Costume Construction: the process

Video Introduction: The Costume Shop

Check out this video walkthrough of the Parsons-Meares Costume Shop, one of the major NYC costume shops producing costumes for Broadway.

Parsons Costume Shop Links to an external site.

(Length 4:36) from ThreadBanger on YouTube

The Build Process

Costume construction, like nearly every job in the theatre, requires a detailed team of people working together in a sequence in order to create the final piece that is presented onstage.

Cutting or Draping

The final costume renderings first go to either the Cutter or the Draper, depending on each piece and what its particular needs are. This choice is usually made by the costume shop manager together with the costume designer.

The cutter is an expert in patterning, which is the process of breaking down a garment into the individual fabric segments that need to be cut and sewn together in order to achieve the garment's final look and shape. These are called flat patterns. Although the human body is three-dimensional, these patterns are made out of a special type of paper in a two-dimensional format. Right angles or curves are strategically created in these pattern pieces to fit the curves and shape of the actor's body and all of these pieces are sewn or assembled together (sort of like puzzle pieces) and come together to make the final garment.

The draper is an expert in draping, which is a three-dimensional version of pattern making where the garment (or a mock-up of it) is built first onto the dressing form before being assembled together. This form is a stand-in for the actor's body and can be augmented to perfectly match their measurements. The draper will work almost like a sculptor; smoothing, creasing, splicing, and pinning the fabric to the form according to the costume rendering until the desired shape of the garment is made. Draping may be preferred by a designer for asymmetrical or flowing garments that can take advantage and embrace a fabric's natural structure or movement.

First Hand

From there, the cutter or draper would hand off the pattern pieces to someone called the First Hand, who is responsible for taking those pattern pieces and cutting them out of the real fabric and prepping them for assembly.

Stitching

The first hand will then hand over all of these fabric pieces to the Stitchers who will build or assemble final garments. For big, straight seams in the clothes, the stitchers will often use motorized sewing machines. For fine or special details they may need to hand sew those into place instead.

The stitchers are also the ones responsible for making any alterations that are required after fittings.

Note: if the costume is rented, nothing can be done to it unless the rental agreement specifically allows for alterations (which is extremely rare).

Fittings

Fittings are when the costume designer and the the costume shop get a chance to look at mockups, in-progress, or close-to-final garments and accessories (wigs, jewelry, shoes, etc.) on the actor. These occur through out the build process and allow the designer and shop to make adjustments to the look, structure, length, and fit of the costumes so that the desired look and function are achieved. Depending on the complexity of the costumes or the number of costumes for an actor, there may be one fitting or maybe as many as five fitting sessions.