To play the part, they have to dress the part -Jewelry and Other Accessories -Vintage thru Modern -Fitting Room
-Wide array of Contemporary Wear -Men’s and Women’s Couture -Costumes and Uniforms
30,000 SQ FT - OVER 330,000 ITEMS - INDIVIDUALLY SCANNED AND CATEGORIZED - NOW ACCEPTING CREDIT CARDS 545 Circle 7 Drive, Glendale, CA 91201 Monday- Friday 8am-6pm www.abcstudioscostumes.com 818.553.4800
vol. 11, issue 3
FEATURES Emmy Nominations 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Costume Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Reading List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Spotlight On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Television Costume Exhibit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 COSTUME DESIGNERS GUILD 11969 Ventura Blvd., First Floor Studio City, CA 91604 phone: 818.752.2400 fax: 818.752.2402 costumedesignersguild.com GENERAL CDG CORRESPONDENCE cdgia@costumedesignersguild.com COVER Illustration by Oksana Nedavniaya. Costumes depicted: Adrian’s Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Irene Sharaff’s Cleopatra, Deena Appel’s Austin Powers, Sandy Powell’s Bill the Butcher from Gangs of New York, Bob Ringwood and Mary Vogt’s Catwoman from Batman Returns, Deborah Scott’s Rose from Titanic, and Milena Canonero’s Alex for A Clockwork Orange.
Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Union Label. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 President’s Letter Executive Director Labor Report
The Costume Department. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 History of Dress
In Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 On Location: Costume Houses of Rome Boldface Names
Scrapbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
TOC photo: Travis Banton’s gown for Claudette Colbert’s Cleopatra, from the collection of Larry McQueen. Photo: Larry McQueen.
Summer 2015 The Costume Designer
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EDITOR’S NOTE
I love summer’s promise of respite from the incessant forward motion which seems to define the rest of the year. It was in this space I found myself thinking about the concept of quintessence. Illustrator Oksana Nedavniaya translated this idea into her exquisite cover for this issue, which pays homage to costumes which have become iconic. Costume Design’s lasting power lies in its ability to capture the essence of a character and express it in a vocabulary that everyone understands: clothing. It is the relationship a viewer shares with a character that is the cornerstone of a costume’s power, long after the show is wrapped. This value is something we attempt to explore and define at The Costume Designer. In this issue, we spotlight costume collectors because they reinforce the notion of lasting impact that is so intrinsic to our life’s work. Costume collectors not only serve as a link to our past, they also connect us to our future. A fresh generation of collectors is investing in television and new arenas of film costume in an effort to involve themselves more deeply with characters they find influential. We also bring you the lavish costume houses of Rome. When touring some of these historic venues, I was struck by how many similarities exist between in our day-to-day work experience. I am reminded to consider what Betty Madden says—that we are ordinary people taking care of our families, while trying to produce extraordinary work. We share similar goals, and our commonalities draw together more than our cultural differences separate us. In my view, seeing Costume Design holistically helps us to understand how it impacts society as a whole. We also celebrate our 2015 Emmy nominees. The separation of Emmy Costume Design categories makes this season particularly exhilarating because it lays an important foundation for costume’s future recognition. This refinement, which differentiates between period/fantasy and contemporary costume, honors us all by acknowledging the scope of our task. All of these pieces are small, hard-won victories in our field. But one thing is certain: those small victories often lead to larger ones, and sometimes it takes the brief pause of summer to recognize those gains.
costumedesignersguild.com EDITOR IN CHIEF
Anna Wyckoff
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Bonnie Nipar Christine Cover Ferro PRESIDENT
Salvador Perez
sperez@cdgia.com VICE PRESIDENT
Cate Adair
cadair@cdgia.com SECRETARY
Ivy Thaide
ithaide@cdgia.com TREASURER
Nanrose Buchman
nbuchman@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE BOARD
Mary Vogt
mvogt@cdgia.com
Christopher Lawrence clawrence@cdgia.com
July Weiss
jweiss@cdgia.com
Mona May
mmay@cdgia.com
Phillip Boutté Jr.
Costume Illustrators Representative pboutte@cdgia.com
Kristine Haag
ACD Representative khaag@cdgia.com LABOR REPRESENTATIVES
Betty Madden Sharon Day
BOARD ALTERNATES
Kristin Burke
Anna Wyckoff awyckoff@cdgia.com
kburke@cdgia.com
Jennifer Soulages
jsoulages@cdgia.com
Lyn Paolo
lpaolo@cdgia.com
Terry Gordon tgordon@cdgia.com BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jacqueline Saint Anne
“
… I woke up one day and I had 350 of these costumes. And that’s when I decided to put a show together, as a tribute to the Costume Designers and their incredible work.
”
–Costume collector Greg Schreiner
jsaintanne@cdgia.com
Cliff Chally
chally@cdgia.com
Barbara Inglehart
bingleheart@cdgia.com ALTERNATE TRUSTEE
Dorothy Amos
damos@cdgia.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rachael M. Stanley rstanley@cdgia.com
MEMBER SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
Suzanne Huntington
shuntington@cdgia.com RECEPTIONIST/SECRETARY
Cecilia Granados
cgranados@cdgia.com PUBLISHER
IngleDodd Media ADVERTISING
310.207.4410
4
The Costume Designer Summer 2015
cdg@IngleDodd.com www.IngleDoddMedia.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Which television series has had the most lasting cultural impact?
CHRISTINE COVER FERRO (Associate Editor, The Reading List, Co-contributor to BFN)
Twin Peaks was a pretty major game changer. It elevated and warped both the police procedural and the soap opera with its surreal imagery and intricate, and often absurdist, narrative. Without Twin Peaks, some of the most memorable television since the ’90s might never have been: from The X-Files, to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to The Sopranos, to Desperate Housewives, all have a good dose of David Lynch in their DNA.
MARCY FROEHLICH
VALLI HERMAN
BONNIE NIPAR
(History of Dress, Text)
(Costume Collectors)
(Associate and Emmy Editor)
For our collective culture, I would say Roots, as it got us talking about our sad history of slavery, and gave a face to the uncharted thousands. For the news, 60 Minutes, which gives us in-depth reports that don’t shy away from hard subjects. Personally, I think That Girl as it inspired me to be an independent and creative woman living in a big city.
