It's often said that costume designers are a faceless group of people. But we can contribute to fashion in a way that might be new and different.

I can create clothes for so many different time periods. I've always tried to avoid being pigeonholed. Plus, everything I learn about design and costume from one movie somehow works its way into something else.

The right costume determines the character, helps the actor feel who he is, and serves the story.

Costume, hair and makeup can tell you instantly, or at least give you a larger perception of who a character is. It's the first impression that you have of the character before they open their mouth, so it really does establish who they are.

I design for the movie and the character as well as the person wearing the costume. I show the ideas to the actor, then do fittings for shape and technical things such as movement in the costume. Once the costume in this form is on the actor, you have a sense of their connection with it. I then take it to the next level with the final fit.

It is at despair at not being able to be noble and beautiful by natural means that we have made up our faces so strangely.