Sofia Pantouvaki

Sofia Pantouvaki is a Professor of Costume Design for Theatre and Film at Aalto University's Department of Film. Her research focuses on performance costume, particularly in opera and dance, costume technology, sustainability, and educational applications. She founded the Costume in Focus research group and led the Academy of Finland-funded 'Costume Methodologies' project (2014–2018). Her work bridges artistic practice and academic research, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and ethical material practices.

• Education: PhD in Scenography from the University of the Arts London (2008).
• Research Interests: Costume materialities, sustainable design, historical costume analysis (e.g., WWII concentration camps), and educational uses of costume in youth integration.

Her awards include the Gold Medal PQ2015 for Best Exposition and curatorial leadership in international events like the Prague Quadrennial. She has supervised 7 theses and contributed to over 139 research outputs, including exhibitions, conference papers, and books like Performance Costume: New Perspectives and Methods. Current projects include the EU Horizon-funded 'Technological Innovations in Costume Practice' (TICP).

• Grants & Projects: TICP (2024–2025), Costume Methodologies (2014–2018).
• Labs/Teams: Leads the Costume in Focus group and collaborates internationally on material innovation and sustainability.