Television got interesting, and interestingly subversive, in the ’70s, particularly with the launch of Soap, All in the Family, and Saturday Night Live. Parody and satire runs through all of them, particularly SNL, which captured the zeitgeist and held it to the light of scrutiny for all of its 40 years and counting. Yet from a Costume Design perspective, you can’t beat The Carol Burnett Show for igniting the imagination and careers of countless fashion and Costume Designers who marveled at Bob Mackie’s every sparkly gown or crazy costume.
Saturday Night Live has had the most lasting cultural impact of any show on television. Since its inception in 1975, this edgy, late-night counterculture show featuring top-notch comedy talent has had something for everyone—sketch comedy, political satire, star-studded guest hosts, and popular musical performers. Who hasn’t imitated John Belushi’s samurai, Belushi and Aykroyd’s Blues Brothers, or Gilda Radner’s Roseanne Roseannadanna to get a chuckle from friends? SNL … 40 years, and still going strong!
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
STACY ELLEN RICH
ROBIN RICHESSON
(Co-contributor to BFN)
(History of Dress, Illustration)
There are so many wonderful shows! So this question, initially, was difficult for me to answer. I have to say, Saturday Night Live. Culturally, it has stood the test of time, being one of the longestrunning television shows, showcasing amazing talent, and making us laugh in its wake. I grew up with it and it’s still thriving! Cheers to SNL!
Batman (’60s). This show was adored and watched by all my classmates. Later, friends and I realize it was the beginning of the reign of irony that persists to this day in our popular culture. I’d like to put that genie back in its lamp.
UNION LABEL PRESIDENT’S LETTER What a difference a year makes! Just last year in my letter in The Costume Designer’s Emmy issue, I was lamenting the lack of contemporary shows nominated for a Costume Design Emmy, and now with the new contemporary category in Costume Design, we have contemporary shows nominated for an Emmy. I want to commend the Costume Peer Group Governors Terry Gordon and Sue Bub for making this change and inviting new members to join. As Costume Designers, we help create the character, since what they wear is big part of that character. Whether it’s an 18th-century gown or a broken-in T-shirt and work pants, what the actor wears is a costume. Dramatic acting has always been a separate category from comedic acting, so rightfully, contemporary Costume Design should be separate from period Costume Design. Hopefully, the next step will be to add a third category for science fiction/fantasy Costume Design. The costumes we design are made for a specific project and then we usually don’t think about them again, as we move on to the next design job. But for the fans, the costumes are iconic and have become collectable. Costume collecting has become a huge industry. The studios now have archive departments and many studios are playing catch-up and trying to acquire the costumes they disposed of in the past. Hollywood is getting busy again, with television and films taking advantage of the California Film & Television Tax Credits. It’s great to see the costume department and studio services bustling with shows coming back to work and our colleagues working their magic. We had another successful series of Costume Design panels at Comic-Con International. I want to thank our Comic-Con Committee and the CDG members who made the time to travel to San Diego to participate and speak about the art of Costume Design. The CDG Executive Board is actively looking for a building to house our offices. With a busy Education Committee always looking for a space to hold classes and the desire to have a welcoming home base for our members, a new home for the CDG is our goal for this organization. On a personal note, I want to say how proud I am to have received an Emmy nomination for The Mindy Project, the recognition of your peers is a huge honor. I want to congratulate all the nominees, and I look forward to celebrating with you all at the awards show on September 12, 2015. In solidarity, Salvador Perez sperez@cdgia.com
What do Queen Victoria, Chanel, and a 400-year-old Italian man have in common? They all “live” at the Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection. Join the FIDM Museum in a venture to save 400 years of fashion with the #4for400 campaign.
This rare fashion collection is comprised of over 1,400 pieces, representing 400 years of fashion history. Please join the #4for400 Campaign to support the FIDM Museum’s efforts in acquiring the Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection.
TEXT: DONATE:
MUSEUM to 243725 $4, $40, $400, or $4,000
UNION LABEL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Members, Many changes are on the horizon for our union. Our membership continues to grow at a rapid pace and our Executive Board has begun a program to better prepare new members for the unexpected challenges this job often presents. Three times a year, seminars will be held with veteran designers, assistant designers, and illustrators to help guide new members as they begin their careers. Topics such as budget preparation, set protocol, putting together a good crew, job descriptions, working with producers and directors, and collaborating with other department heads will be covered, accompanied by a long Q&A session to help new members to achieve successful results right out of the gate. Also available is the expanded member facilities at our office. We now have two dedicated member computers, one Mac and one PC, at your disposal at all times. Our new large scanner allows members to scan their illustrations and upload them directly to our website. And on the subject of the website, you should check out some of the new changes. We have combined some areas and expanded other areas to better serve our members and the public. Our articles are a great source material for new and experienced members alike. We recently had several panels at Comic-Con International: San Diego to help our fans and other industry leaders better understand the process of Costume Design. Also, our 10 delegates attended the District 2 Conference held this year in Hawaii. It was exciting to see the enthusiasm of new delegates during the education seminar and safety workshops. We were able to brainstorm as a unit on how to bring ideas home to our Local and involve members in organizing drives and activism events. Keep your eyes open for announcements on upcoming events. Please remember to report your work. It is my goal to always be up-to-date on current street rates so that I can help advise members appropriately as they negotiate rates. I need your help to keep me informed, so be sure to report your work online or by calling the office. United, we are stronger! In solidarity, Rachael Stanley rstanley@cdgia.com
CALENDAR
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Sept. 7 Sept. 14
Labor Day Office Closed Executive Board Meeting
Oct. 5 Oct. 24 Oct. 31
Executive Board Meeting General Membership Meeting Halloween
The Costume Designer Summer 2015
UNION LABEL LABOR REPORT
