Costume Design

Principles of Costume Design - IB Theatre Teacher Support Material Shirlee Idzakovich, a professional costume designer for theatre and film, starts her planning for a theatre production with putting together a "Costume bible". The costume bible is a binder in which the designer includes references and resources that will guide planning.

Idzakovich’s costume bible generally includes the following items:

Color script
Cast list
Mood boards
Blank croqui, the body form drawings that serve as foundations for costume sketches
Costume sketches
Color stories, or the palette of colors used to build the look of the show
Notes and research
Actor measurement
Schedules
Costume plot

Look on this page for links to articles, videos and websites with information about costume design.

Production Elements
The IB Theater course divides production elements into scenic (costume, set, props, make-up, etc.) and technical (lights, sound, multimedia, etc.). Think of the individual elements as “tools of the trade”, each tool purposefully deployed in order to craft moments of theatre and to have an effect on the audience. This document gives ideas for how you can experiment with the different production elements. IB Theatre Teacher Support Material

What Does a Costume Designer Do?

"Costume designers tell a story through clothing, using the language of fashion to help express aspects of a play or opera's setting, mood, and characters. The job is about much more than putting together a nice outfit, requiring a deep understanding of stage production, a thorough knowledge of fashion and costuming history, and an eye for creating standout visual designs."

Costume Designer (Also Called: Costume Supervisor) - Berklee

Costume Designer - Berklee Career Communities Profile
This page answers the question, What does a costume designer do? Topics covered include the typical career path, finding work, professional skills needed, interpersonal skills needed, and work life.

How a Costume Designer Creates an Iconic Look | Crew Spotlight

(10:19) Crew Spotlight is a series dedicated to looking deeper into the aspects of film production that deserve more attention, the focus of this episode being costume design. Costumes help to teach us more about a character, to better establish a setting, and to tell the story; this video essay aims to expand on the role of costume designers and how they do what they do.

Fifty Years of Costume | National Theatre

(9:05) Celebrate 50 years of costume at the National Theatre, with this film that looks in detail at the vast array of skills of our department and how costume informs an audience and actor about the world of a play.

The costume department of the National Theatre comprises fifty-four permanent members of staff and is home to a diverse array of skills, including tailoring; dying and printing techniques; wig-making; costume props; ladies making; hair-dressing; buying; alterations; dressing; make-up; supervising the shows and maintenance of the costumes.

Costume, Wigs and Make-up | National Theatre

(2:26) The Costume Department at the National Theatre is where every element of what an actor wears on stage is brought together. This film explores the work of that department and the skills that go into making the world of a play.

Jane Eyre | Costume Design | National Theatre at Home

(3:17) Costume designer Katie Sykes and the creative team behind the 2015 Jane Eyre production chat about all things costume. A National Theatre co-production with Bristol Old Vic, based on the classic novel by Charlotte Brontë, directed by Sally Cookson and devised by the original company.

Costuming a Show: 9 Do's and 1 BIG Don't

Costuming a Show: 9 Do's and 1 BIG Don't
This article gives tips to keep in mind when designing costumes for a show - in a "ten commandments" format. Nine are positive (i.e., "Thou shalt read the script." and one is negative (i.e., "Thou shalt not costume alone Costumes need to be a cohesive part of the production, so consult with other members of the team.") Written by Andrew Koch for Dramatics, a publication of the International Thespian Society.

Costuming for Everyone: Five Steps to Costuming a Show

Costuming for Everyone: Five Steps to Costuming a Show
The article explains how Shirlee Idzakovich, a professional costume designer for theatre and film, approaches the task of costuming a production using five steps: Identify your costume crew, Find your script and read it, Deciper your director's words, Start your costume Bible, and Plan your costume parade. Written by Allison Dolan for Dramatics, a publication of the International Thespian Society.

How to Build Your Costume Plan

How to Build Your Costume Plan: Organize Your Show's Costumes in a Snap
The article provides an example for a spreadsheet that can be used to organize the information on costumes for a production. Also includes is a discussion of the "7 must-in your costume plan" - Scene Information, Character Name, Ownership, Status, Color Notes, Transition Notes, and Type of Item. Written by Andrew Koch for Dramatics Magazine, a publication of the International Thespian Society.

Susan Hilferty - Set and Costume Designer

Susan Hilferty - Set & Costume Designer
Website of veteran costume designer Susan Hilferty. She has designed set and costumes for over 400 productions on Broadway and across the globe. Recent designs include Parade, Funny Girl, Swept Away, Hamlet, Little Comedies, and A Bright Room Called Day. Her many Broadway designs include Wicked, August Wilson’s Radio Golf, Present Laughter, Hands on a Hardbody, Spring Awakening, Lestat, Annie (2013 Revival), Into the Woods, and Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland. Click on 'Selected Show Gallery' and 'Selected Sketches' on the website to see examples of her work.

20 Great Hollywood Costume Designers You Should Know About

20 Great Hollywood Costume Designers You Should Know About
A list of twenty costume designers who have contributed in significant ways to Hollywood film productions. Each designer is shown with a summary of their work, a list of the most important films, and a photo from one of their films. (Edith Head is shown in a photo with some of her costume drawings.) Posted to the Taste of Cinema website on on June 2, 2014 by Agreysiren.

Costume Design: Creating Character

Costume Design: Creating Character - National Theatre
(1 minute) The Costume Department at the National Theatre takes great care to make garments that look and feel just like real clothes. In this video, a costume designer and head tailor explain some of the tricks and techniques they use to get all the details right. Watch the video on YouTube.

Costume Design: Researching

Costume Design: Researching
(1 minute) Sue Wilmington is a Costume Designer who has worked on a number of productions at the National Theatre. In this video, she describes the kind of research she undertakes when making period costumes for a production. Watch the video on YouTube.

Designing Period Costumes

Designing Period Costumes
(51 seconds) Period garments are often made from very different materials than those of contemporary clothes, which can make a costume maker's job difficult. In this video, the staff of the National Theatre's Costume Department discuss the challenges of making period costumes look and feel authentic. Watch the video on YouTube.

IB Theatre - Production Proposal (first assessment 2024): Costume Design