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Question: Costume designers - please help!!?
I have been asked to design costumes for a play set in 1807, Quills!. It will be my first time designing (I haven't even taken the class yet), so I am nervous!. It does not help that I have a very short amount of time to do them (I am also responsible for constructing the costumes and finding people to help with that)!.
The director has specified that she does not want it to be strictly historically accurate (though I know exactly what they wore in 1807), nor does she want the characters to be portrayed as good vs!. bad!.
I began designing, but it seems like I am just copying what I am seeing out of historical fashion texts!. I want it to be more creative and exciting!. Any advice on how!? also, since she does not want it to be good vs!. bad, should I refrain from color palettes that visually portray characters as such (ex: antagonist wearing black and red)!? It is a very dark play with an unhappy ending!.
I am trying to get the juices flowing!. Any and all help is MUCH appreciated! Thank you in advance so much for your time spent answering!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I'm primarily a maker rather than designer, but it sounds to me like you're heading in the right direction! You know where not to go, which is a big thing!.!.!. are you definitely going for a period feel, if not historically perfect!? Or, could you go completely off the wall with it and, I dunno, dress them as birds!? (I don't know the play, but do know the film!.!.!. yeah, that's dark!.!.!.) or at least bird-like!? you could source dresses and suits and construct hats and accessories!.!.!. really play about with it!. (that's kinder on budget too!) If I remember correctly, you see the main character break down completely!. Give him a fine costume to start, and get a broken down (torn, filthy) version of the same thing later!. Make it symbolic rather than literal in the scenes!.
Take advantage of your time as a student to do stuff that once you're out in the working world, you won't get the funding to do!. Get pages and pages of ideas brainstormed onto paper, sketches, clippings, designs, materials, text!. Throw it all into a nice big sketchbook, there's no wrong apart from thinking too small!
Set a strict timetable - you've got your dress rehearsal deadline, work back from that, but give yourself a set period of brainstorming, then a set period of idea development, and include a meeting with your director then!. Even if your set period for brainstorming is just one morning, make it happen! It'll give you the material to refine later!.
Good luck with it, keep everything organised and written down, and more than anything - have fun with it!Www@QuestionHome@Com