About me
My work and identity as a designer focuses on a deep passion for theatrical and experimental costume and philosophical thinking within design, used as a tool to bring the deepest inner truths of characters, stories and concepts to light for an audience to contemplate.
At the core of my creative practice lies the power of emotional depth, as well as investigating the human condition and celebrating the duality of the human experience. This is explored through philosophical concept creation and thinking and translating that into costume.
My designs are concept based and draw inspiration from experimental costume, exaggeration, avant-garde, drag and burlesque, as well as surreal and maximalist theatre and opera designs.
Symbolism is a key part of my practice, each detail of my design a function to serve character and concept, using it in my art as a method of transformation, bringing an idea into motion. As well as holding a strong connection to the female experience being a fundamental role in my work.
My skillset reaches into a range of abilities and mediums, such as being able to create ambitious and imaginative narratives and research and build credible worlds to develop impactful character costume designs. As well as a wide variety of specialist making techniques including embellishment methods like embroidery, beading, textiles art, dyeing, breakdown, fabric manipulation. I am passionate about mask and headdress design and making, and have experience in dressing and sourcing garments.
I am looking to collaborate with creatives and performers to share my passion for theatrical costume and all things weird and wonderful from concept to costume, serving your artistic vision and bringing it to life.
EDUCATION
I am currently studying in my final year on BA (Hons) Costume Design for Theatre and Screen at Wimbledon College of Arts. Specialising in costume design, this has also led me to have an understanding on how fittings are managed, and how to communicate and collaborate with different roles people have in the industry. As well as helping me develop a number of techniques used to design and make impactful, imaginative costumes.
Previously, I studied A-level Textiles, Fine Art and English Literature, leaving me with an A*, A* and B and ‘The best in everyone award’ for textiles. The combination of these three subjects ignited my love of costume due to my passion for design and character analysis.
EXPERIENCE
I have dressing experience from working as an assistant dresser for four operetta productions at Landestheater Neustrelitz in Germany, (Theatre und Orchester Neubrandenburg Neustrelitz) at their ‘Festspiele i’m Schlossgarten’. This strengthened my knowledge and skills in not only dressing but also gave me a deeper understanding of how costumes can be designed and made successfully for long-running productions. It influenced me to think in greater detail about the practicality and stability of costumes used for stage, wether they need to be washable and how they can be maintained and kept in the best quality for multiple performances.
As well as a larger insight into how costumes are made and sewn specifically for stage, taking into account environmental factors, as these productions have taken place outside, like weather, heat and mobility.
