Not only rockers get to tour. Three hundred years of elegance and style wound its way to Toronto at the Royal Ontario Museum’s “Illusions of Fashion” exhibit.

What makes the exhibit unique—besides being made entirely of paper meticulously crafted to look like real period costumes—is the fact that with each stop the hosts add a new piece of their own art.

After stops in New York, Tokyo and London, it will be on display until January 20, when it will head to Japan and 10 new kimonos will be included. For their part, the ROM added a 1690 ROM dress with “embroidered” trim in gold, silver, and silk threads. The exhibit is the work of Isabelle de Borchegrave and Rita Brown. Primarily of women’s fashions, it was inspired by real costumes from the 18th century, but crafted from paper that—amazingly—has the texture of silk, linen or lace. A trompe d’ oeil.

De Borchegrave, a Belgian artist-designer and Brown, a Canadian theatre costume designer, have been working on this project for over seven years.

The collection of costumes, shoes and other accessories has been on tour for the last two years. “It was a hobby, it was fun for them,” says ROM publicist Lisa Lipkin. “They never dreamed that it would turn into an exhibition that would travel around the world.”

Also on display (and for visitors to touch), are samples of the materials used to make the costumes. For one of the Victorian day suits, “linen” was created by dipping a comb in brown paint and “combing” the material. The lace trim for one of the 19th-century dresses is made from specially treated lens cleaning paper.

The costumes are intricate and colourful. A multicoloured men’s kaftan (inspired by those worn circa 1860 in Uzbekistan) is one of the bolder pieces, giving an illusion of bulk and warmth, despite its pulpy consistency. A stylish Worth-inspired evening dress standing in front of a mirror with a fallen fan between them is one of the most eye-catching displays.

The Millenium Wedding dress, an original located in the foreground of the exhibit, is the most contemporary of the dresses.

One of the best received displays is the pair of Victorian day suits, which are personal favourites of De Borchegrave and Brown.

Brown will return for a special talk about “Papiers a la Mode” before the show’s delicate pieces are packed up and sent overseas.