Is there research involved in designing costumes?
There’s always research. I look at historical sources, period garments, and even written accounts. We research fabrics, construction techniques—everything that can make our production as authentic as possible. Even contemporary shows require a great deal of work. How many costumes have been created during your 10-year stint? Close to 1,000 pieces—we never really count. A show like Little Women had 100 or so costumes, whereas a show like Fat Pig only had a dozen. How does the design process begin? Generally, the process starts with meetings and conversations with the director. We discuss character and place, style, and historical needs. Then I will bring either research or sketches for further discussion. After discussing options and changes, I will do renderings of what we want the final costumes to look like, with fabric swatches and construction ideas. When I’m designing a show (I do one or two a season) I do a great deal of sewing. What are the challenges? The biggest challenge is t