District 2 Convention attendees were greeted with an ‘Aloha’ when approaching the delegate credential table at the District 2 Convention in Hawaii, July 10–12, 2015. The CDG delegates in attendance were Executive Director Rachael Stanley, Bryan Kopp, Francine Lecoultre, Monique Long, Stacy Ellen Rich, Brigitta Romanov, Jacqueline Saint Anne, Dana Woods, and myself. IATSE District 2 is made up of Nevada, Arizona, California, and Hawaii. Less than 200 delegates were in attendance from the four states. President Matthew Loeb set the tone of the convention to inspire leadership in all of the IATSE union locals to inform, promote, educate, and organize collective strengths. Also, he emphasized identifying with COMET: the Continuing, Organizing, Member, Education, and Training program that draws on core principles of the Alliance. There is strength in numbers! Secretary/Treasurer Ed Brown provided a warm, friendly environment for first-time delegates and encouraged those who have served before to actively engage in their committee assignments. Vice President Thom Davis and Michael Miller ensured the agenda and program were an informed and targeted efficiently use of time for the brief two-day period. It was ambitious, but achievable, up to the last moments that concluded with Safety Training. Committee assignments were given to all delegates. These committees were Constitution and Bylaws, Credentials, Diversity, Finance, Legislative, Memorial, Organizing, Public Relations/Activism, Resolutions, Safety, and Special Committee. Delegates shared the committee work and reported back to the convention for final approval of the committees’ recommendations. To quote Dave Akins, President of Local B-192: “So that we may be trained, skilled, and ready for combat in order to rescue those workers who feel they may be lost out at sea. The information and tools learned are our swords and shields which we may provide to those in need so they may become stronger as they join us in our fight for a better tomorrow.” Well said, Dave. ‘Mahalo’ in solidarity,
Betty Madden CDG Organizing Representative Labor Delegate/Sergeant of Arms County Federation of Labor bmadden@cdgia.com
CAMO SURPLUS CAMO SURPLUS would like to thank the costume designers who have allowed us to provide them with Military Uniforms, Zombie Wear and Post-Apocalyptic Fashions. If you have yet to call us for your production needs, know that since 1965 CAMO SURPLUS has provided the military clothing, equipment and consulting skills needed to complete various films, stage, video and television productions. CAMO SURPLUS has assisted costume designers on such notable productions as, The Expendables 1, 2 & 3, Hunger Games 3 & 4, Rambo 2 & 3, Water World, Red Dawn (1984), and more. CAMO SURPLUS can facilitate small or large productions, so call us with your needs--or better yet--come on down! (323) 263-8564 www. camosurplus.com
camosurplus@aol.com
2835 E. 26th St. Vernon, CA 90058
Summer 2015 The Costume Designer
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American Horror Story: Freak Show
Costume Designer Lou Eyrich Costume Supervisor Elizabeth Macey Assistant Costume Designer Ken van Duyne Ryan Murphy consistently challenges me with each show and I’m frequently faced with pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. Sometimes, I feel uncreative and concerned that I’m just not going to meet a deadline or come up with that perfect costume. I keep a notebook by my bed and I write down what I need to solve, often I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and write down ideas. I guess I let my subconscious do the designing!
Michele K. Short/FX
Downton Abbey
Costume Designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins Costume Supervisor Michael Weldon Assistant Costume Designer Kathryn Tart I usually begin every project with a day at the Victoria and Albert Museum for inspiration in its art, artifacts, and architecture. Also, I always read a couple of books written at the time of the project, because it further immerses me into the world I am inhabiting. During Downton, I like to use authentic pieces wherever I can, restoring original garments, or incorporating antique trims into a new bespoke way—as modern equivalents just can’t compete. I have even found myself making sure I use vintage threads and buttons if fabrics are modern, so that the garment is still anchored to the past. Ed Miller/PBS
Mark Briggs/PBS
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The Costume Designer Summer 2015
EMMY AWARD NOMINEES
Outstanding Costumes for a
Period | Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Movie
Boardwalk Empire Costume Designer John Dunn Assistant Costume Designer Maria Zamansky Assistant Costume Designer James P. Hammer, Jr. Assistant Costume Designer Joseph La Corte
Macall B. Polay/HBO
Game of Thrones
Costume Designer Michele Clapton Costume Supervisor Sheena Wichary Assistant Costume Designer Nina Ayres Assistant Costume Designer Alex Fordham Whenever I start a new project, one of my first moves is to make sample boards of colours for each character. It helps me to start the creative process with the director and production designer. These colours will shift and change as the designs grow and move forward and we eventually start to meet the cast, but initially before all this, it helps me find my way in. Colour is a passion of mine … it is so emotive.
Due to the hectic pace of our filming schedule at Boardwalk, it was extremely difficult to carve out time in the workday for the actual creative process to even occur. But, I did find that solutions to design challenges often came to me deep in the night and I took to keeping a notebook and sketchbook on my nightstand to record these ideas. Not the best remedy for sound sleep, I’m afraid, but often the light at the end of the tunnel was sent to me only in the wee hours of the night.
Nick Wall/HBO
Wolf Hall
Costume Designer Joanna Eatwell Costume Supervisor Ken Lang Assistant Costume Designer Clare Vyse Every project starts with research, approaching the subject matter from every angle and seeking out primary sources where possible. On Wolf Hall, I immersed myself in Original Practice and sought to construct the costumes in a way that was true to the period. This meant no shortcuts were taken and Sumptuary Laws were adhered to … the men’s costumes were held together by points and the women’s by handmade brass pins. Dressing was a lengthy and complicated process, but the actors embraced this and it became an important part of their preparation for the day. Summer 2015 The Costume Designer
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Olive Kitteridge
Costume Designer Jenny Eagan Costume Supervisor Debbie Holbrook There is a moment when a project speaks to you and makes you feel alive. This is why we make choices in such a way that moves us to endure our craft. Olive Kitteridge had a quality of powerful authenticity that allowed me to layer the characters with history, texture, and substance from their past. Organic fabrics, in-depth research, and collaboration with amazing actors are invaluable.
Jessica Miglio/FOX
Gotham
Costume Designer Lisa Padovani Assistant Costume Designer Danielle Schembre-Borakovsky I believe in designing from your gut—if it feels off one little bit, then it’s not the right choice. The editing process is the hardest. If I’m having trouble, I try to leave the fitting room to clear my mind. When I enter again, I look at the costume and the first thing that hits me as off, gets eliminated, even if I Iove it. Gotham was a labor of love and creating a universe on a network schedule was no easy task. The key for me was having a clear point of view so I could make quick but creative decisions. The spark of inspiration for this project was real life’s complexities and contradictions, which for all of us, is a journey.
