While most of us doze through a biology lecture or zone out in a business class, Raissa Bretana (CFA ’13) sits in the costume shop at the Huntington Theatre, sewing feathers on a fabulous 1920s style hat or completing the boning of a corset. As one of only four Costume Design majors in the class of 2013, Raissa’s life at BU is unknown and unfamiliar to most other students.
HCBU: When did you realize that you wanted to be a costume designer?
Raissa: I have been absolutely fascinated by the costumes in film and theatre for as long as I can remember, and was always drawing and making clothes as a child…well, trying my best to, anyway! Throughout high school, I devoted a lot of my time to performing in community theatre and school productions. When I wasn’t dancing onstage, I was getting involved with costumes…and it turned out that I had a real talent for it. I quickly became much better at designing than performing, and decided to pursue costume design as a career towards the end of my sophomore year in high school. I’m very lucky that I found my passion at that age—it gave me a nice little head start in building my resume!
What is your class schedule like?
My class schedule is nothing short of hectic. Almost all of my classes are held at the Boston University Theatre, and I spend anywhere from 6 to 15 hours there on any given day. I’m in the Bachelor of Fine Arts conservatory program, so I get to take classes that are very specific to my major—Costume Design, Costume Rendering, Millinery, Fabric Dyeing, Contemporary Men’s Tailoring, History of Costume, and Textiles, to name a few. I have classes from about 9:00am to 4:00pm, and go straight into Production from 4:00pm to 10:00pm. During Production hours, theatre design students split off into their respective departments and we work on the university shows and operas we have been assigned to. I sometimes hang around after Production and work on some homework in the costume shop, so I usually don’t get home until very late. They’re really long days, but I like to stay busy!
What are some of your favorite projects?
I get to make some pretty fantastic things in my classes, so it’s hard to pick favorites! I’m very proud of the 18th century French gown I made in my Costume Production class last year. We made everything—from the corseted under-structure to the layers of petticoats, extravagant trimmings, and matching hat. I’m also quite fond of some of the hats I made in my Millinery class. I think my favorite would have to be the 1920’s aubergine fur felt cloche I modeled after a hat I saw Marion Davies wearing in a silent film once. It was quite fabulous!
Tell us about your past internships.
I recently returned from studying abroad in London, where I interned at Angels the Costumiers. It was an extremely educational experience to work at one of the largest costume houses in the world, where I spent a lot of time in their enormous stock filled with costumes that have appeared in the biggest films, television shows, and theatrical productions. It was great to get up close to these costumes and really be able study their design and construction. I also had the opportunity to intern at Western Costume Company in Los Angeles—another internationally renowned costume house that has been providing costumes for Hollywood films for a century. I interned in the costume research department, where I helped film designers compile inspiration images from a vast library of rare historical books, photographs, and publications. It was an invaluable experience being able to work with respected designers as they developed their artistic visions for major motion pictures. While at Western Costume Company, I also interned in the Star Collection, which is home to some of the most priceless and iconic costumes in Hollywood history. It was a unique educational experience and I learned a lot about museum collections management—such as properly cataloguing, preserving, and packing antique pieces. I got to see some truly incredible pieces…like costumes from The Sound of Music, a dress from Gone with the Wind, the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, and an outfit worn by Marilyn Monroe. Not a bad gig!
What motivates you to work so hard?
As cliche as it sounds, it really is the love of the craft that keeps me going. I can get really frustrated sometimes and threaten to quit, but I always end up back in the costume shop doing my thing. At the end of an especially long day, I ask myself why I do it…and it is honestly because I love it so much. It is such a satisfying feeling to see my work come to fruition and that is what motivates me to create more. I also draw inspiration from seeing others’ work—not only because I appreciate the fine craftsmanship within the costume industry, but also because I’m extremely competitive.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently assistant designing “Dialogues of the Carmelites” at the Huntington Theatre Company here in Boston. The opera is set during the French Revolution and has an enormous number of costumes…so we have a lot of exciting work ahead of us in the next couple months. I just got back from New York City a few days ago, where the designer and I ran all over the Fashion District in search of the perfect fabric to make some fabulous costume pieces. It’s going to be a beautiful production, so come check it out! April 19-22 at the Huntington Theatre!
What are some of your other hobbies and favorite activities?
What? Who has time for hobbies? I don’t have too much free time, but I do take in a Broadway show any chance I get! I like to do yoga and bake cupcakes to relieve stress…I also like to eat cupcakes, stressed or not. My truest love is traveling, and I am completely enamored with it. I like to take in all a foreign place has to offer—the culture, food, shopping, art, architecture, traditions—I love it all. I was able to do quite a bit of traveling around Europe while I was studying abroad, but I still have a long list of destinations I have to get to!
What comes next in the life plan? / What is your dream project?
After I finish my degree, I plan to move back to the beautiful weather in Los Angeles (where I am originally from) and start working in the biz! I hope to get a job as a costume production assistant or set costumer, then work my way up the ranks and eventually become a costume designer in film. I am also aching to return to London and see more of the world, so I dream of working on a huge historical film that is lush with extravagant period costumes and must be filmed abroad. That would just be too delicious, wouldn’t it? I also fantasize about designing glitzy movie musicals, because they are what inspired my interest in costumes at a young age. I have some pretty big aspirations…but then again, I’m a pretty ambitious girl.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter.