Voice Of Costume - The Untold Stories of Unseen Artists

The Gilded Age looks like living art—but Kasia Walicka-Maimone reveals the research, strategy, color, and craft behind every gown. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone joins Voice of Costume to discuss designing HBO's The Gilded Age, the Julian Fellowes period drama where 1880s New York society becomes a runway of power, wealth, old money, new money, and visual storytelling. Kasia traces her path from growing up in rural Poland, surrounded by nature and imagination, to making her own clothes, studying culture and literature, designing theater, opera, film, and eventually building the massive costume world of The Gilded Age. She reveals the extraordinary research process behind the series, including a visual library of more than 50,000 period images, inspiration from painters like John Singer Sargent, and the surprising truth that the 1880s were far more colorful than black-and-white photography suggests. Kasia explains how jewel tones, artificial dyes, silhouettes, organic shapes, asymmetry, and historical references help define characters, class, taste, and transformation. The conversation also pulls back the curtain on the enormous team effort behind the costumes: design boards, fabric sourcing, budget strategy, repeat garments, in-house makers, tailoring, and the puzzle of creating museum-worthy period clothing on a television schedule. A rich conversation about beauty, history, collaboration, leadership, and the privilege of building a world over multiple seasons. A must-listen for: Fans of The Gilded Age, HBO period dramas, Julian Fellowes, 1880s fashion, New York society, Bertha Russell, Marian Brook, John Singer Sargent, historical costume design, period dramas, fashion history, and behind-the-scenes television craft. The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/

Legendary costume designer Colleen Atwood joins Voice of Costume for a fascinating look inside the gothic fashion and visual storytelling of Netflix's Wednesday. She explains how costume design begins with reality, then shifts slightly into the strange, stylized world of Tim Burton—where clothing must feel imaginative while remaining true to the character wearing it. Colleen explores Wednesday Addams' emotional evolution, her growing friendship with Enid Sinclair, and how costumes subtly express isolation, connection, and personal growth. She reveals how Wednesday's deliberately limited black-and-white palette creates opportunities to experiment with silhouette, texture, movement, function, and tonal contrast—especially during action sequences and the spectacular Venetian gala. The conversation also dives into Enid's deepening color palette, Morticia Addams' sculptural wardrobe, red-lined sleeves, Day of the Dead embroidery, and how Catherine Zeta-Jones' dance background helps bring dramatic costumes to life. Colleen discusses her longtime collaboration with Tim Burton, her obsession with fit and construction, and why costumes must look compelling from every camera angle—not merely beautiful from the front. A must-listen for fans of Wednesday, Jenna Ortega, Tim Burton, gothic fashion, the Addams Family, Netflix behind-the-scenes stories, costume design, and cinematic world-building. The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/

Stranger Things fans know the looks are iconic—but Amy Parris reveals the hidden design choices that shaped Eleven, Eddie, Nancy, Erica, and Hawkins itself. Costume designer Amy Parris joins Voice of Costume for a deep dive into the unforgettable world of Stranger Things, sharing how she designed costumes for Seasons 3, 4, and 5 of the global Netflix phenomenon. From handmade sweaters and custom jeans to vintage fabrics, distressed battle-worn clothes, stunt multiples, and character-defining silhouettes, Amy reveals just how much storytelling lives inside every garment. She discusses her path from altering clothes as a kid to breaking into film and television, then takes listeners behind the scenes of joining Stranger Things through research, family photos, yearbooks, teen magazines, thrifted snapshots, and real 1980s references. Amy explores the evolution of fan-favorite characters including Eleven, Will, Nancy Wheeler, Eddie Munson, and Erica Sinclair, explaining how each look reflects identity, trauma, growth, rebellion, and purpose. This episode is packed with Stranger Things costume secrets, 1980s fashion history, Hawkins character arcs, vintage sourcing, behind-the-scenes production stories, and the emotional labor of leading a massive costume department. For fans of Eleven's style, Eddie Munson's metal look, Nancy's battle-ready wardrobe, and the final season of Stranger Things, this is a must-listen. The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/

