Podcast
Voice Of Costume - The Untold Stories of Unseen Artists
Hosted by Catherine Baumgardner - Costume Designer and Educator · EN
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.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Are We Dressing for Ourselves Or for Everyone Watching? with Olga Mill - Netflix's BEEF
Yesterday00:54:03Tap to summarizeWhat do our clothes reveal when status, shame, ambition, and self-protection begin controlling the person we pretend to be? Costume designer Olga Mill joins Voice of Costume for a thoughtful deep dive into Season 2 of Netflix's BEEF, exploring how clothing can expose the hidden anxieties beneath wealth, taste, success, and carefully constructed identities. Olga traces her journey from immigrating from Ukraine and learning to "read the room" visually to studying costume design at NYU and cold-calling her way onto Boardwalk Empire. She then reveals how the costumes of BEEF distinguish Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, while also showing that every generation wrestles with the same desire to feel original, accomplished, secure, and seen. The conversation explores Carey Mulligan's Lindsay, whose fear of appearing "basic" produces an elevated but increasingly suffocating world of bold patterns, curated luxury, emerging designers, and Montecito style. Olga also discusses building characters with Oscar Isaac and Charles Melton, drawing inspiration from Instagram, art photography, regional fashion, the Fisher King myth, generational cycles, class aspiration, and emotional decay. Beyond fashion, this becomes an honest conversation about vulnerability, creative collaboration, fear of rejection, identity, status, shame, and the freedom that comes from separating your worth from your work. A must-listen for: Fans of BEEF, Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Charles Melton, Netflix dramas, A24, costume design, luxury fashion, generational culture, character psychology, and emotionally layered storytelling. 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/
Transcribe →How Colleen Atwood Built the Gothic World of Netflix's Wednesday
2w ago00:18:20Tap to summarizeLegendary 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/
Transcribe →Finding Confidence and Freedom In How You Dress with Marylin Fitoussi - Emily In Paris
2w ago00:35:04Tap to summarizeEmily in Paris isn't just fashion fantasy—it's a bold, maximalist manifesto for color, confidence, and dressing without rules. Costume designer Marylin Fitoussi joins Voice of Costume for a joyful, fashion-filled deep dive into the Netflix phenomenon Emily in Paris, created by Darren Star and starring Lily Collins. Marylin shares how legendary Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field chose her for the series, opening the door to a liberating creative world where "we don't care about reality" became permission to embrace color, print, vintage, couture, maximalism, and unapologetic self-expression. Marylin discusses the evolution of Emily Cooper's style—from a young American "fish out of water" in Paris to a more mature, powerful, fashion-forward woman who absorbs French chic without losing her bold individuality. She reveals the intense fitting process with Lily Collins, including trying over 100 looks in two days, designing iconic runway moments, building custom pieces, mixing high fashion with affordable brands, young designers, niche labels, vintage treasures, statement coats, and oversized jewelry. This episode is a must-listen for fans of Emily in Paris fashion, Paris style, Lily Collins, Patricia Field, Darren Star, Netflix fashion, costume design, maximalist style, and anyone who believes clothes can express personality, joy, confidence, and freedom. 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/
Transcribe →Stranger Things Costume Secrets Fans Haven't Heard Yet with Amy Parris
3w ago00:52:08Tap to summarizeStranger 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/
Transcribe →Sourcing Vintage 1970's Designs to Color in the Cold War with Anastasia Magoutas - Ponies
3w ago00:52:48Tap to summarizeA 1970s spy thriller shouldn't look gray—and Anastasia Magoutas explains how color, character, and costume rewrite the Cold War. Costume designer Anastasia Magoutas joins Voice of Costume to discuss designing PONIES for Peacock, starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson, and how she built a vibrant, stylish, emotionally grounded 1970s spy world. Raised in Queens by Greek immigrant parents, Anastasia shares how curiosity, theater, art school, NYU, and hands-on collaboration shaped her path from acting and directing into costume design. She breaks down the creative philosophy behind the show: rejecting the flat "gray Soviet filter" often used in Cold War stories and instead creating a world full of color, humor, danger, aspiration, and real people living complicated lives. Anastasia dives into sourcing vintage 1970s fashion, using LA and European costume houses, building hero coats, duplicating key garments for stunts, and finding the difference between American casual cool and European vintage elegance. The episode also explores the contrast between Bea and Twyla—one precise, polished, and controlled; the other rebellious, chaotic, and "the right kind of wrong." Anastasia shares how trust, long-term creative relationships, fear, perfectionism, and community helped her deliver a costume world that feels cinematic, character-driven, and unforgettable. 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/
Transcribe →Superheroes, Reboots, and Telling Your Actors No with Trayce Gigi Field - The Burbs, Spider-Verse
