Before coming to AUB, I always had a love of art and sewing as well as theatre and film, and as I explored my interests in historical fashion, I found my love for costume – a place where so many of my interests met, which led me to pursue it at university.

I chose AUB because of how immediately at home I felt. It’s such a creative hub and there’s always something happening on campus. Plus, there’s the bonus of being by the beach!

Before I started university, and even now, people ask, “Why costume? Why not fashion?”. And while I love fashion, there’s such a difference between how the two work. Learning costume making has taught me the importance of taking my time with my process and the value of being detail-oriented, as well as how joyful working in a team is – something that has always been valuable to me.

On AUB Theatre Productions, my course gets to work with other BA (Hons) Costume students and set designers, as well as BA (Hons) Makeup, Hair and Prosthetics and BA (Hons) Acting. I had so much fun working across different courses and seeing how many people it takes to make even a small production run and has led me to also make some incredible friendships. Being part of AUB’s production of Moonfleet was an amazing journey where I got to be part of the whole production cycle of the show, as a costume maker during the show’s pre-production and a dresser over the course of the shows.

I was drawn to Moonfleet because of how many menswear costumes there were for the show, as menswear has always interested me and has been my focus for so much of my university work. I made two costumes for the show; one was a very dramatic nine-foot-long coat for the ghost of Blackbeard. The other was a waistcoat and banya (robe) for Aldobrand, a diamond merchant. Aldobrand’s costumes have been my favourite projects, as I got to work with gorgeous fabrics and the designer to add my own decorative details. For the waistcoat, I also got to work with one of our technicians to bring the design to life, with machine-embroidered starfish down the waistcoat front. This is similar to how the hand-embroidered waistcoats would have been made in the 18^th century, the period the show was set in.

A smiling woman stands in a clothing workshop beside two dress forms, one wearing a dark grey coat, with shelves and hanging garments in the background.

A person in a brown Renaissance-style costume with a white ruffled collar and sleeves poses against a dark background, one hand resting on their chest.

A red sleeveless dress with gold star patterns on a mannequin, displayed beside a black clothing stand against a grey curtain.

Seven people stand arm in arm on a dark stage with black curtains and a hanging light above them.

Four crew members stand in a backstage area, with one wearing a black shirt marked CREW and another in a beige fringed jacket.

Three people in theatrical red, white and black costumes stand on a stage with red steps and a dark backdrop.

A clothing rail with several garments on colourful hangers, lit from one side against a dark background.

A life-sized pirate figure in a tricorn hat and long coat stands above people below, lit in blue and red light against a dark background.

Three actors in period costumes perform on a dimly lit stage, with one seated at left and two standing centre and right against a wooden wall.

The making process for me would also not be complete without being in the studio. Not only is there great equipment but the people are amazing. There was truly never a boring day while I was in studio sewing, which extends to backstage life. Getting to be a dresser, and a small part in how a show runs, has been one of my favourite experiences, from dress rehearsals to the actual show. As a dresser, you’re there before most other departments, making sure the dressing rooms are ready and that the costumes are set in the wings. Once the show starts, I aways get a rush of adrenaline – there is something so exciting about perfecting the routine and getting to repeat it during each show, completed with hearing the audience’s applause at the end.

Now that I have graduated, I cannot wait to continue my journey in theatre. AUB has taught me that giving yourself time is so important. Your perspective can change so much over a year, yet alone three. Three years is also so much time to try as many different things as you can – you definitely don’t have to say yes to everything. I would say it’s important that you don’t, but it’s valuable to try a bit of everything. I have been able to do ruff making, work on theatre, film and photoshoots, and they have all been great experiences that have led me to understand what I prefer.

If a creative degree is something you are interested in, I could not recommend it enough. While it’s a lot of work, if you’re passionate and ready to learn new things, the costume course or any art degree will be perfect for you. Even if you start with minimal sewing skills, it’s great to start from somewhere – even if it’s just hand sewing a pillowcase. I would also recommend watching loads of movies, going to see live theatre and attending galleries. All of it will form an incredible base of knowledge and lead to your own, curated journey to creating incredible costumes.

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