Donatella Barbieri

Donatella Barbieri is a Reader and Principal Lecturer in Performance at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. She holds a PhD from Goldsmiths University of London and certifications in supervising research degrees from the University of the Arts London. Her work bridges costume design, performance studies, and material culture, emphasizing the agency of costume in cultural and social contexts.

• Roles: Academic leadership in costume and performance pedagogy, researcher in material embodiment methodologies.
• Affiliations: Board member of Society of British Theatre Designers, Steering Committee of Critical Costume, and member of OISTAT (International Organisation of Scenographers).

Her research focuses on costume’s role as an active agent in performance, including collaborations with indigenous knowledge holders and global scholars. Notable outputs include her award-winning book *Costume in Performance: Materiality, Culture and the Body* (2017), and projects like *Encounters in the Archive* (2011) and *Charged Objects of Performance* (2024).

Barbieri supervises PhD candidates exploring themes such as decolonizing performance practices, material embodiment, and virtual reality in costume. Her teaching includes founding the MA Costume Design for Performance program at LCF.

• Awards: Winner of Best Publication at the Prague Quadrennial 2019, shortlisted for Society of Theatre Research’s Best Book Award (2018).

Key projects include co-founding the *Studies in Costume & Performance* journal and leading the Design for Performance Research Hub. She also curates international events like *Costume in Action* (2013) and contributes to exhibitions at venues such as the V&A and British Library.