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.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Two Studies, Unequal Pay, Michele Clapton
Two Studies: A study from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative in partnership with National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP, of which I was the founding organizational Chairperson) and Wise Entertainment, shows how Hollywood has failed the Latinx community when it comes to their portrayal in popular movies – in...
READ MORECynthia’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...
READ MORECynthia’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...
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Mindy Kaling, Booksmart Buzz, Thumbs Down, Designing Women
Mindy Kaling: CBS Sunday Morning profiled Mindy Kaling, who spoke candidly about not seeing people like herself represented on screen, and how her new film Late Night is one of the first comedies all about workplace inclusivity. Booksmart Buzz: The disappointing box office returns from the Olivia Wilde-directed comedy Booksmart, which had been hotly anticipated...
READ MORECynthia’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...
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: Latinx Stars, Expanded Opportunities, Listen In
Latinx Stars: The Hollywood Reporter wisely points out…amid the call for diversity in entertainment, particularly inclusive casting, why don’t we have more Latinx movie stars? Part of it, of course, comes down to unconscious bias – which we all need to work on identifying and correcting. Expanded Opportunities: The Academy has voted to expand the...
READ MOREBelow 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.
READ MORETerry’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...
READ MORETerry’s Picks: Role Reversal, Designing Women, Immigrant Series
Role Reversal: IndieWire looks into the ways that gender swapping characters in television can re-shape perspectives and gain parity for women on screen. Designing Women: Get your tickets for NYWIFT’s Designing Women on Monday, May 21st, honoring the best and brightest of hair, makeup and costume designers. Honorees for this year are: costume designer Dana...
READ MORESound Bite: Actor Carmen Ejogo at Designing Women
Our exclusive red carpet moment with acclaimed actor Carmen Ejogo, who offered her take on how women of color can persevere in the film and television industry.
READ MORETerry’s Picks: Film Financing, Designing Women, Women CEO’s
Film Financing: This Friday, June 16, learn how successful indie producers can get their dramatic feature films financed in our intensive all-day seminar presented by our friends at Entertainment Partners. Designing Women: Last week’s Designing Women gala was a joyous celebration of the best and brightest in NYC’s hair, makeup and costume design community. If...
READ MOREA 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.
READ MORETerry’s Picks: Writers Room, Designing Women, Newbie Showrunners
Writers Room: Congratulations to all those selected for the WGA (East) and Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment’s (MOME) inaugural Made in NY Writers Room. The initiative is designed to help open doors for aspiring writers from diverse backgrounds. NYWIFT was happy to be a community partner. Designing Women: We’re exactly one week out from...
READ MORETerry’s Picks: Designing Women, Equality Database, Power Producers
Designing Women: Last week marked NYWIFT’s 17th annual Designing Women gala as we paid tribute to another phenomenal group of costume, hair and makeup designers. See photos from the red carpet, awards presentation and reception, and read a great write-up from Bust Magazine. Equality Database: I am happy to see that some of the brands...
READ MOREA Look Back at Designing Women: Feeling the Love for Hair Stylists
After honoring costume designers annually starting in the year 2000 at what was then called Designing Hollywood, NYWIFT added a category for hair stylists in 2006. After all, hair literally - and figuratively - is what tops off a character's look on screen! Our very first hair stylist honoree was Lyndell Quiyou.
READ MOREA Look Back at Designing Women: The Diverse Range of Makeup Artists
In 2004, four years after NYWIFT began honoring costume designers at what was then called Designing Hollywood, we added a category for makeup artists to the mix. We began paying tribute to the subtle artistry of designing an actor's, well, face - how makeup artists use their tools to catch the light a certain way, portray age, stress, culture and other factors that make a character real, alive and unique.
READ MOREA Look Back at Designing Women: Costume Legends Patricia Field and Ann Roth
They say "clothes make the man" - or woman - which is one reason why every year NYWIFT honors costume designers at our Designing Women awards. When a character appears on screen, his or her clothes are often the first thing we see. Costume designers don't just make actors look pretty (though they sometimes do that too) - they pack a wealth of information into every thread. We look back at two costume legends we honored, including one from our very first ceremony.
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