Matt Dinnerstein/FOX
Empire
“The Lyon’s Roar”
Costume Designer Rita D. McGhee Costume Supervisor Sukari McGill First, I visualize everything from the smallest detail to the obvious needs, and make sure that the creator’s ideas are in line with my observations. Next, I visualize how I will dress the character according to the period of time, the climate and conditions of that time, and the personality of the character. I make sure that the actors come into the character during the fitting and that every detail is met—from the socks, to a pinky ring, to how buttons are placed on a jacket or shirt. I use mantras in my workspace that keep me focused such as “teamwork makes the dream work.”
Empire
EMMY AWARD NOMINEES
“Pilot”
Costume Designer Paolo Nieddu Costume Supervisor Eileen McCahill I don’t have a secret so to speak, but I am super visual and can picture something’s full potential. For example, if I see a vintage piece that is the wrong size for the person I want it for, I will grab it and turn it into something modern and new.
Outstanding Costumes for a
Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie The Mindy Project
Costume Designer Salvador Perez Costume Supervisor Gala Autumn Assistant Costume Designer Ivy Heather Thaide My love of sewing and garment construction is my strongest tool as a Costume Designer. I got my start in the industry as a stitcher, I worked for years in the workrooms of many shows and I really love the process of designing and creating costumes. I love that we can take a pile of fabric, trims and buttons and create a one-of-a-kind garment. Working with Mindy Kaling on The Mindy Project has really let my design process flourish as she loves that we make her custom outfits that fit her perfectly. Having the opportunity to design and build clothes for a contemporary TV show is a gift.
Chuck Hodes/FOX
Beth Dubber/NBC
Transparent
Costume Designer Marie Schley Costume Supervisor Nancy Jarzynko
Beth Dubber/Amazon Prime
Transparent is made from Jill Soloway’s singular and focused vision. As its Costume Designer and as a costume team, we plan, we research, we observe from life. We create a color palette, we swatch, build costumes, and we shop in every place we can imagine. But the true secret to the costume process has been finding each character’s authenticity. Sometimes it’s the imperfections and the flaws in the costumes that make it the most real, the most human, and the most compelling. Summer 2015 The Costume Designer
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THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT
HISTORY OF DRESS A Century of
Swimwear
Changing mores are reflected in swimwear’s evolution from covered to exposed and arrests for indecency result. Changing technology allows a transition from wool to lycra as cuts chase the shifting erogenous zones. Snapshots of seasides, beauty pageants, Olympic events, and movies from Esther Williams and Gidget, to Baywatch and Borat are hot-wired into our imaginations. No other garment so succinctly captures its era.
Illustration by Robin Richesson rrichesson@cdgia.com Text by Marcy Froehlich mfroehlich@cdgia.com 16
The Costume Designer Summer 2015
Costume Collectors BY VALLI HERMAN
C
ostume collectors are the first line of defense between a costume’s destruction and its immortality. They know that in collecting, provenance is at least as critical to value as intrinsic beauty. Studios and wardrobe departments are models of efficiency in creating costumes, but chaotic keepers of them. To the studio accountants, they are disposable assets that are costly to store, maintain, and most importantly, to document accurately. “Collectors must be recognized, celebrated, and honored for their passion, their investment, their determination, and their unique contribution to the preservation of popular culture,” says Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Costume Designer, CDG President emeritus, and Director of the David C. Copley Center for Costume Design at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and TV. “Without collectors, costumes would have been rented to their extinction or deteriorated beyond recognition. The first President’s Award given by the CDG was to Debbie Reynolds, a great champion of Costume Design and so much more,” Landis adds. Collectors give costumes an unexpected encore career, important exposure to new audiences, and a sometimes money-making existence beyond the screen. Collectors also create awareness of the expert craftsmanship, cultural history, and storytelling value of film and television costumes. Unless carefully curated, restored and exhibited, a portion of Hollywood history would be lost. “Movies are emotional. We are attached to the people in the story. The costumes are often the only artifact that remains from a production,” Nadoolman Landis says. “They are keystones of popular culture.”
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The Costume Designer Summer 2015
Larry McQueen You can almost feel the mystique and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the downtown loft where costume collector Larry McQueen has assembled some of the finest designs worn by some of the most famous names in show business. Recently, his space also has become a working photography studio where the historian and archivist is documenting a portion of The Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design, his world-class treasury of vintage and modern film and television costumes worn by Angelina Jolie, Audrey Hepburn, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, and many others. With the dining table and chairs pushed aside, McQueen has made room for light stands, a backdrop, and a set of mannequins. He has taught himself how to light and process the photos of his collection, portions of which have been featured in international showcases, including Landis’ groundbreaking Hollywood Costume exhibit. Being a costume collector is more than a hobby or a passion. For McQueen and other collectors, it is a lifestyle that constantly challenges them to master the new skills needed to authenticate, preserve, and restore costumes so that their glory lasts for future generations. “My life is all about finding good deals on acid-free tissue,” he jokes. He is partly serious, because it is a lot of work to expertly maintain and exhibit vintage clothing. For Hollywood Costume, a traveling exhibition of historic and contemporary costumes that launched at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, McQueen readied a fragile, heavily beaded dress and stole worn by Marlene Dietrich in Angel and designed by Travis Banton. For a month, he sat with a beading expert to learn how to restore the complex pattern. “I became obsessed with this dress. For five to seven hours a day, I sat and beaded this dress, four inches at a time, for a year,” he says. McQueen has stitched, steamed, accessorized, and photographed 135 of the 600 or so costumes that he has collected since the 1980s. Most are stored in neat rows of
acid-free boxes and tissue in two narrow side rooms. It has been decades since many were last in front of a camera. Yet many items from his collection are indelibly etched in the collective unconscious: Marilyn Monroe’s scandalously sheer sequin dress by Orry-Kelly for Some Like It Hot, Theoni V. Aldredge’s exquisite flapper dresses for Mia Farrow from The Great Gatsby, and for the contemporary crowd, Sophie de Rakoff’s pink skirt suit that Reese Witherspoon wore in homage to Jackie Kennedy in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. McQueen, who has worked as an archivist for law firms, auction houses, and MGM, and as an actor, is unique as a collector not because of how many he owns—which is substantial—but because of what he knows, which is priceless. McQueen’s archivist skills add to the scholarship of Costume Design and movie history. Part of his collecting pleasure
comes from discovering the historic references—accurate and inaccurate—on costumes and props. His experienced eye identifies priceless pieces scattered in junk shops, and fakes passed off as the real deal. His level of skill at costume restoration and storage is rare, except for museums. “Costumes are notoriously expensive to keep properly,” notes Landis. “So-called ‘archives’ may be a chain-link cage, a locked room, a museum-quality facility, or a mix of all three. Acid-free archival boxes must be rotated every couple of years, and trained and gloved textile conservators have strict parameters regarding the preservation of clothes. There can be no confusion between restoration and conservation and stabilization. Costumes need a specialist who knows the meanings of these words. Gravity is an enemy, hangers murder clothes over time. It is said that whether rented or preserved, costumes must pay for their room and board.”
