Costume for Theatre and Screen
Costume for theatre and screen is the specialist design discipline concerned with creating the clothing, accessories and appearance of characters in live performance, film, television, and other screen media. It requires a combination of design creativity, historical and cultural research, practical making skills, and close collaboration with directors, production designers, and performers to realise a character's identity through what they wear. The costume for a period drama, a superhero film, an opera, or a contemporary play all make demands on different kinds of knowledge and craft, and a degree in the subject develops breadth across all of these.
At the University of the Arts London you will study this three-year full-time programme at one of the world's leading creative education institutions, developing your skills in costume design, construction, pattern cutting, sourcing, character research, and the visual and historical knowledge that informs good costume work. The programme includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you direct professional experience in theatre, film or television production environments before you graduate. You will develop both the creative and technical skills needed to work professionally, and you will build a portfolio that demonstrates your range and capability to potential employers.
Costume graduates work as costume designers, costume assistants, costume supervisors, buyers, and wardrobe mistresses in theatre, opera, ballet, film, television, and commercial productions of all scales. The industry ranges from major film and television productions and West End theatre to fringe, community, and touring work, and graduates find entry points across this spectrum depending on their interests and strengths. Postgraduate study in costume, fashion design, theatre design, or cultural and fashion history is an option for those who wish to develop specialist expertise or pursue research in the history of dress and its relationship to performance and society.