Bio

I'm an organised, gregarious costumer working in both Edinburgh and the North West of England. I enjoy collaborative design in a team setting but have designed and made many projects alone. I love the buzz of being backstage in theatre and would also love to experience location work as I enjoy working with people, children, and animals (I believe the opposite of that old adage!).

I hope to lean toward the more logistical side of costume. I would love to work slowly toward becoming a wardrobe assistant, and eventually wardrobe supervisor or manager. I believe my transferable people management skills from my other career as Team Manager for two of the British Equestrian Teams would make these roles very enjoyable to me.

 

Skills & Experience
  • Emblem designer for Ireland’s national bridleways network TREC Trails Ireland with Horse Sport Ireland, Sport Ireland and Coillte May 2021.
  • Costume manager and designer of EUDC’S A View from the Bridge 2020
  • Costume manager and designer of Bedlam, Edinburgh’s Avengers Nativity War 2019
  • Costume manager and designer of Bedlam, Edinburgh’s Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency 2019
  • Costume maker for Mother and the Monster for the Edinburgh Fringe 2019
Tumbleweed

The childrens' tale of a wise mediaeval lady cursed to be a witch. She engineers the removal of her curse by helping an unlikely knight (called Tumbleweed) become brave with the aid of her animal friends. At the close of the adventure she is a beautiful maiden again. This story is woven into nature, and so is designed to be played to outdoor audiences in promenade. The textiles are inspired by the Lake District, where the play will take place. 

Mysterious veiled witch with cat puppet
Puppet cat's face
Mediaeval maiden in yellow and blue with rose flower crown, model looking over shoulder
Atmospheric headshot of a woman with flower crown
Mysterious veiled witch with cat puppet
Smiling happy mediaeval maiden with rose flower crown headshot
Mediaeval maiden in yellow and blue with rose flower crown
Noel Coward's Private Lives

Noel Coward's Amanda Prynne: passionate, stubborn and dramatic. She is a feminine force in this 1931 play. Her pyjamas represent these character traits as she gets cosy, and then hysterically fights, with her ex-husband. The two of them throw plates and smash records in the famous comedic scene this costume belongs to. 

Red and white 1931 pyjama outfit
Red and white 1931 pyjama outfit
Red and white 1931 pyjama outfit, model reaching out
Red and white 1931 pyjama outfit, model dancing
Model looks over shoulder in wine red velvet coat with wine red patterned silk headscarf
Thesis: Female Agency, Representation and Costume in the Era of the Hays Code

The Motion Picture Production Code was a self-censorship document written by Hollywood to avoid federal censorship. Although it came into use in 1930, it was not effectively enforced until July 1934. In these years, the Code’s rules were often flouted in order to sell cinema tickets in the time of The Great Depression in America. Many of the Codes stipulations refer specifically to women. The Code aimed to control the use of guns, profanities, sex, sexuality, childbirth, references to the body, and other taboo subjects of the time. Pre-Code era films are known for their open themes of violence and sexuality, which were used to explore subjects with depth and artistry, but also for base spectacle to sell tickets. This dissertation explores the way that costume represents women in the films of the Pre-Code and Post-Code eras, with emphasis on sexual agency. It compares the top three box office hits in America from 1933 (Pre-Code) to the top three box office hits in 1935 (during the Code). The dissertation explores how designers changed their costuming of stars once the Code was in place. It studies the use of colour, cut, fabric, silhouette, and line in connection to how this affects the way we, as an audience, perceive the female characters in terms of their autonomy and sensuality.

Performance Costume - BA (Hons)
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