We've all seen the original High School Musical, but what about High School Musical The Musical The Series? The new show streams on Disney+, from spectacular actors, to phenomenal writing, the show was bound to be a hit, but the costumes are what catches my eye. Blair Levin is a Los Angeles based costume designer and stylist. She most recently worked on HSMTMTS. She was kind enough to answer some questions about her work on the show and advice for young people wanting to get into the fashion industry!
How did you get involved with High School Musical The Musical The Series? What immediately drew you to wanting to work on the show?
I really like costuming shows about kids in high school. I get to be creative and show different types of personalities through the kids. Think breakfast club - although that reference may be too old for you.
Where did you get inspiration for the costumes? Did the actors’ personal style influence you?
To answer your question, actors' personal styles rarely influence the designer. (Unless maybe they’re a big character actor). But remember actors are playing characters so it’s the style of the character that is truly important. You want that actor to take on the character fully - style and all. Of course it always helps when an actors' style or personality complements their character. If the characters' style is similar to their own then they may feel more comfortable in the clothes.
How was the original movie an influence to the character’s personal style and show costumes?
The original movie served more as a jumping off point for the series. And it helped to inspire me for when they recreated the musical in the tv show.
What is your process when styling a character’s costumes? If you used moodboards, how did they change over time when understanding a character more?
As for mood boards, I find them really helpful for the actors to see what I’m thinking. And from there we can talk about how both they see their character and how I can bring that character to life through the clothing, accessories, etc. As the characters evolve so can their style.
Do you have any advice for young people wanting to get into costume designing/styling?
As for advice to young designers out there - most important is to know references, styles of all periods, movie references, designers. I believe the key is knowledge, the more you know the more you have to offer. Study history of costume, history of fashion. Really understand it. And I think it’s important that you know how to sew and understand the fundamentals of design. If you understand fabrics, how something drapes, how clothing can interact with the camera lens - all these things can really prove helpful when designing a look or a character.
Thank you to Blair for taking the time answer these questions! Make sure to check out her website BlairLevin.com and stream High School Musical The Musical The Series on Disney+!
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