed fabrics were then adorned with stencil-printed patterns, hand embroidery, and appliqués.
One of the biggest challenges was translating the silhouettes depicted in the wall paintings into three-dimensional garments . This included incorporating elements not visible in the frescoes but known from Byzantine tradition. The final result was a true team effort, bringing together experts from various fields.
Read more about the costume reconstruction process
Special exhibition in Berlin
The reconstructed costumes were first presented to the public last October during a live event at the Louvre in Paris. Now, they will be displayed at Bode-Museum in Berlin, alongside selected textiles from the collections of the Museum of Byzantine Art and the Museum of Islamic Art.
The exhibition, Dress to Impress: Reconstructions of Medieval Robes from Nubia , runs from February 6 to April 12 . A live event featuring models showcasing the garments is planned after the exhibition's closing.
Find exhibition details on the museum's website
Practical information
Dress to Impress. Reconstructions of Medieval Robes from Nubia
Where: Bode-Museum in Berlin
When: February 6–April 12, 2025