Lucjan Lewandowski
This project places Oscar Wilde's 'Salome' within a cabaret theatre and casino, operated by the characters of the play who are simultaneously staging a production of 'Salome' itself. The biblical figures of the text are reimagined as showgirls and gamblers, within a world of performance and spectacle. The costume designed for this project reimagines the Moon as a performer on the cabaret stage. Her costume is a beaded corset bodysuit with silk chiffon drapery, drawing on the theatrical glamour of Erté and the traditions of Old Hollywood showgirl costume.
A remake of Christine's Masquerade Gown from "The Phantom of the Opera" (2004), originally designed by Alexandra Byrne, realised in silver taffeta with a historically accurate late 1860s to early 1870s silhouette. Stripped back from the original's ornate detailing, the gown features a double bustle skirt with a white cotton petticoat and tulle overlay, supported by a corset and elliptical crinoline.
This thesis examines how costume functions as a visual language in three adaptations of William Shakespeare's Hamlet - Laurence Olivier's 1948 film, Kenneth Branagh's 1996 adaptation, and Gregory Doran's 2009 RSC filmed production. Despite having relatively few lines in the original play, Ophelia’s body and her madness have been repeatedly reinterpreted to reflect the cultural anxieties of each era. Through a comparative analysis, this thesis explores how each director uses costume to construct her identity, frame her decline, and position her within structures of gender, power, and the male gaze. In doing so, it reveals how Ophelia's body becomes a site onto which each era projects its own anxieties about femininity and control.
Lucjan Lewandowski is a costume designer from Poland, currently based in Dublin. With roots in historical costuming, his work has grown to focus on corsetry, combining technical craft with a passion for silhouette, period accuracy, and live performance. He has gained industry experience across television, film, and opera, including work as part of the costume team on Werner Herzog's upcoming "Bucking Fastard" (2027) and as Head Dresser at the Berlin Opera Academy on productions of "Hänsel und Gretel" and "Die Zauberflöte". Alongside his academic work, he has taken on private made-to-measure corsetry commissions and he hopes to continue developing his craft at the intersection of historical costume, opera, and independent design.
