The Costume Rag
The Costume Rag stands for a profession whose purpose in life is to bring beauty, art and wonder into a troubled world. Unfortunately those who choose to follow such a path with years of specialist training face poor wages and short contracts – and that’s if they are able to get into the industry in … Read more
Feature film costume designer Shay Cunliffe has shed light on some of the role of her profession when confronting clashing creatives in the film industry as well as the vulnerabilities of many actors. She trained at the University of Bristol in England and began her design career in the New York theater. Her first job … Read more
Sarah Scaturro, head conservator for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has revealed her intense path to her highly-desirable profession. In an interview by Artnet, she explained her university education of Italian and ancient history at the University of Colorado Boulder followed by a Masters in fashion and textile studies at New … Read more
A costume designer has told The Stage about the difficulty faced by working class people trying to break into the industry. Having written extensively on the fight for better recognition of the costume profession Catherine Kodicek and has “come out” about her modest background. Savings and Family Money “Let’s be clear: without the cushion of family … Read more
“Oh, you sew? That’s great. Can you hem my trousers? Fix my curtains? Make me one of those?” Anyone who can sew knows these questions all too well but often the answer isn’t so clear. Time and again they get lured in with a smile and the opportunity for a good deed only to be … Read more
Costume is a difficult and tedious profession to navigate on its own but the fact that most of it involves working as a “career-freelancer” has a huge impact on professionals’ finances, spare time and family. The BBC’s Sherlock and Lady Chatterley‘s Lover costume designer Sarah Arthur recently revealed the challenges she constantly faces. “You do lose … Read more
Eve Salter went freelance after 22 years working for Granada Studios and ITV on major TV shows and faced a gruelling schedule to get established independently while also raising her son as a single mother. “The odds were against me even with a fabulous CV. With Costume Designer and Head of Department credits I never … Read more