Larry McQueen with a few pieces from The Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design: Carmen Miranda from Week-End in Havana, designed by Gwen Wakeling, Jessica Lange in King Kong, designed by Anthea Sylbert, Marisa Pavan in Diane, designed by Walter Plunkett, Ann-Margret in The Last Remake of Beau Geste, designed by May Routh.
tumes became more sought after, private auction houses and the Internet also began selling notable examples. “That’s when I decided I would collect other stars because at that point, I had fallen in love with the whole idea of Costume Design,” he says. When asked what inspired him to collect, Schreiner answers, “One, that it represented one of the great old stars of Hollywood. Two, the amazing construction I was seeing in these costumes was phenomenal. Three, because of the amazing designers who have created what I consider pieces of art. I wanted to save a few of them for posterity. Then I woke up one day and I had 350 of these costumes. And that’s when I decided to put a show together, as a tribute to the Costume Designers and their incredible work.”
Breanna Livie Greg Schreiner with William Travilla’s dress for Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Above); Edith Head’s costume for Kim Novak from Vertigo. Photo: James Jaeger (Right)
Greg Schreiner While many collectors focus on preservation and restoration, costume collector Greg Schreiner brings historic costumes back to life in a stage show. In Hollywood Revisited: A Musical Revue, actors and dancers wear authentic costumes as Schreiner, a concert pianist, narrates details about the costume, the designer and the scene in which it appeared. Of the more than 300 pieces in his collection, Schreiner puts a handful in his show, such as a mink-trimmed gown worn by Bette Davis in All About Eve and Mae West’s black, embroidered gown from Belle of the Nineties. Though in some circles, it is sacrilege to subject a vintage gown to use on stage, Schreiner rescued the garments from worse fates. He began collecting decades ago, when costumes were rarely considered valuable artifacts. Schreiner’s fascination with Marilyn Monroe ignited his costume collecting. He bought three of her gowns before rising prices put them out of reach. His collecting began in earnest in the 1980s, shortly after MGM auctioned costumes for $5 and $10. “The studios thought they were just old rags to get rid of,” Schreiner remarks. Costumes from the MGM auction became Halloween costumes and some became part of Debbie Reynolds’ famous collection. As cos-
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The Costume Designer Summer 2015
Costume Designers could add to the historical and cultural value accorded to costumes by identifying their work. “When I was president of the CDG, I encouraged our membership to add labels to their costumes for each production,” says Landis. “After all, there is no contractual obligation for Western Costume or any other manufacturer or rental house to have labels in clothes. Costume Designers have the opportunity to add their labels. In an industry where designers receive little support and credit, it’s a great way to stake a creative claim.” Labels sometimes make costumes theft bait, especially if they are in circulation for rental. However, better documentation would make authentication immeasurably easier, but many must also be returned to a good condition. That is where rock ’n’ roll costume collector and dealer Breanna Livie comes in. “I love the preservation, that’s my favorite part,” says Livie, who also documents and restores motion picture artifacts for collectors worldwide as Vice President of Eastern Costume Inc. and The Golden Closet, which is located in the Eastern Costume warehouse. She is something like Hollywood costume royalty: Livie’s grandfather, Charlie James, and Costume Designer Luster Bayless started United American Costume Company in North Hollywood, and her grandfather, along with her father, Jim Livie, started Costume
Rentals Corporation. Livie’s uncle, Frank Allegro, is Vice President of Western Costume Company. She has dedicated a chunk of her career to saving costumes and painstakingly authenticating them. “You do have to have a particular kind of knowledge just to appreciate them,” she says. “And more times than not, I will put more time into researching and documenting items. I like to make sure that everything matches up, stitch for stitch.” As an industry insider, Livie and her staff are regarded as a solid resource for collectors and designers who want to understand the provenance and construction of a costume and even studio history. “There are people who collect, but don’t do it the way we do. We have a direct connection to actors, directors, designers,” she says. Sometimes, the original creators are the only valid source. “They can say, ‘Oh, we only made three of those and that’s not the zipper we used. That’s my biggest thing—I sell 100 percent authentic movie costumes and props,” offers Livie, who has a talent for determining if and how costumes have been altered. As a broker, she has developed reliable indicators to gauge the market for costumes, including “anything used in some kind of plot point change.” The clothes a character wears when he dies typically are important, which is why she is eager to see Game of Thrones sell costumes to collectors. “The interesting thing about episodic television is by season four, you will know if it will be a hit or not. Mad Men is going to be huge and we have a collection of some of the most famous pieces,” she adds.
