I'll be getting my Bachelors this year and I was thinking about getting a Masters in Costume Design. Fashion design was a dream of mine since junior high school and I was always specifically into costume design all throughout my twenties.
I was wondering what you think about how necessary this is.
I do have chronic health issues so I wont be able to work on sets/theatres.
This is making me think maybe I should get a Masters in Fashion Business. -- though I know I would be interested in it, my heart, excitement and inspiration is in sewing, costumes, designs, etc.
I'm thinking maybe I should just get the certificate from FIT?
Is it possible to get remote work for costume design ? ( since i will have to be remote with any job i get ) I'm 36, is this a factor people consider when hiring in this part of the industry?
Just trying to determine what would be feasible for me considering the reality of my situation while staying in integrity with my passion.
Thanks for listening! :)
Great series of questions! I think we're all wondering about this, basically all the time, so you are not alone.
Everyone's mileage will vary on this, but I tend to believe in experience over education when it comes to costuming, especially because it is so expensive to get multiple degrees. A degree is helpful, but it is in no way a guarantee you will have work in this field AND it's also not a guarantee you will learn the things you really need. Costume designers are freelancers/contractors, so everything is job to job, gig to gig, project to project. So, if you're asking me, Sumalee-- I don't think it's necessary except in very competitive situations. I think an impressive portfolio and the ability to follow through is a better bet than a degree, but that's me.
One thing you really have going for you is your location! There's much more theatre work in the NYC area than say, where I live in Central Florida.
I think you have to dig in a little bit and ask what you really envision yourself doing. Design looks different at different levels. At a high level (Broadway and quality regional, like STNJ), being a designer is almost completely based on your ability to render and communicate your designs to a shop. Do you render/illustrate? That's potentially a way for you to work remotely, but it only works if the theatre has a shop/stitchers to execute your designs. You could always offer freelance remote design services but I'm not sure what the market would be, and again, it would require being a very strong render-er.
I have no idea how competitive it is to be a designer in these theatres but I would guess everyone with a degree is fighting to make a living in this scenario.
In smaller, less funded, more indie productions, you may be given the title "costume designer", but in reality, you'll be the entire costume department for a show (designer, draper, stitcher, shopper, dyer, etc etc) and you'll be responsible for every single shoe, glove, sock, etc. Maybe you'll have some help or a team, but you will likely need to put in a lot of physical time at the theatre at this level, so it doesn't sound ideal for your situation.
If your passion is actually sewing, like the actual creation of costumes, there are more "jobs" available, especially in costume shops. I know you said you're a little new to sewing, but if you did want to explore this, that's the part of the industry I know the most about. This would also not be remote.
All that said, it is a bit bleak in many ways 😅I would NEVER discourage you from pursuing this, but I think it helps to have eyes open. I recently read about a costume designer in NYC who had been in the field her entire life...she was in her 50s making $25k a year. That's kind of the lifestyle, which is why I would ask around a bit more about investing in a degree because frankly that feels like a scam!
Now, you can always start a remote business making costumes for people or theatres, which you would have full control over in terms of workflow, the types of projects, etc, BUT then you're a small business owner dealing with clients, marketing, bookkeeping, etc. I can help you with this too if you're interested in exploring it. This is the only true remote route.
And I'll just put in here at the end that I thought I wanted to work professionally in costuming my entire life, but there are days when I wonder why I didn't just become a dental hygienist with a costuming hobby😆 In professional costuming, you are almost always strapped and stressed for time AND you rarely get to design or execute things the way you want to, whereas keeping costuming as a hobby gives you complete freedom to create/design, while you earn your income from a completely unrelated job. Just my two cents.
I would also be curious to hear what these friends have to say on the subject:
@Bianca | Bookhoarding
@Ruby Gertz