About Costume Symposium
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 and there will be further events 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. It consisted on a day of talks, with a costume demonstration and panel discussion on training for costume makers, and two days of practical workshops in corsetry, embellishment and patination, handmade gloves, men's period tailoring and millinery. Planning for the next event outside London is underway.
Costume Symposium videos
Watch this video from the first UK Costume Symposium in London (15-19 June 2018) to see what it’s all about.
Here’s a trailer for a video from the Crafts Council in which Susannah Buxton talks about her career as a costume designer and why it’s important to share knowledge and experience with designers and makers through events such as Costume Symposium. To see the whole film visit the link at the end of the trailer and scroll down the Crafts Council page.
Photos from costume symposium 2018
Thanks to the City & Guilds of London Art School and Cosprop for their support for Costume Symposium 2018.
Photos of Costume Symposium 2018 workshops © Andreas Sterzing
what participants said about Costume Symposium 2018
Latest news
Costume Symposium comes to Liverpool
In September 2018 award-winning costume designer and Costume Symposium producer Susannah Buxton presented a masterclass to BA Theatre & Performance Design students at Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts (LIPA). Describing successful period drama design as a mixture of authenticity and originality, Susannah said, “The hardest part of the job is making the clothes look […]
The next Costume Symposium
After a successful event in June 2018 at the City & Guilds of London Art School, we are planning another costume symposium to be held in Liverpool in 2019 in association with Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Keep a look out for further announcements.
First UK costume symposium held in London
The UK’s first costume symposium, modelled on a similar event in Oslo in 2017, was held from 15 – 17 June 2018 at the City & Guilds of London Art School in Kennington. Made up of three days of workshops and talks by leading figures, including designers from Game of Thrones, The Crown and Downton […]