Christie’s Sopranos Auction Catalog cover
Collectors like McQueen and Schreiner worry that no one will care what stars like Mae West wore because younger generations will not know who she is. New collectors are emerging who value contemporary work, however. Livie is already seeing the demographics of collectors changing from the established 40 to 60 year olds to 20 and 30 year olds. “They’re interested in the movies they grew up with,” she notes. She sees potential in the costumes Marilyn Vance designed for John Hughes’ 1980s classics Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Sixteen Candles. Though it is tempting to buy costumes for their inherent beauty, Livie aligns with the idea that it is the story, not the clothes, that make the costumes. “I don’t take just anything,” she says. “The last big show I did was The Sopranos.” Livie lent her skills to a 2008 Christie’s Pop Culture auction of 25 of Tony Soprano’s costumes to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The garments earned $187,750, far beyond the $36,500 estimate. “His boxers sold for $5,000,” she explains. A total of 62 costumes, including those of other lead characters, raised the auction total to over a quarter million dollars. Costume auctions bring in more than a return on financial investment; they can build audience loyalty and longevity. “Buyers think, ‘I can own a piece of that show.’ It just expands that fan base and it brings them in and makes them a part of the show,” notes Livie. “It elongates the interest and the phenomenon in my opinion, I’ve seen it time and time again.” Collectors do not have to be industry insiders, Landis explains. “People collect their favorite television and film ephemera, by genre, or by movie star. Corporations collect items as decor within a marketing plan. In my experience, all collections, even those assembled by corporations are the idea and the passion of one person. There are very few individuals who purchase for investment, like the business partners who own a pair of ruby slippers tucked into a safety deposit box. What other costumes will provide that return on investment? “As long as there is an audience, there will be collectors. Collecting is about romance and desire, about falling in love, about losing your head and making a crazy decision about a hat. Viva collectors!” Breanna Livie and Juliet Polcsa (The Sopranos’ Costume Designer) at Christie’s.
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IN FOCUS
Annamode Costumes
The sleek, state-of-the-art facility began in 1946 with CEO Simone Bessi’s grandmother Anna Allegri and her sister Teresa. Producing cinema costumes and haute couture for a private clientele in tandem has always been the company’s dual purpose. Despite deep roots in the past, Bessi is committed to the latest technology. He created an online platform called eCostumes which will eventually make the hundreds of thousands of garments in the Annamode archive available in high resolution for rental or duplication. Customers can access the online catalogue and ship worldwide. In addition to rental and production in the costume house, there is a nonprofit foundation in Rome which is preserving a collection spanning from 1770 to 1980 which encompasses garments as well as sketches and original patterns. The warehouse space is firmly planted in the future with none of the dusty feel of a typical costume house.The spacious white boardrooms, offices, and sewing areas exude a crisp minimalist aesthetic. However, the stock is anything but spare with exquisite garments on hand, and available for custom orders. Bessi’s future is now and the purposefulness of Annamode is a breath of fresh air. Via degli Olmeti, 2/C 00060 Formello, Rome Annamode.com
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Photos: Anna Wyckoff
ON LOCATION: COSTUME HOUSES OF ROME
Sartoria Tirelli Costumi
The storied atelier is housed in a discreet villa in Rome’s Prati District, which was originally owned by Marcello Mastroianni. It was founded in 1964 by Umberto Tirelli, who forged deep friendships early on with directors like Luchino Visconti and later, Franco Zeffirelli, as well as Costume Designers like Piero Tosi. In addition to the original structure which functions as the headquarters, there is a new warehouse near Fornello which accommodates their expansive collection of over 15,000 museum-quality garments and 160,000 costumes from pre-Christian to present. The day I visited, I rounded the corner to find a crinoline ball gown confection designed by Tosi for Claudia Cardinale in The Leopard on a mannequin being photographed. It was like a dress from a dream, and there are hundreds of examples waiting silently on the racks to be rediscovered. In addition to the archive, the atelier has constructed garments for 16 Oscar-winning films. Laura Nobile presently heads the organization and is a wealth of information and enthusiasm about Costume Design. Via Pompeo Magno, 11, Roma, Italy tirellicostumi.com
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IN FOCUS
Photos: Anna Wyckoff
ON LOCATION: COSTUME HOUSES OF ROME
Costumi D’Arte
Housed in the building whose corridors look like they could be plucked from a scene in the Conformist, Costumi D’ Arte has a long history. It was established at the beginning of the 18th century by Angelo Pignotti, a Napoleonic soldier in Florence who started to sell and rent antique garments, particularly to painters. Through the generations, the business evolved to serve theater, opera, and finally, film. In 1947, a branch was established in Rome to serve studios like Cinecittà. The present owner, Giuseppe Peruzzi, follows in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. Wandering through the aisles yields a trove of wonders: piles of ancient armor and helmets, famous gowns winking from within the racks, and glints of ancient gold work.The atelier can also build custom pieces. Piazzale Antonio Tosti, 4-00147 Rome costumidarte.com
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The Reading List A Trunk Full of Yak Hair: or How the Klingons Got Their Look By Anna Wyckoff Wit, charm, and candor are interwoven throughout this very personal narrative. A nearly fairy tale streak of luck follows Robert Fletcher as we trace the circumventious road which led the CDG Career Achievement recipient and Irene Sharaff Award winner from Iowa to Harvard, to the Air Force, onto the stage, and finally, behind the scenes designing costumes and sets. The book chronicles a galaxy of stars, epic friendships, and the steady flow of work, which Fletcher creates with signature ease and confidence. From The Dean Martin Show and Star Trek to North and South, Fletcher doesn’t light on his virtuosity, but it seeps through every sentence and sketch. With a fresh eye, despite the passage of years, Fletcher now 92, amuses as he elucidates, never shirking from an opportunity to delight with a juicy anecdote or the painful truth. A Trunk Full of Yak Hair or How the Klingons Got Their Look is a satisfying read which will leave you inspired not just about Costume Design, but about life.
How to Get Dressed: A Costume Designer’s Secrets for Making Your Clothes Look, Fit, and Feel Amazing By Christine Cover Ferro In her first book, CD Alison Freer breaks down the many aspects of Costume Design and translates them to life off the set. From the philosophy that goes into choosing pieces to best define a character, to developing an eye for quality and fit, to the endless tweaks that make a garment just right, she shows the reader how to infuse some costume department magic into their closets. Handing the book to a civilian will both thoroughly answer the eternal question, “What do you actually do?” and offer a solid primer on the language of fabric, tailoring, and tools. For the experienced professional, it’s a handy reference source with a generous dose of comic relief. The breadth of tips, shortcuts, and off-label uses offered all but guarantees that there will be at least one hack that even the most seasoned designer has yet to try. How to Get Dressed is now available online and at major bookstores.
