My name is Gemma Salter, I am 25-years-old and I studied Costume Construction BA Hons at University Centre South Essex from 2016 until 2020 and this is my story.

Before coming to University Centre South Essex, I had completed my A-levels and unfortunately wasn’t able to get into university straight away. From this point, I did a foundation diploma, which allowed me to gain a broader perspective of what the creative industry includes. Once I finished, I was able to apply to university successfully.

Since finishing my Costume Construction degree during the middle of the pandemic, I have been lucky enough to have completed a Christmas season at LaplandUK which was an amazing experience. I have also been accepted into the Royal Opera House costume pool.

I’m currently waiting to start my first dresser role at the Royal Opera House in a new production starting in March.

I will be helping cast members get changed into their costumes as well as assisting with any quick changes that may occur during the production. I will also be setting the costumes for the next performance as well as many other things.

I chose to study the Costume Construction course at University Centre South Essex because of the amazing connection that it has with the Royal Opera House and for the tutors, who are still working within industry whilst teaching students. 

The course has helped me know what to expect in all the different areas of the costume department, which is a lot more than people realise. I was able to talk to people who are in the industry and ask them questions that my tutors might not have specific answers for. Being able to ask them these questions, I was able to find out how they got to where they are now and what I need to do to get there.

The best thing about higher education, in all honesty is everything. Don’t get me wrong there are hard times but the whole experience was the best thing I have ever done. Gaining my degree and being able to do a job I love is a rare thing.

Throughout my course I was constantly learning new skills such as creative pattern cutting, making a tutu with head costumer from the Royal Opera House, learning how to take measurements correctly and learning how to insert a zip into a range of fabrics and costumes.

All the equipment in both the studios is what you would use in most making studios. It only differs if you were in a wardrobe department as there wouldn’t be any industrial machine, however both studios do have domestic machines that would more than likely be in every wardrobe/costume department. Everything that I used and saw in the studios I have seen in the industry.

I don’t think I have just one favourite memory from my time at university. Looking back on my time now, just being surrounded by my best friends every day and tutors that you can just have a chat with is incredible.

University Centre South Essex has been the biggest and most important part of my life, the whole Costume Construction team are one of a kind. They will support you and give you all the advice in the world and back you every step of the way. Every person that works at University Centre South Essex will always have your best interest at heart (even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time) 

While being here my confidence has grown so much. I have always been a confident person with people, but when it came to talking about my work or having confidence in my work, that was always at the bottom of the scale. Since having my work on show in the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House, I have become a lot more confident with the work I produce and the way I talk about my work to others.

My ambitions for the future is to become a costume supervisor/wardrobe manager on the west end for major shows.

If you were to tell me ten years ago that I would have a degree in Costume Construction and come out of it with a job at the Royal Opera House, I wouldn’t have believed you no matter what you said.

For more information on the Costume Construction course, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/costume-construction-ba-hons 

My name is Carrie-Ann Stein, I am 46-years-old, I studied at Costume Construction BA (Hons) at University Centre South Essex from 2016 until 2019 and this is my story.

I trained in law and then changed my career to study BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Knit at Central Saint Martins.

Before the pandemic closed the theatre industry, I was working as a set and costume designer but now I am studying fine art at the Royal College of Art. It is a pre-master's course in fine art in preparation for a Master’s degree.

I was able to undertake two internships with the Royal Opera House during my degree and my tutors were instrumental in organising additional placements at Grange Park Opera and the National Theatre.

Learning how to make a garment to a professional standard was the most valuable skill because it not only taught me practical employable skills but also how to collaborate and work with a wide range of people from performers  to production directors.

The equipment in the university studio reflected the industry standard, namely the sewing machines, overlockers, industrial irons, draping  stands, enormous pattern cutting tables and great stock of bolts of fabric and  haberdashery.

I found that during my time, the tutors and students were especially generous with their knowledge, and they were fun and inspiring to be around.

The course set me up very well for a career in the theatre industry because of its remarkable combination of practical training, collaboration and direct theatre experience.

2019 was a very good year for me professionally. I won the Costume Society Award; the Royal Opera House Design Prize; and I was a finalist of the Linbury  Prize for Stage Design which led to a bursary to work on the set design of a production at the Royal Opera House (although this was later cancelled due to  the pandemic.)

My time at the university has been instrumental in building narrative skills and helping to compose a scene of characters in a setting. The practical garment- making component of the course has become a unique part of my fine art methodology influencing how I construct an image.

All of this has led to me to an offer to study a Master's in fine art print at the Royal College of Art, which I will be starting in September 2022.

For more information on the Costume Construction course, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/costume-construction-ba-hons

My name is Deborah Wingfield, I am 40 years old, I studied Costume Construction at University Centre South Essex from 2018 until 2021 and this is my story.

I am a mum of four children and I was taking on the odd alteration job here and there whilst running my family. Sewing is a life-long skill I have had since I was eight years old! 

I did a fashion design course when I left school. I had many jobs before having children but none were what I really wanted to do. Although I had my family to raise and this was a full-time job for a period of my life, I managed to make time to be creative and was inspired by children’s costumes. I made costumes for my children and created a side-line of little tutus. 