From Spider-Verse super suits to The Burbs' danger-red Easter eggs, Trayce Field reveals how costume design becomes character. Costume designer Trayce Field joins Voice of Costume for a vibrant, deeply human conversation about creativity, collaboration, leadership, and visual storytelling. She traces her path from a multicultural childhood and vintage-clothing obsession to a career designing for Poker Face, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Burbs, Spider-Noir, Spaceballs 2, and more. Trayce shares how she builds characters from the inside out—grounding even sci-fi, comedy, and superhero costumes in realism, backstory, texture, color, and emotional truth. She breaks down collaborating with Natasha Lyonne on Charlie Cale's lived-in road-warrior look, creating Donald Glover's Prowler super suit in only two weeks, and stepping into The Burbs mid-season while keeping the characters seamless, funny, stylish, and full of Easter eggs. This episode is packed with insight on fitting rooms, actor trust, sourcing unique fashion, department leadership, creative risk, anxiety, ambition, and what it takes to "figure it out" under pressure. A must-listen for fans of costume design, film production, TV comedy, superhero suits, character creation, and the hidden craft behind unforgettable screen style. The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/

Inside the costumes of Apple TV+'s Imperfect Women: Tiffany Hasbourne reveals how fashion, psychology, collaboration, and storytelling shaped every character. In this deeply inspiring conversation, costume designer Tiffany Hasbourne pulls back the curtain on the creative process behind Imperfect Women — exploring how wardrobe becomes emotional storytelling. From collaborating with Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss to working with luxury fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Coach, and Ralph Lauren, Tiffany shares how clothing choices revealed hidden trauma, friendship dynamics, class differences, and emotional transformation. The episode dives into costume design for film and television, creative collaboration, character psychology, color theory, luxury fashion in storytelling, and the realities of budgeting high-end productions. Tiffany explains how jackets, silhouettes, pastel palettes, couture gowns, and repeated wardrobe pieces subtly shaped audience perception without distracting from the story. The "Voice of Costume" is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. A behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world. Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation with Catherine Baumgardner. Audio available wherever you get podcasts. https://voiceofcostume.com/

Oscar-winner Colleen Atwood and designer Christine Cantella reveal the fearless creativity, humor, and teamwork behind thier long-time collaboration and thier newest film: Kiss of the Spider Woman. Legendary costume designer Colleen Atwood (Chicago, Alice in Wonderland) and acclaimed collaborator Christine Cantella join host Catherine Baumgardner on The Voice of Costume to explore the artistry and emotion behind Kiss of the Spider Woman. From their fearless childhood curiosity to crafting cinematic beauty through fabric and form, Atwood and Cantella share how empathy, humor, and mutual trust power their long creative partnership—one that began on Planet of the Apes and has flourished ever since. They break down the visual storytelling of Kiss of the Spider Woman: the shimmering gold goddess gown, the elegant blue chiffon suit, and the show-stopping tearaway green dress—each designed to reflect character, color, and movement in perfect harmony. With deep insight into research, mentorship, and the demands of production, the two discuss working with director Bill Condon, the balance between vision and budget, and why adaptability and listening are key to surviving the creative process. As Atwood reminds us, "Don't be precious—keep going." This episode is a masterclass in costume design, collaboration, and creative resilience.

When Tony-nominated designer Emilio Sosa and creative powerhouse Julia Caston joined forces for Disney's Descendants: The Rise of Red, magic happened—literally. In this vibrant interview with host Catherine Baumgardner on The Voice of Costume, they reveal how two different worlds—Broadway spectacle and cinematic precision—collided to create the franchise's boldest visual universe yet. From Balenciaga-inspired gowns for Brandy's Cinderella, to hand-rhinestoned Doc Martens, to the challenge of designing for massive dance sequences and tight shooting schedules, Emilio and Julia open up about collaboration without ego, the "best idea wins" philosophy, and the delicate balance between storytelling, fashion, and fantasy. They share behind-the-scenes pivots, like redesigning Ursula's look mid-production, and discuss how hundreds of unseen artisans—from tailors to truck drivers—bring costume dreams to life. Full of laughter, candor, and craft secrets, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about costume design, filmmaking, Broadway, Disney, collaboration, and creative resilience.