Hartford Stage Costume Shop Makes Paper Dress Out of Maps

The theme for Hartford Stage's 2012/13 season, "All the World," is being represented in the "map dress" made entirely out of paper, on display in the theatre lobby.

Hartford Stage costume department's Susan Aziz and Barry Sellers collaborated to reach the completion of a map dress made entirely out of paper. Barry arrived at the idea after purchasing an oversized book of antique maps. Inspired by the colors and images, he brought the idea of a paper map dress to Costume Shop Manager Matt Smart.

Barry made a pattern for a practice dress out of white butcher paper and used various paper punches to simulate lace and detailed trim. He then teamed up with Susan Aziz to print map images from a large scale printer used for blueprints and then use those print-outs as "fabric" for a dress. Susan had the idea to wad up all the paper maps then smooth them out before sewing them together, which gave texture to the dress.

The paper map dress is on display in the Harford Stage lobby through December 2012.