Bring Your Imagination to Life with Costuming for Stage and Screen at CapU

Share your creativity with the world, on the stage, and on screens big and small.

This article was written by Jasper Chu for Capilano University.

If you've been inspired by the costuming of your favorite television series, movies, or live plays, you can bring your vision to life and turn it into a fulfilling career at Capilano University (CapU) through Costuming for Stage and Screen.

Founded in 1999 as a one-year certificate program by Kim Bothen, a professional costume builder and designer, the program was initially taught out of a portable (designated as "P Building") with limited equipment.

"Our department assistant snuck me a key to the storage room, so I went in and 'borrowed' a bunch of desks, bulletin boards, and chairs," she recalled.

Bothen continued developing the program over the next two years, succeeding in launching Costuming for Theatre and Film in 2001 with her colleagues, film costumer Jane Still and textile instructor Anthea Mallinson.

"We all had experience at a high production level and knew what that looked like," Bothen said, reflecting on their role in developing the program. "We wanted to show our students what was possible."

Expanding opportunities for creative professionals

The two-year Costuming for Stage and Screen diploma program was launched in 2008 and expanded to include two new outfitted classrooms and master classes in textiles, millinery, corsetry, design theory, and other subjects.

What you'll learn in Costuming for Stage and Screen

Over two years, you'll learn in an environment that allows you to gain practical experience that sets you up for future industry success. You'll work hands-on in two professional costuming workshops that are considered among the best in Canada.

Learning from instructors with decades of industry experience, you'll cover subjects including:

• Costuming history and construction techniques
• Using textiles and managing wardrobes

In your final term, you'll participate in an intensive where you'll work with professionals to build specialized skills in:

• Millinery
• Tailoring
• Special effects costuming
• Garment draping
• Corsetry
• Surface design
• Garment illustration

Ready to make your mark?

Once you graduate, you'll have the skills to get your start in the entertainment world. Ready to make a lasting impact in the creative arts? Get started at CapU!