costume design Archives - New York Women in Film & TelevisionNew York Women in Film & Television

NYWIFT @ Tribeca: In Conversation with Nikia Nelson

NYWIFT member and graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology Nikia Nelson has been working in the fashion and entertainment industries for several years. She started her career working in magazine publishing in the fashion and photo departments. She was able to parlay her experience into working as a stylist & costume designer for fashion, film, and television. Nikia recently worked as Assistant Costume Designer for the Amazon series The Horror of Dolores Roach. Based on the hit Spotify podcast series of the same name, The Horror of Dolores Roach is a contemporary Sweeney Todd-inspired urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest. The series will premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival.

What’s in Your Toolkit: Naomi Wolff Lachter

NYWIFT and USA Local 829 member Naomi Wolff Lachter has designed the costumes for feature films, dozens of plays and musicals, and assistant designed on several major TV series. Every day she is on the job, Naomi posts a motivational saying from her whiteboard on her Instagram account, @wolffie78. She offered us insight into her philosophy – and why good vibes are contagious.

What’s in Your Toolkit: Dana Covarrubias

2018 NYWIFT Designing Women honoree Dana Covarrubias shares the tools - both literal and figurative - she keeps in her costume design toolkit.

Partner Post: Universal Production Services Costume Department- The newest option in costume rentals in the city

Our friends at Universal Production Services Costume Department in NYC offer a look at their services.

Costumes, Couture and Conversing with Emmy-Award Winning Costume Designer Donna Zakowska

NYWIFT member Jean Criss offers an exclusive recap of the December 2019 event "Costumes, Couture and Conversing with Emmy-Award winning Costume Designer Donna Zakowska," at FIT SUNY hosted by the State of New York Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development. The conversation focused on Zakowska's acclaimed work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Cynthia’s Picks: Diane Paragas, Michele Clapton, MOME Fund

Diane Paragas: In NYWIFT’s latest collaboration with Honeysuckle Magazine, we interviewed filmmaker Diane Paragas about her film Yellow Rose and how it contributes to our nation’s ongoing heated conversation around immigration. Michele Clapton: I always love seeing the latest and greatest from our Designing Women honorees! You can spot 2019 honoree Michele Clapton’s costume designs...

Cynthia’s Picks: Designing Women, Rachel Chavkin, Queer Women

Designing Women: Thank you to all our honorees, presenters, supporters, volunteers and attendees for a truly fabulous 20th anniversary Designing Women Awards last week. Be sure to check out our photo highlights and stay tuned for videos of the inspirational ceremony. Rachel Chavkin: Hadestown director Rachel Chavkin’s fiery Tony Awards acceptance speech (she won Best...

Cynthia’s Picks: Designing Women Michele Clapton, Riccie Johnson, Shunika Terry, and Mrs. Maisel

We have an incredible roster of honorees and presenters for this year’s 20th Anniversary NYWIFT Designing Women Awards! I hope you will join us on Tuesday, June 11th at 7 PM at the prestigious DGA Theater to celebrate these incredible women and spend time with some costumes. Tickets are going fast – buy now at...

Below the Line: A Cut Above – Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter

Ruth E. Carter is an American costume designer (and NYWFT Designing Women honoree!) with an unparalleled ability to develop an authentic story through costume and character. And this year she became the first African American woman to win an Academy Award for costume design for her work in Black Panther.

Below the Line: A Cut Above – Costume Designer Edith Head

This Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting the oft unsung yet always vital contributions of those working below the line. Join NYWIFT blog contributors Kathryn O’Kane and Mellini Kantayya as they celebrate a few of the many women in history and making history—“Below the Line: A Cut Above.” We start with costume legend Edith Head.

Terry’s Picks: Designing Women, Notorious RBG, Male Ally

Designing Women: We’re pleased to announce actors Nia Long, Christine Ebersole and Debra Monk will present at Monday’s Designing Women awards (with special appearances from Lena Waithe, Elizabeth McGovern and Mark Feuerstein via video). If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, do it now before we sell out! Notorious RBG: Go see RBG right away. It is...

A Look Back at Designing Women 2016

NYWIFT’s annual Designing Women gala, honoring top hair stylists, makeup artists and costume designers, has been a star-studded highlight of the New York entertainment industry’s Spring calendar since its inception in 2000. As we prepare for the 2017 event on Tuesday, June 6th at NYU Law School, we take a look back at last year’s ceremony, which honored hair stylist Rose Chatterton, makeup artist Anita Gibson, costume designer Sarah Edwards, and the team from Showtime's The Affair.

Women in Film & Television History: Meet Marion E. Wong, Film Company President, Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Actor, Costume Designer

During the silent film era, Marion E. Wong started the Mandarin Film Company, the first Chinese-American film company. The company’s feature film The Curse of the Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with West (1916) is credited as being the first American film made with an all-Chinese cast and company as well as one of the first films directed by a woman.

Terry’s Picks: Meryl Streep, Mila Kunis, Inequality Below-the-Line

Meryl Streep: Congrats to Meryl Streep, longtime friend of NYWIFT and funder of The Writers Lab, who will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2017 Golden Globes. Mila Kunis: When a male producer told Mila Kunis she “will never work in this town again” after she refused to pose semi-nude, she took action....

Designing Women Celebrates Design, Character and Story

What do Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, HBO's Confirmation film about Anita Hill, the rom-com It's Complicated and Showtime's The Affair all have in common? All feature the work of talented female costume, hair and makeup artists who will be honored at New York Women in Film & Television's Designing Women gala on Monday, June 13th in NYC! Now in its 17th year, Designing Women, co-presented by Variety, has become a staple of the NYC entertainment industry's spring calendar, celebrating the creative alchemy of design, character and story.

NYWIFT Member Spotlight

Behind-the-scenes with Costume Designer Ornella Chiossone – by Margarita Cortes Through the power of social media, I was contacted by an up and coming costume designer, Ornella Chiossone, who was working on a film project in Brooklyn. She met me on the first day of production inside the trailer, nestled between the wardrobe she...

Making of a PSA: Interviews with Production & Costume Designer Deborah Zawol Smyth and Makeup Artist Jennifer Snowdon

Taliyah Whitaker as the 1980s talk show host getting last-minute touchups from Makeup Artist Jennifer Snowdon on the set of Little Leading Ladies. Photo courtesy of Amanda Lin Costa/Instagram. This is the fourth installment of a five-part series co-presented by New York Women in Film & Television and Adorama Rentals. NYWIFT member Susan Modaress interviews...

Advice from an Indie Producer: Production Design & Wardrobe

The Art and Wardrobe departments help build the characters through decoration and dress. What people wear and where they live and work can give you insight into the characters and their motivations. That’s why it’s important to hire crewmembers that are clear about your vision and have the ability to execute it for the budget...

NYWIFT Blog