Pantomime Costumes

Over the summer of 2019, I was employed at costume hire company Triple C in Birmingham. I worked collaboratively as part of a team to deliver costumes to theatre companies.

I was involved in the full process. I sat in and took notes during meetings when the client detailed what they were looking for. Based on their requests, I helped the team choose stock, and altered the costumes to the actors’ measurements. These were then bagged and packed for delivery.

I was also involved in the laundering and ironing of garments when they were returned to the company, including outside dry cleaning.

I was also invited back to work over the Christmas holidays on costumes for the pantomime season. This proved to be an extremely challenging but rewarding experience, as I had to balance working on costumes for multiple pantomimes at once.

During my time here, I made a variety of garments to add to their stock, including 40 women’s ensemble costumes for pantomime. These compromised of bodices, skirts, aprons, and shawls, which I designed and made from scratch.

I also performed alterations and repairs on damaged stock, some of which were vintage/ period pieces. This gave me an excellent knowledge of refurbishment techniques.

This was an invaluable experience, as I was able to improve my sewing skills in an industry setting. I am confident using professional Juki machines, domestic and industrial sewing machines, overlockers, and irons.