Medieval Costume Maker Marga van der Vet

Yesterday, I wrote about being a Victorian Costumemaker.  But my journey into medieval costume making began many years ago in a very personal way. My son worked as a museum manager at the historical Town Bourtange, and I started recreating the historical clothing he wore for his work there. Reason: he could have two pair of sets for his own. What began as a practical sewing project soon became a true passion.

Fascinating by the clothing

The more I immersed myself in medieval history and historical costume design, the more fascinated I became by the beauty and authenticity of medieval clothing. I fell in love with the sturdy yet elegant fabrics, the simple craftsmanship, and the earthy color palettes that reflect the spirit of the Middle Ages so beautifully.

To this day, I still greatly enjoy working with traditional materials such as: wool, linen, cotton,and other natural fabrics.

These fabrics not only look authentic, but they are also wonderful to sew and wear. I especially love the sober, natural shades — deep browns, soft greens, muted reds, warm greys, and earthy beige tones — colors that feel timeless and connected to nature. It is so much fund to look for the right fabrics, to discover them in an online store or on the market!

More and more:

Over the years, my passion for medieval sewing continued to grow. I began creating more elaborate medieval costumes, LARP outfits, reenactment clothing, cloaks, dresses, tunics, belts, pouches, hoods, and historical accessories. Every project taught me more about historical craftsmanship and traditional garment construction.

What I love most about medieval and reenactment clothing is the balance between simplicity and character. Unlike modern fast fashion, historical garments were designed to last, to serve a purpose, and to reflect the life and personality of the wearer. Every stitch feels meaningful.

Today: Historical Couture - webshop

Today, many years later, I have created countless medieval and historical costumes for my webshops as well as custom-made commissions. Some are designed for reenactment events, others for LARP, theatre productions, medieval fairs, festivals, cosplay, or simply for people who share my love for historical clothing and craftsmanship.

Each costume is created personally in my atelier with attention to authenticity, comfort, durability, and detail. I enjoy working closely with customers to create garments that truly fit their wishes and bring their historical characters to life.

For me, medieval sewing is much more than making costumes. It is about storytelling, history, creativity, and preserving traditional craftsmanship in a modern world.

And even after all these years, I still feel the same excitement every time I work with beautiful wool, linen, and natural fabrics and watch a historical costume slowly come to life beneath my hands. And last but not least: most women look so much more beautiful in a medieval shirt, skirt and corset than let's say:  a hoody, jeans and sneaker. Agree?

Do you want a Made to Measure costume? Just contact me!