Studying Costume at Arts University Bournemouth has been an incredibly rewarding journey that has allowed me to develop a broad range of technical and creative skills. 

Throughout the course, I have constructed various garments, including a tailor’s jacket, a peasant dress, a blouse, and a pair of breeches. These projects provided a strong foundation in costume construction and period accuracy, and helped me understand the importance of detail and craftsmanship in bringing characters to life. However, as my experience grew, I discovered a particular passion for breakdown – the art of aging, distressing, and altering costumes to reflect character and story development. Working on AUB Productions such as The Visit, Romeo and Juliet, and especially my personal Walking Dead project, allowed me to explore this area more deeply. 

I found that breakdown enables a level of storytelling that feels raw, emotional, and vital to the overall atmosphere of a production. I love the creativity and problem-solving it involves, as well as the freedom to experiment with texture, colour and technique. It’s clear to me now that breakdown is where I feel most at home within the costume process, and it’s the path I’m eager to pursue professionally after graduation.

Finding work in the costume industry.