Costumes and Costume Design


  • Costumes help to create a mood and establish a certain style
  • Costumes helps to add more distinct character and uniqueness to the character
  • Creates a difference between the lead and supporting roles in the show
  • Helps with character development and age difference
  • Helps show character change and growth; helps show emotion
  • Costume designers start by first reading the script first before making any sketches in order to find out more about the historical era, special characterizations, effects, etc.
  • Costume designer’s create a costume plot, which is a list /and or chart that shows the order of each character’s appearance, which character is in each scene, what they will be wearing, and their movement in their scenes.
  • They also identify when or how frequently a character needs to have a costume change
  • The director and the producer need to approve the preliminary sketches of the costumes before the costume designer can draw the final costume designs in full colour
  • The costumes are very important because it helps the audience to follow along with the plot better, and helps them identify each character
  • There are a lot of people involved in costumes; including costume designers, makers, dressers, and people who help to keep track of everything backstage.
  • The costume designers are the people who “combine elements of colour and fabric textures to provide a visual understanding of characters in terms of age, social status, occupations, and era. Their work can also create a fashion statements and is a critical element in television shows, theatre productions, and movies” (Costume Designer:Job Description, Salary, and More).
  • Costume design is so important because it helps with the director’s vision and adds more colour to the show as a whole. It helps provide a strong visual support to the story and to the characters. It also helps the actors portray their characters fully, and support the character’s journey throughout the story
  • The requirements to be a costume designer are: amazing designing skills, good eye for details, good background knowledge of costume design for historical and modern eras, ability to work under high pressure, leadership skills, ability to work well with colour, etc.
  • Costume design includes everything from actual clothing, jewelry, accessories, certain props, shoes, and bags.
  • A Freelance Designer is someone who is hired for a specific show or production for theatre, dance, or opera. They do not have to be local for the theatre they design for. They can also work on multiple shows at a time, since they are not exclusive
  • A Residential Designer is someone who is hired by a specific production for an extended amount of productions. They sign a contract which can range from a very short period oftime to several years. This also limits the amount of freelance work they can accept, and they are, unlike freelance designers, always at the theatre to work hands on with costume studios or other collaborators. 
  • Academic Designers are people who are professors at a school but can also work as a residential designer or a freelance designer if they wish to do so. A professor is required to have at least a Master of Fine Arts in order to teach.


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