Costume Designer

A costume designer determines the look and overall design of any costumes and accessories needed for a production. Before any sewing or adjustments begin, the costume designer first develops a look for each character and each scene of the production by closely reading the script. This first design step is informed by the script’s plot, emotional tone, the stage being used, budgets, and the stage director’s vision. 

Character’s costumes must work in harmony with the actors’ performances and elevate the audience’s experience of a production. Strong passions for fashion, stage performance, and visual design are core qualities of costume designers.

Depending on available resources and the type of costumes a given performance calls for, a costume designer may be sourcing clothing to purchase or creating garments from scratch. This career calls for extensive experience in designing and crafting garments, usually gained through degrees in costume design and working as part of a costume department prior to taking on a designer position. In addition to the physical work of creating garments, a costume designer in many cases also serves as the lead for a team of costume makers and assistants who work on any sewing needed before the performance and adjustments needed throughout the production’s run.

Musicians with experience in stage performance are valuable assets to any costume department thanks to their insight into what performers will need from a given costume in order to be able to perform optimally.