Description
Costume makers construct, sew, stitch, dye, adapt and maintain costumes to be used in live performances and in movies or television programs. Their work is based on artistic vision, sketches or finished patterns combined with knowledge of the human body to ensure the wearer maximum range of movement. They work in close cooperation with the designers.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to costume maker:
costumer
costume & prop maker
costume builder
prop costume maker
prop & costume maker
set costumer
costume prop maker
prop and costume maker
costume and prop maker
Minimum qualifications
No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a costume maker.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Costume maker is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Costume maker career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to costume maker.
wig and hairpiece maker
performance hairdresser
tent installer
event electrician
instrument technician
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of costume maker. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of costume maker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
scenic painter
set builder
prop maker
dresser
followspot operator
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of costume maker.
- Dressmaking: The craft of sewing clothes and dresses by following a pattern. This includes the assembly of cutout clothing parts.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of costume maker.
- Work ergonomically: Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.
- Understand artistic concepts: Interpret an artist’s explanation or demonstration of their artistic concepts, inceptions and processes and strive to share their vision.
- Follow work schedule: Manage the sequence of activities in order to deliver completed work on agreed deadlines by following a work schedule.
- Dye fabrics: Dye costume fabrics for live onstage purposes.
- Finish costumes: Finish costumes by adding zippers, elastics, buttonholes, decorative stitching, jewellery, rosettes, and other decorations.
- Use manual sewing techniques: Use manual sewing and stitching techniques to manufacture or repair fabrics or textile-based articles.
- Work safely with machines: Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.
- Assemble costume parts: Assemble cutout costume parts manually or by operating a sewing machine.
- Use personal protection equipment: Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.
- Adapt to artists’ creative demands: Work with artists, striving to understand the creative vision and adapting to it. Make full use of your talents and skills to reach the best possible result.
- Prepare personal work environment: Correct settings or positions for your working instruments and adjust them before starting operations.
- Maintain theatre equipment: Check up on, maintain and repair tools and machinery used for onstage purposes, such as lighting equipment, stage sets or scene-change machinery.
- Finish project within budget: Make sure to stay within budget. Adapt work and materials to budget.
- Perform costume settings: Organise and manage costume settings.
- Draw up artists’ measurements: Draw up the measurements and sizes of performing artists for clothing purposes.
- Translate artistic concepts to technical designs: Cooperate with the artistic team in order to facilitate the transition from the creative vision and its artistic concepts to a technical design.
- Work safely with chemicals: Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.
- Adapt costumes: Adapt, stitch or sew stage outfits for performing actors.
- Meet deadlines: Ensure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time.
- Maintain rigging equipment: Check rigging equipment before fitting up, and make small repairs if necessary.
- Maintain workshop space: Keep the workshop space in working order and clean.
- Draw up costume patterns: Draw and cut out costume patterns using scissors and measuring instruments.
- Cut fabrics: Cut fabrics and other wearing apparel materials considering measures, placement of the fabrics in the cutting table in multiple layers, and making the most efficient usage of the fabric avoiding waste. Cut fabrics by hand, or using electric knives, or other cutting tools depending on the fabric. Use computerised systems or automatic cutting machines.
- Sew pieces of fabric: Operate basic or specialised sewing machines whether domestic or industrial ones, sewing pieces of fabric, vinyl or leather in order to manufacture or repair wearing apparels, making sure the threads are selected according to specifications.
- Manage personal professional development: Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.
- Work with respect for own safety: Apply the safety rules according to training and instruction and based on a solid understanding of the prevention measures and risks to your own personal health and safety.
- Keep up with trends: Monitor and follow new trends and developments in specific sectors.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of costume maker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Manage consumables stock: Manage and monitor consumables stock to ensure that the production demands and deadlines can be met at all times.
- Manage technical resources stock: Manage and monitor technical resources stock to ensure that production demands and deadlines can be met at all times.
- Work with the camera crew: Work with the crew responsible for the camera operation and movement to get directions from them on where to stand for an aesthetic result.
- Draw up costume sketches: Draw sketches of costumes and clothing accessories; note specifications such as size, material type and colour scheme.
- Plan workshop activity: Plan workshop activities according to production needs.
- Attend rehearsals: Attend rehearsals in order to adapt sets, costumes, make-up, lighting, camera set up, etc.
- Prevent fire in a performance environment: Take steps to prevent fire in a performance environment. Make sure the space complies with fire safety rules, with sprinklers and fire extinguishers installed where necessary. Make sure staff are aware of fire prevention measures.
- Work with the director of photography: Work with the director of photography on the artistic and creative vision that needs to be followed during production of a movie or theatre production.
- Support a designer in the developing process: Support designers in the course of the developing process.
- Define costume fabrication methods: Define costume manufacturing methods and techniques.
- Organise costume fittings: Organise fitting sessions for the actors and decide on the required actions. Assign the right size costume to each actor.
- Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
- Promote yourself: Market one’s own strengths in terms of skills and knowledge.
- Organise workshop space: Arrange the space of an equipment workshop to ensure maximum efficiency, including installing ligh fixtures, a workbench, etc. Decide on the activities and equipment to fit in and the most convenient way to work.
- Follow directions of the artistic director: Follow the instructions of the director while understanding his creative vision.
- Work safely with mobile electrical systems under supervision: Take the necessary precautions while providing temporary power distribution for performance and art facility purposes under supervision.
- Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
- Adapt existing designs to changed circumstances: Adapt an existing design to changed circumstances and ensure that the artistic quality of the original design is reflected in the final result.
- Work with the lighting crew: Work with the crew responsible for the lighting setup and operation to get directions from them on where to stand for an aesthetic result.
ISCO group and title
7531 – Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and hatters
References
- Costume maker – ESCO