Pursuing a Vocation in Fashion or Costume Design

Pursuing a Vocation in Fashion or Costume Design

Over the past three to five years, the landscape of costume design and engineering has seen significant shifts, driven by industry demands, education, and market forces.

One notable trend is the rise in apprenticeships, although they remain relatively rare in the specific field of costume design. While engineering apprenticeships in related sectors like welding, electrical, and automotive have recorded modest numbers, direct costume design-specific apprenticeships are less frequently documented[1]. This suggests that while foundational technical skills in engineering persist, direct costume design apprenticeships may still be scarce or integrated in adjacent industries.

The fashion sector, which shares a close relationship with costume design, continues to expand robustly. Since 2024, the fashion segment has commanded the largest market share of textiles (around 72.9%), driven by rapid cycles of clothing consumption fueled by social media and celebrity endorsements[5]. This expansion correlates with increased opportunities in fashion-related costume design roles, including digital customization and sustainability integration.

Educational institutions have also adapted to the evolving professional standards in costume and fashion design. Teaching roles now place greater emphasis on skills in sewing, construction techniques, pattern making, and draping[3]. This shift towards technical expertise may favour those with solid practical and technical skills.

The costume design industry is also evolving and diversifying, with roles increasingly intersecting with audio/visual technology, performing arts, and media production sectors. Career clusters now blend creative skills with technical fields such as audio/visual technology and engineering, indicating a broadening of opportunities that span film, theater, and television production environments[2]. This expansion means costume designers and engineers can find work beyond traditional fashion contexts.

Elizabeth Embleton-Smith, an accomplished artist, sculptor, writer, and teacher, is a key figure in the costume design industry. She started her career at the age of 15 by altering her mother's costumes and has since worked as a Costume Engineer for 25 years in theatre, opera, ballet, television, and film[4]. She has collaborated with prestigious clients such as Ballet West, Sundance, Disney/Marvel Studios, Independent Lens, and Warner Bros/Sony Studios[2].

Embleton-Smith encourages students to develop a range of essential art skills, including drawing/illustration, sculpting, leather and metal work, painting, fabric manipulation, and chemistry[6]. She also recommends learning old-school drafting before using CAD programs and suggests having some working knowledge of drawing tablets, such as Wacom Bamboo[7].

A successful professional in costume design is not just technically skilled but also demonstrates a willingness to learn, perseverance, respect for others and their ideas, a sense of fun, humility, and a desire to work together[8].

For more information on Elizabeth Embleton-Smith's work, visit her Instagram profile page: https://www.instagram.com/elescostumes/?hl=en. For more information on the institution's Advisory Board, visit https://www.our website/education/advisory-board/. For details on illustration majors at the institution, including fine art programs, visit https://www.our website/illustration/.

[1] Source: Costume Designers Guild (CDG) Apprenticeship Program Data, 2022-2025 [2] Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022 [3] Source: Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Curriculum, 2022 [4] Source: Elizabeth Embleton-Smith's professional portfolio [5] Source: Euromonitor International, Global Apparel Textiles Market Size, Share & Trends Report, 2024 [6] Source: Elizabeth Embleton-Smith's teaching materials and workshops [7] Source: Embleton-Smith's interview with The Costume Designer, 2021 [8] Source: Embleton-Smith's guest lectures on motivation and communication within organizational psychology at various universities and corporate groups.

1. The fashion-and-beauty sector, sharing a close link with costume design, has witnessed remarkable growth since 2024, with digital customization and sustainability integration becoming significant fashion-related costume design roles.
2. In the realm of education and self-development, art institutions are increasingly focusing on technical skills in graphic design, such as sewing, construction techniques, and pattern making, to cater to evolving professional standards in costume and fashion design.
3. Elizabeth Embleton-Smith, a renowned figure in the costume design industry, emphasizes the importance of diverse artistic skills, including graphic design through drawing/illustration, sculpting, and fabric manipulation, in addition to technical knowledge for a successful career in the field.

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