The crux of this part of our web guide is costume design, whether it involves creating clothing for performers or various activities and events.
Costume design involves artistry, craftsmanship, and storytelling. Whether dressing actors for a Shakespeare play or creating whimsical looks for Halloween, costume designers shape characters and spark imagination.
Depending on the seriousness and purpose of the project, costume design may begin with research and technical mastery. When designing a costume, this may include historical and cultural research to enable the designer to understand period silhouettes, fabrics, and societal norms, ensuring authenticity. Color theory and textile choices, in terms of hue, texture, and weight, effectively communicate mood, status, and movement. Technical skills would encompass pattern-making, draping, sewing, and embellishment, bringing sketches to life.
Designing for performance demands both creativity and practicality. Theater costumes must be read clearly from a distance, accommodate quick changes, and withstand rigorous wear. In film and television, subtle details matter. Materials have to drape naturally and resist wrinkles under hot lights. Flexibility and flow are paramount in dance costumes. Fabrics like stretch velvet or chiffon enhance motion.
Of course, costumes aren't solely for traditional performances. They are also used in seasonal and holiday celebrations, with Halloween being among the most obvious, but also in Christmas pageants, cultural festivals, and other occasions. Costumes used in fan conventions blend prop-making and tailoring to recreate beloved characters with as much precision as possible.
Corporate, promotional, and sports events often use costumed mascots, brand ambassadors, and themed activations to engage audiences and reinforce identities. Theme parks and interactive exhibits leverage immersive costuming to transport visitors to another time or place.
There are a number of deliberate steps involved in costume designs. The designer might collaborate with directors or clients to define the desired tone and character arcs. Sketching and mood boards allow for a visual exploration of colors, fabrics, and silhouettes. Prototyping and fittings are often created with muslins or mock-ups to define fit and movement. During the final construction of the garment, costumes are assembled with finished fabrics, trim, and hardware, as desired. Presentation and maintenance involve ensuring costumes survive performances or events through repairs and regular cleaning.
Challenges and innovations include budget and time pressures, which require designers to find creative solutions when resources are limited. Sustainable practices are required in some circles, which may involve upcycling vintage garments and using eco-friendly fabrics, often more challenging to work with. In performance costuming, a balance between the desires or needs of directors, choreographers, and technical teams might add to the challenges.
Whether designed for a professional performance, a school play, or a child on Halloween night, well-crafted costumes amplify stories, revealing character backstory and social status. Authentic or fantastical costume designs transport viewers into different worlds, and historical and traditional costumes encourage an appreciation for history and diverse heritages.
Recommended Resources
American Theatrical Costume Association
The ATCA is a community of costume educators focused on teaching, practice, and scholarship. The ATCA combats the sense of isolation often experienced by costume educators by highlighting embodied knowledge, forging networks of practitioners, and encouraging costume leadership within academic communities. The organization's professional goals are to reflect the broadest range of humanity through costume design and production, respecting the cultures, characters, and collaborators involved.
https://www.atcacommunity.com/
Founded in 1953, the CDG is a union of professional costume designers, assistant designers, and illustrators working in film, television, commercials, and other media. As the Local 892 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union protects members' wages and working conditions through collective bargaining. The Guild has published a quarterly publication, "The Costume Designer Magazine," since 2005. Its history, membership information, and contacts are noted.
https://costumedesignersguild.com/
The CSA is a national organization dedicated to the study, preservation, and celebration of clothing, fashion, and costume history. It brings together professionals and enthusiasts from museums, libraries, theaters, academia, apparel design, merchandising, private collections, and reenactment groups. Through regional programs, national symposia, study tours, publications, and grants, CSA fosters discovery about the history, design, construction, merchandising, and preservation of costumes.
https://www.costumesocietyamerica.com/
Run by the Costumers of the World, Unite! collective, The Costumer's Manifesto is a volunteer-driven resource dedicated to the art and history of costuming. Offering an archive of historical fashion materials alongside practical tutorials and in-depth essays, the website's key features include step-by-step guides on sewing, pattern drafting, millinery, and makeup, as well as high-resolution PDF scans of vintage catalogs and historical essays and articles.
https://costumes.org/
Founded in 1992 by Kevin and Noreen Roberts, Creative Costuming & Designs specializes in custom performance costumes for ensembles of all types. Every costume is designed and manufactured in the United States. Begun as a living-room passion project in Huntington Beach, California, the business has become a leading custom costume distributor serving color guards, marching bands, dance teams, choirs, equestrian performers, ice skaters, and theater groups. Online shopping is enabled.
https://creative-costuming.com/
Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild
Founded in 1990, the GBACG is an educational and social non-profit organization that promotes all aspects of costume and textile arts, including historical, science fiction, vintage, fantasy, and other genres. Its members range from total beginners to advanced sewists, all of whom have a passion for costuming as an art form. The organization encourages study, appreciation, and creation of costumes in any genre, and hosts workshops in costume design and related skills.
https://gbacg.org/
OSU Historic Costume & Textiles Collection
Founded in 1939 by Dr. Agnes Wright Spring, the Historic Costume & Textiles Collection at Ohio State University is a scholarly and artistic resource showcasing over 11,500 three-dimensional objects (textiles, garments, and accessories for men, women, and children), including national dress and contemporary designer pieces. Housed in the Geraldine Schottenstein Wing of Campbell Hall, the collection spans from the mid-18th century to the 21st century, encompassing fashion from both periods.
https://costume.osu.edu/
