Your Guide to Creative China
Theatrical chic costume design
Published December 9, 2011
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It just wouldn't be Christmas without some suitably magical theater, and that's exactly what local performers SRT's The Enchanted Circus of Grimm delivers. Picking up after the happily ever afters of Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin and co, the show promises a fantastical journey with a troupe of fairytale characters... Whilst talented actors and a great story are a given, we caught up with costume designers Sandra Richefort and Marion Rosset whose creative visions will add a little extra drama to the festive production.
First up, some background: after moving to Shanghai some seven years ago, Sandra set up fashion concept store Les Lucioles. Several years and a baby later, astronomical Jinxian Lu rents drove her out and prompted a rethink: cue the launch of own company Shine Image Consulting, as well an enviable role with Euro-brand Etam. In short, she's a busy lady.
Likewise, fellow French expat Marion has also been quick to grasp the entrepreneurial opportunities Shanghai presents. In her case, it was a role with cool Japanese designer Mayumi Sato that proved the catalyst for change. After heading back to France to retrain, she returned to China this year with a qualification from Paris' prestigious Mod'Art - taught by milliner to the stars Jean-Pierre Tritz, no less - and launched The Hat Lab. Her vintage-inspired headwear is available at Shanghai's Hummingbird, be sure to take a look.
Marion modeling a piece from her latest collection...
A flair for fashion is one thing, but how, I wonder, does that translate into designing for the stage? "I met Rosita [Janbakhsh, founder of SRT] whilst being an extra for a movie four or five years ago", recalls Sandra. "We had to wait for hours and so of course we got chatting and became friends. Two years later, she was a producer in her own theatre company and I'd opened my store". Later still, Sandra would wind up creating the costumes for the group's production of Twelfth Night earlier this year, and when the opportunity arose to design for this winter's dark fairytale, couldn't refuse.
A circus theme called for hats, and Sandra was adamant that Marion get involved: "It's my first big project and a real challenge. Making hats for a play is something a bit different – for example, they have to be more resilient than usual as the actors move around a lot... you don't want feathers to fall off! The theme is a great one to work with. When I came onboard, Sandra already had an idea of the costumes and colour palettes so I worked from there, matching materials, feathers and buttons to each character."
The resulting creations are beautiful – whimsical and exotic, they're the perfect complement to Sandra's carefully considered costumes, sourced from local markets, taobao, and happily given SRT's limited budget, extensively from her own eclectic wardrobe.
"When I started, the script wasn't completely ready, but in any case it was more important to hear what Rosita had to say about it, and hear some of the music they're using – it's quite inspiring actually". Based on these insights, snippets and ideas, Sandra came up with intricate mood-boards for each character, jam-packed with photos, colour swatches and notes, all with an astonishing level of detail.
"I like to accessorize a lot, I think it's really important", explains Sandra. "Sometimes you go to see a play and the actors just have costumes, but it's the details that add a theatrical, believable element. Things like necklaces, bracelets – these really add to the personality of the character".
When CreativeHunt meets with the two designers, there's still a week until the premiere and Marion in particular is busy. "Dance is an important element of the whole play, and you need to take that into consideration. Sandra already had an idea for the volume of each hat but I need to work with her and the cast to find out if a particular actor moves around a lot of stays in one place – it affects the hat and ultimately they need to be comfortable".
A work in progress, the lion tamers headwear is all chains and beads, whilst a tightrope walker will don an extravagant feathered creation, both beautiful and somehow evocative of faded glamour, a time-worn circus or bohemian burlesque. Comprising bits of old jewelery, leather from India, fabric from France and "a lot of stuff from the accessory market on Remnin Lu", they're sure to shine on the SRT stage.
To see Marion and Sandra's creations come to life, be sure to check out SRT's The Enchanted Circus of Grimm at Ke Center until 18 December. For the full listing, click here.
First up, some background: after moving to Shanghai some seven years ago, Sandra set up fashion concept store Les Lucioles. Several years and a baby later, astronomical Jinxian Lu rents drove her out and prompted a rethink: cue the launch of own company Shine Image Consulting, as well an enviable role with Euro-brand Etam. In short, she's a busy lady.
Likewise, fellow French expat Marion has also been quick to grasp the entrepreneurial opportunities Shanghai presents. In her case, it was a role with cool Japanese designer Mayumi Sato that proved the catalyst for change. After heading back to France to retrain, she returned to China this year with a qualification from Paris' prestigious Mod'Art - taught by milliner to the stars Jean-Pierre Tritz, no less - and launched The Hat Lab. Her vintage-inspired headwear is available at Shanghai's Hummingbird, be sure to take a look.
Marion modeling a piece from her latest collection...
A flair for fashion is one thing, but how, I wonder, does that translate into designing for the stage? "I met Rosita [Janbakhsh, founder of SRT] whilst being an extra for a movie four or five years ago", recalls Sandra. "We had to wait for hours and so of course we got chatting and became friends. Two years later, she was a producer in her own theatre company and I'd opened my store". Later still, Sandra would wind up creating the costumes for the group's production of Twelfth Night earlier this year, and when the opportunity arose to design for this winter's dark fairytale, couldn't refuse.
A circus theme called for hats, and Sandra was adamant that Marion get involved: "It's my first big project and a real challenge. Making hats for a play is something a bit different – for example, they have to be more resilient than usual as the actors move around a lot... you don't want feathers to fall off! The theme is a great one to work with. When I came onboard, Sandra already had an idea of the costumes and colour palettes so I worked from there, matching materials, feathers and buttons to each character."
The resulting creations are beautiful – whimsical and exotic, they're the perfect complement to Sandra's carefully considered costumes, sourced from local markets, taobao, and happily given SRT's limited budget, extensively from her own eclectic wardrobe.
"When I started, the script wasn't completely ready, but in any case it was more important to hear what Rosita had to say about it, and hear some of the music they're using – it's quite inspiring actually". Based on these insights, snippets and ideas, Sandra came up with intricate mood-boards for each character, jam-packed with photos, colour swatches and notes, all with an astonishing level of detail.
"I like to accessorize a lot, I think it's really important", explains Sandra. "Sometimes you go to see a play and the actors just have costumes, but it's the details that add a theatrical, believable element. Things like necklaces, bracelets – these really add to the personality of the character".
When CreativeHunt meets with the two designers, there's still a week until the premiere and Marion in particular is busy. "Dance is an important element of the whole play, and you need to take that into consideration. Sandra already had an idea for the volume of each hat but I need to work with her and the cast to find out if a particular actor moves around a lot of stays in one place – it affects the hat and ultimately they need to be comfortable".
A work in progress, the lion tamers headwear is all chains and beads, whilst a tightrope walker will don an extravagant feathered creation, both beautiful and somehow evocative of faded glamour, a time-worn circus or bohemian burlesque. Comprising bits of old jewelery, leather from India, fabric from France and "a lot of stuff from the accessory market on Remnin Lu", they're sure to shine on the SRT stage.
To see Marion and Sandra's creations come to life, be sure to check out SRT's The Enchanted Circus of Grimm at Ke Center until 18 December. For the full listing, click here.
