The thread between us: costuming as connection and cultural imagination

Theater is a collaborative art form where designers, directors, actors, and technicians come together to build entire worlds. As a costume designer, I use fabric, color, and texture to help tell those stories, transforming the written script into a visual language that supports character, mood, and meaning.

My work explores how clothing can shape both a character s identity and an actor s performance. The weight of a heavy coat, the restriction of a corset, or the looseness of a sweatshirt doesn t just dress the actor, it informs how the character moves, holds themselves, and engages with the world. These physical qualities of clothing evoke emotional states, helping actors access their roles more intuitively while visually revealing the character s inner life and social context.

I also approach costume design as a community artist. Inspired by underground subcultures and grassroots events, I see theater as a space for connection, sustainability, and shared imagination. Whether I m collaborating with fellow students or community collaborators, I treat design as an act of care and seek to invite audiences into the world we ve created.

This thesis presents a collection of my work and research as an M.F.A. costume design student at the University of Iowa, highlighting how curiosity, collaboration, and storytelling shape my design process.