The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between
A quick walk through one of the Disney Parks lets you experience all the facets of Disney’s storytelling. From the sounds and smells to themed lands and landscaping- no detail is overlooked.
The same goes for Disney films and television shows. Disney tells their stories visually with artists, animators, performers, designers, composers, and Imagineers. However, a significant, but sometimes overlooked role, is that of the costume designer.
Just think, what would Maleficent be without her cape and horns? How about the Cast Members at the Haunted Mansion without their spooky attire? Or even Mickey’s costume at his own Halloween Party?
All of those unique pieces help to tell a story, that we are sometimes so immersed in we don’t stop to think about the important role they play.
The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between
Disney Editions is now releasing a book focusing on the art of costuming. The book will focus on the current era of costuming and not so much on the Walt era (although a prologue will still give mention to some of the “golden oldies” of the movies).
Photographic galleries will showcase costumes of Disney “heroes”, “villains” and “spaces between” from more than thirty Disney films. Readers will learn how costume designers `bring fairytales to life and face the challenge of bringing creativity and practicality together.
Brianne Gillen (costume designer) said, “The costume offers a glimpse into the character’s personality, and often it’s on a subliminal level. Because we all have an idea of what clothes convey, we immediately, and without even realizing, make a judgment about who a person is when we see them. A good costume designer helps the audience do this with a character.”
Disney Parks and Resorts
Costuming is a “vital component” of Disney Parks and Resorts all over the world. Each location houses hundreds of “actors” that are playing a part in a story. However, not all of these actors are human.
Not all of these actors are human, but they must be treated as such. Think Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain and Spaceship Earth. All of the audio-animatronics play a vital role in these attractions and costuming for these “actors” is essential.
Disneyland Resort
“Since all of Disneyland’s a stage, a decades-old employee handbook says, ‘you’ll either work backstage to keep the show going in tip-top shape, or onstage, where your every action is subject to the eyes and ears of others’… In the 1950s, the idea of viewing Disneyland as a show was unique and revolutionary- but not unexpected from a consummate showman such as Walt Disney… ‘Uniforms are for the Army,’ the handbook continues, ‘where things must be, well…uniform. We wear costumes.'”
Each costume is designed with a Cast Member’s role in mind. Even characters such as Mickey and Goofy have wardrobe changes. Mickey alone is reported to have more than 100 outfits, including sorcerer, scuba diver, caroler, and even George Washington.
Walt Disney World Resort
“With more than 1.5 million costumes, the Walt Disney World resort is one of the largest working wardrobes in the world” reported Britain’s Daily Telegraph. In the United States alone, Disney Parks employs more than 80,000 Cast Members working in roles from “mouse keeping” to transportation – each of these roles requiring their own “costume”.
Certain on-property costume warehouses hold thousands of jackets, shirts, and pants which hang from motorized racks. Disney spokesman Bob Tucker started it looks like a “dry cleaner shop on steroids”.
Disney Costuming
As years pass, certain costumes may vary slightly but at the same time, they must remain constant. For example, “Mary Poppins without her distinctive costume elements just isn’t Mary Poppins”, says Zach English, Walt Disney Imagineering costuming coordinator.
Deanna Marsigliese, character artist at Pixar Animation Studios says, “Costuming is an opportunity to really become the character […] The trick is not to think of the costume as separate from the character.. costume choices should support the storytelling, and if they’re done well they’ll tell you more about the character themselves.”
The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between will have readers exploring Disney characters, stories and history in a whole new way. Readers will have a new appreciation for the process and craft of Disney costumes.
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