Embedded Files
The foundational knowledge I learned through my fashion design diploma at Blanche Macdonald (BM) was integral to my deep understanding of textiles, garment construction, sewing, pattern making, alterations, and, most importantly, a strong work ethic. Before I started at BM, I was self-taught and created my own (unprofessional) methods for garment construction. Therefore, I arrogantly tried to cut corners and complete projects my way. Brenda, my sewing instructor, would not accept substandard results and demanded that I repeatedly unpick and restitch my projects. At first, I was frustrated to redo what I thought was “good enough.” I learned it is faster to unpick thread using sharp pointy scissors and pull the garment apart than using a seam ripper. I discovered the meaning of perfection, that 1/16” mattered. Brenda helped instill my perseverance and belief to achieve high-quality results. By forcing me to redo my work, I practiced, improved, and became professional. I internalized the high standards Brenda set for me and started setting them for myself. I improved my grade from 85 to 94 in Garment Construction (8.1 Blanche Macdonald Centre Fashion Design Transcript). I carry a dedication to fixing my mistakes, although it costs additional effort and time because I know my integrity is worth it.
Years later, when preparing newsletters for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (CCCT), I made multiple drafts and sent out test copies before I published them to subscribers. I knew that if I could see what was wrong or how to improve it, I was responsible for doing my best work. I had initially learned this from Brenda, but now the voice I cannot ignore is my own. I can never say my work is “good enough” until it is.
A great test of the professional knowledge and skills I gained through life experience working with clothing was when I was the costume designer for Tomorrow’s Star. I remembered what I learned about assertiveness from meetings with Carrie Kellenberger at the Chamber and applied it during the hiring process. To negotiate my contract, I believed in myself and asked for what I wanted. I wrote a formal letter to the production team, highlighting my experiences of prior music videos and styling with Lara and the multiple plays I worked on at The LAB. Producing the feature film not only required me to draw upon these experiences but to learn new abilities quickly to meet the challenge of sourcing about 200 outfits for 37 scenes in a mere five weeks of pre-production planning. This was incredibly stressful, but the pressure forced me to rise to the occasion.
Working with many different actors at The LAB taught me how to interact with actors professionally. I applied the system I developed: I met with the actors and built rapport by discussing their interpretations and opinions of their characters while I recorded measurements. Having a directed conversation helped the actors feel more at ease and was an excellent time to learn about their preferences and manage costume expectations. As I had done at The LAB, I combed through the script to create a costume list for each actor. My organizational skills as an ESL teacher came into play, chronologically sorting actors’ costumes by shooting date and scene like I would class materials for future lessons. The Mood Board course from Burda Style gave me the Adobe Illustrator skills to create a 200+ page fitting reference guide during filming. The Chinese class I took at Ming Chuan University earlier in the year helped me navigate conversations easier, and I learned much new vocabulary.
A few scenes challenged my creativity and my resourcefulness to save our budget. One of the first scenes we filmed with a large group of extras was when Lara discovers a warehouse dance party. The personal styling course from the Association of Professional Image (AOPI) helped me quickly assess the body types of extras and which garments would look best. Without this course, I would have been much less efficient at this process, and the result might have looked less cohesive. I had recently watched the documentary Wild Wild Country on Netflix, the Rajneesh cult documentary, and was inspired by the color palette of maroon, red, and hues of pink. To achieve a similar mood and save time and money, I directed the 60+ extras to each bring 2-3 outfits in those colors and personally approved each. Because this method was so successful, I applied what I learned when we filmed the press conference scenes for 8.2 Tomorrow's Star - "Watch Out" Music Video. I requested the 70+ group of extras to bring two sets each of office wear and casual clothes, predominately in black and white, to have enough options to pick and choose which extras would look best posing as either fans, photographers, or press. I used the pipe cleaner rack labeling method I developed from styling events for Lara when I had to organize the outfits for the main actors in this scene. The How to Be a Together Teacher course taught me to reconcile all information in the same place. I kept a clipboard, like in my ESL class, where I cross-referenced the shooting schedule sequence and my fitting reference with the order of costumes on the rack. This high level of organization enabled me to find costumes quickly and prepare the correct costumes for each actor for the following scene, saving valuable time on set.
There were three awards show scenes in the film, potentially the highest-cost scenes regarding wardrobe. A couture designer friend of Lara’s, Ruby Wang, sponsored the award show scenes, shipping over 50 gowns and 50 men’s suits from China that I selected from her extensive catalog. I had to estimate and choose a range of sizes and preplan a few dress options that would fit main cast members. My experience at The LAB was integral to my success as I had learned to gather complete measurements at the first fitting and knew from my shopping experience the approximate sizes I would need for extras. My experience as a freelance fashion designer helped me to understand how to adjust clothes for different body types. I matched the best dresses and suits by prioritizing each character’s personality, followed by the proximity to the actor’s size. I still had to spend several days on alterations to ensure high-profile outfits fit perfectly. Choosing clothes for Lara was the easiest, as I knew her preferences and sizes from her Style File and our experience together by heart. Once the main cast was decided, the rest of the gowns and suits were allocated to the audience extras.
The School of Style (SOS) course (8.3 School of Style Personal Stylist Certificate of Completion) helped prepare me for working on set, where I learned the importance of dressing for your body type, anticipating wardrobe malfunctions, and preparing potential solutions to bring with me. My styling kit came in handy that filming day, performing dozens of temporary alterations for extras that might have only had a few seconds of visibility on camera. I took responsibility for managing the costumes of over 100 people, which I could not have done without the lessons I had learned from previous experiences. SOS also taught me the theory of how to work with an assistant, which I put into practice by having a Taiwanese assistant while on set during filming days. I had to learn to trust her ability and decide which work to delegate to her. I learned to be specific by making a checklist and setting mini-deadlines to ensure tasks were completed.
Finally, my professional styling website, 8.4 Stylist Portfolio Website: jennarobinette.com, showcases the evidence of what I have learned about styling, costume design, fashion design, marketing, and building a website. I made my website from a Square Space template and implemented what I learned about SEO during my blogging days with WordPress. My portfolio website showcases my successful projects, which reveal my long learning journey. Watch the official trailers for Tomorrow’s Star, the first two videos in the "Costumes in Film "Tomorrow's Star" section, to see my hard work in action! My website, especially my Services page, reflects my applied feedback from the Mastery portion of my School of Style course, the 6-week mentorship program by Lauren Messiah that coached me on developing my business as a personal stylist. I resurrected my website, only so the PLAR assessors can view my past, as I had hidden access during maternity leave when I took a hiatus from styling until now.
Evidence Supporting Applied Knowledge and Skills
8.1 Blanche Macdonald Centre Fashion Design Transcript
8.2 Tomorrow's Star - "Watch Out" Music Video
8.3 School of Style Personal Stylist Certificate of Completion
Google Sites
Report abuse