In performance contexts, costume is often perceived as visual expression that is in service of, for example, a choreographer’s vision. I argue that costume is also an aesthetic and poetic language in its own right that allows individuals such as performers and designers to co-conceptualize and co-create performances. In co-creative performance-making processes, I argue that it is critical that designers open-mindedly listen to performers’ experiences of specific costumes and that we (designers and performer)