Chic and Conventions. Costumes from the Film “The Doll”

The costumes of Izabela Łęcka, Wokulski and other characters of the new cinema adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s 19th-century novel, spread across three historic buildings in Łazienki Park, itself one of the film’s shooting locations. From 16 September to 13 December 2026, on the regular joint ticket to the buildings.

The Royal Łazienki Museum on the exhibition:

32 costumes from the latest screen adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s “The Doll” (Lalka), directed by Maciej Kawalski, will be presented in a temporary exhibition at the Royal Łazienki Museum. They include the outfits of Izabela Łęcka, Stanisław Wokulski and other characters, bringing closer the world of Warsaw’s aristocracy and middle class at the end of the 19th century.

In “The Doll”, dress is more than fashion. Chic is a way of building one’s position in a world where conventions set the rules of the social game. The clothes shape the image of the film’s characters and carry social codes, letting us read their background, wealth, manners and aspirations. Inspired by the fashion and aesthetics of the late 19th century, seen up close they reveal what we cannot fully make out on screen: the construction of the silhouette, the texture of the fabric, the handling of line and proportion, as well as embroidery, lace, appliqué and other details. This lets us not only understand the design concept but also look at the craftsmanship behind its execution.

The exhibition consists of 32 costumes created by Katarzyna Lewińska and Tomasz Ossoliński, complemented by headwear by Marta Galik and shoes from the Vanda Novak workshop. Among them are the costumes of the main characters: Izabela Łęcka, played by Kamila Urzędowska, Stanisław Wokulski, played by Marcin Dorociński, as well as Kazimiera Wąsowska (Maria Dębska), Countess Joanna Karolowa (Krystyna Janda), the President’s widow Zasławska (Maja Komorowska), Mrs Meliton (Agata Kulesza) and other characters.

The Royal Łazienki was the backdrop to meetings between Stanisław Wokulski and Izabela Łęcka, and also one of the shooting locations of the new adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s novel. The costumes are thus returning to places that belong to the world of “The Doll”. The historic interiors of the royal residence, which also appear in the film, give their presentation a special context.

The event accompanies the cinema release of “The Doll”. The exhibition “Chic and Conventions” is an invitation to get to know the latest adaptation more deeply - through costumes and places where history, literature and film meet.

What to expect

Don’t expect a single room of mannequins. The museum has split the 32 costumes between three buildings: the Palace on the Isle (Pałac na Wyspie), the Myślewicki Palace and the Old Orangery (Stara Oranżeria). That means a walk through the park from one to the next, with the costumes set among the royal residence’s permanent interiors. The museum does not say how many costumes are in each building, so plan on all three.

Look past the gowns to the accessories: the headwear is by Marta Galik and the shoes come from the Vanda Novak workshop. The curators are Katarzyna Lewińska, Tomasz Ossoliński and Dominika Buck, and the costumes are on loan from the collection of Gigant Films. Up close you see what the cinema screen loses: fabric texture, embroidery and lace.

Context

“The Doll” (Lalka) by Bolesław Prus was serialised in the Warsaw daily “Kurier Codzienny” in 1887-1889 and published as a book in 1890. It is set in Warsaw in 1878-1879: Stanisław Wokulski, a wealthy merchant, falls for Izabela Łęcka, an impoverished aristocrat, and clothes in the story are a legible marker of social rank. Earlier screen versions were Wojciech Jerzy Has’s 1968 film and Ryszard Ber’s 1977 television series.

Don’t mix up the two adaptations released in September 2026. The costumes in Łazienki come from Maciej Kawalski’s cinema film, which the museum says opens on 30 September 2026, not from Paweł Maślona’s Netflix series.

Tickets and time

• Dates: 16 September - 13 December 2026.
• Ticket: there is no separate ticket; the show is included in the joint ticket to the museum buildings. Until 30 September: 70 PLN full, 35 PLN reduced, 1 PLN for children from age 8 and young people under 26. From 1 October: 60 PLN full, 30 PLN reduced, still 1 PLN for children and young people. Children up to age 7 go free.
• Free Fridays: every Friday, entry to the Palace on the Isle, the Old Orangery and the Myślewicki Palace is free. But the museum’s free-Friday page says only the ground floor of the Palace on the Isle and the Myślewicki Palace is open that day, and it does not mention the costumes. The museum does not say whether the costumes are on the ground floor, so to be sure of seeing all 32, pick another day.
• Hours until the end of September: Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00-17:00, Thursday-Friday 10:00-18:00, Saturday 12:00-20:00, Sunday 10:00-16:00.
• Hours from October: Tuesday-Wednesday 9:00-16:00, Thursday-Saturday 10:00-18:00, Sunday 10:00-16:00. Closed on Mondays; last entry 30 minutes before closing.
• Where to buy: ticket desks in the Officer Cadets School (Podchorążówka), the Old Orangery and the Kubicki Stables, or online (individual visits). The desks close 50 minutes before the buildings.
• How long: the museum estimates about 2.5 hours for the buildings on the joint ticket. The costumes alone take less, but allow for the walks across the park.
• Before you set out: the museum warns that buildings may close temporarily. The booking office confirms what is open: +48 504 243 783 (Monday-Friday 8:00-16:00).
• Getting there: Łazienki Park lies south of the city centre along Aleje Ujazdowskie, part of Warsaw’s Royal Route.
• English on site: the museum’s page for this show is in Polish only and does not say whether the costume labels are in English.

Who it is for: anyone who has read “The Doll” or plans to see the film, and anyone interested in 19th-century dress. Going after the screening makes sense, because you will recognise the costumes from their scenes. If you only care about the palace interiors, the costumes are no reason for a separate trip, but on the same ticket you will see them along the way.

Events

• 27 September 2026, 14:00-16:00 - “Reading The Doll Together in Łazienki”, a literary happening by the Lower South Pond near the Palace on the Isle, free, join at any point; in bad weather it moves to the Kubicki Stables. It is not part of the exhibition, but it takes place a short walk from it. In Polish - details

What the press says

Four pieces from the first days, all in Polish: three news previews and one opinion column. No reviews yet.

• Dzień Dobry TVN (16.09.2026, Justyna Piąsta): a report from the show with milliner Marta Galik, who says she made 78 headpieces for the film in the end - article
• Dziennik.pl (16.09.2026, ed. Piotr Kozłowski): the show opened two weeks before the film’s cinema release; the piece lists the characters and costume makers - article
• eWarszawa.pl (15.09.2026, Bartosz Pańczyk): an opening preview with venues, dates and the joint ticket - article
• Well.pl (17.09.2026, Aleksandra Pelc): a column asking whether this autumn’s two adaptations will spark a social-media craze for Łęcka’s style, citing the Łazienki show as an example - article

See also

• Stills from the Film Lalka (The Doll) - frames from the same film in the Open-Air Gallery on the park railings, free and without entering any building.
• Heliograms in the Solomon Room - contemporary works in the Palace on the Isle, on the same ticket and in the same building as some of the costumes.
• The Nabis. Prophets of a New Art - a French artists’ group active in 1888-1899, the era of “The Doll”, in the Officer Cadets School until 15 November 2026.

Museum profile: The Royal Łazienki Museum.