Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1124767
38 The Costume Designer Spring 2019 Michelle Cole H Opera where I did Grease, Music Man, and eventually, a production of My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison's son— talk about full circle. This meant so much to me. I worked on incredible commercials with creative directors. In the '80s there were a lot of big campaigns with celebrities like Whitney Huston, Cindy Crawford, and Miles Davis. In those days, it took two weeks instead of four days. We traveled all over the world. Marilyn Vance got me my first union show because she knew the producer for In Living Color and recommended me, the rest is, as they say, is history. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROCESS. I have a whole library that covers fashion, culture, and history. I go back to those reference books. Also, I'm always photographing people, I always observe people when I'm traveling. Just looking at what a person has on is like looking at a piece of art to me. My parents are from the South, so I come from texture. I come from vel- vet at Christmas, searsucker and patent shoes at Easter, suede shoes in the fall. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR COLLABORATORS AND MUSES. I've been fortunate to have actors and creators I've been able to explore with. I knew I nailed In Living Color my first season because Ret Turner called me personally to tell me how great of a job I was doing. I remember this as one of the highlights of my career. With his blessing, I knew I was on my way. I think of Keenan Ivory Wayans who was the creator of In Living Color and Larry Wilmore who did Bernie Mac, and Kenyan Barris with Black-ish, Grown-ish, Mixed-ish. The thread all of them have in common is a vision for the show that they're creating and also allow- ing me as a designer and other department heads to do their job well. They allowed us to just go for it. TELL ME ABOUT BLACK-ISH? Anthony Anderson is so easy and so much fun to dress. The sense of humor that he has, and he has this family, and these great clothes that he wears—he let's us play. He is such a great executive producer as well. Michelle Cole photographed by Julia Johnson. Hair by Connie Kallos and makeup by Angela Nogaro. Suit on Michelle Cole by Argent. Jewelry by Sylvie Corbelin. HOW DID YOU COME TO COSTUME DESIGN? My father loved film. We would attend the Beverly Cinema together all the time. I saw Gaslight, North by Northwest, but when I saw My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn I was blown away by the costumes. I said, "Dad, I want to be a Costume Designer." For my father, education was important. He said, "Let's figure out a plan." He signed me up for sewing classes. Because my mom was a drama teacher, I did plays in our garage and designed all the costumes. In college, I studied draping and tailoring, and took textile classes. My first job was with Kathi Nishimoto in the stock room for The Young and the Restless. I worked in the- ater on the weekends. I became an assistant designer for Garland Riddle and worked at Long Beach Civic Light