Petra Pavičić is a renowned costume designer with an impressive career—she has created over 150 costume designs and, as an assistant professor at the Academy of Dramatic Art, shared her vast knowledge with young artists. Ahead of the premiere of the play Summer with Marija, she revealed the biggest challenges and sources of inspiration behind the costume design.

The play Summer with Marija takes us through the lives of "various Marijas," members of the same family tree but from different generations. What were the biggest challenges in creating costumes that span an entire century?

Summer with Marija is an intimate record of the memories and women's history of one family, real people for whom I felt a sense of respect and responsibility to portray them as authentically as possible. On the other hand, theatrical costumes must be aestheticized for the stage and adapted for functionality and performance needs. We have many quick costume changes in our case, and some actors portray multiple characters from different periods. The challenge was to combine all these conditions and requirements into a coherent, aesthetically accurate, and acceptable whole.

Was there a particular period or costume that especially inspired you?

I have immense respect for the periods in our region when women made their clothing at home, following tradition while trying to enrich it in line with global trends despite the limited means for creation and production. In this play, that would be the costume of Marijeta, the great-grandmother from 1921—a young girl’s church dress. It features a simple cut, simple material, enhanced with embroidery and cotton lace, a luxurious collar, and a feminine touch with a cinched waist.

With so many Marijas in the play, do you have a favorite?

Each Marija in the play is inspiring. I am delighted that we finally have a play that celebrates and pays tribute to women’s existence in Dalmatia.

As the premiere approaches, what message would you share with the audience before seeing the play?

In this case, I’d prefer to share a message after the play: talk to your family members and record memories of your ancestors' lives to preserve them for future generations—your children and grandchildren.

About Petra Pavičić

Petra Pavičić was born in 1982 in Zagreb. She holds a master’s degree in textile and fashion design from the Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, specializing in costume design. She has been professionally engaged in costume design since 2006, creating and producing costumes for numerous operas, dramas, ballets, contemporary dance performances, musicals, and films in Croatia and abroad. She has completed over 150 independent costume designs, set designs, and collaborations with renowned theater creators to date.

Since 2008, she has been a member of ULUPUH (Croatian Association of Artists of Applied Arts), Theater and Film Arts Section.
Since 2014, she has been a member of HZSU (Croatian Freelance Artists’ Association).
She is an assistant professor in the artistic field of costume design at the Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Zagreb.