Journey of a Costume Designer
Graceful dresses in jewel tone taffeta shine in Anna Karenina, while perfectly distressed fatigues set the stage in Saving Private Ryan. These two very different films have one thing in common: a talented costume designer. A costume designer analyzes the script, gets inspiration from historical documents or contemporary fashion designers, creates a team of sewers, assistants, and buyers, oversees the making and altering of costumes, and finally works tirelessly during the shooting of the film or television series. This process can take anywhere from two months to a year to create every article of clothing seen in a film or television show. Costume designing is a demanding career filled with challenges that pay off in creative satisfaction. A designer reaps the rewards of their hard work with their coworkers at the film’s premier- usually a chance to wear a great dress or tux and celebrate.