Costume Designer Riya Bafna Elevates Theatre with Narrative Fashion in Tesseract
The grand stage production Tesseract – The Geometry of Truth, presented by The Times of India, masterfully blends dance, theatre, and immersive storytelling into a visually stunning performance. At the heart of this artistic endeavor is costume designer Riya Bafna, who has meticulously curated outfits that shape the show's emotional and psychological landscape. For Bafna, every costume serves as a powerful narrative tool, ensuring that what appears on stage instantly communicates character, mood, and movement to the audience.
Translating Story into Visual Form
Designing for theatre involved translating the complex story into a prominent visual form. Bafna explains, "I designed around 50-60 costumes in the last two months. Designing the costumes for Tesseract was an exercise in capturing something so surreal yet rooted deeply in reality. In theatre, clothing is meant to amplify the storytelling." The design process began with an in-depth analysis of the script and extensive discussions with the director to grasp the production's tone and the arc of each dance sequence.
Rather than treating costumes as isolated design pieces, Riya approached them as integral components of a larger narrative language. "The goal was to construct a visual vocabulary that could move with the narrative," she elaborates. Silhouettes, textures, and color palettes were carefully mapped against the characters' journeys, reflecting their evolution through the story and the shifting emotional states from scene to scene.
Research and Mood Mapping
Research formed the backbone of the design process. Bafna explored references ranging from historical clothing to cinematic costume design, while also imagining a space between the real and the surreal—a realm that aligns with the layered storytelling of Tesseract. The production moves across diverse emotional registers, with each scene carrying its own distinct atmosphere. The costumes had to mirror these shifting moods while maintaining visual continuity throughout the performance.
While each scene required a unique identity, the costumes also needed to function within the overall visual composition of the stage. "Color placement was carefully considered so that each scene maintained balance while transitioning smoothly into the next. On stage, the costumes are never viewed in isolation. They function as part of a larger visual composition that shapes the audience's sensory experience," Riya emphasizes.
Beyond Fashion: Costumes as Storytelling Agents
For Riya Bafna, costume design ultimately transcends the realm of fashion. "In theatre, clothing becomes an active participant in storytelling. With costume design, the garments begin to speak and construct the world that we ask the audience to step into," she asserts. This philosophy underscores how her work contributes to the immersive nature of Tesseract, enhancing the audience's engagement with the performance.
Tesseract – The Geometry of Truth will be showcased at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai from March 16 to 22, offering audiences a chance to experience this innovative blend of art forms firsthand.
