“In my visual research I was inspired by the urban dress of the world’s cities. A new culture has emerged from the ethnic mix. There’s a spontaneous variety that is reflected in the way today’s young people dress. The ZAIA costumes refer to this eclectic merging of genres.” - Dominique Lemieux, Costume Designer.

ZAIA is the dream of a young girl who journeys into space on a strange, yet familiar voyage of self-discovery. As she travels, she encounters the beauty of humanity and eventually brings it back with her to share with the inhabitants of Earth. ZAIA presents a young girl's perception of the stars and planets, space and infinity, all populated by a panoply of fantastic, literally out-of-this-world creatures.

A major influence on the costume designs for ZAIA came from the inventive dress styles and looks that young people are creating for themselves all over the world. The costumes reflect the difference between the families of characters in ZAIA. For instance, the dancers - who are urban characters - wear warm colors, while the acrobat's costumes echo each other in that they are variations on the same theme in darker or lighter shades.

In other scenes, the performers seem to have emerged from a toy box. Their costumes are decorated with accessories made from recycled objects: pieces of metal, newsprint, a piece of a fan, a rotary phone, a compass, a trumpet and so on. Some costumes evoke animals like coyotes or hyenas, while others recall boats, musical instruments or airplanes. This show marks the first time Dominique Lemieux has worked with polyester fabrics. The light weight of polyester allows for a technique called sublimation, a technique that fixes designs in the fibers of the cloth and enables her to use a great diversity of colors.

Zaia Zaia is the name of the main character, a young girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut and discovering the mysteries of space. Her imaginary celestial journey will follow in the footsteps of her parents and she will encounter love. Her odyssey leads her to take a fresh look at the beauty of Earth and the humans who live there. She belongs to the "urban" world, and is the focal point of the color red in the show. Romeo Captivated by the innocence of Zaia, Romeo is a young spectator she meets at the beginning of her voyage. He is in constant search for her. When they come together at last they delight each other in a sensual straps duet. As Zaia's partner, he wears warm earth colors decorated with gold and copper. The Sage Drawn from all cultures, the Sage is an almost god-like character, an archetype of a wise old ancestor with his long coat and long tresses, which have gold mixed in with the silver. He is source of shimmering light in the darkness of the night sky, and has the power to transform himself into the character of the Shaman, and his Shaman costume references that of the Sage. A mysterious ageless character, the Sage embodies the memory, knowledge and different eras of humanity. He is the archetype of the ancestor, the first of all ancestors, a kind of bright spot in the blackness of space. The Sage watches over Zaia. Clowns Sensitive and silly, the clowns are the companions of Zaia in this wonderful adventure. Although they become separated their friendship will reunite them in the end. Inspired in part by the clothes of 18th century explorers, the clowns costumes are a counterpoint to those of the other characters in the show. A patina of worn, patched fabrics gives them an old-fashioned appearance. Parents Zaia’s parents, itinerant acrobats on tour in space, passed on to her their wanderlust and desire for discovery. The Handyman A Charlie Chaplin-like character, the Handyman builds a precarious structure with planks and its pipes. When his shelter collapses, everyone bands together to save him. Adam and Eve This couple represents original, pure, mythical and eternal love. It is through them that Zaia herself discovers love, a feeling that she will later share with Romeo. In the Adam and Eve hand-to-hand act, the artists are distressed in turquoise and flesh tones. The costumes are like a second skin, creating the impression that the performers are wearing leaves with an organic texture suggestive of ice and crystals. The Humans These characters of all ages and all social strata represent the last people on Earth. Pressed and jostled in their daily lives, they are equally capable of humor and great impulses of unity. The Aristos Characters from another era, the Aristos represent high society and elegance as they participate in the aerial number. The Weathervanes These characters from the Chinese Poles on Globes number represent the points of the compass. Their costumes are inspired by weather vanes that indicate the direction of the wind and a variety of elements such as water, sun and ice. The Fossils The ice-encrusted Fossils are silent witnesses to the union between Adam and Eve. The Primitives The Primitives represent the first men who tamed fire and learned to use it. They include us in their celebration of love and fire. The Fire Dancers wear skintight skin-colored costumes that are printed with tattoos, and adorned with leather and metal components. The Singers The two singers wear long, flowing robes of distressed velvet - a technique that allows the various colors of the different layers of fabric to show through. Their costumes and headpieces are studded with stars, and their wigs glow.