The Trojan Women
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville​
Edwardsville, IL
Department of Theater and Dance
Although written nearly 2500 years ago, The Trojan Women’s depiction of the horrors of war and its aftermath is still sadly relevant today. The director did not want a historical Greek look for the production. To lend the costumes a more “timeless” feel, I found inspiration in a mid-twentieth century fashion designer known as Madame Gres. The simple lines and intricate draping of her creations are modern, yet at the same time evoke a classicism that pays homage to the play’s ancient origin. The soldiers’ uniforms borrow from various periods—from ancient and medieval times to World War II and contemporary army attire. Symbolic “stylized” distressing suggests that the women have been marched out of a city whose streets literally run with the blood of their husbands and sons.