Voice Of Costume - The Untold Stories of Unseen Artists

Catherine Baumgardner - Costume Designer and Educator

The stories behind the stories — from the artists who build the worlds we love. Voice of Costume goes far beyond fabric and fittings. This podcast is an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how film, television, and theater are actually made — told by the artists who rarely get the spotlight but shape everything you see on screen. Each episode features candid conversations with costume designers and creative collaborators working at every level of the industry. They share the real stories: breaking in, surviving rejection, collaborating under pressure, solving impossible problems, and finding meaning in the work when the hours are long and the budgets are tight. If you love: Behind-the-scenes stories from film, TV, and theater Creative career journeys — the wins and the failures How character, story, and psychology show up visually on screen Honest conversations about art, process, collaboration, and resilience …this podcast is for you. Voice of Costume isn't just about what people wear — it's about why choices are made, how stories are built, and what it really takes to sustain a creative life. Whether you're a filmmaker, writer, actor, designer, student, or simply someone who loves understanding how great stories come together, this podcast invites you inside the process — where creativity meets craft, and passion meets persistence. 🎧 Subscribe and listen in — because every costume has a story, and every story has a voice.

  1. FEB 17

    Stretching $25K Across Decades and 140 Looks with Maggie Whitaker - Fairyland

    Listen in for a masterclass on how to tell a story with 140 looks, on a $1M indie, across decades, with 10 days of prep time! In this deeply moving and craft-rich conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner speaks with costume designer Maggie Whitaker about her extraordinary journey designing the film Fairyland. Whitaker traces her roots from a theater-first upbringing shaped by old movies, regional summer stock, and a love of history—training that quietly prepared her for the chaos and poetry of independent filmmaking. The episode unpacks how Whitaker transitioned from decades of theater to film, learning to navigate asynchronous storytelling, brutal schedules, and microscopic budgets—while still protecting character, emotion, and truth. She offers a masterclass in designing the 1970s–80s queer San Francisco world of Fairyland, drawing from deep cultural research, personal archives, and lived community history rather than surface-level nostalgia. Whitaker reveals how costume becomes a tool for identity: characters "trying on" versions of themselves through clothing, code-switching between safety and self-expression, comfort and risk. From thrifted Victorian pieces worn by broke artists, to plaid shirts that anchor emotional continuity, the clothes chart parallel arcs of father and daughter—love, rebellion, grief, and return. Beyond design, the conversation explores mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, and leadership—how to fight diplomatically for your department, care for your team, and make meaningful art under near-impossible constraints.   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/

    1h 12m

  2. FEB 15

    Adapting A Book and One's Ego with Colin Wilkes - People We Meet On Vacation

    Creative leadership isn't control—it's vulnerability, collaboration, and choosing the right moments to stand firm. In this vibrant and deeply reflective conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner sits down with costume designer Colin Wilkes, whose work brings emotional texture and visual storytelling to the Netflix adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation. Wilkes traces a creative journey rooted in rural freedom, theater, opera, and early storytelling—spaces where imagination and observation shaped a lifelong study of people, culture, and place. The discussion dives into how costume design becomes a form of sociology: studying geography, music, art, class, and cultural behavior to make each vacation, city, and moment feel emotionally distinct. Wilkes explains how color palettes, fabric, silhouettes, and background wardrobes subtly signal time, place, and character psychology—often working below the audience's conscious awareness. From Barcelona to New Orleans, airports to weddings, every costume choice anchors the viewer in a believable world. Wilkes also reveals the challenges behind the romance: tight schedules, weather disasters, international shipping, and constant pivots—while still protecting the emotional arc of the characters. The episode explores ego, collaboration, vulnerability, and leadership, emphasizing when to fight for a creative choice and when to let go. Ultimately, the conversation becomes a meditation on purpose-driven storytelling, trust in collaboration, and how clothing can quietly chart growth, intimacy, and connection over time. 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/

    48 min

  3. FEB 13

    The Subtle Craft of Tone and Texture in Political Thrillers with Jenny Gering - The Diplomat

