yinong qiu

Created for the Oliver Messel exhibition at Glyndebourne, this design takes its cue from Oliver Messel’s iconic all-white bedroom set for Helen in Helen! (1932).

To reclaim mythic women—not as passive victims but as empowered protagonists—I designed a costume that appears traditionally during the day, yet reveals a hidden narrative in the dark: only fluorescent bead-embroidered eyes and fluorescent embroidery reading “I am not guilty” become visible. These elements evoke the enduring gaze upon women in myth and address contemporary challenges to female agency.

For the silhouette, I drew inspiration from Regency-era garment patterns, whose drape and structure borrow from ancient Greek aesthetics. Technically, I combined embroidery and laser-cutting, inspired by my study of Greek motifs and ornamentation.

This project reshaped my view of opera—not as a static stage, but as a canvas for immersive experiences and layered narratives.