CDG - The Costume Designer

"It w h ac r's z a F d ni c e a spac • t • t w• k• M d —a c € rucƒ n job • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." One ' S" " 's fav• — e co€ u˜ s w w• k ™ š Brad P— t c € rucž ng ¡ spac • ts ¢ Ad A€ ra. "It w a f¤ project, b¦ § ˆ ¨ g beca‡ e — © d a g ª " ' « n¬ ® § — ectu ." Sam Salman IG: @northerncostume northerncostume.com With so many new studios operating in the Santa Clarita area, costume designers will be happy to know Sal Salman is the co-ownertailor of orthern Costume, the recently union organized costume work- room in neighboring alencia. He's come a long way since his mother helped him make new looks for his sister's Barbie at the early age of seven Following his passion for sewing, Salman attended Los Angeles Trade-Technical College LATTC where he learned the foundation of garment design and construction. He ventured into fashion until a few jobs on commer- cials and on a movie, proved the entertainment industry was for him. "It was intoxicating," he says, "so I took a leap of faith, and returned to school at CalARTs to further my education in costume design." The impetus for opening orthern Costumes with partner Zach Theberge was twofold. Salman was working as a shop manager at a non-union costume house that took c e a spac • t • t w• k• M d —a c € rucƒ n job • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." c e a spac • t • t w• k• M d —a c € rucƒ n job • t ‡ uˆ y tak a wŠ k." c e a spac • t • t w• k• M d —a c € rucƒ n job advantage of the employees, especially in terms of extended hours. "It was nothing to get an actor's sizes on a Friday night to create a space- suit that worked on Mondaya construction job that usually takes a week." He also noticed there were no union costume workshops near the new studios by his home in Canyon Country. Salman saw it as a win-win opportunity. He could protect his workers, pay them decent wages and overtime, and wouldn't have to drive so far to work. One of Salman's favorite costumes was working with Brad Pitt costume designer Albert Wolsky constructing the spacesuits for Ad Astra. "It was a fun project, but challenging because it had a great deal of in- ner architecture." When making multiples, he transforms from making one garment at a time to a production-style manufacturing. "Tailoring helps elevate the look of any garment from off -the-rack to custom fi t. To me, the most rewarding thing about tailoring is the aesthetic of the fi nal garment, crisp and refi ned." 44 THE COSTUME DESIGNER | FALL 2021

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