    Power isn't shouted in this world—it's tailored. Discover how suits, fabric, and subtle choices quietly drive tension in a political thriller. In this thoughtful and inspiring conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner sits down with acclaimed costume designer Jenny Gering, whose work spans The Americans and season three of The Diplomat. Gering reflects on her childhood split between tomboy freedom and classic Hollywood obsession, crediting old movies, vintage fashion, and storytelling as the roots of her creative instincts. The discussion traces her unconventional path into costume design—one built on curiosity, saying yes, and discovering that seemingly unrelated skills can suddenly click into purpose. Gering offers a candid look at the demands of episodic television, describing The Americans as a trial-by-fire education in speed, research, and stamina, while emphasizing the importance of mentorship, collaboration, and problem-solving under pressure. As the conversation shifts to The Diplomat, Gering unpacks the subtle art of designing for political thrillers: restrained palettes, repeated garments, and the careful use of tone and texture to differentiate characters without breaking realism. She explains how costumes must ground the audience in reality, making tension feel immediate and believable. Throughout, themes of humility, adaptability, ego-free collaboration, and lifelong curiosity emerge—offering invaluable insight for creatives navigating high-pressure storytelling environments. 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/

    44 min

  4. FEB 11

    Fantasy Child to Period World-Builder with Marion Boyce - The Artful Dodger

    From childhood fantasy to building entire worlds in fabric, this episode reveals how costume design becomes character, story, and emotion on screen. In this rich, intimate conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner sits down with acclaimed costume designer Marion Boyce to explore how imagination, research, and relentless craftsmanship shape unforgettable characters. Boyce reflects on her childhood spent in fantasy worlds, tracing a direct line from early play and family textile heritage to a career designing for some of the most visually ambitious period dramas in film and television. The discussion dives deep into her work on The Artful Dodger, unpacking how color palettes, fabric choices, and historical underpinnings communicate power, class, rebellion, and constraint—often before a character speaks a single word. Boyce reveals why books and primary visual references still matter more than fast online searches, and how accuracy in silhouette, corsetry, and underpinnings is essential to keeping an audience emotionally grounded. From designing crinolines that physically shape a character's movement, to using color as metaphor for grief, danger, and desire, Boyce explains costume as active storytelling—not decoration. She also opens up about the intense realities of production schedules, the pressure of massive builds, collaboration with directors and actors, and the personal cost of creative obsession. The episode becomes a masterclass in costume design, world-building, and the unseen labor that makes cinematic storytelling feel truthful and alive. https://www.marionboycecostume.com/ 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/

    54 min

  5. JAN 11

    How Avatar: Fire and Ash Costumes Are Built Twice: by Hand then by VFX - Deborah L. Scott

    How do you hand-craft costumes for a nine-foot-tall alien—and then rebuild them digitally? Listen in to this episode about Avatar: Fire and Ash to hear how it's done. In this deep-dive conversation, legendary costume designer Deborah L. Scott (Avatar, Titanic, Back to the Future, E.T.) joins Catherine Baumgardner to unpack the astonishing creative process behind Avatar: Fire and Ash. Scott reveals how every Na'vi costume begins with story, environment, and research—then moves through hands-on workshops, material experimentation, and ultimately into the virtual world of VFX. They explore how Weta Workshop artisans, illustrators, and visual-effects teams collaborate to translate handcrafted garments—made from organic textures, carved elements, feathers, bone-like structures, and woven fibers—into believable digital performances. Scott explains why 3D printing is used sparingly, how movement in wind and water dictates material choices, and why tactile realism often beats high-tech shortcuts. The discussion expands into the design of new Na'vi clans, including the Wind Traders and the volcanic Fire/Ash clan, highlighting how climate, culture, color palettes, body art, hair design, and symbolism shape identity and storytelling. Scott also reflects on collaboration with James Cameron, creative intuition, trusting process over perfection, and why costume designers rarely receive royalties despite defining iconic characters. This episode is a masterclass in world-building, costume design, filmmaking collaboration, VFX integration, and creative resilience, offering invaluable insight for filmmakers, designers, and storytellers alike.  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/

    48 min

  6. 12/30/2025

    From Cardboard Worlds to 3 Oscars with Jenny Beavan - The Choral

    She doesn't design clothes—she designs stories. 3-time Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan shares how storytelling, instinct, and courage—not fashion—have shaped a career spanning over 70 films. This episode focusing on her most recent film, The Choral. In this deeply inspiring conversation, Jenny reflects on growing up without television, building entire worlds from cardboard boxes, and how a single childhood encounter with Shakespeare set her life's direction. She traces her unconventional path from theatre and opera to film, revealing how saying yes to uncertainty—and embracing fear—became one of her greatest creative strengths. Together, Jenny and host Catherine Baumgardner explore the true role of costume design as invisible storytelling: creating characters audiences believe in without ever noticing the clothes. Jenny breaks down her process—from script analysis and historical research to building costumes in full 3D on mannequins—and explains why collaboration, humility, and learning every craft on the way up matter more than titles or awards. She opens up about working under extreme pressure on films like Mad Max: Fury Road and Cruella, why failure is essential to growth, and how leadership in creative fields is less about control and more about trust. Packed with life advice for artists, filmmakers, designers, and students, this episode is a masterclass in creativity, resilience, and staying curious—no matter how far you've come. 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/

