Couture
What parts of the costumes help to
portray the characters?
Costumes
play
an
important
part
in
helping
the
performer to portray their character.
Every aspect of the costume has a role
to play - the cut, colour, the type of fabric
chosen and the way the fabric is treated.
Different techniques are used to create
a particular look such as art finishing,
layering of different fabrics, dyeing,
painting, printing and distressing in
order to create texture and dimension that
can help to illustrate the character being
portrayed.
What has been your favourite costume
design or has there been a particular
stand out costume?
I have had the good fortune to design a wide
variety of different ballets both classical and
contemporary, and have had many favourites
in each production. Usually they are my
favourites because all elements of the
design have come together both in a
visual and contextual sense to work
perfectly within the context of the whole
production. I find it difficult to single
out a particular costume. A few that come
to mind is the tutu that Swanhilde wears
as the Coppelia doll in Greg Horsman’s
Coppelia (the inspiration for this
costume came from 19th century music
box dolls); the fairy tutus from François
Klaus’s Sleeping Beauty; and the tutus for
Gareth Belling’s Refraction (a contemporary
take on a tutu made from looped
tubes of fabric inspired by a tubular light
fitting).
Has there been a particular character
or entire production that was difficult to
design for?
I wouldn’t say difficult, but every
production can have its challenging
moments. For instance, designing a new
production of a ballet classic such as
Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty presents a
challenge to come up with a design idea
that is uniquely yours, but still honours the
classical tradition of the ballet.