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Spotlight: Cover Artist Oksana Nedavniaya
N
edavniaya is an illustrator residing in Los Angeles, California. Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, Nedavniaya received training as a concert pianist, graduating summa cum laude from the prestigious Gnessin State Musical College, before moving to Los Angeles in 1999. In 2006, Nedavniaya graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration. Two months after graduation, while attending the annual Comic-Con in San Diego, she met Costume Designer Isis Mussenden. From that meeting, Nedavniaya was invited to join the production team of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian as a costume illustrator; and remained with the production for more than 10 months including on location in Prague, Czech Republic. Nedavniaya has continued illustrating costumes for film, television, and live-event productions, within the United States and abroad. Her most recent assignments include as a costume illustrator for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, Cirque du Soleil live-show production Toruk: The First Flight, David Ayer’s Suicide Squad and Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters, along with independent and corporate projects. Her repertoire of media ranges from her “signature” pencil and watercolor look to the use of markers for fashion illustration and digital techniques for costume concept art.
Thank You: 2015 Comic-Con Committee Suzanne MB Chambliss, Co-head Michi Tomimatsu, Co-head Ivy Thaide, Co-head Christine Cover Ferro Jennifer Garnet Filo Gina DeDomenico Flanagan Panelists Cate Adair Soyon An Kristin Burke Christian Cordella Ann Foley Jerad Marantz Eddie Marks Giovanna Melton Oksana Nedavniaya Alan Villanueva Timothy Wonsik
© 2013 Applibot, Inc.
Top left: A Gloria Kim illustration. Bottom left: He-Man the Elder. Illustrated by Darell Top right & bottom: Aristocratic Fuentes. Huntresses. Illustrated by Phillip Boutte Jr.
Applibot®
Thank you to all the illustrators who contributed art for The CDG Comic Book: Heroes. 6 A
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Illustrations by Daniel Lim.
Top left and right: Illustrations by Astrid Brucker. Above: Jade, designed by Magali by Gina DeDomenico Flanagan. Guidasci & illustrated 7
Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design
Photos: Alex Berliner/ABImages
FIDM Museum July 21 through September 26, 2015
Salem design by Joseph Porro.
Bruce Rosenblum, Chairman & CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Mary Rose, guest curator of the exhibition, and Barbara Bundy, Director, FIDM Museum.
Mona May
Ellen Mirojnick and Jennifer Bryan
The Knick Ellen Mirojnick
Once Upon a Time Eduardo Castro
Simon Kassianides, Ann Foley and Elizabeth Henstridge
Vice President Cate Adair
IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES
CD Joyce Kim Lee recently started work designing The Muppets for ABC, with ACD Chelsea Staebell supervising.The Muppets return to prime time with a contemporary, documentary-style show that—for the first time ever—will explore the Muppets’ personal lives and relationships, as well as romances, breakups, achievements, disappointments, wants, and desires. It’s a more adult Muppets show, for kids of all ages.The show will be shot in Los Angeles.
Photo: Amazon Studios
BFN - WORK
Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street
Photo: ABC
CD Alison Freer designed season two of Amazon’s Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, the story of three best friends who live on a seemingly ordinary street where magical things always seem to happen. CD Sharon Sampson supervises, and ACD Becky Gelbart is the key costumer.
Photos: CBS
CD Terry Gordon designed Reba McEntire’s costumes for her Caesar’s Palace opening in June. Working with Reba for the past 15 years, Terry incorporated her many iconic looks, adding the necessary Vegas sparkle. Fans weren’t disappointed when Reba’s elegant finale “Fancy,” broke away to reveal the sassy “Fancy” they know and love.
The cast of Zoo
Reba McEntire in Terry Gordon’s designs CD Kathleen Felix-Hager designed the third and final season of HBO’s Getting On. She is also thrilled that HBO’s fifth season of Veep will be shooting in Los Angeles due to the new California Tax Credit. 28
The Costume Designer Summer 2015
CD Caroline B. Marx and ACD Michelle Green just wrapped CBS’ new scripted television series Zoo in New Orleans. Zoo is a global thriller about a wave of violent animal attacks against humans sweeping the planet.The series stars James Wolk (Mad Men), Kristen Connolly (House of Cards), Nonso Anozie (Game of Thrones), Billy Burke (Twilight), and Nora Arnezeder (Safe House) and is based on James Patterson’s number one bestselling novel. Of the project, Marx says,“What a fabulous ride this has been! The producers and cast are amazing and there is nothing better than designing costumes around the globe from Harajuku, Japan, to Botswana, Africa!”
CD Mark Bridges is currently in London designing the costumes for Universal’s Bourne 5, starring Matt Damon returning as Jason Bourne. The project is directed by Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips). Costarring with Damon are Julia Stiles and Alicia Vikander.
COSTUME ™
DEPARTMENT
CD Danny Glicker is currently in Thailand designing Gold, directed by Stephen Gaghan. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Williams, and Edgar Ramirez. It’s based on an actual event involving an Indonesian gold mine, its Western investors, the political maneuvers behind the scenes, and how they all converged to become arguably one of the greatest frauds of its time. Shooting is in Thailand, New Mexico, and New York. US members of his international crew includes ACD Leigh Bell as key costumer, as well as members of Locals 705 and 829.
Jonathan Tucker and Frank Grillo on the set of Kingdom CD Julia Schklair is designing the TV series Kingdom for EP Byron Belasco, starring Frank Grillo, Matt Lauria, Jonathan Tucker, Nick Jonas, and Kiele Sanchez.The series shoots in Los Angeles.
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IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES
BFN - WORK CD Mynka Draper designed the pilot for the Louis C.K. and Pamela Adlon collaboration Better Things. C.K. directed and Adlon does double duty as the show runner and star. The FX comedy centers on an actress raising her three daughters while juggling pressures of working in Hollywood and being a single parent. CD Mary Zophres is excited to be costume designing the new musical (tentatively titled Panorama), directed by Damien Chazelle (Oscar nominated for Whiplash). It stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and will shoot entirely in Los Angeles. She is thrilled to be working with ACD Jo Kissack. Trayce Field’s costume illustrations for Charter Cable spot. CD Trayce Field created ’90s-inspired space uniforms for Saturday Night Live’s Kevin Nealon and his crew for a Charter Cable commercial. She was particularly excited that the agency allowed her the rare opportunity to create original designs for a commercial. Field also designed original clothing for dolls for a French Toast Crunch commercial. Collaborating with The Spoils Before Dying director Matt Piedmont, Field had an amazing time working with the WB Workroom to create soap opera-inspired looks for the commercial. Behind the scenes of Awkward. CD Kime Buzzelli just finished costume designing Awkward. for MTV and had the pleasure of working again with ACD Kelly Chambers. Such a fun cast and crew! CD Ariyela Wald-Cohain is prepping Fifty Shades of Black, a comedic take of Fifty Shades of Grey, with Marlon Wayans.The feature will shoot in Los Angeles this summer. CD April Napier just wrapped shooting on the new untitled Kelly Reichardt film, starring Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, and Laura Dern, in Montana. She is now set to begin prepping Shimmer Lake, directed by Oren Uziel and starring Liev Schreiber, shooting in Cleveland, Ohio, in August. CD Bonnie Stauch returned from Biloxi, Mississippi, after completing principal photography on the Lionsgate action/adventure film Precious Cargo, starring Bruce Willis, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Claire Forlani.The feature was directed by Army veteran, writer, and director Max Adams. Stauch is currently collaborating with director, writer, and producer John Putch on the feature The Father and the Bear, which will shoot in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, this August.