    54 min

  7. 12/12/2025

    Designing Fear: How Goosebumps Costumes Shape Horror & Character - Vanessa Porter

    From shy theater kid to Disney+ horror powerhouse—Goosebumps costume designer Vanessa Porter reveals how wardrobe secretly drives fear, character, and story. In this in-depth conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner sits down with Vanessa Porter, the costume designer for Disney+'s Goosebumps, to unpack how wardrobe becomes a powerful storytelling tool in modern television and horror. Vanessa traces her journey from a quiet, shy childhood into high-school theater, CalArts training, indie film work, and eventually major studio series—highlighting how theater and film costume design overlap, and where they radically differ. The discussion dives deep into Goosebumps: balancing grounded realism with heightened horror, designing for fast production timelines, and using color palettes, textures, silhouettes, and fit to express character arcs. Vanessa breaks down specific examples—like Cassie's shift from rigid, perfectionist outfits to looser, more casual looks—and how subtle wardrobe changes track emotional growth. She also explores genre blending (horror, comedy, coming-of-age), Easter-egg inspirations from classic films like Christine, Rosemary's Baby, and 1970s horror, and how costume can quietly influence actor performance. Beyond Goosebumps, the conversation expands into career advice for designers, collaboration under pressure, working with young actors, defining success beyond awards, and why costume design communicates emotional truth that dialogue alone cannot. A must-listen for filmmakers, costume designers, theater artists, horror fans, and film students interested in visual storytelling and character-driven design. 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/

    30 min

  8. 12/07/2025

    Designing Hamnet: Using Grief, Intuition & Community to Create - Malgosia Turzanska

    Costume designer Małgosia Turzańska reveals the emotional secrets, symbolic textures, and behind-the-scenes artistry that shaped Hamnet—and how grief, intuition, and collaboration transformed the film from the inside out. In this deeply human conversation, Hamnet costume designer Małgosia Turzańska opens up about creativity, vulnerability, and the profound emotional undercurrents that guided her work. She shares how a missed chemistry test led her to filmmaking, how one breathtaking Almodóvar film unlocked her understanding of costume design, and how she builds characters from raw instinct—starting with "emotional lookbooks" drawn from nature, texture, and intuition rather than pure historical rigor. Małgosia discusses designing Agnes (Anne) and Will from the inside out, using bark cloth, color symbolism, quilted protection, and slashed leather to reflect trauma, longing, generational wounds, and rebirth. She details working with director Chloé Zhao, describing a process fueled by continuous discovery, voice-memo inspirations, and a film family centered on empathy and emotional truth. The conversation grows especially moving as Małgosia describes losing her father during production, and how grief intertwined with the film's themes, becoming both a burden and a blessing. She reflects on collaboration, artistry as healing, and the myth that costume design is "just decoration"—revealing instead how costumes become storytelling engines. This intimate, vulnerable episode is a masterclass in creativity, symbolism, filmmaking, and the emotional backbone of collaborative art. 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/

    44 min
See All (82)

4.9
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The stories behind the stories — from the artists who build the worlds we love. Voice of Costume goes far beyond fabric and fittings. This podcast is an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how film, television, and theater are actually made — told by the artists who rarely get the spotlight but shape everything you see on screen. Each episode features candid conversations with costume designers and creative collaborators working at every level of the industry. They share the real stories: breaking in, surviving rejection, collaborating under pressure, solving impossible problems, and finding meaning in the work when the hours are long and the budgets are tight. If you love: Behind-the-scenes stories from film, TV, and theater Creative career journeys — the wins and the failures How character, story, and psychology show up visually on screen Honest conversations about art, process, collaboration, and resilience …this podcast is for you. Voice of Costume isn't just about what people wear — it's about why choices are made, how stories are built, and what it really takes to sustain a creative life. Whether you're a filmmaker, writer, actor, designer, student, or simply someone who loves understanding how great stories come together, this podcast invites you inside the process — where creativity meets craft, and passion meets persistence. 🎧 Subscribe and listen in — because every costume has a story, and every story has a voice.

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