In 2017 award-winning costume designer Susannah Buxton was invited to speak at a costume symposium for young technicians and designers held at the Opera House in Oslo, Norway. The experience inspired her to set up a similar event in the UK. This was held in London in June 2018, followed by the second at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2019, the third at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2022, the fourth at the University of Huddersfield in 2023, and this year the fifth Costume Symposium will be at Nottingham Trent University. Future events will be in other parts of the country.
Why we started
Practices which support costume design, such as millinery, corsetry, embroidery and tailoring, are often taken for granted and the results achieved are rarely acknowledged. Costume Symposium events aim to recognise and demonstrate these extraordinary and in some cases endangered skills, and help maintain the high quality of production in every area of the arts and entertainment industries.
Who Costume Symposium is for
Some of the technicians working in theatre, opera, film and television work at home in relative isolation and on low pay. They often have little chance to see how others work. Costume Symposium events will enable them to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, hear from experienced practitioners and try out new skills.
What we do
The first UK costume symposium for young technicians and designers took place in June 2018, consisting of a day of talks, with a costume demonstration and panel discussion, and two days of practical workshops including Corsetry, Embellishment and Patination, Handmade Gloves, Men's Period Tailoring and Millinery. Subsequent events in 2019, 2022 and 2023 have had a similar format.