Costume designers carry our favourite movie characters to life in their clothing, from Dorothy’s Indiana Jones’ well-worn fedora to ruby slippers. You might be a natural for this crucial production job if you want to do more than just watch fantastic characters on screen, if you’re a go-getter who enjoys storytelling, collaborating, designing, studying, and, of course, clothing. Continue reading to learn what there is to know about getting started in costume design and wardrobe.

What is the Role of a Costume Designer?

The clothing and accessories worn by the characters in a film, series, or theatre production are planned and created by a costume designer.

Costume designers, according to legendary costume designer Edith Head, “create the illusion of turning actors into something they are not.” We want people to assume that every time they see a performer on television, he [or she] transforms into a new person.

A costume designer’s job is to visually communicate who a character is through their clothing, to put it another way. Claire Anderson, the costume designer, says, “I am responsible for creating the visual identity of the character from the page to a real-life portrayal of dressed people.” “You can always sort of tell who people are [by what they wear] because we’re all in groups, we all belong to a community or a class…. you can always sort of tell who people are [by what they wear] because we’re all in tribes, we all belong to a group or a class.”

What Does a Day in the Life of a Costume Designer Entail?

A costume designer’s day varies greatly depending on where they are in the production.

There’s no getting around it: working as a costume designer is a long and exhausting task. From the beginning of pre-production, when they’re devouring the script, taking notes, and evaluating the storey, sound, and atmosphere, it’s all hands on deck to the end of production. Though a costume designer’s job is theoretically complete once the cameras start rolling, they’re still on call—and usually on set during production: Molly Rogers, costume designer for “Sex and the City,” “Ugly Betty,” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” says that “every day you need to use the costume breakdown [to] lay out the clothes you have been planning” for the scenes being filmed.

What is the Procedure for Creating Film Costumes?

Until creating and constructing the looks, costume designers review the script, consult with the producer, study recent fashion history and trends, and compile visual references.

The process starts on the list, the Coen brothers’ go-to costume planner, Mary Zophres, says. “[My job] entails reading and interpreting the document. You’re first and foremost serving the script and the director’s vision.”

Following script review, the director is faced with research (especially sketches and mood boards (if the project is set in a specific time period). “I spend the most time with the director and the actors, followed by the crew, production design, and cinematography,” Zophres says. “Sound and the locations department come into play later in the process.”

After their ideas have been approved, costume designers must track down and/or create every shirt, dress, necklace, and every single actor wore a hat. in the production—all while ensuring that the costumes aid the actors in better understanding their roles.

When an actor comes into a fitting, you’re there to help them find the right character,” says Julian Day, an Oscar-winning costume designer. “It’s always very complimentary when they say, ‘I fully understand my character now,’ and you want to do that.”

What is the Best Way to Get Started as a Costume Designer?

There’s no better place to start than the bottom when it comes to showing business.

The most important thing you can do, Cristina Spiridakis, costume designer on HBO’s “High Maintenance,” is “Begin by working as a PA assistant and seeing as many costume designers as possible.” Being a costume PA is extremely difficult to work, requiring a great deal of physical exertion, however you get out of it what you put in… Work hard, learn your trade, and rise through the ranks.”

Gene Lakin, a costume designer and fashion design professor at Pratt Institute, agrees. “It would be lovely to say, ‘Here are ten things you can do to become a costume designer,’ but that isn’t how it works. However, I always tell them, “Always say yes.” If a chance arises, seize it, go for it, and give it a shot. You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

Alternatively, take a page from Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter’s book and begin in the theatre. “Working in the theatre is simpler, and it provides a perfect foundation for characterization, script breakdown, and knowing the actors,” she says. “You can see how [the clothes] influence the viewer right away. The reaction is audible. People aren’t joking because I can’t hear them. in movies until I see them [in theatres]. It’s a fantastic place to practise. That’s how I found out. It may not have the glitz and glitter of Hollywood, but I believe it is a true representation of the art of costume design.”

What Type of Training Do I Need to Become a Costume Designer?

To become a costume designer, education or the right type of training plays a huge role. JD Institute Of Fashion technology provides you with fashion designing courses such as BSc fashion designing etc. With each course being industry-based, the students are ready for the real world beforehand, which makes it one of the best options to consider for fashion design in India. It reflects a legacy of 32 years, record-breaking placement of 99%, and a vision to provide all the external factors like a resource library, infrastructure, etc., to its students so that no external factor acts as a barrier in the journey towards success for their students. Enroll now!