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A still from French Toast Crunch spot. CD Hope Hanafin is in Atlanta designing Confirmation, written by Academy Award-winning writer Susannah Grant, starring Kerry Washington as Anita Hill, Wendell Pierce as Clarence Thomas, and Greg Kinnear as Joe Biden. Set in 1991, the project is directed by Rick Famuyiwa. ACD Kristine Haag was the ACD during the LA prep. CD Shawna Trpcic will be designing the new Sony/Playstation superhero series Powers. ACD Jordan Payne will serve as her assistant. The 10-episode season will shoot in Atlanta, and they are prepping out of Western Costume.Trpcic recently worked on a set of Game of Thrones-themed costumes for a pliability stunt at ComicCon for a new video game.
CD Bryan Roberts Kopp joined Trayce Field and crew as the new ACD on 2 Broke Girls. CD Catherine Hahn is designing Son of Zahn, a pilot presentation for 20th Century Fox TV. It will shoot late July. Also shooting in Los Angeles is CD Denise Wingate’s feature So B. It. Alfre Woodard and Talitha Bateman ( Hart of Dixie) will star in the film adaptation of Sarah Weeks’ eponymous young adult novel, with Stephen Gyllenhaal directing.
BFN - PRESS
CD Trayce Field’s hit series, 2 Broke Girls, is currently being featured on the wall along the Warner Bros. lot. CD Monique Long had two recent television appearances on Valley View Live for her work on the Billboard Music Awards.
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IN FOCUS BOLDFACE NAMES
BFN - PRESS
BFN - EXHIBITIONS “Soldadera,” the latest exhibition from artist Nao Bustamante, features the collaboration of CD Sybil Mosely. A variety of Kevlar dresses, i.e., bulletproof dresses, are implemented more than just simple sculptural props. Soldadera fuses bits of fact with fiction to tell a bigger story about the ways in which women’s contributions can often get overlooked or distorted, but also the ways in which war penetrates even the most mundane aspects of daily life. “Nao Bustamante: Soldadera” was exhibited at the Vincent Price Art Museum.
Ruth E. Carter Two-time Oscar-nominated CD Ruth E. Carter, designer of Selma, has been inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America 25th Annual Alumni Hall of Fame.The induction ceremony and gala took place in Chicago in May.
“Soldadera” exhibition
Vice President CD Cate Adair, Secretary CD Ivy Thaide, and Ill Gina Flanagan were among the panelists of the CDG at this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA.
Vice President CD Cate Adair, Secretary CD Ivy Thaide, and Ill Gina Flanagan at Comic-Con Also at Comic-Con, CD Shawna Trpcic judged a costume contest at the charity screening of Emmy-winning Dr. Horrible’s SingAlong Blog.
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BFN - EXHIBITIONS CD Luke Reichle attended the Saga Fur Design Symposium in Copenhagen, Denmark. Saga Furs Design Centre is the world’s creative laboratory for developing new ideas in fur.
Luke Reichle at the Saga Fur Design Symposium Artist and CD Francine Lecoultre was invited to present her collection at the FIDM Museum Shop during the “9th Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design.” On view from July 21 through September 26, Lecoultre’s installation, “Sculptural Pieces: Paper Art with Plants,” as a reflection on food and global nutritions, was also part of the group show exhibited at The Loft at Liz’s Gallery earlier in the year.
BFN - ENTREPRENEURS CD Barbara Tfank is thrilled to announce her couture women’s collection is debuting at Harrods. Tfank launched her eponymous label in 2001, forging a new modern opulence with a line of beautiful brocade cocktail coats and colorful, classically shaped dresses in extraordinary textiles. In pairing flattering silhouettes with luxurious fabrics and fine hand-tailored craftsmanship, Tfank has proven herself to be a distinctive voice in the fashion industry. Compiled and written by: Christine Cover Ferro christine.coverferro@gmail.com and Stacy Ellen Rich lastace@mac.com
Barbara Tfank’s Madison dress
Sculptural Pieces: Paper Art with Plants Summer 2015 The Costume Designer
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SCRAPBOOK
Some of our founding members, gathered for a visit with the artist Erté. Back row (L to R) Bill Hargate, Sheila O’Brien, Michael Woulfe, and Howard Shoup. Front row (L to R) Burton Miller, Erté, and Edith Head.
Our Founding Members
I
n 1953, nine Hollywood film Costume Designers gathered to form a guild “to advance the economic, professional, and cultural interests of its members.” They were Marjorie Best, Renie Conley, Elois Jenssen, Sheila O’Brien, Leah Rhodes, Howard Shoup, William Travilla, and Michael Woulfe. They were soon joined by other talented Costume Designers of
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Hollywood’s Golden Era including Edith Head and Walter Plunkett. When their count grew to nearly 100 in 1976, the Costume Designers Guild affiliated with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and became IA Local 892. Presently, the CDG is over 900 members strong and growing.
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Santa Ana, CA Permit No. 450
The Official Magazine of the Costume Designers Guild
Costume Designers Guild Local 892窶的.A.T.S.E. 11969 Ventura Blvd., First Floor Studio City, CA 91604 costumedesignersguild.com
Universal Studios Costume Department 818.777.2722 / 818.777.7OPS (7677)
filmmakersdestination.com
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