Unique costume exhibition –
Part of the story behind Grace of Sweden
Our designer Tina Olofsson has her roots deeply embedded in the world of theatre. For 33 years, she has created imaginative, finely tailored costumes for Teater Västernorrland & Norrdans. It is there – among historical garments, advanced constructions, and seemingly impossible assignments – that the foundation has been laid for Grace of Sweden’s sense of quality, fit, and material selection.
Creating costumes for the stage is not only about fabric and construction. It is about embodying a character, solving technical challenges, and contributing to the storytelling on stage.
This experience lives on in our christening garments – in beautiful cuts, carefully selected materials, and personal choices: embroidery, colour tones, and details that make each piece unique.


The rose dress – a piece of stage history
At the exhibition you can see Tina’s handmade rose dress – described by the museum as a “showstopper”. The dress was worn by Åke Arvidsson in the performance “The Mystery of Myrna Vep” in 2011, where he portrayed Edit in a whirlwind of rapid costume changes. When Tina was commissioned to realize the vision of the rose dress, it came with four requirements from costume designer Lotta Nilsson:
It had to be changeable within 60 seconds.
It had to fit through a 60 cm narrow stage opening.
It had to subtly shift from light to dark red.
The skirt had to fall to the floor like a pile of roses.
The roses were hand-sewn using Tina’s own developed technique. They were sorted into shades and assembled in a carefully planned colour scale. The fabrics were largely sourced from theatre stock – small remnants from previous productions. In this way, the dress carries traces of many different performances and projects.
The structure consists of a crinoline lined on the inside, with a lightly corseted bodice. To enable the quick change, a zipper from a military tent was sewn into the back – a reliable zipper that could withstand strain and be opened and closed quickly without catching in the fabric.
The dress has an invisible seam at hip level. By pulling a ribbon attached to a strong magnet, the skirt can fall to the floor in a circle of roses. It is an example of the precision and problem-solving required in theatre costume work.

Photo: Lia Jacobi
Craft, courage and ethical choices
The exhibition also features a so-called “fat suit” created by Tina. It also highlights reflections from theatre director Kristoffer Berglund on the ethical questions that may arise when altering an actor’s body for the stage. What are we telling – and how do we do it respectfully?
The exhibition spans two floors. The lower floor explores processes and craftsmanship, while the upper floor displays well-known stage costumes, including the dress worn by Helen Sjöholm in “Kristina från Duvemåla” and an enormous gold dress worn by Kristina Schollin, hanging from the ceiling.



A world to experience
Tina still has one foot in the world of theatre – something that continues to shape her work with new christening and ceremonial garments for Grace of Sweden. If you want to discover part of the inspiration behind our exclusive collections, this is a wonderful spring excursion tip.
Don’t miss Tina’s favourite film with theatre colleague Cecilia Götesdotter Axelsson and her story about her “16 pairs of fabric scissors”. The film humorously shows the passion of costume professionals.
The exhibition is shown at the Museum of Performing Arts until May 2026. Read more here.

