CDG - The Costume Designer

SH: Grown-u Rachael is haing a conersation with little Rachael hat earls of wisdom do you share with her RS: he rst one would be to get oer body image All my life, I was skinny as a rail I took u body building and got incredibly t and had a beautiful body and yet, I still didnt think it was good enough My biggest earl of wisdom would be, accet who you are, where you are At that oint in life, its really what youre doing on the inside hats imortant Later, my worst nightmare haened, and I did gain weight All those years of angst, and here I am, ne with myself SH: hat singular costume, show, or body of work of yours are you most roud of RS: Sabrina, the eenage itch It was only a half hour show but was chock-full of made to order costumes eery single week ith the series Sisters, one of the characters started a fashion line, so I had artists aint the costumes with works of art from around the world, from Italy, Sain, America, to Jaan It was fun to be that creatie, and those both made me roud SH: hat tool would you say is the most aluable for a cos- tume designer to hae in their arsenal RS: I would say humility You cannot let your own ego get in the way Many a designer has been let go from shows or hae toredoed themseles because they will not acui- esce their ision to the director, the artist, or the roducer You must always remember, its collaboratie art If youre not willing to be humble enough to ste aside and say, okay, if this is what you really want, thats what Im going to gie you, and ut away your own ego By Suanne Huntington RACHAEL Stanley Following Rachael Stanleys recent retirement as Eecutie Director of the Costume Designers Guild after seenteen years of outstanding leader- shi, I was gien the oortunity to interiew Rachael, along with the freedom in how to conduct it Accolades for her contributions hae been echoed from our CDG resident Salador ere and ice resident Catherine Adair Its been the greatest riilege to hae had siteen amaing years with her as a boss and as a friend, and the deeest resect woen throughout it all ith that said, I took a cue from the interiew style of Bren Brown, and her raid- re uestions at the end of eery interiew It made for a delightful and refreshing forty- e minutes for Rachael and myself, and my faorite interiew to date ith gratitude, thank you, Rachael Stanleyfor eerything SH: Youe had a little time to daydream about what you want to do when you retire Now that its here, what is the number one thing you enoy doing most RS: Sleeing in Rachael chuckles SH: I loe it Short, sweet, and to the oint SH: hat is a hidden talent of yours RS: a dancing I started when I was three and took class- es into my thirties After I graduated college and moed to California, I started taking lessons again with a choreogra- her in a grou until my knees went, then the back went, and I couldnt ta anymore I really missed it and always said, you cannot be deressed while youre ta dancing he two ust dont go together my life, I was skinny as a rail I took u body building my life, I was skinny as a rail I took u body building Stanley Stanley Grown-u Rachael is haing a conersation with Stanley Grown-u Rachael is haing a conersation with little Rachael hat earls of wisdom do you share Stanley little Rachael hat earls of wisdom do you share he rst one would be to get oer body image All Stanley he rst one would be to get oer body image All he rst one would be to get oer body image All Stanley he rst one would be to get oer body image All Y 's and got incredibly t and had a beautiful body and yet, I still didnt think it was good enough My biggest earl of wisdom would be, accet who you are, where you are At that oint in life, its really what youre doing on the inside hats imortant Later, my worst nightmare haened, and I did gain weight All those years of angst, and here I am, ne hat singular costume, show, or body of work of yours It was only a half hour show but was chock-full of made to order costumes eery single , one of the characters started a fashion line, so I had artists aint the costumes with works of art from around the world, from Italy, Sain, America, to Jaan It was fun to be that creatie, and those both made Jaan It was fun to be that creatie, and those both made hat tool would you say is the most aluable for a cos- I would say humility You cannot let your own ego get in the way Many a designer has been let go from shows or hae toredoed themseles because they will not acui- esce their ision to the director, the artist, or the roducer You must always remember, its collaboratie art If youre not willing to be humble enough to ste aside and say, okay, if this is what you really want, thats what Im going to Stanley Stanley my life, I was skinny as a rail I took u body building my life, I was skinny as a rail I took u body building and got incredibly t and had a beautiful body and yet, I still didnt think it was good enough My biggest earl of Stanley Stanley he rst one would be to get oer body image All Stanley he rst one would be to get oer body image All Y Stanley 's Stanley Y 's Y Stanley Y Stanley 's Stanley Y Stanley 14 THE COSTUME DESIGNER | SPRING 2022

• Cover