ABSTRACT
As the design phase concludes, the production process begins in the costume shop. The costume designer’s primary contact is the costume shop manager, a person who works with a team of skilled workers to construct the design into wearable garments.
Together with the shop manager, a designer creates budget sheets from the piece list, separating each article of clothing into a “build,” “pull,” and “buy” form. A measurement sheet is compiled for the designer to reference while renting or shopping.
The draper is the head of construction, one who is responsible for creating the patterns. In a conversation with the draper, a designer will talk about shape, silhouette, and fabric choices.
In rehearsals, the stage manager acts as the liaison between the design team and the actors. They write relevant notes in a report and send it to the cast and crew for review and are responsible for scheduling fittings. They create the production calendar, which gives the designer a timeline of events so that they can plan their own schedule.
With the production foundation set, the construction process commences.
