Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1260659
Spring 2020 The Costume Designer 39 STAYING INSPIRED From Reflection to Creation; An Unexpected Journey A visit to the past was the underlying theme woven throughout all the projects Leighton Bowers immersed herself in, which proved more entertaining than any app, and served as a litmus test to Bowers' knowledge of costume history. Utilizing detective work to pinpoint dates from the boxes of 19th-century cabinet cards of Western Costume's library, she cast a larger net by joining a Facebook genealogy group to assist in dating other people's posted photos. Bowers' process was aided further with the addition of an eager new research assistant, her 3-year-old daughter, whose utter fascination with the array of fashion plates played a role in casting her part. The whole family then launched a fun series of photographic recreations from some of the world's most famous paintings that are uncanny in their accuracy! Where do we draw our inspiration? The sources are endless and unique to everyone. For some, a look back provides the rich canvas of ideas; for others, pets serve as muse and comfort, while a few embrace passion projects left dormant due to the pressing demands of our professional careers. Whether we are stirred to create a tangible thing or ruminate the possibilities, both yield the true gift— nourishment of the creative self. By Suzanne Huntington Samantha Kuester has been staying inspired by doing render- ings of some of her designs from past projects. It served as a rewarding process for Kuester to dust those pencils off and me- morialize some of her cherished designs. Derek Bulger teamed up with probably the youngest creative direc- tor yet—his best friend's 8-year-old daughter, Clara. She doled out daily mash- up illustrative exercises providing a fun, cre- ative challenge for them both. Day one kicked off with President Trump as Queen of England and the inventive youth seg- ued to reimaging Freddie Mercury morphed into an animal. With Frank Ippolito's shop Thingergy shut down and empty, he finally had the oppor- tunity to devote time to a personal project, rebuilding and restoring one of his motorcycles. Along with rebuilding the 1995 Ducati Mon- ster 900, Ippolito de- cided to document the development with a se- ries of YouTube videos '95 Ducati Rebuild. Narration, soundtrack, and humor included. Leighton Bowers Derek Bulger Frank Ippolito Samantha Kuester