I came across the course by chance at a time when I wasn’t even thinking about returning to study. I discovered that the course was located only 12 minutes from my house and was in collaboration with the Royal Opera House. I was immediately excited as I could really see myself doing it but I was so nervous. 

I attended the open day and then applied for the foundation pathway course. The course was a challenge to manage around running my family but as it was so near and lots of the elements were practical, I managed to make it work.

I learned historical pattern design and construction, classical tutu making taught by the Royal Opera House makers, conservation techniques, research skills, drawing skills, how to design professionally - making sure to include all relevant information within a presentation. How to work within a group, time management, improved writing skills, how to invoice for the appropriate industries and I even learned how to build a website for my portfolio of work which proved valuable when applying for work. 

During the course I managed to set up an alterations business. I found this a good way to learn how things are put together by taking them apart and putting them back together again. My aim was to finish the course not just with a qualification but with real first-hand experience. 

Having a business and qualifications really did help with finding jobs in the costume Industry. Being a qualified experienced seamstress people seem to trust your knowledge and skills. Having an eye-catching portfolio and website really helped sell my skills. I have designed for the Digby Fairweather’s Jazz centre in Southend for their ‘How Fashion shaped Jazz’ project whilst being on the course and the project is now a feature on their website. Also for one of our last university projects our costumes were entered in to a design challenge competition with The Royal Opera House. This meant that all work up to a high standard could be entered and would be displayed at the theatre in Covent Garden and would be displayed on the ROH website. 

Since completing my course I have continued to work within my own bridal alterations business.

I have worked for Sevenoaks Panto for just over a month as wardrobe supervisor. I was running costumes for a total cast of 20 people, this included four band members, eight dancers and eight principles. I spent the first week arranging fittings with the cast and adapting/altering their costumes. When the show began I was managing the maintenance and up keep of the costumes. I had also created a costume track/plot and was responsible for overseeing back stage quick change/dressing roles. This was my biggest achievement yet as the show continued to go on during a risky time as covid19 was a big threat and other theatres were closing.

I took on some work experience with Britain’s Got Talent’s La Voix (a contact made through the course) on her UK tour. I gained experience in assistant stage management duties as well as learning a dressing track and how to prepare for a show and relevant technical information.

 My current position is one of four designers for a low budget film. I was quite nervous about the interview as I aimed for the highest position. But once I had showcased my previous designs and explained my journey so far – my experience in different areas of costume, how I had managed to run my business between jobs and that now I would really like get my teeth into designing professionally, this really helped with my confidence.

If it wasn’t for this course, I wouldn’t have come so far as I have today and hope to keep growing with experience and gaining work in future productions. I gained so much confidence in my work and developed my skill set with professional industry guidance. In the future I would like to design/make for TV and film.

The best thing about doing further or higher education is reaching the finish line and having a huge sense of achievement and being able to own having completed a degree programme and that is yours forever.

The staff at University Centre South Essex were very supportive especially through the pandemic. It’s a great place to study with everything you need to help you progress through the course. 

My time at the University Centre help me with  professionalism- how to write, email and speak more professionally in presentations and interviews. I suffer with on-going anxiety so these skills are just as highly valuable as my practical skills also built on throughout the course. I have been able to turn a hobby into a successful profession.
 

My name is Georgia Nichols ,I am 23 and in my second year of the Costume Construction BA course, and I am hoping to achieve a Level 3 Diploma in Garment Making.

I am currently doing an apprenticeship, working at the Royal Opera House in the ladies costume production workroom. My job requires making costumes for new opera and ballet productions at the Royal Opera House. I applied for the apprenticeship when I saw it online. At my interview, I did some simple sewing tasks and brought in a portfolio of a few things I had made. There's a wide variety of types of costumes that we make, some days we're all working on tutus and some days they are big ballgowns! 
 
Before my apprenticeship, I was working an unrelated administration job and taught myself how to sew for fun during lockdown. The apprenticeship gave me an opportunity to enter into my dream career, which I didn't think would be possible without doing a four-year university degree.
 
I chose to study at South Essex Colleges Group because the Costume Construction BA course is closely tied to the Royal Opera House, which is why it's the course the apprentices are put on so it gives you incredible opportunities you wouldn’t get elsewhere.
 
I've learned a lot of new techniques during my time at college. It's really useful to get as many different types of guidance as possible. It's really important to have multiple different methods of doing things, taught by a wide diversity of different people, both in the workroom and at college. I like to pick and choose which methods I want to use in my work, and it makes me a better maker.

The best thing about doing higher education is the space to experiment and ask questions to further my craft. Taking the time to really understand things is really important for my learning. I've learned a really wide array of technical sewing skills which have proved really valuable every day, both from college and my workplace. Working across both environments has also given me experience in adapting to different work places and styles, my teacher will do something different to my workroom manager, so I get to experience both sides of that and broaden my knowledge.
 
My greatest achievement so far, is when I spent six months in the Royal Opera House men's workroom, and just completed an 11-week tailoring unit in college, and I'm really proud of the advancements I've made in tailoring specifically since I started my apprenticeship. It's a tricky craft, and I really didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I do, but it's my favourite part of costume now!
 
I'm looking forward to freelancing after I graduate in August this year. I want to get as much experience as possible, and I'm excited to branch out into doing some film costume as well as continue my theatre journey.