Today was an incredibly enriching and inciteful. The day began gently, as I started by replacing rusted fastenings and prepping garments for adjustments, specifically unpicking the side seams of the yellow ‘Butterfly’ costume. It was fascinating to see how eroded the old fastenings have become (the garments have been stored away in trundles since 2018). A very experienced older maker Sue, came in and she gave me really intriguing and informative insights; I had been button hole stitching the fastenings back on, however she told me that this was not the ideal way to do theatre fastenings, although it is attractive. Instead she told me that the best way is to ensure the thread goes through all the layers of fabric, even if its seen at the back as it ensures the fastening is attached as securely as possible and because the visible threads can’t be seen as these are stage costumes, as a pose to film, where everything can be subjected to the critical view of the camera. It was really helpful to realise that there is this difference between film and stage costume. Stage needs to be incredibly durable, needing to last a minimum of 200 performances, whereas films costumes may only be shot in one scene and must be perfectly executed. The morning alterations were fairly straightforward and I feel that the tasks of the first few days have begun to ease me into the placement
I also had the pleasure of meeting Helen, an experienced costume maker who often works with the Royal Opera House and will be working with myself and Aimee for the next 6 weeks. She immediately struck me as approachable and open to questions, creating a welcoming environment for learning. I really appreciated her honest feedback; she wasn’t afraid to tell me when something needed redoing, but she did so in a supportive way that encouraged me to improve.
A highlight of the day was attending a fitting with Diane Williams, (Costume Supervisor) and Lez Brotherston (renowned Costume Designer). This was my first fitting in a professional context, and I felt a bit out of my depth. However, Diane made me feel included and eager to absorb as much knowledge as possible. During the fitting, for dancer Molly Shaw Downie, I found Molly so friendly and receptive, which made it easier for me to ask questions about her experiences. Hearing about her experience as a dancer was incredibly inspiring, as it requires a huge amount of discipline, drive and dedication. I found speaking to her made me want to apply her work ethic to my own practice.
Talking with Lez, in the fitting, was both exciting and intimidating given his impressive career. However, he was surprisingly open to my questions. He shared some valuable insights about the industry, expressing his concern that too many designers are graduating from universities without enough job opportunities. He expressed that a mixture of drive, motivation and candidly a bit of luck is integral in order to make it in the industry, as a designer. I appreciated such honest advice and it was a reminder that a lot or hard work and maybe a bit of delusion and self belief is a necessity if I want to make a career in costume design viable.
Lez also revealed that he doesn’t see himself as skilled in drawing, but instead finds ways to communicate his vision through specific poses and materials. This really struck me, highlighting the importance of developing my own approach rather than just focusing on conventional skills. He critiqued the trend of relying solely on mood boards and designers who come to meeting with vague, generalised ideas, emphasising the need for specificity and clear references designs.
I feel that I have gained invaluable knowledge today and it was a lesson in asking questions. It has also given me a very realistic and honest perspective on the difficulty of breaking into the industry. However, this doesn’t leave me feeling cynical, instead I’ve found it very motivating and encouraging that there is a place for me if I work hard enough.