3w ago00:45:40Tap to summarizeFrom 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/
Transcribe →Inside the Creative Pressure Cooker of The Bear with Courtney Wheeler
May 1700:35:38Tap to summarizeHow do costumes quietly reveal grief, ambition, identity, burnout, and healing? In this deeply insightful conversation, The Bear costume designer Courtney Wheeler breaks down the emotional storytelling hidden inside every sweater, suit, vintage tee, and color palette across seasons 3 and 4 of the hit FX series. From designing Carmy's evolving silhouettes in Copenhagen and New York, to shaping Sugar's motherhood arc, Richie's growing confidence, and Donna's emotional recovery through wardrobe, Wheeler reveals how costume design becomes character psychology on screen. The discussion dives into the chaos of shooting two seasons simultaneously, navigating constant creative pivots, collaborating with actors like Jamie Lee Curtis, and solving unexpected production problems — including creating a practical glitter effect for a dream sequence under intense time pressure. Wheeler also opens up about burnout, work-life balance in film and television, finding creativity under pressure, and the emotional parallels between the restaurant industry and Hollywood production culture. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories from The Bear, costume design insights, creative collaboration, character development, production strategy, filmmaking process, and artistic problem-solving, this episode is a must-listen for filmmakers, costume designers, storytellers, creatives, and anyone fascinated by how visual details shape unforgettable television. 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/
Transcribe →The Secret Art of Budgeting Million-Dollar Characters with Tiffany Hasbourne - Imperfect Women
May 1300:53:22Tap to summarizeInside 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/
Transcribe →From a Broken Jaw to Iconic TV Costumes with Daniel Lawson - Elsbeth
May 101:01:20Tap to summarizeFrom a bullied rural kid to Emmy-nominated costume designer—this is a masterclass in creativity, resilience, collaboration, and storytelling through design. Daniel Lawson pulls back the curtain on shaping the visual identity of hit television series like Elsbeth, The Good Wife, and The Good Fight. In this deeply inspiring conversation, acclaimed costume designer Daniel Lawson shares how a humble upbringing in rural Indiana—marked by hard work, limited resources, and early bullying—unexpectedly became the foundation for a thriving creative career. Through the power of community theater, mentorship, and relentless curiosity, he discovered not only a passion for storytelling but a lifelong calling in costume design. Lawson shares how early mentorship and community-driven storytelling opened doors he never imagined—including a pivotal shift from acting to costume design after realizing he belonged behind the scenes. His path wasn't linear: a life-altering accident abroad forced him to rethink everything, ultimately redirecting him toward a thriving career in television and theater. The conversation dives deep into the creative process behind character-building through wardrobe, especially the evolution of Elsbeth—a character carried across three series—where bold colors, patterns, and silhouette become storytelling tools. Lawson reveals how collaboration with actors, directors, and writers shapes every costume, and why flexibility and preparation are essential in fast-paced TV production. Packed with insights on storytelling, filmmaking, costume design, creative careers, collaboration, resilience, and pivoting under pressure, this episode offers powerful lessons for any creative looking to turn obstacles into opportunity and build something meaningful. 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/
Transcribe →Reinventing the Iconic: The Missteps and Breakthroughs with Leslie Kavanagh - The Testaments
Apr 2900:59:27Tap to summarizeInside Gilead like never before—youth, color, power, and hidden control. A costume designer reveals how The Testaments reshapes a dystopian world. In this richly detailed conversation, host Catherine Baumgardner sits down with acclaimed costume designer Leslie Kavanagh to explore the visual storytelling behind The Testaments—the highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid's Tale based on The Testaments book series. Kavanagh reveals how the series shifts perspective—moving from oppression seen from the outside to a hauntingly "normal" life inside Gilead, especially through the eyes of its youth. This new lens transforms the narrative into something both beautiful and unsettling, where privilege, innocence, and control coexist. The discussion dives deep into costume design as storytelling: color psychology (plums, greens, pinks), symbolic hierarchy, and the delicate balance of individuality within strict uniformity. Kavanagh shares how dyeing fabrics, testing under lighting, and collaborating with cinematographers shape every frame—turning clothing into emotional language. Beyond aesthetics, the conversation explores creative process, failure as fuel, and the power of collaboration. Kavanagh emphasizes that great storytelling doesn't dictate meaning—it sparks conversation. Whether political, artistic, or emotional, the goal is resonance. This episode is a masterclass in film design, world-building, and the invisible artistry that transforms scripts into unforgettable visual experiences. 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/
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